Running to State

Senior Gage Beireis Competes at State

Cross+Country+athletes+stand+together+at+National+Trail+Raceway+after+Beireiss+race+%28courtesy+of+%40NThunderbolts+on+Twitter%29.+Beireis+is+third+from+left.

Cross Country athletes stand together at National Trail Raceway after Beireis’s race (courtesy of @NThunderbolts on Twitter). Beireis is third from left.

Allison Jackson, Staff Writer

On Saturday October 28, the OHSAA Cross Country Regionals were held on the Troy levy course. There, senior Gage Beireis ran a 5k in 16 minutes 27 seconds, placing fifteenth, making him a state qualifier.

At Regionals, Beireis ran alongside his teammates senior John Pierron, sophomore Sam Diller, sophomore Nick Sanders, freshman Matthew Correll, sophomore Drew Haker, and freshman Isaac Studebaker.

Senior Aubrey Kosak was the only girl on the team to qualify for Regionals, making it the first time the girls did not qualify as a team after a four-year qualifying streak.

“I felt very proud of myself. I qualified as a sophomore and wanted to see if I could do it again,” said Kosak.

Beireis ran at the state meet on Saturday, November 4, in Columbus. Finishing with a time of 17 minutes 11 seconds.

“I would say it was all pretty great besides the race itself,” said Beireis. “I had one of my worst races of the year, but it happens to the best of us. I would have rather it happen at state than last week at Regionals and not making it to state.”

Beireis’s teammates, Pierron and Haker, joined him on his journey to state.

“Gage is one of my best friends. I was excited for him,” said Haker. “I hope he has a future in running. He’s good at it.”

Beireis competed against 182 other runners in the boys division 1 race.