DIVISION III
  Some mysterious circumstances have made this race a little more interesting.  Two contending state champions did not make it out of regionals.  Grandview's Alli Grace, an all-state runner and certainly one of the favorites this season suffered from a sinus infection and ultimately could not finish the race at the Lancaster Regional.  Meanwhile, St. Thomas's Kristen Proach, last years Boardman Regional champion and a contender this year was disqualified at the Boardman Regional.  Apparently Proach ran to the wrong side of a tree in the woods on the Boardman course less than 200 meters from the finish. 
   What this has done is open up the race.  Well, almost.  Look for Spencerville's Angela Homan to literally run away with the race.  She won the Troy regional in a comfortable 18:00.  She will be pursued by Minster's Sunni Olding. (18:07)  The Northeast's top hopes are on the shoulders of Kim Nemergut from South Range.  Nemergut won at the Boardman regional rather easily and appears ready for the state meet. 
   In the team race it is Minster's to lose.  With Olding leading the way the rest of the team is equally as impressive.  Runner's #2-5 ran from 19:39 to 20:06 at the regional.  Look for them all to be under 20 at the state meet.  Pymatuming Valley will be the Northeast's and the state's best hope to stay with Minster.  Right on their heals however is South Range and McDonald.  Other teams to watch for are perennial powerhouses Attica Seneca East, Liberty-Benton, and Barnesville.

My predictions:
Team Champ:  Minster
Ind. Champ:  Angela Homan
Northeast Teams:  Pymatuming Valley 2nd, South Range 3rd, Mc Donald 5th.
Northeast Ind. :  Kim Nemergut, Jen Wenhold, and Laura Boatwright can look for all state finishes.  Nemergut should be top 5.  Others to watch: Grammer (PV), Cerankosky (Kirtland), and Bertolini from St. Thomas.

 
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