<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Qha1f_0wNhoiQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Qha1f_0wNhoiQF00" width="680" height="1068" ><figcaption>Covington’s Elyza Long races towards the finish line at the D-III regional meet Saturday at Troy. Long finished second to advance to state. Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today</figcaption></figure>TROY — Avyn Spagnola competed in her first regional meet for Troy Saturday.Spagnola finished 94th in the D-I race, crossing the line in 21:11.77/D-II Tippecanoe’s Morgan Collins got more than she could have hoped for in making a return trip to state at the regional meet Saturday.Bethel freshman Olivia Brumbaugh just continues to impress.Collins finished 15h in the D-II race in 20:10.07, which would have earned her a return trip to state.Even better, she led Tippecanoe to a fourth-place finish so she will have company at the state meet.“Running at last year was a good experience,” Collins said. “But, I didn’t have my teammates there. It is going to be so much more fun this year with my teammates there. I am really happy about that.”As for her race to finish 15th, Collins didn’t have many complaints.“I did go out too fast,” Collins said. “But, that’s Okay. Today was abut place, not time and I got that done. And it is going to be great running with my teammates next week.”Rounding out the Tipp runners were Sydney LaBreck, 24, 20:46.93; Lucia Ranly, 25, 20:51.09; Katelyn Beeson, 36, 21:32.58; Mary Waibel, 40, 21:37.18; Aubrey Davis, 74, 22:43.05 and Lauren Anderson, 75, 22:43.46.Brumbaugh finished 13th in 20:04.71 to punch her ticket to state.“My coach and my dad would be yelling out my place so I knew where I was at throuhgout the race,” Brumbaugh said with a laugh. “My first goal this year was to get the school record (which she did early in the season). Getting to state was another goal. Getting to state is like a celebration. So, we will see what happens next week.”Milton-Union’s Aubree Bates finished 42nd in 21:40.06 and Bethel’s Allysandra Perian0 was 65th in 22:06.99.D-III Covington’s Elyza Long wanted to finish her high school cross country career where it started.Newton freshman Michaela Flora had no expectations coming into the season.But, both will finish the season running in the D-III girls state race at Fortress Obetz.Long had advanced to state as a freshman — but had battled injuries for two years.But, her impressive senior season continued Saturday, finishing second in 19:01.68.“To be honest, I just wanted to get back to the state meet,” Long said. “It is not a PR, but it is the best time I have run on this course, so I am happy about that. I am just so happy to be going to back to state.”And she feels she can have another good race next week,“If I could finish in the top 10, that would be amazing,” Long said. “But, I am happy just to be going back.”Flora continued to impress in her freshman season, finishing fourth at the regional in 19:12.42 to lead Newton to a seventh-place finish as a team.“I am a freshman, so I didn’t really know what to expect (coming into the season),” she said. “I am happy to be going to state. Today, was a PR. My goal at state is probably to run under 19 (minutes).”The rest of the Newton runners included Claire Stull, 25, 20:34.64; Cole Thompson, 35, 20:58.95; Emily Flora, 55, 21:56.57; Gentri Deaton, 64, 22:27.23; Evelyn Case, 79, 24:17.74 and Ellie Bauer, 85, 26:55.17.Troy Christian’s Elizabeth Waltz came up just short of making it to state, finishing 22nd in 20:26.47.Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at rkiser@aimmediamidwest.com</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

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Tippecanoe girls, three individuals earn state berths in girls cross country

TROY — Avyn Spagnola competed in her first regional meet for Troy Saturday. Spagnola finished 94th in the D-I race, crossing the line in 21:11.77/. Tippecanoe’s Morgan Collins got more than she could have hoped for in making a return trip to state at the regional meet Saturday.