Rush finishes sixth at state — best result ever for Mount Vernon runner

One by one, Lucy Rush has been picking off goals and records at Mount Vernon High School.

First, it was become a league champion. The senior cross-country runner did that – twice.

Then, break the school individual time record. Done – at the Watkins Memorial Invitational this year and then again at the Licking County League championships.

Now, she can say she’s had the best finish by a Mount Vernon runner in the state cross-country championships. Rush finished sixth overall, earning All-Ohio honors, at the Div. II state cross-country championship Nov. 1 at Fortress Obetz.

Rush finished the course in 18:09.06, not quite up with her school record-breaking time of 17:43.13 at Watkins. But, her sixth place finish was better than Sarah Baker’s 14th place showing in the 2009 state race. Rush, who qualified for two state races and finished 57th a year ago, is one of just three individuals to qualify for state. Baker made it in 2007 (40th), 2008 (24th) and 2009 (14th), while Sophie Zoldak qualified in 2020 (92nd), 2021 (28th) and 2022 (41st).

During her senior season, Rush won nine individual race titles, won the Licking County League title for the second straight year, finished third in the regionals, and helped her team qualify for regionals by winning a district title.

Two other Knox County runners participated in the state meet.

Centerburg’s Andrew Dickhof finished 103rd in the Division IV race, finishing in a time of 17:22.34. Dickhof had earned the right to compete at Obetz by finishing 19th at regionals. The Trojan senior was sixth in the district meet and eighth at the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference championships.

Centerburg’s Payton Tucker came in 128th place in the Division IV girls’ race, finishing in a time of 21:18.50. Tucker qualified for state by placing 11th at regionals. She also won the district meet and finished second in the KMAC.