Medina runners, soccer teams finish strong postseason campaigns

Medina’s cross-country teams headed to Fortress Obetz in Obetz, Ohio, last weekend for the Division I state cross-country championships. While the Bees fell short of some of the finishes they’ve logged in recent times, they were still all there competing.

Medina’s girls made the most of their trip to Central Ohio — Obetz is a tiny but growing suburb on the southwest side of the Columbus sprawl — placing ninth among the 20 teams that qualified for the year-ender.

The Bees were paced by senior Alexis Warnemont, whose time of 18:41.71 earned her a 21st-place finish and All-Ohio status. Elena Aldrink of Olentangy Liberty won in 17:25.90.

Next for the Bees was freshman Addison Joffre (19:23.41), whose 46th-place finish was eighth-best among ninth graders. Senior Julia Dietrich came in 84th for the Bees in 19:46.91, less than three seconds in front of junior Alanya Yanmaz, who placed 89th. Sophomore Julie Black placed 133rd in 20:35.08 to round out Medina’s scorers.

Sophomore Ari Schwemley (148th, 20:48.77) and junior Leah Bugner (159th, 21:01.42) were the Bees’ other runners at state. There were 179 finishers in all.

The Bees finished with 266 points to hold off 10th-place Dublin Jerome (270) and 11th-place Lancaster (277). Gahanna Lincoln won with 81, well ahead of Hilliard Davidson’s runner-up total of 136.

Medina’s boys had a tougher go of things, finishing 20th among the 20 qualifying Division I teams. Their top placer was Joey D’Aurelio, who came in 107th among 180 runners. His time of 16:42.19 was roughly 90 seconds off the winning pace set by Dom Ellis of Cincinnati St. Xavier. Beavercreek won the team title with 107 points, besting runner-up Perrysburg by 40.

Girls soccer

Medina’s lone loss of the season was the one that ended it. Playing archrival Strongsville for the second time in 14 days, the Bees could not do enough offensively against the Mustangs in a 3-1 Division I regional semifinal loss on Oct. 28 at Streetsboro.

The Bees did have an early lead, thanks to Tallia Masternek, but her unassisted goal came on one of just four shots Medina managed. The Mustangs, meanwhile, got off nine of their own and, after tying the game in the 34th minute of the first half, added a pair of scores within about four minutes of each other in the second half.

The Mustangs went on to fall 4-1 to Perrysburg in a Nov. 1 regional final and finished 14-4-3. Medina finished 15-1-3.

Boys soccer

While St. Ignatius has seen its football program come back to the pack — and then some — the Wildcats’ boys soccer squad is doing just fine. Medina saw exactly how fine in a 4-0 Division I regional semifinal loss to St. Ignatius on Oct. 29 at Nordonia.

The Wildcats, who went on to beat Perrysburg 1-0 in a Nov. 1 regional final, scored three times in the first 20 minutes, then added another 10 minutes into the second half, as they converted on half their shots on goal.

Medina, which got just two shots off, finished 13-3-3. The Wildcats were to face Columbus St. Charles in a Nov. 5 state semifinal.