The Big Orange Middle School cross country teams delivered an outstanding performance at the OHSAA State Meet this weekend, highlighted by a state championship for the girls team and a fifth-place finish for the boys.

The West Liberty-Salem girls claimed the team title with 102 points, edging runner-up Beavercreek, which finished with 113 points. The championship capped a remarkable season for the Lady Tigers, who finished undefeated.

Leading the way for West Liberty-Salem were Nika Matthews and Elayna Hoover, both of whom earned podium finishes and individual medals in a field of 292 runners.

Matthews secured third place with a time of 11:40.6, while Hoover crossed the finish line in 12:03.5 to take 12th.

The pair led a strong team effort that proved decisive in the championship race. Paisley Strapp finished 37th in 12:41.0, recording a personal record, while Lilly Woodruff placed 44th in 12:45.4.

Neema Smucker also recorded a personal record, finishing 49th in 12:52.5. Iris Meister placed 62nd in 13:07.0, and Ellie Louth rounded out the team's individual results with a 206th-place finish in 15:00.0.

West Liberty-Salem's 102 points put the Lady Tigers ahead of Beavercreek by 11 points. Loveland finished third with 139 points, followed by Perrysburg with 171 and Wyoming with 240. Cincinnati Nagel placed sixth with 247 points, while Bellebrook finished seventh with 283.

The victory was the culmination of a dominant season for the Big Orange girls, who maintained their undefeated record while delivering when it mattered most on the state stage.

The West Liberty-Salem boys team also turned in a strong performance, finishing fifth among 45 teams with 291 points.

Perrysburg captured the boys team championship with 156 points, followed by Kings with 178 and Cincinnati Nagel with 179. Loveland finished fourth with 289 points, narrowly ahead of the Tigers. Wyoming placed sixth with 310 points, while Lima Shawnee finished seventh with 318.

Caizen Anders led the West Liberty-Salem varsity boys, placing 56th among 377 runners with a time of 11:33.0.

Joel Hoover followed in 67th place in 11:40.0, while Archer Anine-Sefah finished 79th in 11:46.3. Ozzy Anders crossed the line in 97th place with a time of 11:58.8, and Harrison Sutherin finished 99th in 12:00.4.

Isaac Falloon placed 103rd in 12:02.4, followed closely by Cooper Thompson in 107th with a time of 12:03.6.

The fifth-place finish capped an impressive campaign for the Big Orange boys, who concluded their season with a remarkable 140-6 record.

West Liberty-Salem also competed in the boys open race, where the Tigers finished ninth among 18 teams with 258 points.

Braxton Louden led the team's individual results, finishing 45th in 12:46.3. Jack Troyer followed in 51st place with a time of 12:50.4, while Jackson Barth finished 86th in 13:22.2.

Jett Ziegler placed 107th in 13:51.4, and Maddax Dobberstein recorded a personal record of 14:29.0 to finish 141st. Jordan Griffith finished 155th in 14:46.1, followed by Ayden Henson in 164th in 15:08.3 and Josey Fullenkamp in 178th in 15:37.3.

The race featured 232 runners, providing another opportunity for West Liberty-Salem athletes to compete against strong competition on the state stage.

From an undefeated girls campaign to a fifth-place state finish for the boys, West Liberty-Salem's middle school cross country program concluded its season with plenty to celebrate.

The girls' championship performance, highlighted by podium finishes from Matthews and Hoover, demonstrated the team's depth and consistency throughout the season. Meanwhile, the boys' fifth-place finish and outstanding 140-6 record underscored the strength of the program across both teams.

With the state meet bringing the season to a close, the Big Orange runners have plenty of accomplishments to look back on, including a state championship, individual medalists, personal records and a series of strong team performances.

For West Liberty-Salem, it was a memorable weekend that showcased the dedication and competitive spirit of its young runners.