The West Liberty-Salem boys cross country team delivered an outstanding performance at the OHSAA Division III Troy Regional meet, finishing as regional runner-up and securing its ninth consecutive trip to the state championship.

Ranked No. 5 in this week's Division III OATCCC State Poll, the Tigers bounced back in impressive fashion after placing third at the district meet a week earlier. West Liberty-Salem finished with 97 team points, good for second place behind regional champion Versailles, which claimed the title with 79 points. The top five teams advanced to the state meet.

Junior Asher Cole led the Tigers' charge, turning in a third-place finish with a time of 15:41.6. Fellow junior Brayan Gullett followed closely behind, placing ninth in 16:16.7 to give West Liberty-Salem two runners inside the top 10.

Zeke Longshore continued the strong team performance with a 23rd-place finish in 16:44.2, while sophomore Eric Hoover crossed the line 30th in 17:05.4. Freshman Zeke Lauck rounded out the Tigers' scoring lineup, placing 37th in 17:18.1 while recording a personal record.

West Liberty-Salem's remaining runners also contributed to the regional runner-up finish. Junior Gauge Lee placed 59th in 17:48.4, while senior Zeke Sidders finished 61st in 17:51.4, setting a personal record of his own.

The Tigers finished with a team record of 19-1 at the meet and a season record of 141-20. Their top-five runners posted a 1:36.5 split between first and fifth, highlighting the team's depth and consistency.

Following the meet, the coaching staff praised the team's ability to respond after its district performance, emphasizing the importance of an aggressive start and a collective effort to secure another state appearance.

Cole and Gullett will each make their third consecutive trip to the state meet, while Longshore and Hoover are set to make their second appearances. Lauck, Lee and Sidders will experience the state championship for the first time.

The regional runner-up finish marks West Liberty-Salem's ninth consecutive state qualification and the 25th state appearance in program history, continuing one of the area's most consistent cross country traditions.

The Tigers will now turn their attention to the OHSAA Division III State Cross Country Championships at Fortress Obetz on Saturday, Nov. 7. The boys race is scheduled for 2:20 p.m., where West Liberty-Salem will look to cap another successful season with a strong performance on the state's biggest stage.