West Liberty-Salem cross country wrapped up another successful season Saturday, with both the boys and girls programs representing the Big Orange at the OHSAA State Cross Country Championships at Fortress Obetz.

The boys team continued its remarkable run of postseason success, earning a fourth-place finish in the Division III state championship. Meanwhile, the girls squad capped off an impressive season of its own, placing 14th in the Division IV state meet.

For the boys, Saturday's performance marked the fourth consecutive season finishing among the top four teams in the state, another milestone for a program that has established itself as one of Ohio's premier cross country programs.

Ranked No. 4 in the latest Division III OATCCC state poll entering the meet, the Big Orange finished with 232 points, narrowly missing a third-place finish behind Versailles, which totaled 205 points. Woodridge claimed the state championship with 65 points, followed by Fairless with 115.

Junior Asher Cole led the way for West Liberty-Salem, earning First Team All-Ohio honors with a 16th-place finish among 214 runners. Cole crossed the finish line in 15:42.6, continuing a strong season for the junior.

Fellow junior Brayan Gullett followed with a 43rd-place finish in 16:23.2, earning Second Team All-Ohio recognition.

The remainder of the Big Orange lineup featured junior Zeke Longshore in 89th (17:02.0), sophomore Eric Hoover in 98th (17:07.6), earning Academic All-Ohio honors, freshman Zeke Lauck in 144th (17:46.7), senior Zeke Sidders in 159th (17:58.9), and junior Gauge Lee in 171st (18:05.4).

The fourth-place finish adds another chapter to an impressive stretch for the program. West Liberty-Salem finished fourth in Division III in 2023, fourth in Division II in 2024, second in Division III in 2025, and now fourth again in Division III in 2026.

The Big Orange finished the season with a 20-3 meet record and a 161-23 season record, a testament to the consistency and depth of the program.

Following the meet, the coaching staff expressed tremendous pride in the group, highlighting the development of all 18 athletes throughout the season and the work ethic that carried the team back to the state podium conversation.

The program also recognized its two seniors, Zac Carter and Zeke Sidders, thanking them for their contributions and wishing them success in their future endeavors.

On the girls' side, West Liberty-Salem finished 14th out of 24 teams in the Division IV state championship, closing out a season that featured plenty of accomplishments and individual milestones.

Junior Addi Wallen paced the Big Orange with a 52nd-place finish among 215 competitors, crossing the line in 19:43.9. Wallen battled throughout the race and came just outside the cutoff for Second Team All-Ohio honors.

Junior Isla Leichty finished 86th in 20:14.5, while freshman Elin Leichty placed 93rd in 20:20.9, giving the program a strong look at what its future could hold.

Senior Hattie Jacobs finished 146th in 21:23.0, recording a season-best time in the final race of her high school career. Sophomore Elia Matthews followed closely in 148th at 21:24.4.

The Big Orange also saw a pair of personal milestones from its younger runners, as sophomore Charlee Albers finished 160th in 21:52.7 and junior Olive Matthews placed 162nd in 21:53.4, setting a new personal record.

For Jacobs, Saturday's performance was a fitting conclusion to her high school career. After putting together back-to-back season-best performances over the final two weeks, the senior finished her career on a high note.

Olive Matthews also provided one of the day's highlights, recording a personal-best time and breaking into the 21-minute range.

The state appearance served as the culmination of another successful campaign for the girls program, which finished as conference champions, district runners-up, and state qualifiers. The experience gained by the returning runners should provide a valuable foundation heading into next season.

The program also recognized its two seniors, Jacobs and Mariska Smith, thanking them for their hard work and contributions to West Liberty-Salem cross country.

While the state meet brings the season to a close, the accomplishments of both programs reflect the continued strength of Big Orange cross country. From the boys' fourth consecutive top-four state finish to the girls' return to the state championship, West Liberty-Salem once again demonstrated the depth, determination, and commitment that have become hallmarks of its distance-running programs.