CEDARVILLE, Ohio — The West Liberty-Salem cross country teams turned in strong performances at the OHSAA Southwest District Championships on Saturday at Cedarville, with both the boys and girls squads earning district honors and advancing to the regional meet.

The Big Orange boys finished third overall in the Division III Southwest District standings, while the girls placed third in Division IV. Both teams secured their spots at the regional championships, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31, at Troy.

The West Liberty-Salem boys finished third among 20 teams with 81 points, narrowly trailing Oakwood, which scored 78. Versailles claimed the district championship with 60 points, while Waynesville finished fourth with 108.

Junior Asher Cole led the Tigers with a third-place finish, crossing the line in 15:57.1. Cole's performance continued a standout season for the junior, who has established himself as one of the area's premier distance runners.

Junior Brayan Gullett followed with a 12th-place finish in 16:44.6, giving West Liberty-Salem two runners inside the top 12. Junior Zeke Longshore placed 19th in 17:14.7, followed closely by sophomore Eric Hoover, who finished 20th in 17:17.7.

Freshman Zeke Lauck recorded a personal-best time of 17:39.9 to finish 30th, providing another highlight for the Tigers. Senior Zeke Sidders placed 38th in 17:55.1, while junior Gauge Lee rounded out the team's seven runners with a 42nd-place finish in 18:03.2.

West Liberty-Salem's depth helped the Tigers remain in contention for the district title in a competitive field of 145 runners. The team entered the championship with a season record of 122-19 and a meet record of 17-2.

The Tigers will now turn their attention to the Division III Southwest Regional Championships at Troy, where the top 11 teams from the combined district field advance.

The West Liberty-Salem girls also secured a district runner-up finish, placing third among 19 complete teams in the Division IV Southwest District standings with 113 points.

Minster won the district championship with 62 points, followed by Fort Loramie with 84. West Liberty-Salem finished ahead of Botkins, which placed fourth with 182 points, and Cedarville, which rounded out the top five with 185.

Junior Isla Leichty paced the Tigers with a 10th-place finish in 19:57.5, breaking the 20-minute mark and leading the team's effort in a field of 143 finishers.

Freshman Elin Leichty followed in 16th place with a time of 20:21.2, while junior Addi Wallen finished 18th in 20:27.1. The trio gave West Liberty-Salem three runners inside the top 20, establishing a strong foundation for the team's scoring performance.

Sophomore Elia Matthews placed 37th in 21:29.9. Sophomore Charlee Albers finished 58th in 22:26.2, followed by senior Hattie Jacobs in 61st at 22:33.2 and junior Olive Matthews in 63rd at 22:38.2.

The Tigers earned their place at the regional meet, where they will have another opportunity to put together a complete team performance and pursue a berth at the state championships.

Following Saturday's race, the coaching staff praised the performances of Isla and Elin Leichty, noting that both runners got out quickly and competed well to maintain their positions throughout the race.

Although the team finished where it was expected in the district standings, the coaching staff acknowledged a desire to close the gap on Fort Loramie and emphasized the importance of bringing all seven runners together for a stronger overall team race.

Despite that challenge, the Tigers remain optimistic heading into the regional competition, with state qualification still within reach.

Both West Liberty-Salem squads will have another chance to showcase their depth and postseason experience at the Southwest Regional Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Troy.

The Division III boys race is scheduled for 2:20 p.m., while the Division IV girls race is set for 3:30 p.m.

With both teams earning district runner-up honors, the Tigers have positioned themselves for another important postseason test. The boys will look to build on Cole's front-running performance and the team's balanced scoring, while the girls will aim to close the gap on the district's top contenders and deliver the complete team effort their coaches believe is possible.

The next step is Troy, where West Liberty-Salem will look to turn its district success into a potential trip to the state championships.