Badger’s Stanhope wins state title
Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo Miranda Stanhope, left, of Badger won the Division III girls race Saturday at the state cross country championships.
Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo Vinny Mauri of Howland runs Saturday in the Division I boys race at the state cross country championships.
Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo Miranda Stanhope, left, of Badger won the Division III girls race Saturday at the state cross country championships.
Tribune Chronicle / John Vargo Vinny Mauri of Howland runs Saturday in the Division I boys race at the state cross country championships.
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HEBRON -- Miranda Stanhope stood at the finish line sporting a black Badger Braves hooded sweatshirt.
She was still trying to comprehend what she had just accomplished.
Her words were a bit hard to come by because of the lingering cold earlier this week.
"I actually thought (Saturday) morning I wouldn't have a voice at all, so it's an improvement," she said.
Moments after crossing the finish line parallel to the grandstands at National Trail Raceway, she was flooded with a rush of emotions. It wasn't just another first-place finish or random race. This was the Division III state championship.
Stanhope, a junior, stood atop that coveted white wooden podium facing those who braved the cold, windy conditions -- relishing in her moment.
"It really didn't sink in at the moment," said Stanhope, who won in a time of 18:51.6. "I was running it like any other race. It wasn't until I crossed the finish line (that I realized) what I had just done. Then, I started to get a little emotional."
It is the first state title for Badger since Jennilyn Krumpe won the Division III 400-meter title in 2012.
A fellow coach told Badger girls coach Carrie Albert, "Thank you for bringing it back to Trumbull County." It is the first state title for the county since Maplewood boys won back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015. She is the first Trumbull County individual girls champion since Becky Testa of McDonald won in D-III in 1994.
Albert had to pause for a moment during her interview, collecting her thoughts. She was overcome with happiness for Stanhope, who she said had a fantastic race.
"That's what we do this for," Albert said. "When you see the kids achieve their goals, whether it's winning state or getting a PR. It's a big moment in her life."
The 30-degree weather didn't hinder Stanhope. In fact, she embraced it. Stanhope has never been a fan of the early-season heat and humdity.
Besides her normal red tank top and shorts, she had black spandex sleeves going from her wrists to her biceps.
Nothing hindered Stanhope, not the week delay for state due to course conditions or even the chance in the course on Friday to alleviate runners going through too much mud. It was still muddy, though.
"She's very strong, very mentally tough," Albert said. "Especially with these changes in the course, the date. She was able to handle it really well like some athletes might (not) have."
Now, Stanhope is heading to Terre Haute, Indiana, for today's Nike Cross Regionals Midwest.
"Her celebration is going to be a long car ride with the family, trying to stretch her legs out, stay loose and keep warm," Albert said.
This kind of heat I'm sure Stanhope won't mind a bit.
NOT HIS DAY: Howland senior Vinny Mauri looked a bit forlorn after Saturday's Division I boys state race.
Fourth-place isn't what the Tigers distance runner wanted after such a successful season, running a time of 15:57.8.
"That is unacceptable," Mauri said. "I'm very disappointed in how I performed today. I got a little cold. I tightened up. I tried to push through and it didn't work."
Mauri is heading to Arizona State University next season, joining D-I state champion Conant Smith of Middletown, who ran a time of 15:43.4.
Mauri wished the course was drier and he had a better chance to run with his future teammate.
"If it would be anyone out here except me, I really wanted it to be him. He means a lot for me and my future team," Mauri said.
It just wasn't the Howland senior's day.
"I honestly don't know what happened," he said. "That pace is simple. I keep that for 10 miles, and I can't keep that for pretty much three today. I had a really bad day."
PERSERVERANCE: Garfield senior Tyler Klouda fell at the early part of Saturday's Division II boys state race, coming out about 80th place at that point.
His left knee was bleeding.
Klouda fought back to finish 10th in a time of 16:36.6, his eighth All-Ohio finish in track and cross country.
"I was focused on place today," Klouda said. "I was trying to fight for a top-10 spot. I had a fall early on off the start.
"I fought the whole race to get back to get 10th. I'm happy with that. It's unfortunate to have a fall early on in the race."