Heartland Christian’s Rebecca Geiss races to victory at the Boardman Division III regional cross country meet Saturday. Smithville’s Kaitlyn Carr (left) was second and McDonald’s Naomi Sheesley (right) was third. (Morning Journal/Ron Firth)

BOARDMAN — Heartland Christian junior Rebecca Geiss is announced as the defending state champion before every cross country race.

“I try to block it out and focus on the race,” she said.

There were many cheers for Geiss as she captured the Division III regional title Saturday at Boardman High School. Her time of 18 minutes, 10.58 seconds on the 3.1-mile course topped the 118-runner field by 19 seconds.

“The results of my training are showing,” Geiss said. “This is the break through I’ve been waiting for all season.”

“She ran well,” said Jeff Geiss, her father and coach. “Her second lap was faster than the first. She’s always good at pacing herself. I’ve never seen anyone as good as her at it.”

Rebecca is headed to her third state cross country meet this Saturday at Fortress Obetz, where she became Heartland’s first OHSAA state champion last year.

“I think I will cut back on my training (this) week and should be at my peak this year,” she said.

“It should be good,” Jeff Geiss said.

She will be announced as defending state champion again at the state meet.

“It feels like a lot of pressure,” Jeff Geiss said. “They’re kids. I just want them to have fun and enjoy this sport. They put pressure on themselves. They don’t need us coaches and adults to put more on them.”

Do a lot of athletes put pressure on themselves?

“They all do,” Jeff Geiss said. “That’s what makes them great competitors.”

Smithville junior Kaitlyn Carr, who was third at state last year, was the regional runner-up (18:29.01). McDonald freshman Naomi Sheesley was third (18:33.65).

Sheesley has battling Geiss out front all season.

“Rebecca knows she’s there and has to run well,” Jeff Geiss said. “She’s a talented runner.”

“It’s really nice and pushes both of us,” Rebecca Geiss said. “She’s an amazing runner and a nice girl.”

“We know there’s always going to be fast runners,” Jeff Geiss said. “Caleigh Richards (a two-time state cross country champion) graduated and then McDonald comes along. There’s never going to be just one.”

He said his daughter is still the same humble girl she was before winning the state meet last year.

“She has not changed much,” Jeff Geiss said. “She sticks to her routine and stays with it. Her training stays the same.”

“Today was just about getting to state,” Rebecca Geiss said.

She will run at the state meet at 10:45 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s always exciting to go to state,” Jeff Geiss said.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Rebecca Geiss said. “I’ll be happy with whatever I get.”

Meet notes

• Saturday’s weather at Boardman High School was in the mid-50s and dry, but breezy.

“This season has been fantastic,” Jeff Geiss said. “One of the best seasons of cross country weather we’ve had.”

• Rebecca Geiss has been battling a cold she picked up before the district meet.

She said she feels OK, but is trying to get rid of a cough.

“It’s a really long cold,” she said.

• Rebecca Geiss will be heading to Fortress Obetz before Saturday’s state meet to get another look at the course.

She also ran there at the OHSAA Early Season Invitational on Aug. 17.

“We want to see if anything changes,” Jeff Geiss said.

There were 309 runners in the Division II-III race before the season and Rebecca finished second, 24 seconds behind Athens junior Sophia Szolosi.

Szolosi was the Division II state runner-up last fall and won the Pickerington North regional on Saturday. Athens beat defending Division II state champion Minerva by three points for the regional team title.

• Rebecca’s cousin is Haylee Harford, a LaBrae High School graduate who was a two-time high school state golf champion. Harford had three top-25 finishes on the LPGA Tour in 2022.

“Occasionally they joke with each other about being state champions,” Jeff Geiss said.