South Range’s Emmitt Slabach finishes seventh at Division III state cross country meet Saturday. (Morning Journal/Ron Firth)

OBETZ — South Range senior Emmitt Slabach was chasing a personal record and a school record at the state cross country meet Saturday.

“The conditions were good and I really wanted it,” he said.

He finished seventh in the Division III boys race at Fortress Obetz in a personal-best 15 minutes, 34.11 seconds — the second-fastest time in South Range history.

“I’m happy with it,” Slabach said. “I was only four seconds behind the school record.”

He bettered his personal best by 20 seconds and his time trails only Ryan Roush in the South Range record books.

“I never thought that as a freshman,” Slabach said.

This was his third state appearance — placing 30th last year and 69th as a freshman when the Raiders finished a program-best seventh in the team standings.

“It’s always more fun being here as a team,” Slabach said. “We were only seven points off (a state berth) at regional.”

Rittman junior Luke Snyder repeated as state champion in 14:58.13 — breaking his Division III course record set last year by 25 seconds.

“That’s crazy fast for Division III,” Slabach said.

Four South Range runners have had higher finishes — Dan Nemergut was second in 2003 and first in 2004, Ryan Roush sixth in 2010 and third in 2011, Spencer Bush fourth in 2020 and Will Morey sixth in 1979 and fifth in 1980.

Slabach’s cross country season isn’t over yet. He hopes to run for Team Ohio in the Mid East Cross Country Championship at Kettering on Nov. 16.

Meet notes

• Salem sophomore Sam Yakubek was 78th in the Division II boys race in a personal-best in 16:24.17. He’s dropped 19 second off his personal best in the last two races.

“It’s huge for him,” Salem coach Ted Yuhaniak said. “My belief is he’ll get on the podium. I hope he’ll get his team on the podium one day.”

• There were 42 Division II boys runners under 16 minutes Saturday. Only 10 did it last year.

“You knew it was going to be fast — this time of the season, this course and this competition,” Yuhaniak said.

• The Minerva boys ran in the state meet a fourth straight year and finished 17th with 355 points. The Lions haven’t finished higher than 16th during that run.

Senior Grasyn Rettig led the Lions by placing 52nd (16:08.38) in his fourth state appearance. He was 17th as a sophomore and 18th as a junior.

Also for the Lions, junior Rowen Hoffee was 74th (16:21.25), senior Ryan Cassidy 122nd (16:51.27), junior Owen Yoder 127th (16:58.03), freshman Tyson Fetty 136th (17:08.03), sophomore Kaden Knappenberger 147th (17:27.38) and sophomore Fox Johnson 149th (17:31.71).

• Slabach plans on going to college.

“I’m not sure where I’m going to run, but I want to run somewhere,” he said.