East Liverpool’s Maddox Roach (left) passes Salem’s Luke Stephens to win the Columbiana County boys race Tuesday. (Morning Journal/Ron Firth)

COLUMBIANA — Heartland Christian senior Rebecca Geiss became the first runner in 23 years to win four straight Columbiana County cross country titles. East Liverpool senior Maddox Roach was glad to get one.

Roach passed Salem junior Luke Stephens in the final 100 meters in a thrilling boys finish at the Ward Athletic Complex on Tuesday.

“I had to win one because it’s my last year,” Roach said. “It was a relief, a weight off my shoulders.”

Geiss ran away with a fourth county title, covering the 3.1-mile course behind Columbiana High School in 19 minutes, 49.17 seconds. The only county meet she didn’t win by at least 50 seconds was her freshman year.

“It felt really good,” she said. “It felt like a workout.”

She becomes Columbiana County’s first four-time winner since East Liverpool’s Mark Montgomery in 2002.

“It means a lot,” Geiss said. “It shows how faithful the Lord is in this part of my life.”

Team champion Salem had five of the next six runners behind Geiss. The Quakers ran their race and weren’t trying to catch her.

“No,” Salem senior Laura Hovorka said. “Rebecca is amazing. She always puts on her best game.”

“I take the race one part at a time,” said Geiss, who said she divides it a mile at a time. “I focus on the mile I’m on.”

Geiss was the Ohio Division III state cross country champion as a sophomore and the state runner-up as a junior.

“It all comes down to how well you compete,” she said.

Roach also did that Tuesday.

“I am definitely more cross country oriented this year,” said Roach, who will be one of the top milers in the state during track season. “I want to get ready for the (1600).”

He has put in the time with 70-mile weeks during the summer. He said he now runs 50-55 miles a week, including a 12-mile run every Sunday.

“This is fun for me,” Roach said. “Track is so much stress because I feel I have to win. In cross country, I get what I get.”

Stephens led most of the race, but Roach stayed close behind.

“I was feeling good, not great, but I knew I could do it,” he said.

Roach won in 16:22.96, followed by Stephens in 16:27. Defending county champion Sam Yakubek finished third.

“It was going to be me, Sam and Luke,” Roach said. “I knew it could come down to the finish.”

Stephens wanted to get a bigger lead and try to hold off Roach.

“I knew who I was dealing with,” Stephens said. “With 100 meters to go, I had to give it to the guy who has the foot speed.

“He’s a really good track runner. I feel a little more balanced in cross country.”

Roach wanted to make his last county meet one to remember.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” Roach said. “I don’t want to drop and let them pass me.”

“They know Maddox,” Salem coach Ted Yuhaniak said. “They competed really well. Maddox is an unbelievable runner.”

Roach isn’t ready for his senior cross country season to end.

“My goal is to win OVAC (Ohio Valley Athletic Conference) and make it to state,” he said. “I want to shock people there.”

Meet notes

• There was a little rain before the start of the first race, but nice for the rest of the meet.

• East Liverpool’s last individual county champion was Nate Boyer in 2012 when he won for the second straight year.

• Geiss was busy getting ready for her race, but saw Roach’s late pass to win the boys race.

“He’s a really strong runner and ran a good race,” she said. “I like running first so I can watch the other races.”

• Geiss put in some additional work after the race, running four 150-meter sprints, then a 10-minute run followed by four 100-meter sprints.

• Geiss will be competing at the Olentangy Berlin Invitational near Columbus on Saturday.

“It’s one of the biggest races of the year,” she said. “The girls with the 10 fastest times this season will be there.”

Heartland will close out the regular season at the Legends Meet on Oct. 4 and the Clipper Invitational on Oct. 11.

• Beaver Local senior Hannah Ruberto was fourth in the girls race for the second straight year after placing 19th as a sophomore and 21st as a freshman.

• Roach has been offered a partial athletic scholarship from Youngstown State. He said he also has been in touch with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

• Raising Cane’s restaurant was at the meet with prize wheel. Roach was wearing the headband he won there after his race.

“I’m too locked in before the race,” he said.

He said wanted to win the armbands he could wear for a race.