REPEAT CHAMPION … Wauseon senior Ella Rhoades heads to the finish line for her second straight NWOAL championship last Saturday at Homecoming Park in Wauseon.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THEVILLAGE REPORTER
THREE-PEAT … Josiah Cummins posted a time of 16:40 to take fourth place and help the Golden Bears to their third consecutive league title.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
WAUSEON (October 11, 2025) – It was a “three-peat” championship performance for the Bryan Golden Bears after winning the Northwest Ohio Athletic League boys cross country meet held Saturday, October 11 at Homecoming Park in Wauseon.
Led by standout freshman John Deitemeyer, who finished as runner-up with a time of 16:24 behind eventual league champion Mason Like of Liberty Center who was clocked in 15:46, the Golden Bears had four of its top five runners earning first team all-NWOAL honors and easily dominated the meet with 23 points.
It marked the third consecutive NWOAL cross country crown for Bryan and its 24th all-time in program history.
Archbold was runner-up with 63 points followed by Liberty Center (84), Delta (111), Wauseon (116), Swanton (156) and Evergreen (188) while Patrick Henry didn’t field a full team.
Joining Like and Deitemeyer on the first team were Colton Sheline of Bryan who finished third (16:33), Josiah Cummins of Bryan was fourth (16:40), Clay Wasnich of Wauseon was fifth (16:59), Kristopher Alspaugh of Bryan was sixth (17:00) and Connor Plassman of Archbold was seventh (17:08).
Second team honors went to Cael Neilson of Bryan (8th, 17:05), Jude Hudson of Archbold (9th, 17:12), Carson Sintobin of Delta (10th, 17:31.48), Brady Chapa of Liberty Center (11th, 17:31.50), Spencer Woodward of Bryan (12th, 17:36), Trevor Osterland of Archbold (13th, 17:40) and Nye Bradbee of Bryan (14th, 17:49).
Earning honorable mention honors were Ryan Navarre of Liberty Center (15th, 17:53), Bo King of Archbold (16th, 17:56), Xavier Gericke of Archbold (17th, 18:10), Amarion Moreno of Archbold (18th, 18:14), Joshua Sampson of Bryan (19th, 18:19), Liam Easton of Delta (18:20), and Tyler Barnes of Delta (21st, 18:25).
On the girls’ side, Liberty Center claimed its 13th NWOAL title in program history as the Tigers tallied 34 points followed by Archbold (50), Wauseon (87), Bryan (107), Delta (111) and Evergreen (147). Defending league champion Patrick Henry and Swanton didn’t field full squads.
Wauseon’s Ella Rhoades successfully defended her individual title as the senior clocked in 18:16, 16 seconds faster than runner-up Mia Amador of Patrick Henry who was timed in 18:32.
Rhoades capped off her outstanding NWOAL career being named first team all-league in all four years of high school.
Joining Rhoades and Amador on the first team were Nicolette Stickney of Bryan who finished third (18:44.31), Colbie Strayer of Liberty Center was fourth (18:44.82), Hadley Hudson of Archbold was fifth (18:57), Mya Stark of Liberty Center was sixth (19:25) and Castyn Miller of Liberty Center was eighth (19:35).
Second team honors went to Jovie Hudson of Archbold (8th, 20:08), Sydnie Whitinger of Delta (9th, 20:20), Hailey Bowen of Liberty Center (10th, 20:30), Natalie Schmucker of Archbold (11th, 20:38), Ryley Miller of Liberty Center (12th, 20:52), Ryanna Groth of Liberty Center (13th, 20:59) and Carleigh Cone of Delta (14th, 21:05).
Earning honorable mention honors were Blaney Huffman of Archbold (15th, 21:12), Cagnee Grime of Archbold (16th, 21:27), Madison Bowers of Archbold (17th, 21:31), Janae Murillo of Archbold (18th, 21:34), Makena Thiel of Archbold (19th, 21:50), Lani Rosebrook of Patrick Henry (20th, 21:55) and Kylie Wanemacher of Archbold (21st, 22:05).