Dublin Scioto High School girls cross country coach Matt Suttle doesn't believe anyone has a shot at beating Rocky River Magnificat in the Division I state meet Saturday at Scioto Downs.

But despite tying Sylvania Northview for fifth in last week's state poll, behind Magnificat, North Canton Hoover, Hudson and Springboro, Suttle believes the Irish could contend for the runner-up team trophy.

Scioto is 156-5 this season, with its only losses coming against Magnificat, Hoover (twice), Hudson and Northview.

"Hudson and North Canton Hoover probably are the favorites (to finish second), but they aren't significantly better than the rest of us," Suttle said. "We'll be in the mix if our top four run the way they've been running for most of the season. Our fifth and sixth runners have been coming on, too, and if we can get them up there, we'll be very competitive for at least a top-five finish, because the second- through sixth-ranked teams look interchangeable."

Scioto's best state-meet performance was in 2001 when it finished fourth (173 points), behind Cincinnati Turpin (77), Hilliard Davidson (148) and Coffman (165).

"Getting our highest finish at the state meet is something I've mentioned to the girls," Suttle said. "It would definitely be a nice goal to achieve."

The Irish finished second (71) in the 16-team regional last Saturday at Pickerington North, behind Northview (61).

Sakiko Minagawa (eighth, 20 minutes, 32.68 seconds), Katie Papesh (11th, 20:36.71), Minori Minagawa (14th, 20:41.74), Keelin Gorman (22nd, 21:06.49) and Lindsay Keeran (23rd, 21:10.25) scored for Scioto.

"We ran pretty well," Minori Minagawa said. "Lindsay really helped us. She's usually our sixth or seventh runner, but she moved up to fifth with a good time. We were only 10 points off from (Northview), so maybe we can beat them at state if we all move up a couple of spots. Keelin didn't run as well as she usually does, so she could make the difference at state."

Coffman finished fifth (154), behind Toledo Notre Dame Academy (111) and Canal Winchester (131). Only the top four teams and the individuals not on a qualifying team who finished in the top 16 of the boys and girls regionals advanced to state.

Megan Collins finished 16th in 20:47.36 to qualify as an individual.

Clarissa Bons (30th, 21:21.42), Mechelle DeNoble (37th, 21:30.44), Kelly Greenzalis (38th, 21:32.06) and Claire Grace (50th, 21:52.44) rounded out the scoring for the Shamrocks, who failed to qualify to state for a second-consecutive year after making it to state the previous 12-consecutive seasons.

Competing as an individual, Jerome freshman Kaitlyn Willette finished 32nd in 21:24.22.

•The Coffman boys team finished fourth (147) in the Division I regional last Saturday at Pickerington North, behind Pickerington North (75), Reynoldsburg (118) and New Albany (139) to qualify to state for the first time since 2000.

John Kieffer (ninth, 17:36.68), Adam Davidson (12th, 17:39.39), Mark Ruf (42nd, 18:27.48), Ricky Feria-Arias (50th, 18:39.06) and Robbie Daulton (67th, 18:50.63) scored as the Shamrocks held off Westerville North (161) for the final qualifying position.

Westerville North scored 68 points to win the district 2 meet, ahead of runner-up Coffman (73) a week earlier.

"Making it back to state is a nice step for us," coach Chad Biegler said. "These were quite possibly the worst conditions I've seen when it comes to mud, but John Kieffer ran a solid race to help us qualify.

"Adam Davidson ran the best race of anyone on our team. You could see on his face that he actually was having fun running in the mud. Adam was 21st at the mile marker, but he just kept picking people off. Mark Ruf and Ricky Feria-Arias ran a real solid race, too."

Biegler said the highest the Shamrocks have finished in their other seven state meet appearance was 12th in 2000.

"To be in the top 10 is a realistic goal for us this year if everyone on our team runs well," Biegler said.

Scioto junior Luis Carbajal finished fourth (17:22.69) at regional, behind Pickerington North's Daniel Garleb (17:04.64), Westerville North's Jeff Hannaford (17:11.64) and Pickerington North's Nick Hissrich (17:12.72) to advance to state for a third-consecutive year.

Making his first regional appearance, Scioto junior Patrick Moore finished 51st (18:39.08).

"The course was muddy, so we ran slow times," Carbajal said. "I just tried to do enough to move on to state."

Despite being hampered by a strained left calf muscle, Carbajal finished 33rd (16:09.09) in the state meet as a freshman.

Carbajal then placed 19th (16:07.5) at the state meet last year, behind champion Zach Wills (15:15.66) of Mason to become only the third Scioto runner to earn All-Ohio honors, along with Aaron Rowe (19th in 1998) and Parker Daniel (21st in 2000).

After missing his sophomore track season with an iliotibial band injury and missing the first half of this season with a sprained ankle, Carbajal said he finally feels healthy.

"My goal is to finish in the top 10, but I don't know what will happen with my health," Carbajal said. "I'm improving each week and beating people who beat me when I first came back to run. I just hope that I stay healthy and run my best."

Jerome's boys team finished ninth (230) at regional, as Nick Schneider (13th, 17:40.16), Jack Crawford (39th, 18:25.95), Stephen Gaber (70th, 18:54.97), Spencer King (74th, 18:59.63) and Stephen King (77th, 19:00.92) scored.

After finishing 17th at regional, just one spot from qualifying to state last year, Schneider became the first Jerome athlete to qualify to the state cross country meet.

"I strained my inner quad muscle a week ago (at district) and I was able to run only one day this week, because I was in the training room every day," Schneider said.

"I had a cold, too, and when I hit the halfway-point of the race, I had so much congestion that I couldn't breathe very well."

Schneider is hoping to finish in the top 25 at state to earn all-Ohio honors.

"My best time is 15:49 and if I can break that on a nice, clean course, then I think I'll have a good shot at making all-Ohio," Schneider said.