Despite a good week of practice leading up the Division I regional meet last Saturday, Gahanna Lincoln senior Harry McFann fell short in his quest to advance to the state meet. Last Saturday at the regional meet at Pickerington North, McFann finished 95th in 19 minutes, 33 seconds. Daniel Garleb of Pickerington North won in 17:04. The top four teams and top 16 individuals advanced to state.

"He didn't run his best race, and he wasn't happy with it afterwards," Gahanna coach Larry Schwade said. "He finished in the middle of the pack. The course was very sloppy and wet and the overall times were probably a minute off of what they should've been."

With no runners advancing to state, it marked the end of what has been a good year for Gahanna.

At the district meet on Oct. 24, the Lions finished eighth (171), behind champion Westerville North (68). McFann led Gahanna and finished sixth in 17:17. He was followed by Trent Champlin (32nd, 18:27), Jason McDonald (41st, 18:43), Tim Schiefer (45th, 18:51), Cory Kanz (47th, 18:55), Nate Uber (50th, 19:03) and Luke Pietrykowski (61st, 19:20).

At the OCC-Ohio meet on Oct. 17 at Watkins Memorial, Gahanna finished third (100), behind Pickerington North (22) and Reynoldsburg (42) and ahead of Lancaster (102), Pickerington Central (134) and Newark (165).

McFann was sixth (16:51), McDonald was 17th (17:37), Pietrykowski was 25th (18:11), Champlin was 27th (18:12), Schiefer was 28th (18:16), Kanz was 29th (18:17), Uber was 31st (18:28), Tyler Chandler was 32nd (18:36), Nick Troutman was 39th (18:59) and Nick Schmitz was 40th (19:10).

"It was a different kind of season this year. It wasn't quite what we were used to," Schwade said. "A lot things happened with injuries, and the flu hit us hard in the middle of the season. It's just the way things went this year."

Gahanna will lose two key runners in McFann and Schiefer, but the Lions expect to return the rest of their lineup. Those expected to return include Champlin, Chandler, Kanz, McDonald, Pietrykowski, Schmitz, Troutman and Uber.

"I think we'll be one of the top 10 teams in the area, but we're still in a tough conference," Schwade said.

•The season ended for the girls team on Oct. 24 at the district meet, where the Lions were seventh (209), behind champion Upper Arlington (45). Individually, Kay Kay Garber was 23rd in 21:53, followed by Katie Mackall (38th, 22:38), Brittany Muncy (50th, 23:27), Gloria MaClean (54th, 23:41), Julie Magnusan (55th, 23:45), Audrey Moorhead (58th, 24:01) and Colleen Hall (60th, 24:52).

Gahanna was third (44) in the league meet, behind Pickerington North (44) and Pickerington Central (56) and ahead of Reynoldsburg (90), Newark (113) and Lancaster (141). Garber was fourth (20:36), Mackall was ninth (21:17), Moorhead was 23rd (22:45), MaClean was 27th (23:02), Magnusan was 31st (23:14), Muncy was 33rd (23:24) and Hall was 35th (23:31).

"It was one of the more frustrating seasons I've had. It wasn't so much not being successful, just the potential was there for more," coach Ernie Ziegler said. "We're not losing any runners, and we'll go out and recruit hard this year for next season."

Though the Lions entered the season with expectations of advancing to the regional meet, they can aim for that same goal next year as Gahanna is expected to return its entire lineup.

"I like the group we have. They work hard," Ziegler said. "The younger runners look good. We'll be a senior-heavy group next year and I think the future looks bright."