Eric Hamner had his team training to peak at district and regional, but the Johnnies didn't have the legs needed to excel at the Division II state meet. The second-year coach doesn't expect the same result this season.

"The regional and state meets are what we're training for with the first really good race being regional and then we'll be ready for state this year," Hamner said. Johnstown is the district's top seed in Division III this year and competed in the district 2 race last Saturday at Watkins Memorial. "We were peaking at regional last year and didn't run as well at state. The girls handled the pressure well, but didn't run the way they really wanted to. But we have four girls who are veterans running the state course (at Scioto Downs) and that's important."

The top four teams and those individuals not on a qualifying team who finished in the top 16 at district last Saturday advanced to the regional meet Saturday at Pickerington North. The same allotment advance to state Nov. 7 at Scioto Downs.

Last year, the Johnnies were second with 55 points in the Division II, district 2 meet at Watkins Memorial, behind champion Canal Winchester (54). The two other qualifying teams were Granville (83) and New Albany (99).

The next week, Johnstown won the regional title at Pickerington North. The Johnnies scored 120 points as St. Clairsville (123), Canal Winchester (128) and Gallipolis Gallia Academy (132) also advanced to the state meet.

The following week at state, Johnstown was 12th of 16 teams with 292 points. as Cuyahoga Falls Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (51) won the title.

The four returnees from state are sophomore Stephanie Loshbough (59th at state in 20 minutes, 33.13 seconds), senior Erin Radigan (83rd, 21:00.47), senior Kaila Cramer (95th, 21:13.21) and senior Kaitlyn Sapp (136th, 22:41.04).

"This was the first week that we were really backing off (on training)," Hamner said. "It's a 10-day schedule and it will take 10 days before they really feel the difference. They'll start feeling more rested (Saturday) and feel even better the next week."

On Oct. 17, the Johnnies defended their girls title in the MBC meet at the Hartford Fairgrounds. They scored 23 points to finish ahead of Centerburg (37), Fredericktown (103), Loudonville (113), Northridge (128), East Knox (152) and Utica (172).

"We weren't as dominant as I would have expected, but our front runners didn't seem to have their legs," Hamner said. "Centerburg came out and ran a great race and they were training for league and district meets so they were running their best times of the season. That's something we have to be careful about in the next week or so."

Meghan Schulze (second, 20:36) led the Johnnies at the MBC, followed by Radigan (third, 20:52), Loshbough (fourth, 21:05), Cramer (sixth, 21:17) and Brittany Lynch (eighth, 21:28).

The Johnstown boys finished fifth (106) out of seven teams in the MBC meet, behind Fredericktown (48), Loudonville (85), Utica (87) and Centerburg (98) and ahead of East Knox (129) and Northridge (135). James Platt (seventh, 17:44) led the Johnnies, followed by Drew Jenney (18th, 19:01), Jacob Wall (20th, 19:19), Jon Holbrook (27th, 19:37) and Joe Carter (34th, 20:33).

"James Platt had the second-best time going into his district race and has been running really well for us," Hamner said. "And the boys team in general has been running well. They could even make a move and surprise some people."

•The golf team finished ninth (692) out of 12 teams in the two-day Division II state tournament, which concluded Oct. 17 at NorthStar Golf Club in Sunbury, behind champion Dayton Oakwood (623).

"I think the No. 1 thing is feeling good about our competing at the state level because that was important for them," sixth-year coach Chris Carlisle said. "The truth be known, even if we had played our best golf of the year, we probably wouldn't have finished higher than seventh, anyway."

The state trip was the first for the program in Division II after going in Division III in 2005 and 2006. The Johnnies were fifth (683) in 2006, behind champion Lima Central Catholic (668) at the Players Club at Foxfire. They won the 2006 title at Ohio State's Gray Course with a 613 to beat Columbus Academy and Minster, both with a 631.

The Johnnies were led at NorthStar by junior Derek Hastings 168 (87-81), followed by seniors Cody Green and Cody Peterman shooting 173s. Junior Tim Williams was next with a 178 and junior Zach Williams shot a 189.

"I thought sophomore Derek Hastings, who played as our No. 2 man, did a great job," Carlisle said. "I thought he proved to me, as well as his teammates and himself, that he would be able to move into the No. 1 spot next year by shooting an 81 on a cold and windy Saturday."

The Johnnies will lose their No. 1 player, Green, as well as Peterman and classmate Drew Petrushka.

Also expected to return are junior Grant Smith, sophomores Chris Bailey and Chris Link as well as freshmen Clayton Farley and Justice Neibarger.

"I think with Derek, Tim and Zach as well as Chris Bailey, who was our No. 6, we will have a good solid core to build around," Carlisle said.

In the district tournament Oct. 5 at River Greens, the Johnnies finished third, behind DeSales (315) and Granville (322). They were four strokes ahead of fourth-place Buckeye Valley. Individual qualifiers to state were Minerva's Grant Summer (75), Utica's Joe Metzger (76) and Bloom-Carroll's Mark Williams (78).

Johnstown was led by Hastings (79). Green shot an 84, followed by a pair of 86s from Tim Williams and Zach Williams. Peterman had an 87.

The Johnnies won a district title Sept. 29 at The Players Club at Foxfire with a 327. Buckeye Valley (339) and Bexley (356) also advanced. Individuals advancing to district were Alex Ebert (82) of Amanda-Clearcreek, Zach Maynard (85) of Jonathan Alder and Sam Cox (86) of Northridge.

Green was the tournament medalist with a 75, and Peterman was third overall with a 79. Hastings (86) was next for the Johnnies, followed by Zach Williams (87) and Tim Williams (97).

It's the Johnnies first MBC title since 2006. They won the preseason MBC event Aug. 20 at Chapel Hill with a 326, ahead of Loudonville (331).

Green tied Centerburg's Garrison Myles for second overall with a 77, behind Loudonville's Matt Quinn (77).

In the postseason MBC event Sept. 17, Johnstown finished second to Centerburg (328-332) at Apple Valley, but had enough dual points to win the title. The only loss in a league dual for the Johnnies came Sept. 10 to Centerburg 164-167.

At a glance

Below are the recent results and coming schedules for the Johnstown-Monroe and Northridge boys and girls cross country and girls volleyball teams:

JOHNSTOWN CROSS COUNTRY

• *Oct. 17 -- Boys: Finished fifth (106) of seven teams in the MBC meet at the Hartford Fairgrounds behind champion Fredericktown (48); Girls: Won the seven-team MBC meet with 23 points, ahead of runner-up Centerburg (37)
• Last Saturday -- Boys: At Watkins Memorial for Division II, district 2 meet, The top four teams and the top 16 individuals advance to regional Saturday at Pickerington North. The top four teams and top 16 individuals at regional advance to state Nov. 7 at Scioto Downs; Girls: At Watkins Memorial for Division III, district 2 meet. The top four teams and the top 16 individuals advance to regional Saturday at Pickerington North. The top four teams and top 16 individuals at regional advance to state.

NORTHRIDGE CROSS COUNTRY

• *Oct. 17 -- Boys: Finished last (135) of seven teams in the MBC meet at the Hartford Fairgrounds behind champion Fredericktown (48). Michael Derringer (sixth, 17:41) led the Vikings followed by Tyler Estep (16th, 18:47), Nathan Wigal (32nd, 20:14), Paul Hager (37th, 21:05) and Joe Pileski (44th, 24:10); Girls: Finished fifth (128) of seven teams in the MBC meet, behind champion Johnstown (23). Andrea Witte (11th, 21:46) led Northridge followed by Rachel Johnson (22nd, 22:55), Kelsey Garrabrant (27th, 24:28), Jessica Parkinson (29th, 24:48) and Emily VanNess (39th, 25:52).
• Last Saturday -- Boys: At Watkins Memorial for Division III district, which only has one race. The top four teams and the top 16 individuals advance to regional Saturday at Pickerington North. The top four teams and top 16 individuals at regional advance to state Nov. 7; Girls: At Watkins Memorial for Division III, district 1 meet. The top four teams and the top 16 individuals advance to regional Saturday. The top four teams and top 16 individuals at regional advance to state Nov. 7.

JOHNSTOWN VOLLEYBALL

• Last Thursday -- Played at Licking Heights in a first-round Division III district tournament match against third-seeded West Jefferson
• Last Saturday -- Played at Licking Heights in a second-round match against Bloom-Carroll or Centerburg. The winner plays in a district semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Pickerington North against Columbus Academy or Newark Catholic. The championship is at 2 p.m. Saturday against Heath, Fairbanks, Fredericktown or Northmor.

Of note: The Johnnies were 3-19 overall before last Thursday and finished 0-14 in the MBC.

NORTHRIDGE VOLLEYBALL

• Last Tuesday -- Defeated Madison Plains 23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-10, 15-9 at New Albany in a first-round Division III district tournament match. Ann Sniechowski led the Vikings with 25 assists and 15 digs and Jessica Simmons had a program-record 35 digs. Genevieve Hager had 12 kills with 33 digs, Kim Hazlett added 11 kills with 22 digs and Dana VanDervort had eight kills with 23 digs.
• Last Saturday -- Played at New Albany in a second-round match against eighth-seeded Pleasant, which had a first-round bye. The winner plays in a district semifinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Pickerington North against London or fifth-seeded Elgin. The championship is at 2 p.m. Saturday against second-seeded Ready, North Union, Liberty Union, sixth-seeded East Knox, Caledonia River Valley or 10th-seeded Amanda-Clearcreek. The regional semifinal will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at Findlay Liberty-Benton against the Williard District champion.

Of note: The Vikings were 12-8 overall before last Saturday and finished 9-5 in the MBC.

*MBC contest