The Mason High School girls cross country team knew the Division I regional in Troy wouldnt be easy.

The Comets entered as the second ranked team in the state, but the field was stocked with half of the top 20 teams in the final state poll, including top-ranked Centerville.

It is very competitive, Mason coach Chip Dobson said after the Comets claimed the title with 56 points, 19 fewer than the Elks. It has been that way for the last several years. Troy has been the host of two or three of the top five teams in the state.

The top four teams and top 16 overall individuals advanced to Saturdays state meet at National Trailway Park in Hebron.

The Comets placed four of their runners before Centerville had its second runner cross the finish line. Beavercreek, ranked fifth n the state, was third.

We knew Centerville and Beavercreek would be good, Dobson said. Centerville came on strong late in the race, and we could feel them coming. We knew it would come down to one of us three and that on any Saturday anyone of us could win it.

Junior Meagan Murphy led the Comets with a second-place finish in 18 minutes, 35.02 seconds. Sophomore Ellie Brush was ninth in 19:07.30.

Senior Ailee Henderson was 12th in 19:23.46 and senior Erin Brush was 21st in 19:45.46. Leah Ford rounded out the top five with a 25th place finish in 19:54.30. Senior Delaney McDowell rounded out the scoring.

There was a lot of math going on., Dobson said. We wanted so many in the top 20 and the next group in the top 30. We knew of we were in front of some of the other runers.

Senior Delaney McDowell was 30th and Brittany Angstadt was 60th to round things out for the Comets.

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Comets hold off strong field to win regional