Olentangy Liberty climbed from a tie for No. 25 to No. 17 in the Division I state coaches poll, increasing its total from two points to 43, as first reported by the Patriot Press, Liberty's student newspaper.
The Patriots head into the Ohio Capital Conference Championships on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Hilliard Bradley riding a strong three-meet stretch. that fueled the poll climb.
It started at the Celtic Clash at Dublin Jerome. Liberty finished fifth out of 22 teams with 136 points. Six Patriots cracked the top 10 in the 11-12 open 5K, led by senior Wilson Griffiths in third and junior Ethan Hsieh in fifth. Junior Aarush Talekar finished 11th to lead the varsity squad, according to the Liberty athletics department. Espen Elfers, another top-10 finisher, told the Patriot Press the squad entered with an edge after placing second the year before.
"The team totally ignored the time aspect and just focused on beating people," Elfers said. "After getting second last year we entered with something to prove."
Then came the Bear Den Bash hosted by Olentangy Berlin. Liberty finished seventh in a 25-team field despite entering projected 24th. Talekar ran a 15:41, good for 23rd overall and the fourth-fastest mark in school history. The performance earned him the American Family Insurance Student Athlete of the Week honor for the week of Sept. 28, according to the athletics department.
The results kept coming. Liberty followed with a sixth-place finish at the Les Eisenhart Invitational hosted by Thomas Worthington on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Talekar told the Patriot Press he found his footing after a slow start, saying he gained confidence in his fitness through a stretch of racing. Junior Owen Frame credited the coaching staff's intensity for pushing the group beyond expectations.
Other key contributors this fall include Caleb Legge, Tommy Strunck, Carter Dillman, Eliot Tully, Will Bushbaker and Ishaan Chandakkar, all of whom competed in Liberty’s varsity lineup at the Celtic Clash.
Saturday's OCC Championships at Hilliard Bradley are next, with the OHSAA district and regional meets to follow later this month.
