The state cross country meet can’t come soon enough for the West Liberty-Salem girls cross country team. After a stellar season, the Big Orange are anxious to compete against the state’s best in Columbus.

The Tiger girls have the first race of the day Saturday in the Division III state meet at 11:05 a.m. at Scioto Downs. The top 15 runners place and earn a spot on the podium.

The Division III girls race returns seven state qualifying teams from last year, including defending champ Minster. In addition, nine of the 15 individual state placers from last season are back.

Racing for the Tigers on Saturday are freshmen Shawnda Henault, Meghan Vogel, Jasmine Smith, Jordan Smith, Savanna Shipp and Sarah Williams and junior Sarah Murphy.

“It has been a great season,” said Tiger head coach Ann Vogel. “The girls are really looking forward to Saturday. The sooner they get to race, the better.

“After the regional race we had a team meeting and decided we wanted to be in the top five at the state meet. I think the girls would be satisfied with a top five finish. These girls will go down fighting, and if that means top five, then great.”

It was an emotional high at last week’s regional when the WL-Salem girls had learned they qualified to the state meet. It is the first time the Tiger girls have been to the state meet since 2000.

“We’ll be excited to be there,” said Henault. “If we could be in the top five or 10 as a team, that would be a good goal.”

“Getting to state was our goal and we were glad we reached that,” said Meghan Vogel. “We worked hard all summer to get to state. We’ll use the same type of game plan.”

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