OBETZ — Fredericktown cross country coach Bob Geiger arrived at the OHSAA state championship at Fortress Obetz on Nov. 7, carrying a T-shirt with the words “State Champion” in his backpack.
He hoped to give it to Freddies’ senior runner Thomas Caputo at the end of the Division III boys race.
Caputo outpaced the field setting a new Fredericktown record of 15:31.5. It was the third time this season that he broke the school mark.
In the home stretch, Caputo pulled away from Belpre’s Eli Fullerton (2nd, 15:36.4).
For Caputo, who was too humble to wear the T-shirt, that moment was the culmination of years of training and sacrifice.
“I could not have done it by myself,” Caputo said. “Coach Geiger did a great job of coaching me. (Former Fredericktown runner) Paden Spencer did a great job of training with me. All the guys on the team brought that mentality, it was all business.”
Caputo was in sixth place at the mile mark. He and Fullerton moved up at the two-mile point.
“We hit the hill around the 2.7-mile area,” Caputo said. “Right around there is when we kind of pulled away. We were pressing the gas a little bit. After we got to the bottom of the hill we were shoulder to shoulder.”
The plan was for Caputo to take it up two notches instead of one.
“I tried to put a step on (Fullerton),” Caputo said. “Then, I didn’t look back and I kept on hammering. (Fullerton) brings out the best in me and I’m sure I bring out the best in him.”
This is the first time, in school history, a Fredericktown runner won the state meet outright. In 2010, Fredericktown’s Emily Roberts finished as runner-up.
“I’ve had a second place and a third place,” Geiger said. “I’ve had a fifth and a fourth place. I’ve had everything except one. (Caputo) ran exactly like we planned. You don’t have to lead, until the last step. You just wait everybody out. From Day 1, we talked about winning the state meet — We talked about it. We trained for it.”
The Freddies’ 241 points resulted in ninth out of 20 teams with senior Titus Krabel (16:52.5) leading the rest of the Freddies. Krabel placed 56th out of 183 runners.
“Titus ran really well,” Geiger said. “This is his third state meet, and this is the best one he’s ever had.”
In the Division II race, Hunter Bolton (16:57.3) was 54th out of 168 runners for Highland. It was the sophomore’s first time at state.
“I was pretty happy for the most part,” Bolton said. “I wish my time had been a little bit better, but it was pretty good.”
Scots’ teammate Joel Roberts (17:14.2) placed 76th. Jay Figgins (17:12.1) of Utica was 72nd.
