Hailey O'Daniel was not in a celebratory mood immediately after winning an individual NSAA Class C state title Friday in Kearney.
It'd taken all the senior had to overtake Columbus Scotus freshman Avery Heinrich down the final stretch and she was feeling it. A little uneasy, the four-time state medalist slowly made the climb up a hill just beyond the Kearney Country Club finish line and finally found a place to rest under shade.
Laying on cool, short tee-box grass she looked around and saw her support system. A coach brimming with positivity and pride in the Eagles, another Arlington state champion who made the trip to see her former running partner do what she did, her teammates and her family.
“It was really special,” O'Daniel said, picturing the moment again as she waited to take the medals stand. “It was a dream for me.”
After her teammate, Kolby Tighe, earned sixth in the boys' state race, the AHS state champ clocked in at 19:26.1 across 5 kilometers — 1.7 seconds ahead of Heinrich. After a full season running out in front, O'Daniel saw the finish line from behind the Shamrock on Friday. She said the last 800 meters of the state race were rough, but a look at the end of the event was all she needed to secure her spot in the records books.
“Once I turned to see the finish line, that's where I got back into the race and started feeling good,” the senior explained. “Seeing that finish line was enough.”
Arlington coach Michaela Curran wasn't surprised at all that O'Daniel persevered in the end.
“Hailey is always a gamer,” she said. “I can count on her through thick and thin — behind, ahead and anything else in-between. She's always going to give me everything.”
The senior did, passing Heinrich and not slowing again until she'd claimed her gold medal.
“Hats off to the Scotus girl. She ran an excellent race,” Curran said. “But, just knowing Hailey, and knowing the grit and determination that she has and how bad she wanted this one to cap off her senior season — that's what champions are made of.”
O'Daniel finishes her prep cross-country career with four top-eight state finishes. She earned two seventh-place results and a eighth-place effort prior to Friday, but, on the big day, the Eagle came through and kept her unbeaten senior season intact.
Coach Curran was there in support. Former tate champ Keelianne Green was there, and AHS' Kelise Krivohlavek and Whitney Wollberg were, too.
After finishing 30th in her state debut, the Eagles Corinne May was as well. She finished the race in 21:24.2.
Tighe leads 6 more Eagles at state
Another AHS senior, Tighe, started to answer a question about Friday's state race before having to stop to take a deep breath. Then, with his fingers interlocked on the top of his head, he continued.
“I'm just very overwhelmed with my first state medal in cross,” he said. “It's unreal. I'm so happy that I get to come out here and do this.”
Proud of his team's eighth-place Class C effort, Tighe explained what running in the championship race was like.
“You never really know what the pace is going to feel like,” the senior said. “We kind of went out pretty casually in the first mile and then the top-three seized control in mile 2.”
From there, the best runners in the state raced to the end.
“I just did best my best to hang on,” Tighe said.
He was sixth in 16:57, while John Morrison claimed 28th in 17:30.5. Freshman Ashton Vollmer added a 39th-place showing in 17:42.4. Seniors Brayden Fuchs and Gus Burns clocked in at 19:23.5 and 19:32.6, respectively, while Ethan Hilgenkamp finished his 5K in 19:50.3.
NSAA CLASS C XC STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday at Kearney Country Club
BOYS
Team standings: Holdrege 50, Lincoln Christian 69, Gothenburg 79, Syracuse 81, Fort Calhoun 106, Chase County 111, Aurora 120, Arlington 130, Lincoln Lutheran 131, Wayne 157, Battle Creek 160, Minden 163, Omaha Concordia 179, Milford 211, Bloomfield-Wausa 226.
Individual medalist: Trevin Opp, Lincoln Christian, 16:11.8.
Arlington results: 6, Kolby Tighe, 16:57. 28, John Morrison, 17:30.5. 39, Ashton Vollmer, 17:42.4. 100, Brayden Fuchs, 19:23.5. 103, Gus Burns, 19:32.6. 106, Ethan Hilgenkamp, 19:50.3.
GIRLS
Team standings: Auburn 64, Columbus Scotus 68, Gothenburg 70, Minden 76, Aurora 110, Syracuse 129, Palmyra 130, Wahoo 138, Kearney Catholic 147, Adams Central 152, Albion Boone Central 155, Columbus Lakeview 169, Pierce 173, Omaha Concordia 185, Sidney 200.
Individual medalist: Hailey O'Daniel, Arlington, 19:26.1.
Arlington results: 1, O'Daniel, 19:26.1. 30, Corinne May, 21:24.2.
