GALION - For most runners, a photo finish is something you only see in movies.
New London's Carter Hicks must be a movie star then, because this is his second such ending to a race in the last month.
“More than I can count," he laughed when asked how many times this has happened before. "It was the same thing at Ontario, came down to that.”
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Four weeks ago at the Bill Brown Invitational he was vying for runner-up honors and ended up missing it by five-hundredths of a second. At Saturday's Division IV district meet, Hicks edged out fellow junior Isaac Stirm of Colonel Crawford by fractions of a second as both crossed the finish line in 16:22.5 — the timing software didn't go past tenths of a second.
One official saw Hicks' neon green jersey cross first, another saw Stirm's black and gold. After consulting the finish line camera, they agreed Hicks won by a hair.
"I knew it was going to be a close race today because Isaac had a good race last week," Hicks said. "I knew he was gonna be right on my tail the whole race ... I feed off people pushing me and close races like that for sure.
“I knew I was the favorite to win today and if I came out here and executed, I could win today.”
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Stirm was hoping it would be him crossing first, though.
“My goal was to win, but it’s fine because we still got next week” he said. “It pushed me a lot, he really pulled me through the race. And in my opinion, this is a pretty tough course with the hills and stuff.”
Most importantly, they'll both be heading to Tiffin next weekend for the regional meet with their teammates as the photo finish also determined second and third in the team scoring — New London totaled a 94 to Colonel Crawford's 95.
“It thought it would come down to us and Crestview today and it was actually really close between us and Colonel Crawford," Hicks said. "Me winning was the difference.”
Seniors Ryan Twinning (8th, 17:28.8), Fritz McCully (24th), and Trace Landis (42nd) along with sophomores Luke Fawcett (28th), Logan Stanley (39th), and Michael Hardman (47th) rounded out the team placings for New London. Seniors Landon Strausbaugh (12th) and Gordie Ekin (30th), juniors Christian Mott (21st), Wyatt Burge (51st), Grayden Bohach (57th), and sophomore Bryce Parsons (36th) made up Colonel Crawford finishers.
“I think the team is hyped for regionals and I’m really excited to go," Stirm said.
Stirm was coming off a Northern 10 championship a week earlier and had this race planned out ahead of time to near perfection even taking the lead late down the home stretch before Hicks found a final surge at the finish line.
“Isaac had a great race and that’s great to see," Colonel Crawford coach Jordan Kiess said. "But it’s also hard because it’s like — aww dang, I didn’t get him — but he has put in the blood, sweat, and tears.
"And he’s very analytical … with the way his brain works. We love that … and he motivates the team as well, so we’re definitely blessed to have the group of kids we do.”
Regional qualifiers from Galion
Crestview won a district title with a 58 led by five runners all in the top 20. Junior Isaac McFarland (16:42.8) was third, sophomore Isaac Smith (17:26.3) finished seventh, junior Logan Robinson (17:49.1) was 13th, freshman Easton Smith 18th, juniors Brandt Leigh (19th) and Jackson VanScyoc (29th), freshman Cody Wolford 49th.
Joining the aforementioned three teams are Mansfield Christian (4th, 142 points) who was led by junior David DeLorenzo (17:39.3) in ninth, Crestline (6th, 179 points) led by senior Colton Keller (17:23.9) in sixth, and Buckeye Central (7th, 181 points) paced by juniors Jeremiah Roberson (10th, 17:42.7) and Blaise Metzger (16th, 18:07.7).
Individual qualifiers include Wynford senior Evan Stacklin (14th), Bucyrus sophomore Micah Spears (17th) and senior AJ Griffin (23rd), Lucas sophomore Wilson Amert (20th), Plymouth sophomores Carter Jester (22nd) and Weston Smith (41st).
In the Division III race, six individuals are moving on to regionals. Willard sophomores Dream Mills (8th) and Riley Branham (32nd), freshman Lincoln Sallee (28th), and junior Lucas Winans (39th) along with Clear Fork senior Peyton Freitag (15th) and sophomore Hayden Maglott (31st) will race at Hedges-Boyer Park in Tiffin.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: New London's Hicks edges out Colonel Crawford's Stirm in photo finish