By KEVIN EIS

cnsports@crescent-news.com

COLUMBUS -- After a WBL league title, a district title and a regional crown, the Defiance High School boys cross country team wrapped up a season of success with a third-place finish at the Division II state cross country meet on Saturday afternoon. In the process, senior Zach Wiles and junior Trevin Flickinger garnered all-Ohio accolades at Scioto Downs during the 80th annual event.

Wiles placed eighth with a time of 15:55 while Flickinger crossed the line in a 10th-place time of 15:58. Alliance Marlington senior Jarrod Eick was first in a time of 15:38.

"It's one of those things where you go 'not too bad but man were we close'," stated a pleased DHS head coach Obie Mouser, whose pack had 142 points to second-place Tipp City's 99. "At the back end of the race, if we'd have just run better I think we had a shot at winning it. We had the potential of really being in there."

Wiles bested his all-Ohio finish of 10th place from a year ago while Flickinger earned his first spot on the podium with the top 15 D-II runners in the state.

"It feels great," exclaimed Wiles. "I was hoping for a top two (team finish) but the way things turned out today, I'm just glad we were top three. I'm at a loss for words ... I'm so excited right now I'm shaking. I'm really proud of the way everybody ran this entire year. We had a great season and we ended it on a solid note."

Said Flickinger: "With state it's confusing because there are two races going on, team and individual, so you don't really know where your team finishes until the results come. But we're just excited to get third. It's just awesome."

An added boost to the Defiance boys' talented roster this season has been a pair of senior first-year runners - Sebastion Brown and Chaz Burkhart.

Brown has consistently been the number-three runner all season while following suit Saturday with a 56th-place stand.

"When I came in here I didn't know how I was going to do or anything like that," admitted Brown. "With the coaching that I've had, I improved a lot over the whole year. I think we all did really well today. I feel happy with what I've done this year."

But perhaps the happiest member of the DHS pack following Saturday's race was Burkhart. After getting a late start by not joining the team's practice sessions until this past August, Burkhart had adopted the role of seventh-man throughout the year.

That is, until the season finale.

Stepping up when it counted the most, Burkhart shaved a minute off of his regional time while passing several runners in the home stretch to finish 89th, one spot behind teammate Ben Hackworth.

"These guys deserve it," lauded Burkhart, who ran a personal best time of 17:22. "I just wanted to come out and make sure they got what they deserved. I didn't jump on until August, and I kind of wish now I would have started earlier to see if I could help these guys out any more."

Mouser was more than happy with Burkhart's performance.

"Chaz actually saved us as far as getting us in there," exclaimed Mouser with a laugh. "He came out of nowhere. That was his personal best. He's the type of kid that if you keep him close, he's going to get it done. We just tried to get him a little faster and a little faster and the boy just came out of nowhere. He was flying."

Burkhart's teammates were quick to agree.

"Zach and Trevin did really well as they always do," Hackworth said. "Chaz stepped up really well. I think that's what helped us a lot was Chaz stepping up his game and running with me."

Added Wiles: "Me and Flick ran great and Bash (Brown) ran right where he was supposed to be. But Chaz definitely gets the 'play-of-the day' I guess you could call it. He ran his guts out ... he's a senior, it's his final race ever of only his first year. You couldn't ask for more."

Burkhart cited the energy of the state tournament atmosphere as his fuel to improve in the clutch.

"I think just the hype of state got me going and really wanting to make sure these guys got everything I got out of it," explained the DHS senior. "We got third, which is really good in the whole state of Ohio for D-II. I just wanted to come out and run my best."

Flickinger had his own explanation for Burkhart's explosive performance.

"I think it was the Olive Garden last night," he joked, "Those guys (Burkhart and Brown) have helped out all year. They're just great people and great runners."

Also playing major roles for the Bulldogs this season were senior Mario Ramirez and junior Ryan Zeller, who came in 102nd and 103rd to round out the DHS squad.

Each reflected on their seasons with pride.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," stated Zeller. "You work so hard all year ... you can't expect anything like this, it's there or it's not. It was a good race today, everyone had a good day."

Added Ramirez: "I think we ran pretty well. It was a great day to run and we gave it our best and this is what we got. (The competition) was pretty tough out there and then some, but everybody ran well and it was pretty competitive."

After seeing his team begin the year with the adversity of Wiles being absent at the start of summer training with an illness and having a pair of inexperienced runners to break in, Mouser concluded by reflecting on the adversity his pack has overcome to end the year as one of the elite D-II teams in the state of Ohio.

"Who would have thought, with us, that we would be third in the state or league champs or district champs?" Mouser asked. "When we started the season it was pretty doubtful what we could do. We hung together and just kept working and kept being patient.

"We had to work though a few meets to catch Zach and the team up, but we persevered in running though those meets and - boom - we hit our stride."

Indeed, they did.