TROY, Ohio — For the fifth consecutive year, Gallia Academy High School will be represented at the OHSAA cross country meet after two Blue Angels qualified for the state championships last Saturday during the Division II regional meets held at Troy High School.

Sophomores Peyton Adkins and Mckenna Warner will both be making their second straight trip to Scioto Downs after placing in the top-16 spots individually in the 128-participant event. Adkins placed fourth overall with a time of 19:44.60, while Warner posted a time of 20:08.75 to finish eighth overall.

The collective Blue Angels, however, failed to qualify as a team for just the second time during that five-year span, placing seventh overall with 189 points. Dayton Carroll wrapped up the fourth and final team advancement with a score of 117, finishing 72 points ahead of GAHS.

Kettering Alter won the girls D-2 team event with a score of 79 points. Taylor Hatfield of Zane Trace won the individual race with a time of 18:58.22.

The Blue and White duo of Warner and Adkins will be the only local competitors at Saturday’s state finale, and both will be looking to improve on last year’s results. Adkins was an All-Ohio honoree after placing eighth overall, while Warner was 120th out of 147 competitors.

The 2009 season for six other competitors, however, came to an end at the regional meet.

River Valley’s lone regional competitor, Katie Blodgett, finished 29th overall with a time of 20:59.21.

After Adkins and Warner, Genna Baker was next for the Angels in 59th with a time of 21:47.13. Samantha Barnes (22:00.67) and Brea Close (23:48.40) rounded out the team scoring with respective efforts of 66th and 107th.

Katlin Ruby (23:49.91) and Katie Dunlap (26:55.70) were also 108th and 127th, respectively, for the Blue Angels.

The Division II girls state championship meet will be held Saturday at Scioto Downs near Columbus at 11:50 a.m.

Complete results of the 2009 Division II regional cross country meets at Troy are available on the web at www.baumspage.com