CAMBRIDGE — Wheeling Park senior Ronnie Saunders competed in the 2017 OVAC Cal Pokas Cross Country Championship as part of the ‘open race.’

It wasn’t because he wasn’t a good enough runner to earn a spot in the Patriots’ top seven. He was sick. He had been diagnosed — earlier that summer — with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.

The open race at the OVAC was one of just two meets he ran. He was fully cleared late in track season and finished as a bronze medalist in the Class AAA state meet’s 3200 meter run. He hasn’t slowed down since.

Saunders has been the premier runner in the Ohio Valley all season and he added another chapter Saturday morning at Cambridge High School.

“To win the OVAC is incredible,” Saunders said. “This field was incredible with guys like Chase Stewart from Shadyside, Trent Sayre from Warren, Larry Josh Edwards from University, who is a top freshman in the country. To be able to win against guys like that is just amazing.”

Saunders had to take a minute to fully grasp what he had accomplished.

“I remember running in that jayvee race last and I was just so happy to be a part of the event and back with my team again,” Saunders said. “It wasn’t the time I expected last year, but I made up for it.”

Saunders came full circle Saturday morning at Cambridge High School. He was at the line for the 10 a.m. varsity start and was the first to cross the finish line, too. Saunders won the OVAC overall title — the first in his career — in an impressive, personal-best time of 16:06.

“I didn’t hold my pace as well as I had hoped, but this was an incredible race for me,” Saunders said. “To overcome the heat and muddy course was tough. Actually, I don’t care. I am the OVAC champ for now.”

With the conference meet in the books, Saunders and all of the West Virginia competitors will shift focus to the regional and hopefully the state meet. Entering with the OVAC gold will certainly aid Saunders’ growing confidence level.

“The only thing this does it adds to my pretty motivated self,” Saunders said. “This definitely motivates me, but my number one motivator continues to be my family and everyone who has helped me overcome this disease.”

While Saunders finished first, the Patriots — collectively — settled for second. They gave University all it wanted. The Hawks finished with 41 points, which was 13 better than the Patriots and 43 clear of city-rival Morgantown.

All five of Park’s scorers earned all-OVAC. Behind Saunders were senior Quintin Thomas, who was sixth in 17:19; senior C.J. Powell, who was 12th in 17:42; junior Vincent Diprosperis, who was 14th in 17:47 and junior Isaak Murphy, who was 26th in 18:12.

John Marshall’s Anthony Siler was 27th overall to pace the Monarchs and earn all-OVAC.

CLASS 4A

Martins Ferry continued its impressive campaign for head coach Chrissy Lewis and claimed the school’s 10th title in CC and first since 2016.

“Our kids really performed well and we’re getting used to the muddy courses, but they got through it and ran well,” Lewis said. “Keeping the kids positive during the race was a big key for us.”

The Riders finished with 166 points, which was 77 better than runner-up Harrison Central.

Pacing the Ferry attack was senior Justin Geery, who has been brilliant all season. He was eighth overall and the class champion with a time of 17:30.

Sophomore Elijah Smith, sophomore Michael Lyle, freshman Trent Lewis and Charlie Anderson were the five scoring runners.

Other area 4A runners to earn all-conference accolades, which is a top 30 finish, were Oak Glen’s Nathan Atkinson, who was 19th.

CLASS 3A

Fort Frye got into the winner’s circle for the first time since 2013 by finishing with 305 points, which was 14 better than runner-up and defending champion, Bellaire.

The Big Reds’ Isaiah Wilhelm won the class title and placed 16th overall in 17:50. Sophomore Jacob Defibaugh was 20th overall in 17:59. They were the only two members of this class to earn the all-conference accolade.

CLASS 1A/2A

For the seventh straight season and 13th time in school history, Caldwell took home the top prize in its class. Coach Dugan Hill’s Redskins were 124 points better than runner-up Steubenville Central.

Shadyside senior standout Chase Stewart put forth a strong effort in finishing third overall to claim the Class 1A/2A title in the process.

Stewart, who won the title at Pickerington last weekend, ran a 16:46.