Teays Valley High School Athletics

"Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing." – Muhammad Ali Before 4:00 PM on October 25, 2025, a TVXC team qualifying for the State Meet had been "impossible". It hadn't happened and despite the rich history and talent that had come through the school, it just hadn't happened and had felt so far away. So 2025, started and the TVXC Girls discovered the news that they would be the smallest school in Division 1. Division One cross country in Central Ohio especially is as competitive as it gets across the United States. The talent and coaching is just that good. The TVXC girls would have to face the biggest and best the state had to offer. So with one tough hurdle in the way and many other moments of adversity throughout the season, that maybe one day can come out in a book, the opportunity to qualify for the State Meet seemed to finish where each of the other teams to run in the regional race would end up, despite the effort, attitude, and drive, short of the ultimate prize. Back to October 25, 2025, the newly formatted Super Regional Race, 31 Division One Teams, 8 spots to the Ohio High School State Championship Meet on the line, and the best talent in the region assembled, the Vikings decided to take their shot. With the "Skol" chant and Viking horn announcing their presence, the Vikings approached the line with purpose and a closeness as a team that has been building over the last several weeks. Pushing aside the nerves, the Vikings decided to show they may be small but they're mighty and put themselves in competitive spots despite the fast start of the race. Settling in and then methodically working their way up, each girl set their self up to make big moves down the stretch, closing hard, and finishing strong, taking spots and passing competition all the way to the finish line. Katy Zang, showing a renowned confidence and a smart racing strategy would place as high as any TVXC runner in the history of the school placing 2nd place and earning Regional Runner-Up honors with a time of 17:37. Reese Galinger would give the TV girls another top 10 finisher, placing 10th with a very strong finish, crossing the line with a time of 18:22 and proving herself to be one of the best prime time runners in the region. Addison Keplar would prove herself to be among the running elite in central Ohio with an overall strong effort and showing a newfound sweet and strong kick to finish 20th with a time of 19:03. Grace Thanasack continued to prove herself as one of the most improved runners in the state, finishing 44th, with a time of 19:49, displaying a toughness and passion that has driven her to one of the most successful individual seasons in TVXC history. The Charter sisters would again show what makes them a great closing duo for any team as they challenged not just the competition but each other for the whole race and pushed each other to strong finishes that saw them making important moments of passing the competition and decreasing the Vikings score as Julie would finish 85th with a time of 20:38 and Kate would 91st with a time of 20:55. Khloe Maxwell, who always brings an energy to the start line and appearing in the Regional race for the 1st time in her young career, would step up and make strong moves as a displacer for the Vikings finishing 131st with a time of 21:53. As the score were tallied, it would soon become apparent that something special had just occured. The Vikings would place an impressive top 5 in the region, busting down the door to qualify for the state meet, but by a slim margin but by a commanding presence right in the middle of the 8 teams that would move on to the state meet. Losing to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th ranked teams in the state, the latter by a mere 16 points, and defeating the 8th, 11th, 20th, and 25th ranked teams in the state in the highly competitive D1 regional race proved to the region and the state the Vikings belong among the state's elite. Earning Special Individual Honors: 1st Team Region-Katy Zang, Reese Galinger, Addison Keplar 2nd Team Region-Grace Thanasack The Vikings, again the smallest school in Division 1 for Girls XC, will compete against 19 other schools for an opportunity to win a State Championship on Saturday November 1st at 3:30 PM at the Fortress Obetz. To this group of incredible determined young ladies, what was once impossible is now possible, what was once a dream is now a reality, and when they've been told "no" they have created a "yes" and now there will be no doubt, because where there is a will, there is a way as they approach the State Championship Race on Saturday.