- Will Baker, a senior at Mount Gilead High School, is a top contender for the Division III boys cross country state championship.
- Baker’s personal best time of 14:57.95 is the third fastest in Division III this year and sixth fastest overall in the state.
- After battling injuries and illness last year, Baker is healthy and focused on consistency in his training and racing.
MOUNT GILEAD — Will Baker isn’t dodging expectations. Instead, he’s embracing the opportunity.
“I race to win. That’s the goal,” the Mount Gilead senior said after winning the Division III boys cross country regional championship at Pickerington North on Saturday. “Go out there and run my race and give it all I’ve got all the way up to the line. That’s my plan.”
Baker enters Saturday’s D-III state championships at Fortress Obetz as one of the favorites to win along with defending state champ Luke Snyder of Rittman, Steubenville Catholic Central’s Andrew Rohde who has the best time in D-III this year at 14:46 and Whiteoak’s Landen Eyre who won last spring’s 3200-meter race during the D-III state track meet in Dayton among others.
Where does Baker fit in?
Baker ran 15:08 at Pickerington, beating Eyre by four seconds and Rohde by 20 seconds as they were the top three runners in the regional race…