Summer work leads to fall payoff for Vogel

Junior Meghan Voghel won four races, placed sixth at D-III state meet.

West Liberty-Salem's Meghan Vogel was named the 2011 News-Sun All-Area girls cross country runner of the year. Staff Photo by Barbara J. Perenic

Barbara Perenic West Liberty-Salem's Meghan Vogel was named the 2011 News-Sun All-Area girls cross country runner of the year. Staff Photo by Barbara J. Perenic

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By By Michael Cooper, Staff Writer 11:09 PM Saturday, November 19, 2011

WEST LIBERTY — Meghan Vogel dedicated herself to cross country last summer.

The West Liberty-Salem High School junior was already one of the top runners in the area, but decided she wanted more out of the 2011 season.

She elevated her summer workouts to 50 miles per week, and also changed her diet to improve her performance.

“I went from running 6 or 7 miles on my distance days to running 10 miles, and I did that every week,” Vogel said. “I told myself I had to do it.”

The hard work paid off for Vogel. She won four races this season, including the Ohio Heritage Conference title, en route to being named the News-Sun All-Area girls cross country athlete of the year.

“My goal was to get five wins, and that didn’t happen, but I was still really happy about it,” Vogel said.

Another one of her goals was to beat former state champion Tammy Berger of Versailles. She got close all season, but couldn’t quite get over the hump. Vogel finished sixth at the Division III state cross country meet in a personal-best time of 18:58, finishing 7 seconds back of Berger, who placed fifth.

“I got closer and closer to Tammy,” Vogel said. “I got in the 18s, and I can’t complain about that.”

The sixth-place finish earned her first-team All-Ohio honors.

“I was really excited about it,” Vogel said. “It’s something I’ve been aiming for since (WLS grad Amanda Hayes) got eighth when I was in second grade. It’s really cool to say I was All-Ohio.”

Next year, Vogel and her teammates are aiming for the D-III state title after finishing fifth, fourth and third in the last three seasons. But she’s got some big individual goals, too.

“I focus on the team aspect more,” Vogel said. “For me, I’d like to finish in the top three in the state. I’d like to to get in the low 18s, too.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0365, Michael.Cooper@coxinc.com or on Twitter @SNS_Wizard.

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