COLUMBUS — By staying in the right spot, Tanner Mattie found a spot on the podium.

Mattie ran a 16:14.2 time to place 13th at the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II state cross country meet Saturday at Scioto Downs to earn a place on the awards’ podium.

Mattie found himself in sixth place heading into the halfway point and then finished the race among the top 15 runners to earn All-Ohio honors.

“I didn’t get ahead of myself the first mile,” said Mattie. “I was around a bunch of kids at the end who kicked it in and got ahead of me.”

Fairland coach Chuck Wentz was pleased with the junior runner’s race.

“He ran an awesome race. He ran really, really smart. He put himself where he belonged and ran his race,” said Wentz.

Mattie becomes the first Fairland cross country runner to earn All-Ohio honors.

“I’m extremely happy with my year. It’s great to be the first Fairland runner to make All-Ohio. Since my freshman year I’ve P.R.ed (personal record) by a minute each year,” said Mattie.