COLUMBUS — A dream that began four seasons ago became a reality Saturday for the Medina boys cross country team.

The Bees, who were making their fourth straight appearance in the state meet, brought home their first Division I state title as four runners picked up All-Ohio honors.

Making the day all the sweeter for the Bees was the performance of two-time All-Gazette MVP Donny Roys.

The junior pulled ahead of the pack as the runners entered the final stretch at Scioto Downs. The strategy worked to perfection as he crossed the finish line as the D-I state champ clocking a time of 15:21.83, just off his personal best.

“I knew I had to work on the uphills,” Roys said. “And the second time going out of the stadium I knew I had to work and battle for the lead. I knew that if I came into the stadium in front, and no one was next to me, I could bring it home.”

Later, Roys led Medina’s All-Ohio contingent of senior Sam Maynard (16:01.71, 22nd), sophomore Hunter Heaton (16:02.71, 24th) and senior Jeremy Arthur (16:03.65, 25th) to the podium to pick up their All-Ohio awards. The top 25 runners in the state meet earn the prestigious honor.

Medina coach Milt Place was confident going into the race that his No. 1 runner Roys would do well.

“Donny looked awfully strong the last couple of weeks in the last half-mile of the race,” Place said. “He responded today. There was a lot of pressure on him. He’s had a target on his back since the fourth grade.”

Roys has run well all season, but he put it all together where it counted the most — in Columbus.

During the season, Roys took third place at the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division Meet, as well as grabbing first-place honors at the Lorain County Community College D-I District and Tiffin D-I Regional.

Joining Roys and Medina’s other All-Ohioans in the spotlight at state were three other Bee runners.

Junior Lucas Walters rounded out Medina’s scoring with a 16:35.02 for 67th place. Also competing in the race for the Bees were senior Kent Rankin (17:00.13, 103rd) and junior Ryan Fallow (17:07.11, 111th).

The ultimate honor of winning a state title is something the Bees have been working toward since last season when they finished fourth. In 2005, Medina placed 11th and in 2004, 14th.

“It’s great,” Arthur said. “Having first place as a team, first place as an individual and having four All-Ohioans, what more can you ask for?”

Medina, which entered the meet as the top-ranked squad in Ohio, proved the rating was right on. The Bees, with 76 points, easily outdistanced second-place team finisher Centerville by 51 points and fifth place and former top-ranked Toledo St. John’s by 125 points.

The victory was the Bees’ fifth first-place finish in the past six weeks.

“It felt real good,” Heaton said. “I can’t even explain it. It’s awesome. We just came in confident and ran like we did all year.”

Maynard added, “It’s amazing. I never dreamed it would happen. In the back of my mind I knew it could, but I always have my doubts. It’s running, anything can happen. I am so happy our team did it.”

Although Walters didn’t pick up an All-Ohio award, he still played a big role in Medina winning the state crown.

As the Bees’ No. 5 runner during the season, he knew coming into Saturday that there was going to be a lot of pressure on him to do well.

He stuck by his running philosophy and turned in a strong performance.

“There was a lot riding on it,” Walters said. “I don’t think I ever got passed by a big pack, maybe by one or two guys, but I don’t think I dropped back from where I was in the very beginning. I don’t like getting passed at all. I’m not a front-runner. I like taking kids out.”

Fallow summed up Medina’s accomplishment.

“We came to win and to get nothing less.”

Medina easily accomplished that goal. Now, the Bees have set their sights on another accomplishment before they hang up their running shoes for the season.

The team is heading to the Nike Team Nationals next Saturday at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

There are nine regions with the top two teams from each moving onto Portland, Ore., on Dec. 1 to compete in the national championship.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Rankin said. “Nationals would be great. We are ranked 19th in the nation in a 22-team draw, so it’s going to be close. But hopefully we can get out to the nationals.”