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River View’s Lahna to continue track career at Ohio Northern

| December 18, 2017

Kassidy Lahna, center, signed her letter of intent to compete with Ohio Northern University’s track and field team on Dec. 18 in the library at River View High School. Pictured behind her are her mom and dad Jake and Stacie Lahna. Josie Sellers | Beacon

COSHOCTON – Picking Ohio Northern University to pursue a degree in pharmacy was a pretty easy choice for Kassidy Lahna. Competing on the track and field team while she goes to school there is a nice added bonus.

“I have a real prestigious major and not a lot of places have it,” said the River View High School senior. “Ohio Northern is friendly, open and clean. It wasn’t until my junior year that I started thinking about doing sports in college too. I was always focused on education, but started looking into their track team and liked the coach. She was always very open, easy to get information from and made me feel welcome.”

Lahna signed her letter of intent for Ohio Northern on Dec. 18 in the library at RVHS while surrounded by family. The feelings of excitement and pride for the special moment brought tears to the eyes of her mom Stacie Lahna.

“We are very proud of her,” said Jake Lahna, Kassidy’s dad. “She’s worked hard for this and improved a lot. Track is a lot more individual of a sport and she’s gone to Zanesville to practice and to clinics at Ashland. She’s really put a lot of time into this, but knows she still has to improve and get stronger.”

Jake and Stacie also are happy Kassidy will be joining her older sister at the school.

“We like that Ohio Northern is small and not a big city and that her sister is a sophomore there,” Jake said. “They can lean on each other and do stuff together.”

Katie, the oldest Lahna, also is a pharmacy major.

“It’s a small school so I know I’ll see her a lot,” Katie said.

Their youngest sister Karlie also attended the signing.

“Getting to do track with my little sister was a great experience,” Kassidy said.

She was very thankful for her family and coaches who have helped her along the way.

“Ohio Northern is getting a quality athlete,” said Cyrus Granger, the girls’ track and field coach at RVHS. “We are going to have big shoes to fill with the girl throwers when she leaves.”

This will be Granger’s second year as the head coach and the second college signing of one of his athletes.

“It’s nice to see my love and passion for the sport being instilled in them,” he said. “I’m excited to see two of our girls sign to compete in college and hope to see more to come.”

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Category: High School, Sports

About the Author ()

I started my journalism career in 2002 with a daily newspaper chain. After various stops with them, I am happy to be back home! I graduated from Coshocton High School in 1998 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2002 from Walsh University. I also earned several awards while working for daily papers, including being honored by Coshocton County’s veterans for the stories I wrote about them. I am honored and ready to once again shine a positive light on Coshocton County. I also am the proud mother of a little girl named Sophia!

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