2012
State Cross Country Preview
COLUMBUS,
Ohio � The 84th annual boys and 35th annual girls OHSAA state cross
country meet returns to National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio this
Saturday, November 3, 2012. It marks the second-consecutive year the
event is being held at National Trail Raceway, after moving from its
long-time former home at Scioto Downs. During its time at Scioto Downs,
the cross country state finals annually saw crowds in excess of 10,000,
making it one of the largest attended cross country events in the
nation. The 2011 version of the tournament was no different as 11,637
people were in attendance. Another large crowd is expected this year and
fans will see six teams (three boys and three girls) and six individuals
(three boys and three girls) crowned as state champions.
The boys
meet starts at 11:00 a.m. with Division III followed by Division II and
Division I and the girls meet will begin at 1:30 p.m. with Division III
to be followed by Division II and Division I. Tickets are $9 and can be
purchased at National Trail Raceway Saturday. Results are posted at
ohsaa.org following each race.
The boys Division III race is highlighted by six-time state champion,
McDonald, which is looking to defend its 2011 title. The Blue Devils
will be led by senior Patrick Kunkel, a 2011 14th place finisher. They
expect to be challenged by the 2009 and 2010 state champion,
Independence, and its senior leader, Kyle Pohlman (2011 9th place
finisher). Strong individual contenders include Sam Prakle (Sr.,
Versailles), Cory Glines (Sr., Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas), Clayton
Murphy (Sr., New Madison Tri-Village) and Kody Wolfe (Sr., Racine
Southern), who finished last year�s race with first, fifth, sixth and
10th place finishes, respectively.
With the
graduation of the boys Division II individual state champion, the 2011
runner-up, Abel Flores (Sr., Defiance), is hoping to finish his career
with a state title. He will be challenged by Springfield Shawnee senior
Michael Tymoski (2011 fifth place), who has led his team back to the
state meet after winning the 2011 crown for the first time in school
history. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary has also made it back to the state
tournament after runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011.
The boys Division I race also features a 2011 runner-up who is hoping to
finish his career with a state title in Tipp City Tippecanoe�s Sam
Wharton (Sr.). Wharton leads a strong field of individuals including
Mark Hadley (Jr., Youngstown Boardman), Andrew Johnston (Jr., Powell
Olentangy Liberty) and Jacob Dumford (Sr., Westerville North), all who
return to the state tournament after a top-10 finish in 2011. Dublin
Coffman, the 2011 team state champion, did not qualify for the
tournament, which could leave the door open for Cleveland St. Ignatius,
the 2011 runner-up.
On the girls side, the Division III race returns seven of the top-10
finishers from 2011, and is highlighted by the 2011 champion, Brittany
Atkinson (So., Liberty Center). Atkinson has helped lead her team back
to the state tournament after its 2011 state championship, the first in
school history. The Tigers look to be challenged by the 2011 runner-up,
Coldwater.
In the girls Division II race, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary is hoping to
become the fifth school to win four state titles (2009, 2010, 2011) and
will be led by senior Marissa Rossetti (Sr.). Strong individual
contenders include the 2011 state champion, Sarra Taylor (Jr., London),
and runner-up, Samantha Bockoven (So., Cuyahoga Falls Cuyahoga Valley
Christian Academy).
In the last race of the day, Brunswick will look to defend its title,
but Beavercreek, led by Sydney Leiher (Jr., 2011 third place), is hoping
to upset the Blue Devils and win its first state crown since 1996. Other
top individual qualifiers who have returned to the state meet after
strong 2011 performances include Therese Haiss (Sr., Solon), Jacquelyn
Crow (Jr., Lebanon) and Rachel Bosworth (Jr. Dublin Coffman), who
finished last year�s race with fifth, eighth and ninth place finishes,
respectively.
Contact: Kristin Daugherty,
[email protected]
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