The Midwest Catholic Championships

Sep 23, 2016

2016 MIDWEST CATHOLIC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

SVSM So. Alex Phillips was 7th at Tiffin. (photo Christian Lisle)

The 22nd Annual Midwest Catholic Cross Country Championships will draw the traditional Catholic schools from Ohio, as well as teams from Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. The meet began as the All Ohio Catholic Cross Country Championships and expanded to the Midwest in 2010. Dayton Carroll High School's Cross Country Program hosts the prestigious event, which will be held this Saturday, September 24th, at Indian Riffle Park in Kettering. The All Ohio Catholic Meet started in 1995. There is a pasta dinner for all of the teams held Friday evening, and is followed by seven different races on Saturday. There will be two high school championship races and two high school reserve races. There will also be two junior high races for the first time in the meets history, as well as an open race for anyone else (6^th grade and under, adults, etc.).

Here is the schedule of races: 2 Mile Open Race (8:30am), Girl's Middle School - 7^th/8^th (9:00am), Boy's Middle School - 7^th/8^th (9:30am), Middle School Awards Ceremony (10:00am), Women's Championship (10:30am), Men's Championship (11:15am), Women's Reserve (12:00pm), Men's Reserve (12:45pm), High School Awards Ceremony (1:15pm).

The 5k course is the same course used for the Mid East Cross Country Championships that are held in November and feature the top 10 seniors from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. The meet features some of the top cross country teams in Ohio and surrounding states, as well as some of the region's best individual talent.

The Women's Championship Race has the following top teams: Sacred Heart (Defending MCC Champs and 3^rd 2015 Kentucky State Meet AAA ), Alter (Ohio D2, #15), St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio D2, #5), Notre Dame Academy (Ohio D2, #18), St. Thomas Moore (Illinois 1A, #17).

The individual race looks to be very competitive with 11 girls having run 19:59 or faster this year. Kathleen Simms from Sacred Heart (Louisville, KY) was the 2015 MCC Champion, placed 3^rd in the 2015 Kentucky State Meet (AAA), and was the 2014 Kentucky State Meet Champion (AAA). The other top females in the Women's Championship Race should be: Perri Bockrath (Alter), Emily Sreenan (Lima Central Catholic), Ashley Rulison (Beaumont), Samantha Barrett (Marian Catholic - Illinois), Hannah Doll (Mother of Mercy), Madeline Vining (Notre Dame Academy), Emily Vining (Notre Dame Academy), Sarah Wilkinson (Sacred Heart Academy-Kentucky), Nina Zraik (St. Vincent-St. Mary), Felicia Krekeler (Ursuline Academy), and Jenna Murdoch (Ursuline Academy).

The Men's Championship Race has the following top teams: St. Xaiver (Ohio D1, #2), Elder (Ohio D1, #17), Toledo St. John's (2015 MCC Runner's-Up), Notre Dame Prep (9^th 2015 Michigan State Meet D2), St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio D2, #15), Carroll (D2, #7), LaSalle (Defending MCC Champs), Covington Catholic (11^th 2015 Kentucky State Meet AAA) and St. Thomas Moore (Illinois 1A, #7).

The individual race looks to be very competitive with 30 boys having run 16:59 or faster this year. Alex Phillips(St. Vincent-St. Mary) is the top returner from last year (4^th). The other top individuals to watch in this race include: Brendan Fraser - 3^rd 2015 Michigan State Meet D2 (Notre Dame Prep), Mike Laughlin (Carroll), Nick Merk (Elder), Alex Hauptman (St. Edward), Brady Stevens (St. Francis DeSales), Nick Dehaven (St. Wendelin), and Chris Reischel (St. Xavier).