Alliance Running Invitational
The mighty Comets of Mason have taken down the top ranked team in Centerville, 63-76. This is a prime example of "youth being served." Mason is a very young team with with three sophomores, three juniors and a senior in the top seven, where as Centerville is a very veteran and experienced team with five seniors, a junior and a sophomore in their top seven, and four of the five seniors ran at Scioto Downs last year for the State Meet Division I runner ups. Lead by sophomore stud Zach Wills (1st, 15:41) Mason was able place four runners in the top 11 to Centerville's three in the top 7. Mason's fifth finisher, sophomore Tate Honaker was able to seal the deal for the Comets as he crossed the line five places in front of Centerville's fifth runner.
Individually Wills won this race going away, and he looked smooth and determined during the whole race while the crowd cheered him on. The Centerville duo of seniors Shawn Roberts (16:04) and Eric Schmidt (16:16) came in second and third respectively.
Mason was able to pull off the double team win as the girls took down the 4th ranked Division 1 team in Springboro, 105-124. Freshman Monica Lake was able to place herself in the top while six other Mason girls were able to place between 21st and 30th, a span of a mere 21 seconds.
Individually senior Brooklyne Ridder of Oak Hills was able to push the pace early and pull away from the chase pack before the halfway point of the race. Ridder won in a time of 18:39. Alison Steinbrunner of Tecumseh was able to pull away from Springboro's Carly Hamilton down the home stretch to claim the silver with a time of 18:53 to Hamilton's 18:55
MSU Nike/Playmaker Spartan Invitational
While Colby Alexander of Strongsville may fly under the radar in most parts of the state of Ohio, he sure made a name for himself in East Lansing, Michigan. Alexander finished second in the Nike Elite race with an outstanding time of 15:37 (currently the fifth best time in the state).
In the boys team race LaSalle was able to place fourth, just ten points behind the third place team of Saline (MI), who are ranked seventh in the Midwest Region according to the NSSF polls. LaSalle was lead by strong performances from Travis Hawes (4th, 16:05) and Ethan Bokeno (15th, 16:31). The third through sixth runners for LaSalle all scored in the 50's and crossed the line within two seconds of each other.
Boardman Spartan Invitational
Division 1
Times were slow due to the wet and muddy conditions of the course, but isn't that how Boardman is supposed to be?
Twinsburg was able to pull of quite an upset, beating out four teams that were ranked higher than them in the most recent OATCCC Coaches Polls. Stuart Edmonds lead the Tigers of Twinsburg by finishing second in a time of 17:16.32 on this muddy course. St. Ignatius finished second to Twinsburg, 112-138.
Individually Julian Meyer of Richfield Revere was able to hold off Stuart Edmonds by running a 17:15.27, while on the girls side junior Angela Williams of Hudson won easily in a time of 21:14.03, eight seconds ahead of Medina freshman Anna Boyert (21:22.38).
The fifthe ranked Medina girls were able to pull off a minor upset, beating the second ranked girls of Hoover, 87-116. While Hoover's fifth runner finished ahead of Medina's fifth runner, Hoover was not able to overcome Medina placing two in the top ten and putting three across the line before Hoover's second finisher.
Division 2
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Acadmey showed why they are the top ranked girls team in Division II. CVCA ran away with the team competition, scoring a low 42 points, nearly 90 points ahead of runner up St. Vincent-St. Mary. CVCA put its five scorers across the line before any other team was able to get three across the line. But thats not even the most impressive thing about CVCA at this meet. CVCA was able to have four scorers finish before all but four teams first finisher.
Individually, Katie Gillespie of CVCA outdistanced herself from the chase pack and finished in a time of 19:42.64, over fifty seconds ahead of runner up Abbie Clifford of Perry (20:34.23).
On the Boys side, Woodridge was able to hold off a field that included four other ranked teams to win the Division II race. Woodriedge defeated runner up Field by 20 points, 84-104. Individually, CVCA senior Kyle Sullinger won the race with a time of 17:04.04.
Division 3
In arguably the best race of the day the top ranked and third ranked DIII boys schools squared off. Third ranked St. Thomas Aquinas was able to go 1-2, put their third runner across the line before most teams second runner and score only 68 points. In most meets of this caliber that would equal a surefire win, but not when you are running against the likes of the top ranked McDonald boys team. As impressive as St. Thomas Aquinas was, McDonald was just a little more impressive in the boys Division III race at Boardman. McDonald was able to go 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 placing their five scorers within seven finishers and a mere 17 seconds of each other. McDonald was able to sneak in and score 66 points to St. Thomas Aquinas' 68 points.
Individually the St. Thomas Aquinas pair of senior Nate Addessi and junior Jordan McKelley finished first and second with time os 17:00.07 and 17:01.82 respectively, ten seconds ahead of East Canton's Gabe Henning (17:11.53).
On the girls side, Gilmour Academy was able to hold off Burton Berkshire, 148-151. Burkshire was able to get all seven girls across the line before Gilmour Academy's fifth finisher, but that was still not quite enough to knock off the fourth ranked DIII girls team. Individually Lowellville junior Monica Ciarniello put nearly a minute between her and runner up Tina Oprean of Canton Central Catholic (19:59.36 and 20:52.01 respectively).