The 10th release of the MileSplit XC Super 50 rankings comes amidst the thick of the post-season.  The NXN Nationals are held this weekend in Portland, Oregon and the Foot Locker West Championships are held in Walnut, California.  The following weekend in San Diego the best individual harriers take to the historic stage of the Foot Locker National Championships to crown a new girls and boys champion.  We are getting ever closer to seeing who the best harriers truly are, the only way possible, through head-to-head racing!

(Photos Courtesy of Connie Roys)  Taylor Burke has verbally committed to the University of Florida to continue her education and track and field career.  Burke is the reigning Nike Indoor Nationals champion and two time defending Ohio State Champion in Division 1 in the High Jump.

Michelle Thomas of Glen Este has decided to continue her education and running career at the Ohio State University.  Thomas is this year's OHSAA Diviion1 Champion.

Michael Brajdic of Bay High School has committed to continue his education and running career at Ohio State University.  Brajdic is one of Ohio's top recruits in cross country and distance.

The story of the week was New Jersey's Megan Venables (#2), who won her NJ Group 3 state title with an earth-shattering time of 17:27.9 to erase a 27 year old course record.  The previous record, set by Janet Smith in 1983, is 17:35.5.  Megan races the course again this weekend at the NJ MOC, this time with some heat behind her!

HUBER HEIGHTS — Tyler Dukes took a big gulp after huddling with Wayne’s defensive coaches prior to the start of summer training camp. (via www.daytondailynews.com)

What a week for prep cross country!  The top-10 boys are super-tight and should make the end of the season very interesting.  A shake-up at the top occurred with Lukas Verzbicas taking the #1 spot with an impressive run at the IL state meet.  Lukas blasted a solo-13:54 3 mile run to come a mere 4 seconds from breaking Craig Virgin's state record mark of 13:50.  Lukas is clearly in the best shape of his life heading into the most important part of the season.

   "Wills Captures #3", "Brajdic Sets New Boys Course Record", "Peninsula Woodridge Wins its Fifth Straight D2 Team Title", "Berger Repeats as D3 Girl's Champion", "Minster Wins its Third-Straight D3 Title", "Magnificat Girls' Win Third-Straight D1 Championship", Independence Repeats as boys D3 Champions"  It would be difficult to choose a headline for yesterdays 2010 State Cross Country Championships.  It was a day when a crowd of over 13,000 came to watch five of the six team state champions repeat, an individual win his third state championship and see a 23 year old course record broken.

Five teams repeat, course record set and Wills becomes Ohio's fifth three-time champion COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five of the six team state champions from a year ago repeated and a three-time individual state champion was crowned Saturday at the 2010 OHSAA Cross Country State Championships at Scioto Downs Race Track in Columbus.

Five individual state champions are returning to defend their titles, led by Zach Wills who is going for his third straight D1 championship. All six divisional teams are returning to defend their titles with D1 Magnificat going for an unprecedented 4th straight title, and Woodridge boys will be going for their fifth straight title.

This is the final OATCCC Cross Country Coaches poll for the 2010 Cross Country Season.

Hannah Neczypor, the 2009 OHSAA Division 1 state champion in the 3200 meter run, has chosen to continue her education and running career at Georgetown Univesity.