BOYS INDIVIDUAL PREVIEW
Maumee Sr. Zak Kirk is undeafeted this season. He holds the D2 boys #1 ranking. Watch for him to push the pace through the 2-mile. He'll have his hands full however, with Jr. Zack Kreft of Buckeye Valley. (Photo Christian Lisle)
Maumee Sr. Zak Kirk has the #1 D2 boys ranking and is undefeated this season. He won easily at Tiffin. #2 So. Zach Kreft of Buckeye Valley won handily at Pickerington over #3 Sr. Taylor Hopkins of Heath. He has been beaten twice this season. At Marion Harding he lost by .1 to D3 runner Chad Johnson and at Tiffin, he and Kirk battled with Kirk pulling ahead for a 3.2 second win. The two should battle again at State. Kreft is capable of winning, but Kirk should take the first spot based upon his experience and his speed. If it is close with 500m to go, Kirk should win. Sr. Owen Krewson of Perkins is ranked #4 and just may get the #3 spot. He and Hopkins should stay close through the 2-mile, but that's when the race starts at National Trails.
It should be very competitive to see the placement of the others on the podium. Jr. Noah Perrin leads a favored Woodridge team and won the Youngstown Regional. Jr. Joe Spitzer of Versailles and Sr. Mike Laughlin of Carroll battled at Troy with Spitzer winning by .03 seconds. Don't count out, Lexington's Ryan Johnson who was 4th last year as a sophomore. He has struggled some this year and had a stress fracture, but ran 3rd at Tiffin. His brother, So. Kyle has run well. Watch for several other top 10 ranked runners to be up front: Carrollton Sr. Cole Lovett (#5), Martins Ferry Sr. Jacob Bishop (#6), Napoleon Sr. Jacob Fellers (#9) and #10, Jr. Zach Applegate of BG.
BOYS TEAM PREVIEW
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Woodridge and Lexington are the #1 & 2 ranked D2 teams. They will go head to head at State. Can Jr. Noah Perrin (250) and Sr. Yousef Elkhurd (247) lead their team to a State Title? (photo Christian Lisle)
Woodridge has the D3 #1 Team ranking. Lexington is the defending Team champion and has the #2 ranking. Carroll has the #4 ranking. All three teams won their Regionals. Woodridge won at Youngstown with 50 points, Lexington at Tiffin with 51 points and Carroll at Troy with 57 points. #3 Rocky River was 2nd to Woodridge at Youngstown with 71 points. #5 is Defiance and they were 2nd to Lexington at Tiffin with 68 points. Heath is ranked #7 and won at Troy, but I don't think our top podium teams will come out of the Troy Region this year.
The D2 boy's team race will perhaps be the most competitive of the day. Anything can happen at State and in XC, but the Woodridge boy's should pull off the win over Lexington. It may come down to how the Johnston brothers finish and if Perrin can get ahead of them.
The Woodridge boys are: Jr. Noah Perrin, Sr. Yousef Elkhurd, Fr. Micah Blair, So. Brayden Whited, Sr. Ryan Palm, So. Andy Muha and Sr. Max Starvaggi. The Lexington Boys are: Jr. Ryan Johnston, So. Kyle Johnston, Jr. Forest Volz, So. Noah Sgambellone, Jr. Josh Mueller, So. Clay Sturts and Sr. Jake Stickler.
I'm going with Rocky River to get the #3 spot on the podium. Tuslaw, Defiance, and Indian Hill will battle for the #4 and 5 spots.