(Mason Comets pre-race at the Loveland High School Invitational)
* Preview article courtesy of meet director Chip Dobson *
This weeknd the Mason Cross Country Invitational is a multi-state affair. The meet features the #1 ranked Mason Comets from Ohio, but has top teams from Missouri, and Kentucky as well. The race also has quality teams from Indiana and Tennessee.
The key matchups will take place in the D1 boys race with the Trinity team from Louisville facing off with the Mason team from Ohio, along with a great Fishers Indiana team and a solid team from Gahanna Lincoln. The Rock Bridge team from Missouri will be in the mix as well, along with solid squads from Springboro and Mt. Vernon HS of Fortville.
This will be the first race of the season for the defending Ohio Champions, so the Mason boys should be raring for a fight.
On the girls side, a few teams are resting their top people but the girls of Dupont Manual will give the Mason Comets (#1 Ohio) everything they can handle. They have three very strong girls up front and should provide for a great team race.
The individual race may be a runaway with Erbach of Waynesville coming in with one of the top times in the state.
On the D2 side of things, there are a lot of good teams that are all ranked in the top 15 slots in Ohio. On the boys side, the teams of Madeira and Mariemont will for sure battle it out, as will the girls teams. Look out for the Oakwood girls and boys, they are always tough, as are the teams from Tippecanoe and Summit.
It should be a great event with 3200 runners registered, and 90+ teams in attendance.
-- Coach Chip Dobson