For 48 years runners have gathered at the Columbus Grove Invitational before heading off to their Labor Day celebrations. If you have never heard of Columbus Grove, a point of clarification: it's not near Columbus. It's actually a small town in Putnam County in Northwest Ohio. Aside from being a small school powerhouse in their own right, Columbus Grove boasts one of the fastest cross country courses in the state.
The meet features two divisions, one for small schools and one for bigger schools. But additional bragging rights are on the line: the organizers maintain a list of the top-50 times ever ran the invite over its nearly half-century of competition (a list that includes state champions). What you'll notice is a lot of these times are very recent and that the invite keeps getting faster with each passing year.
This year's meet will showcase a lot of state placing teams from a year ago. This includes four of the top six D4 Boys teams from last season and three of the top six girls teams from D4. West Liberty-Salem, who was D3 state runner-up last year, will also be at the invite.
The first Coaches Poll of the season was completed this past weekend and plenty of ranked schools will go at it at this invite. On the girls side there's #1 Minster (D4), #3 Liberty Center (D4), #5 West Liberty-Salem (D4), #6 Ottawa-Glandorf (D3), #10 Van Wert (D3), #13 Fremont Ross (D2), #16 Delphos St. John's (D4), #17 Botkins (D4), #20 Columbus Grove (D4), #21 Napoleon (D3), #22 Fairview (D4), #25 Lima Bath (D3) and #25 Lincolnview (D4). On the boys side there's #1 Tinora (D4), #3 West Liberty-Salem (D3), #3 Maplewood (D4), #4 Convoy Crestview (D4), #7 Bryan (D3), #7 Columbus Grove (D4), #9 Botkins (D4), #11 Archbold (D3), #11 Minster (D4), #12 Hicksville (D4), #15 Van Wert (D3), #16 Colonel Crawford (D4), #19 Paulding (D3), #21 Fairview (D4) and #23 Elmwood (D3).
Individually there will plenty to watch as well. Russell Stine IV of Findlay is fresh off a win at the Norm Bray Invitational in a time of 15:39.3. Fellow senior Malaki Neilson of Fairview also won last week at the Obie Mouser Defiance Early Bird in a time of 15:46.89. Derek Young of Convoy Crestview took the win last weekend at the Celina Rotary Invite. Also watch out for freshman Luke Brickner of Miller City who burst onto the scene last weekend with a time of 16:24.89.
On the girls side it'll be hard to miss Gwen Huddle of Napoleon, who last week won the HOKA Showcase in a time of 17:38.5. Fellow NLL competitor Lily Kiser of Fremont Ross is the second fastest time coming in after finishing runner-up last week at her home invite. Penny Francis of Lima Bath is coming in after winning the Delphos Blue Jay Invitational last weekend. Also be sure to look for Holgate Freshman Kinsley Schuette who went 20:00.87 last weekend.