Let's talk Ohio HS XC

I would presume that Steele finishes much higher in their regional meet (third or fourth). I feel that they would be quite competitive in that NE Ohio region.

How much sandbagging goes on in these District and Regional races? On the face of it, it would appear quite a bit a times.

Do you guys/girls think Hilliard Davidson will come back from the dead?

They’ll be back at some point. Why wouldn’t they be? Have they changed coaches?

They have tradition, culture, a good sized pool to get talent, etc. The sport is very cyclical in terms of available talent. Most programs wax & wane. There are some exceptions like Mason, St X, Woodridge, Minster girls, and others, but they’re the exception, not the rule. And Woodridge is D2. Most years in D1 they could not win. The team that they had a few years back where they were probably the best in Ohio regardless of division is not a normal occurrence for them.

Their girl's team has won Districts 13 years in a row. And both teams have been among the top 3 in the region and top 10 in the state for at least the last 10. And often they are top 5 in the state. This year, the girls are the favorite to win.

So uh... one off year on the boys side doesn't make them dead. As duly noted on this forum over and over, Central Ohio is a juggernaut on the boys side this year. If HD were in any other region, they'd have a shot at Obetz.

I don't think anyone has that I've ever seen. There's not much room for error if you do. Don't want to end up like Centerville girls did a few years back.

In Columbus in D1, none at all. If you sandbag, you're out. No one has that luxury, particularly on the boy's side. In fact, if any ONE of these top team's top five has a subpar race, there is no state meet, no next week. It's just too close, too tight, and only five teams get to go out of maybe 8-9 deserving, ranked squads.

This is why that Pickerington Regional will have (and has had) the feel of a mini-state meet. Coaches prepare kids to peak at THIS meet, not Obetz. All the pep talks, the training, summer miles... it all points to that stupid out and back course at Pick North, and that final stretch in the woods that determines when and if your season is ending.

I remember a similar setup two years ago. Orange's 4:15 miler and 3rd man, Brian King, had an off day at Pick North and ran subpar. He didn't blow up, just.... off. Orange, a team that most had in their top 10 or 15 in the state, and was top 2-3 in the region all year, was out. Done. Kilbourne ran out of their minds that day and snagged the final qualifying spot despite being 4th in their district that year.

So yeah... no one is sandbagging. It couldn't be more the opposite.

Next year they will be better. They only have one senior. I think they will be better than Kilbourne who is losing a lot of guys

I didn’t see any clear sandbagging at the District meets for D1 boys.

At this point, making state will be considered elusive for Kilbourne

Looks like they will need to do the same this year if they want to qualify

. . . and like that previous meet, hope one of the other teams drops the ball.

Actually, they would've qualified that year even if King had run his typical race. They beat Orange by 20pts.

This year I say Kilbourne has as good as a shot as Orange & Jerome if their top guys are healthy and ready to go. It was damn close at districts.

Hopefully Kilbourne pulls it off and qualifies, since this year it’s a last dance for them (at least for a while).

Pre-Regional polls are up

oatccc.com

Cross Country Coaches Poll

iTrack llc, Brian Diamond

The Mideast Cross Country Championships presents the best 12 high school men and women senior runners from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and other area states.

Link:www.oatccc.com/Cross-Country/Coaches-P...

Scroll down to tabs at bottom of google doc

How Pickerington region teams are ranked in pre-region polls
1. West. North
2. Lancaster
3. Dub Jerome
4. Dub Coffman
5. Olen Orange
6. Kilbourne
Dub Scioto is ranked way below all of them. I see this as a disrespect

Based of last week’s results, I’d say this ranking is fair.

Dublin Coffman continues to baffle me. They’re still the only team to beat West. North and Mas. Jackson (I think?) all year. But if they run any worse than last week, they may not even be at the state meet.

At this point, since the regionals are coming up so soon, the rankings won’t matter until then