Yes. And I've been one disagreeing. Props to Scioto. They ran the race of their lives when they needed to. The choas and unknown of XC rears its head like this. It's why we love the sport, right? Good luck next week.
Thanks! Glad I didn’t have to eat crow on this one, just had a gut feeling about this team. I’m happy with the season now
No one predicted Scioto would beat Kilbourne because no one predicted Miller to not race. Same reason that most people (myself included) didn't see Orange or Liberty beating Coffman because I didn't expect Bolton not to race. Kilbourne is not going to lose to Scioto again as long as they run their full team.
I wonder how good Jerome and W North will be though since they’re losing their clear front runner.
Jerome will be bringing back a kid (Charles G) who ran 9:10 as a soph. He'll lead the way and be in the running for an individual title. Scioto will become Olentangy Liberty next year - nice pack, no front runner. North will become what Coffman is this year. They will be very good. Kilbourne definitely won't be the same after losing those seniors. This is really their only chance to do some damage.
Norman can be a front runner for Scioto next year. He ran a 15:49 and placed 18th and is coming back, just like everyone else on the team except Day. 12 seniors finished ahead of him. That makes Norman the 6th returner in the region.
Thanks! Glad I didn’t have to eat crow on this one, just had a gut feeling about this team. I’m happy with the season now
Even though I have been one of the lousy naysayers on Scioto, I am glad that you didn't have to eat crow either. It's good to see a team step up at the right moment. Glad to see Scioto punch their ticket to Obetz. And as was mentioned, they should be sharp next season as well.
I don't think any of you guys understand what our true motive was. We wanted to try to tighten up the back end of our varsity team, so our coaches told us to go out in 5:30. This was so our back end runners could hold with the faster guys, and then when our faster guys sped up, we could hopefully push the back end to stick with them.
This whole strategy just sounds so silly.
As was said previously, there's a reason you don't see the top teams doing this.
Even though I have been one of the lousy naysayers on Scioto, I am glad that you didn't have to eat crow either. It's good to see a team step up at the right moment. Glad to see Scioto punch their ticket to Obetz. And as was mentioned, they should be sharp next season as well.
Very magnanimous of you. Good luck to all the competitors next week. Hoping for one more peak performance!
At Pickerington region top 7-8 teams all averaged around 16:05 for top 5, and their 5th men finished within 15 places of each other. Run them all again next week, and the order might be reversed.
At Pickerington region top 7-8 teams all averaged around 16:05 for top 5, and their 5th men finished within 15 places of each other. Run them all again next week, and the order might be reversed.
Correct. It's brutal that Jerome and Kilbourne won't be running next week. I know the above posters are cracking on Kilbourne supporters for being optimistic heading into the season and are taking the results as proof they were wrong, but Coffman is now being discussed as a potential podium candidate. I do remember Kilbourne beating Coffman earlier this year. And Orange (both were missing their top guys). And Lancaster. And Scioto. Etc.
Point is... very, very little separates those top 7-8 teams. And yes, on any given day the order could be reversed. I'm guessing we'll see it again at Obetz. And I still say Jerome could take down Mason or M. Jackson on any given day.
As we head into the state XC Championship this week we need to consider all the different variables to winning a state championship. (not an exhaustive list)
- Post Season Gauntlet - who can manage the physical and mental drain of running fast at Conference, District, Regional & then a State Championship
- Luck - every coach who has won will tell you that a little luck is needed and those who lost had some bad luck along the final days. Shoe coming off, tripped-up, DNF, etc.
- Health - who can keep their team healthy with all the colds, sickness and injuries at this point in the season. I heard one runner who will be at state was in the hospital overnight and 3 epie pens because of an allergic reaction which fortunately happened on their off weekend.
- Gas in the tank - who has some gas still in the tank and I would say just maintain at state and not do something super human. As previously posted, some teams use up everything at Regionals to get to state and have nothing left.
- Pressure - who handles the pressure of being at state and/or contending for a title. It's a lot for someone not ready and prepared for it.
- The state meet will be very deep and high scores this year because of all the good teams. For those who aren't there, they probably didn't manage one of these variables well. And for those who beat so and so early in the year but season is done. The losing team probably didn't care about the 2nd weekend in September so don't get too excited about the win. Go back to the drawing board for next year. Remember that when West boys won, the previous year they didn't even qualify for state.
As we head into the state XC Championship this week we need to consider all the different variables to winning a state championship. (not an exhaustive list)
The problem is, it didn't happen for Dublin Jerry and Kilbourne on the day that it needed to happen.
Well yeah. We know this. But this is why we get on here, debate and discuss, and process results. It's what makes sports fun. The numbers can indicate potential and probability, but nobody knows what will happen on race day.
What a difference a year makes. It was a thing of beauty watching Ricchiuti hawk Tommy Rice in the final straightaway at Obetz in 2022 -- he and Gabelman were well behind upon entering the stadium, but Ricchiuti soared and got the no. 2. Gabelman wasn't able to go with him.
A year later at Pickerington, Ricchiuti and Gabelman were together but hitting that final bend, Gabelman put it into fifth gear and looked really good. He remains my favorite for individual title. I can put Ricchiuti at second for the second year in a row -- that's a fine career -- finishes of 9th, 2nd, and 2nd in four years at the state meet.
That was awesome watching 4 guys break 15. Really cool.
As we head into the state XC Championship this week we need to consider all the different variables to winning a state championship. (not an exhaustive list)
- Post Season Gauntlet - who can manage the physical and mental drain of running fast at Conference, District, Regional & then a State Championship
- Luck - every coach who has won will tell you that a little luck is needed and those who lost had some bad luck along the final days. Shoe coming off, tripped-up, DNF, etc.
- Health - who can keep their team healthy with all the colds, sickness and injuries at this point in the season. I heard one runner who will be at state was in the hospital overnight and 3 epie pens because of an allergic reaction which fortunately happened on their off weekend.
- Gas in the tank - who has some gas still in the tank and I would say just maintain at state and not do something super human. As previously posted, some teams use up everything at Regionals to get to state and have nothing left.
- Pressure - who handles the pressure of being at state and/or contending for a title. It's a lot for someone not ready and prepared for it.
- The state meet will be very deep and high scores this year because of all the good teams. For those who aren't there, they probably didn't manage one of these variables well. And for those who beat so and so early in the year but season is done. The losing team probably didn't care about the 2nd weekend in September so don't get too excited about the win. Go back to the drawing board for next year. Remember that when West boys won, the previous year they didn't even qualify for state.
I agree with your list, and see the emphasis of your posting as coaching.
1) Manage the team so that they are not trying to race an ultimate effort requiring a huge mental drain at X Invitational, conf. dist., reg., & state, all in consecutive weeks. Maybe train them hard to be flat at a conf. or dist. if you know they can advance regardless.
2) Much of what I am adding requires luck as well. Doing everything right does not assure that it will play out as planned. They are 14-18 year old's, so a break up with boy/girl friend etc. can trash all the planning in the world.
3) It's the coach's job to get them to the start line healthy. Again, luck can play into this but regardless, this a major part of coaching. This includes reducing academic stress, precautionary things to hopefully avoid a virus, etc.
4) I agree. It's a common mistake of inexperienced coaching. Like waving the magic dust of "it's the state meet," will suddenly allow a kid to drop 40 seconds. "What you are is good enough. Just give your normal best."
5) Again, a big part of coaching. It has to be addressed throughout the season or an attempt to minimalize this at state many times has the opposite effect. I would add that inexperienced #4-#7 guys have to be prepared that it may feel like they are getting buried and can't panic. Many ahead are individuals and trust yourself and training and stay the course regardless of whether it feels like you are getting buried or not.
6) Again, I agree. Fewer non-team qualifiers and no exceptionally dominant team opens things up.