LaSalle's Allen Bader wins the Division I district race. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        The faces have changed but the top teams remain the same. La Salle, St. Xavier and Madeira all repeated as district cross country champions Saturday afternoon.

        La Salle, ranked No.1 in The Enquirer's cross country poll and tied with Hilliard for No.1 in the state, won the first race at Voice of America Park. St. Xavier cruised in the second race and Madeira won its fifth straight title at Princeton.

        Defending state champion Allen Bader easily won the first race for his second straight district title. Bader is bidding to become the first ever from La Salle to win two straight individual state titles.

        “I won state by 13 seconds last year but Wessley Smith from Hudson is back after finishing second last year. He will be the main competition.”

The pack. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

        Bader and his La Salle teammates also have their sights set on the team championship. The Lancers finished second last season and if they qualify to state, it will mark the 11th straight season.

        “This has to be our year to win state. We have the talent and the experience. We have competed at a high level all season so we will be ready,” La Salle coach Frank Russo said. “Anything can happen in the next two weeks. We anticipate a battle both weeks.”

        Defending state champion St. Xavier won the second race in Division I with Sycamore, Elder and Colerain also advancing to the regionals. The Bombers have won nine consecutive district titles. St. Xavier coach Larry Merkle was pleased with his teams performance but downplayed the race as a stepping stone to the state meet November 3.

        “I'm just glad we have done well this year after losing four runners from one of the best teams in state history. Our goal today was to run conservatively and to qualify for the next level,” Merkle said.

Ross' Jake Richards won the Division II race. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Fairfield's John Dixon was the individual champion in the second Division I race. Dixon learned his lesson after finishing second at the GMC meet last weekend on the same course. He finished with a 15:59, his third best time of the year.

        “I went out too fast at GMC's and faded at the end. Today I took the first mile really slow before taking the lead in the second mile,” Dixon said.

        Madeira captured the Division III title in convincing fashion at Princeton. Madeira scored 22 points to notch their fifth consecutive district title. Summit (86) and CHCA (105) both advanced. Madeira's Mark Barrett led the way with the individual title.

        “This is our first team trophy this year. We have been running in the shadows of Taylor, Wyoming and Indian Hill,” Madeira coach Bob Kitchen said.

        The Cincinnati Hills League schools dominated the Division II race. Wyoming captured the crown with league rivals Taylor and Indian Hill finishing second and third.

        Hillsboro boys advanced in the Division II district at Logan Park.
        Division I
        Top four teams in each race
        advance to regional
        Race 1
        (3.1 miles at Voice of America Park)
        Regional Qualifiers
        1. La Salle 25 (1. Bader 15:31; 3. Grogan 16:13; 4. Mayhaus 16:18; 7. Dragan 16:40; 10. Beck 16:43; 16. Altenau 17:07; 29. Calardo 17:27).
        2. Moeller 68 (6. Schwarz 16:38; 9. Vanorsdel 16:42; 14. Flaig 17:01; 15.T. Frost 17:02; 25. Goddard 17:21; 26. Ash 17:22; 27. D. Frost 17:24).
        3. Kings 78 (2. Garvin 16:08; 13. Matheus 16:53; 17. Freson 17:10; 18. Ackerman 17:11; 28. Winebar 17:25; 57. Thomen-Brown 18:45; 62. Rusche 18:49).
        4. Lakota East 118 (5. Swartz 16:21; 21. Mi. Peters 17:17; 22. Ma. Peters 17:18; 32. Miller 17:37; 38. Hoops 17:49; 40. Rubush 18:01; 53. Mosser 18:35).
        Other Team scores: 5. Harrison 133, 6. Princeton 141, 7. Walnut Hills 201, 8. Turpin 256, 9. Roger Bacon 257, 10. Western Brown 269, 11. Oak Hills 293, 12. Glen Este 331, 13. Amelia 373, 14. Hamilton 414, 15. Northwest 488.
        Individual Qualifiers: 8. Thompson (Princeton) 16:42; 11. Folz (Roger Bacon) 16:47; 12. Zimmerman (Princeton) 16:53.
       Race 2
        Regional Qualifiers
        1. St. Xavier 43 (3. Wietmarschen 16:23; 8. Kowalski 16:35; 9. Munninghoff 16:35; 12. Balmat 16:49; 14. Kamps 16:56; 16. Walsh 17:00; 17. Mosher 17:01).
        2. Sycamore 79 (2. Gallagher 16:20; 4. Neumann 16:25; 18. Sage 17:03; 21. Tepe 17:09; 34. Hitchcock 17:32; 46. Clemens 17:56; 56. Wright 18:11).
        3. Elder 88 (5. Frey 16:28; 6. Staudigel 16:28; 10. Cohen 16:39; 30. Newman 17:23; 38. Lawrence 17:36; 41. Hammersmith 17:43; 45. Kenning 17:53).
        4. Colerain 105 (11. Kinne 16:43; 20. Simcoe 17:06; 23. Schlemmer 17:13; 25. Peak 17:15; 26. Bierkan 17:15; 28. Toelke 17:17; 49. Braun 17:58).
        Other Team scores: 5. Fairfield 112, 6. Anderson 154, 7. McNicholas 177, 8. Mason 224, 9. Talawanda 238, 10. Milford 280, 11. Lakota West 313, 12. Loveland 343.
        Individual Qualifiers: 1. Dixon (Fairfield) 15:59; 7. Kellerman (McNicholas) 16:35; 13. Rhodenbaugh (Talawanda) 16:49; 15. Martin (Fairfield) 16:59.

       Division II
        (3.1 miles at Princeton)
        Regional Qualifiers
        1. Wyoming 76 (5. Quinn 17:31; 6. Neebert 17:36; 16. Smith 18:03; 22. Schaengold 18:21; 29. Barczewski 18:39; 49. Howell 19:36).
        2. Taylor 84 (7. Miller 17:40; 15. Boll 18:03; 17. Kahny 18:03; 21. Thompson 18:17; 26. McArthur 18:32; 45. Curry 19:26; 53. Birkholtz 19:47).
        3. Indian Hill 89 (2. Wulsin 16:44; 4. Camden 17:26; 23. Wulsin 18:21; 32. O'Steen 18:54; 33. Campbell 18:55; 37. Leslie 19:04; 41. Edwards 19:13).
        4. Ross 101 (1. Richards 16:42; 11. Foster 17:49; 14. Hitt 17:59; 39. McBreen 19:09; 40. M. Dria 19:12; 44. A. Dria 19:58; 56. Hayes 20:01).
        5. New Richmond 121 (8. Williams 17:41; 13. Gemma 17:58; 20. Van 18:15; 35. Goocey 18:58; 550. Werle 19:39; 65. Tremper 20:58).
        Other team scores: 6. Badin 127, 7. Clermont NE 140, 8. Blanchester 227, 9. Bethel-Tate 252, 10. Little Miami 257, 11. Purcell Marian 293, 12. Mariemont 300.
        Individual qualifiers: 3. Lane (Bethel) 16:45; 9. Mathers (Purcell) 17:43; 10. Jones (CNE) 17:46; 12. Pettigrew (CNE) 17:57.
       (3.1 miles at Logan)
        Team Standings: 1. Washington CH 35, 2. Hillsboro 38, 3. Venton COunty 81, 4. Sheridan 88, 5. River Valley 123, 6. Megs Local 137, 7. McClain 185, 8. New Lexington 206.
       
        Hillsboro Regional Qualifiers: 3. Pierce 17:54; 6. Wood 18:11; 8. Evans 18:19; 10. Pickering 18:25; 16. Seeling 18:47; 39. Holstrom 21:03; 57. Parshall 24:08.

       Division III
        (3.1 miles at Princeton)
        Regional Qualifiers
        1. Madeira 22 (1. Barrett 17:27; 2. Roach 17:49; 4. Hassman 18:03; 7. Stevens 18:28; 8. Doley 18:29; 14. Gettinger 19:04; 19. Hunt 19:25).
        2. Summit 86 (11. Partin 18:46; 13. Schneider 18:55; 15. Knoepfler 19:05; 21. Kazior 19:39; 33. Evelo 20:22; 39. Bromley 20:52).
        3. CHCA 105 (18. Mead 19:22; 20. Johnson 19:32; 24. Bremer 19:47; 25. Edmonson 19:53; 26. Spohn 19:58; 35. Schuler 20:29).
        Other team scores: 4. Lockland 146, 5. Ripley 152, 6. Georgetown 184, 7. CCD 193, 8. Felicity 197, 9. Seven Hills 212, 10. St. Bernard 220, 11. Batavia 221.
        Individual qualifiers: 3. C. Pittman (Lockland) 17:58; 5. Crank (St. Bernard) 18:20; 6. Seesholtz (Georgetown) 18:27; 9. Gurry (Cin. Christ) 18:30; 10. Franklin (Ripley) 18:38; 12. B. Pittman (Lockland) 18:53.

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