Saturday, November 03, 2001
Ohio boys cross country preview
LaSalle can gain final goal today
By Dave Schutte
Enquirer contributor
From the first day of summer workouts, the LaSalle cross country team has trained with the idea of winning the boys Division I state championship at Scioto Downs in Columbus.
“Now is the time to step up and get it done,” LaSalle coach Frank Russo said. “There's a lot on the line, and we're embracing the opportunity.”
To win the school's first state cross country championship, the Lancers must defeat defending state champion St. Xavier as well as Hilliard Davidson, Hudson and North Canton Hoover.
“I'm confident Allen (Bader) will win the individual championship and we'll get the No.1 card,” Russo said. “It will come down to how our two-through-five runners perform.”
Bader is the defending individual champion and brings the fastest time of 15:33 into the finale.
“Nobody has seen Allen's best effort,” Russo said. “He had an incredible workout today (Tuesday), and there's no question he's physically ready.”
LaSalle has produced three individual state champions: Doug Bockenstette in 1993 (15:18.2), Steve Padgett in 1999 (15:19.9) and Bader in 2000 (15:21.1).
Since 1993, Harrison's Ernie Ziegler (15:27.4) in 1996 and Lakota East's Brian Godsey in 1998 (15:08.1) also won Division I championships.
If Bader leads from start to finish as expected, the performances of seniors Garrett Grogan and Zac Altenau, juniors Jason Beck and Eric Mayhaus, and sophomores Kyle Dragon and Paul Calardo will decide the outcome.
“Except for one week, we've run against either a nationally or state-ranked team,” Russo said. “Physically and mentally we're prepared, and the big-meet experience should help us.”
Although St. Xavier's Larry Merkel is concerned about the Bombers' poor performance at the regional, the veteran coach hasn't conceded defeat. St.X was second to LaSalle but scored 120 points to the Lancers' 51.
“Realistically, La Salle, Hudson and Hilliard Davidson are better teams,” Merkel said. “But that doesn't mean we can't beat them.”
Seniors Ben Weitmarschen and Jeremy Mosher, along with sophomore Tommy Balmat, are St. Xavier's returning starters. Kyle Kowalski, Nathan Kamps, Josh Walters and Kurt Munninghoff fill out the lineup.
“We can't run any worse than last week,” Merkel said. “Going into the year, I thought this would be a transition season. These guys have performed well above expectations.”
At the midpoint of the season, St.Xavier was a finely turned team, winning the prestigious Tiffin College Invitational.
“That could have been a bad thing, because it raised expectations higher than they should have been,” Merkel said. “It now comes down to one race, and I don't know if we can beat LaSalle if they run like they did at the regional.”
St.Xavier and LaSalle are the only local boys teams to qualify. But five runners qualified as individuals in the Division II competition.
Sports Stories
UC needs strong finish to solidify bowl bid
Minter has put UC on solid footing
Murphy knows UC's grown
Xavier 75, EA Sports All- Stars 67
Attitude pleases LeBeau
Prep football page
Ohio football playoff scores
Ohio football playoff schedule
Dayton Carroll 18, Roger Bacon 13
McNicholas 56, Mount Healhty 13
New Richmond 42, Ross 38
North College Hill 41, Chillicothe Zane Trace 10
Piqua 21, Edgewood 0
Reading 39, Wheelersburg 31
Washington C.H. 39, Indian Hill 31
Kentucky football playoff scores
Ballard 43, Dixie Heights 32
Beechwood 56, Berea 6
Bellevue 27, Nicholas Co. 13
Covington Catholic 44, Harrison Co. 22
Highlands 49, Bourbon County 30
Holmes 24, Montgomery County 0
Lexington Catholic 54, Grant County 14
Lloyd 46, East Carter 0
Newport Central Catholic 56, Raceland 7
Paris 37, Holy Cross 6
Shelby County 19, Boone County 17
Indiana football playoff scores
Ohio boys cross country preview
