KETTERING —Carroll High School will once again host one of the largest cross country events in the region, Saturday, Sept. 22 at Indian Ripple Park.
The 24th Annual Midwest Catholic Cross Country Championships (MCC) will draw the traditional Catholic schools from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky. The meet began as the All Ohio Catholic Cross Country Championships and expanded to the Midwest in 2010. The All Ohio Catholic Meet started in 1995.
There is a pasta dinner for all of the teams held Friday evening, Sept.21, and is followed by seven different races on Saturday.
There will be two high school championship races and two high school reserve races. There will also be two junior high races and an open race for anyone else (sixth grade and under, adults, coaches, etc.).
Here is the schedule of races:
•Two-Mile Open Race (8 a.m.)
•Girl’s Middle School – 7th/8th (8:30 a.m.)
•Boy’s Middle School – 7th/8th (9 a.m.)
•Middle School Awards Ceremony (9:30 a.m.)
•Girls Championship (10 a.m.)
•Boys Championship (10:45 a.m.)
•Girls Junior Varsity (11:30 a.m.)
•Boys JV (12:15 p.m.)
•High School Awards Ceremony (12:45 p.m.)
The 5k course is the same course used for the Mid East Cross Country Championships that are held in November. Saturday’s event will feature the top 10 seniors from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. The meet features some of the top cross country teams in Ohio and surrounding states, as well as some of the region’s best individual talent.
The Girls Championship Race has the following top teams: Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (second Place 2017 MCC, Ohio DII, No. 2), Toledo Notre Dame Academy (third Place 2017 MCC), Pontiac (Mich.) Notre Dame Prep (Fourth Place 2017 MCC), and Mercy McAuley (the former Mercy and McAuley High Schools now combined).
The individual race looks to be very competitive with 12 girls having run 19:59 or faster this year. The top females in the Girls Championship Race should be: Lauryn Mick (Toledo Notre Dame Academy), Madeline Vining (Toledo Notre Dame Academy), Emily Vining (Toledo Notre Dame Academy), Theresa Hagey (St. Vincent-St. Mary), Nina Zraik (St. Vincent-St. Mary), Alexandra Case (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep), Jennifer Ohlsson (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep), Kaitlyn Sansone (Mercy-McAuley), and Audrey McKinney (Indianapolis Cathedral).
The Boys Championship Race has the following top teams: St. Xavier (Ohio DI, No. 3), Elder (third Place 2017 MCC), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (Top 10 2015, 2016, and 2017 Michigan State Meet DII), St. Vincent-St. Mary (Ohio DII, No. 4), host Carroll (second Place 2017 MCC), Trinity (second Place 2017 Kentucky state meet/Big School division), Covington Catholic (10th Place 2017 Kentucky state meet/Big School division).
The individual race looks to be very competitive with 24 boys having run 16:59 or faster this year. Jamers Ohlsson (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep – Michigan) is the top returner from last year (seventh). He was also 22nd at the 2017 Michigan State Meet in Division II. The other top individuals to watch in this race include: Jack Baum (Trinity-Kentucky) who was 13th at the 2017 Kentucky State Meet in the Big School Division; Grant Arnold (Carroll); Kevin Agnew (Carroll); Shane Williams (Trinity-Kentucky); Nick Lewis (Trinity-Kentucky); Bryce Dunn (Trinity-Kentucky); Jared Timmers (Elder); Alex Phillip (Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary); Charles Domonskos (Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary); Ethan Wever (Covington Catholic); and Will Tate (Covington Catholic).
Live results will be available at: http://www.finishtiming.com/meet_details.php?uniqueid=5A443E037B1 .