2018

2018 State Championship Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

Sarah State XC Sign

Update: Due to significant flooding on the course, the OHSAA has postponed the State Championship until Saturday, November 10th.  Race times and all other info remain the same.

State Championship Saturday 11/3 11/10 (High School Team/Individual Qualifiers)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/ohsaa/cc/2018/

Course maps: State Championship 5K Course

National Trail Raceway *see parking info linked below*
2650 National Road S.W.
Hebron, 43025

8:30am – Recommended latest departure time from Evergreen area
1:30pm – Division III High School Girls Championship
Meet Notes – This is the meet that officially closes the cross country season: the State Championship.  No more qualifying or advancing, just going out and competing against the best runners in the state.  Last year was a new experience for Evergreen XC and for Sarah individually.  The top 25 runners earn the designation of All State, and the top 20 will be announced and recognized on the podium.  Saturday is Sarah’s chance to close out her high school XC career, and we wish her all the best as she crosses the line one last time.
The course itself is run at a dragstrip right next to a rural airport, meaning it’s plenty flat.  The times at this meet can be very fast (the boys D1 race three years ago saw a state record broken that had stood since 1982), similar to the District course in Findlay.
Spectator Information -There is a ton of great information at the 2018 OHSAA Cross Country Stat Tournament Coverage Page. **Please note the traffic and parking information**
As mentioned, the meet is run at a dragstrip and there is a grandstand for viewing a portion of the race (including the finish).  The race is chip timed and there is a display that will show real time place and split updates at the mile markers and finish.  There is also a section “inside” the course on the other side of the dragstrip from the grandstand which offers some good viewing. There is a long section to view the opening and final half mile from behind a barrier as well. Overall, the course isn’t necessarily considered “spectator friendly” but it’s still a great atmosphere.  We’ll be taking the Viking tent down and setting it up in the team camp area (near the starting line) as a place for everyone to congregate, so feel free to join us there.
The FinishTiming website link on the coverage page will actually update in real time with the splits and places of runners, so for those checking in from NW Ohio you can see how the race unfolds from home. There *may* be a live video feed as well…keep an eye on the website.

2018 Regional Championship Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

20181020_125520

Regional Championship Sat. 10/27 (Team and individual qualifiers)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/reg/tiffin/2018/g3.htm

Course maps: Tiffin Regional Course

Hedges Boyer Park
491 Coe St.
Tiffin, OH 44883

8:15am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 9:45am)
11:00am – Division III HS boys race
1:30pm – Division III HS girls race
2:30pm – Awards
2:45pm – Leave Tiffin
5:30pm – Estimated return time*
* We do plan on stopping to eat on the way back. Please bring money for food.
Meet note – How sweet it is!  Our girls team stepped up big last weekend and qualified for our third straight trip to Regionals, and Augie became the first male runner in eleven years to qualify.  Now it’s time to put the exclamation point on our season as we go out to compete against the toughest regional field in the state.  The top eight teams qualify to compete at the State Championship in Columbus next weekend, as well as any individuals finishing in the top 32.  Last year, we had our first ever state qualifier when Sarah finished third overall, and this year she looks to close out her cross country career with a return visit.  Kayla is right on the bubble as well heading in to the race and is looking to advance.  The girls team will look to continue their improvement against some very tough competition, and Augie will have an opportunity to run in a fast and challenging race.

Every one of our runners has run on this course at least once, and for some this is their fourth time, so we’re on familiar ground here.  For those who haven’t seen it, the start and finish area are in a large field circled by trees in the middle of the park, offering a great spectator view of the start and finish.  The course map is linked above and will show that a lot of the race can be viewed from that general area.  The weather is set to be a carbon copy of last year’s Regional meet: high near 50F and overcast with a chance of rain.

A few items to note for spectators:
  • Unlike the carnival, only team buses are allowed to enter the park. Spectator parking can be found here: Team and Spectator Information
  • There is a $7 admission fee (incl. the boys team, even if they ride the team bus)
  • Tiffin is about a 90 minute drive from Evergreen High School, so plan accordingly.
  • Cell coverage is really bad. Calling, texting, tweeting, etc. is a gamble at any given time.
  • Ours is the first race of the day, so it’s a good bet they will start on time
  • As mentioned in the schedule, we do plan on stopping for food on the way back (most likely in Fremont). Families, friends and fans are welcome to join us, just know it may get a bit crowded with so many people descending on the place during college football game time.
A important word about uniforms. Per OHSAA Cross Country Manual, the following rules apply:
  • All school issued uniforms must match (not a problem for us)
  • Any clothing worn under the uniform must be of a solid color
  • If more than one competitor from a team wears clothing under the uniform, it must be the same color as the other team members.  It does not have to be the same brand or length, nor do all competitors have to wear it if one  does or does not choose to.
  • Clothing can have a single logo no more than 2 1/4″ square (ex – they could have the UnderArmor logo, but not a Nike swoosh on the front collar and “NIKE” on the back).
If you have any questions or doubts at all please check with the coaches BEFORE SATURDAY.  There’s enough to be excited about for this meet…uniforms should not be a source of stress that morning.

 

2018 District Meet Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info
DSC_0051
2017 Lady Vikes huddle up after their District race. The team advanced to the Tiffin Regionals for the second straight season.

District Championship Sat. 10/20 (High School only)

District Results:
Boys Division III (District 2)
Girls Division III (District 1)

Course maps: Findlay Owens 5K Course

Owens Community College – Findlay Campus
3200 Bright Road
Findlay, OH 45840

8:30am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 9:45am)
11:40am – Division III HS boys race (District 2)
12:20pm – Division III HS girls race (District 1)
3:30pm – Estimated return time

Meet Notes – Here we are, ready to take on the District meet once again.  For most of our runners, this is the apex of our training cycle…the chance to compete when we’re at our strongest and most prepared.  Each season brings us different challenges and different circumstances, but in the end we make our final stand as one Viking team.  It’s that “win or go home” point of the season.  At this meet, the top four teams and any individuals in the top 16 overall advance to Regionals in Tiffin on 11/27.

This year has some great story lines to watch:

  • Our girls team is very young, having lost five seniors last year.  Even so, we are seeded eighth overall in the district and fourth in our race.  This is a tremendous compliment from our fellow coaches, but looking at the seed times it’s also deserved.  Despite losing runners to injury, we’re still very much in this.  We just need to run with strength and courage; every point counts. After a decade’s absence for the girls team, we’re looking to advance to Regionals for the third straight year. Our goal is simple: THREEPEAT!
  • On the other hand, our boys team comes in very experienced.  Only two of our varsity runners are running on this course for the first time, and they’ll look to improve on their 10th place finish from last year. They are seeded 10th in this race, but an 9th or 8th place finish is well within their capabilities.
  • We may have our first individual boys qualifier in at least 15 years (we only have records going back to 2003, so can’t say first ever with any certainty).  Augie is coming off an All League performance last weekend, and he set his personal best at this race last year by almost a full minute, so he’s in a good position to compete this weekend.
  • We have multiple records set on this course: Sarah set the junior and overall school record here last year, and Kennedy set the freshman record. The year before, Sarah set the current sophomore record (then also a school record).  With Sarah and Kennedy back on this course again, Kayla now getting her first shot, and Augie within 35 seconds of the boys’ mark, we could see a lot of records fall this weekend.
  • We have some seniors who will be running their last cross country race of their high school career.  This is the most bittersweet aspect of this time of year.

Those are all exciting aspects of this race, but at the end of the day the ends of those stories have yet to be written.  Seed times and recent races don’t break records or qualify to move on…we have to execute.  The weather is the unknown factor right now; the temperatures look great for running (mid- to upper-40’s), but with storms rolling in Saturday night it’s not clear when the wind will start to pick up.

The course is exactly the same as the past two years: it’s flat and pretty fast.  It’s also fairly spectator friendly, allowing folks the chance to see the start, most of the first mile, and the finish with only a moderate amount of walking.  There are a lot of straightaways, but there are also some sharp turns that keep it interesting.  The weather will be in our favor, with an expected race time temperature in the upper 50s and lighter winds.

This will be a long day…we leave at 8:30am and won’t get back until mid-afternoon, so rest is essential. We arrived with about the same amount of prep time last year and it was just about perfect, so we are looking to keep the same type of schedule this year.  The runners will have plenty of time to walk and examine the course, and to get themselves mentally and physically prepared for their race.  The atmosphere at this meet it usually pretty great, and we anticipate the same this year.  We will be sticking around to wait on the official results to be posted for the girls before we pack up and get ready to leave (and there are always plenty of photo opportunities after).

2018 NWOAL Championship Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

2017 NWOAL Sarah finish

NWOAL Championshop Sat. 10/13 (High School & Middle School)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/nwoal/2018/

Archbold Reservoir
502 South Street (parking)
Archbold, OH 43502

7:45am – Meet at High School
8:00am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 8:30am)
10:00am – HS girls race
10:40am – HS boys race
11:20am – MS girls race
12:00pm – MS boys race
12:30pm – Awards
1:30pm – Estimated return time

Archbold Course Map

Meet Notes – It’s hard to believe we’re coming in to the final portion of our season. The league meet is the last race for our middle school runners as well as for some of our high school runners.  We are happy to be in a league that allows everyone to run in the same race instead of just the top seven, and it gives some high school athletes that final opportunity to work their way onto the varsity squad for the district meet.  Ultimately though, it’s our chance to go up against our league rivals and do our best to represent ourselves, our team and our school.  Our training is designed to help our runners start to close in on their peak performance in these next couple weeks, so it’s always an exciting time (often literally) for our runners.

For those not familiar, the Archbold course is run around the larger and smaller reservoirs.  It starts across a lower grassy area for about 200 meters before climbing up onto the larger reservoir and running clockwise around.  The course then drops down between the two and back up to the smaller reservoir for a counter-clockwise loop, then down and back up to the main reservoir.  Middle school angles back down the hill to the finish while the high school does a counter-clockwise loop before finishing.  It’s certainly not the most glamorous or interesting course, but from a spectator standpoint you can literally see the entire race without having to move much at all.

As this is the last meet of the season for many of our runners, we ask that all athletes please stay until the end of the meet after the awards ceremony.

2018 Hudson Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

2016-hudson-banner

Hudson Invitational Sat. 10/6 (High School & Middle School)

Results available at https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/147373/info

Course maps:
Hudson High School Course
Hudson Middle School Course

Hudson High School
746 N Maple Grove Ave
Hudson, MI 49247

7:15am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 8:00am)
9:00am – MS girls race
9:45am – MS boys race
10:30am – HS boys varsity race
11:30am – HS girls varsity race
12:00pm – Open race (JV, coaches, parents, etc.)
12:40pm – Awards ceremony
1:45pm – Estimated return time
Meet Notes – We asked over the summer about the possibility of having this as an off week ahead of the NWOAL Championship, and the response from the athletes was a resounding “NO!”  This meet is another perennial favorite with the runners in both middle school and high school.  Though not quite as big as Tiffin, this is a larger meet with a pretty festive atmosphere (including some music and dancing).  The course itself is pretty decent, with a combination of wooded trails, open grass fields, and a great downhill finish.  This meet does have varsity boys and girls races, so those not in the top seven will run in the large open race at noon. This race is also open to anyone who wants to run, and it’s not uncommon to have some runners in full costume. Any spectators who want to participate are more than welcome!
From a spectator standpoint, a good portion of the race is viewable from the start/finish area. Travel time from the high school is approximately 45 minutes. Please be advised they do charge $5 per person for entry so plan accordingly.  We do realize that there is a girls’ varsity soccer game, but we do ask everyone to stay as long as possible to cheer on your fellow Viking runners, and we remind you to notify us in advance if you will be leaving early.

2018 Fulton County Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

2017 Fulton County Invite Sarah Kennedy

Fulton County Invitational Sat 9/29 (High School only)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/fultoncounty/2018/

Course maps:
High School Course

Location:
Homecoming Park (Wauseon)

Parking Info:
Fulton County Invite Parking Map

Fulton County Invite Parking Details

8:00am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 8:30am)
10:00am – HS girls race
10:45am – HS boys race
12:30pm – Awards ceremony
1:30pm – Estimated return time
Meet Notes – Last year was the inaugural Fulton County Invitational, and the meet served the dual purpose of fostering a friendly, competitive atmosphere between local programs and giving Wauseon the chance to prep for the NWOAL Championship a few weeks later.  Thankfully, unlike last year this year’s meet will be neither on a Tuesday evening nor run in blazing heat.  The temperature should be in the upper 50’s and cloudy, so it should definitely feel like fall.
For spectators, the course is fairly accessible, with the start and finish in open areas about a quarter mile apart. There are a couple loops through wooded trails in the first and third miles, but most of the course is out in the open.  As such, it’s a fairly flat course with the only “hills” being some minor up-and-down in the woods during the last mile.  Not the fastest course we run, but certainly one that can bring some good times.
A word of warning: there’s quite a bit of poison ivy along the woods and trails, so we recommend staying out of the brush. The trails can also have runners going both directions at times, so please be aware of runners and don’t block the course.

2018 Fayette Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

Fayette Eagle Invitational – Sat. 9/15 (Middle School only)
Harrison Lake State Park
26246 Harrison Lake Road
Fayette, OH 43521

Results online at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/fayette/2018/

7:15am – Leave from High School (est. arrival at Harrison Lake 8:00am)
9:00am – Girls’ middle school race
9:30am – Boys’ middle school race
11:00am – Estimated return to Evergreen

Notes – One of the most beautiful courses we run with a few moderate hills and lots of wooded trails. This course has been pretty fast for middle school runners over the years, with many runners setting a personal record at the meet.  It’s also a course that has changed nearly every year, making it somewhat unpredictable.

From a spectator standpoint, the start and finish areas are usually fairly close together, with the finish being a long stretch great for cheering.  As mentioned, the course has been modified several times over the years, so double check the start and finish locations on arrival in case they’ve been moved again.   Be sure to give yourself extra time to find a parking spot and walk to the start/finish area.

2018 Galion Festival Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info
Galion XC Festival
Start of a boys race at the Galion XC Festival

Galion Cross Country Festival 09/15 (High School only)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/galion/2018/

Course maps: Galion High School 5K Course

Amman’s Park
4977 State Route 309
Galion, OH 44833

Note: If approaching the park from the north, do not use Biddle Rd to reach the park. Spectators should only use Rt 309/61 to get to the course.

8:30am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 10:30am)
12:00pm – Division II/III HS Boys JV race
12:30pm – Division II/III HS Girls JV race
1:00pm – Division III HS Boys Varsity race
2:00pm – Division III HS Girls Varsity race
4:30pm – Estimated return time

 

Meet Notes – This is another first time meet for Evergreen, but it’s a great course with a storied history.  The course is a looping run around a park, with some gentle hills and pine tree-covered dirt trails.  This course can bring some really fast times: Andrew Jordan of Watkins Memorial ran a 14:44 at this meet three years ago, and Coach Schwan has some experience on this course as well from high school.

A few spectator notes:

  • Admission is $5 for anyone 13 and older
  • Parking along the lane that borders the course is fairly limited, but there is parking on the far side of the lake with a school bus shuttle to take spectators to and from the parking area. Not sure how often it runs, so if you’re making the trip be sure to give yourself enough time to get to the course.  The entrance to this area of parking is directly across Rt.61/309 from the entrance to the Galion Country Club.

We realize this is a long day with it being such a distant meet, and as such we are NOT planning to stop for food on the way home. We should have plenty of snacks and other food to keep everyone fed throughout the day.  As we are not running until midday, please make sure to get a good, full breakfast…a good balance of carbs and protein that will stick with you for awhile!

2018 Archbold Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

2017 Archbold Lindy

Archbold Invitational Sat. 9/8 (Middle School only)
Archbold Reservoir
502 South Street (parking)
Archbold, OH 43502

8:45am – Bus leaves from the Middle School (est. arrival 9:15am)
10:30am – Middle school girls
11:00am – Middle school boys
1:00pm (est.) – Bus returns to Middle School

Archbold Course Map

Meet Notes – This meet involves loops around the larger and smaller reservoirs, with hills in between and a downhill finish. The middle school makes one loop around each reservoir. Spectators can see pretty much the entire race, although individual runners can be a little hard to make out when they’re on the far side of the water. This is not a fast course despite being mostly flat; in part, because it’s so open and flat. It’s much harder to push your pace running a one mile long circle around the reservoir. Still, all the runner have to run the same loops, so it’s a chance to get out and compete against some of our NWOAL rivals. Moreover, this year the NWOAL Championship is being hosted by Archbold at this location, so it’s a good opportunity to race on the course ahead of the league meet.

*There will be concessions available. However, we ask that athletes have a healthy breakfast that morning and NOT eat concession food until after they have competed. We will have healthy snacks provided by parents; athletes are strongly encouraged to partake of these after competing.

2018 Tiffin Carnival Info

P.Schwan 2018, Race Info

2017 Tiffin varsity boys

Tiffin Cross Country Carnival Sat. 9/8 (High School only)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/tiffin/2018/

Course maps: High School Course

Hedges Boyer Park
491 Coe St.
Tiffin, OH 44883

6:15am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 7:45am)
8:30am – Girls’ Div. III Open
9:35am – Girls’ Div. III Varsity
10:05am/11:00am – Boys’ Div. III Varsity (time slot TBD)
11:25am – Boys’ Div. III Open
3:30pm – Estimated return time
Meet Notes – One of the largest meets in the country, this carnival is in its 50th year and features most of the top teams and individual runners in the state. The first race of the day kicks off at 8:30am, and the last race doesn’t start until 4:45pm.  Most of these races will have upwards of 240 runners, making it a pretty intense and unique experience for each participant.  This also happens to be the same course on which the Regional meet is run, giving us an opportunity to preview the course without making a special trip in late October.  The course is challenging to be sure, but also ripe for some very fast times so it’s a great opportunity all around for the Viking runners.  We ran really well here last year, and the conditions look good to do so again.

 

Note – because our girls run in the very first race, we need to be LEAVING the high school no later than 6:15am. This means we expect all athletes to be there PRIOR to 6:15am so we are loaded and leaving on time.

 

 

A few things of note:
  • Tiffin is about 90 minutes from EHS, so give yourself plenty of time
  • Parking can be challenging. Plan to enter on Summit Street (the “bottom” of the park) and walk to the upper area.  You can enter off Coe Street, but you have to pass through several areas that are blocked off during races, making it very difficult to get through. Again, give yourself plenty of time.
  • They run a VERY tight schedule. If they say the girls’ varsity race is at 9:35 AM, that gun will go off at 9:35 AM.
  • The side of the start area near the finish is typically very crowded, as are several other areas on that side of the course. There’s a lot of people here, so bring a dose of patience 🙂
  • Cell coverage is really bad. Calling, texting, tweeting, etc. is a gamble at any given time.
  • The t-shirts for this meet are usually pretty cool, and you’ll often see runners wearing them at other meets throughout the year. This meet is somewhat legendary among the high school cross country community.  That this is the 50th year only adds to the allure.
  • We are planning on stopping for lunch during the drive back. We welcome anyone to join us, just be advised it may be crowded with 23 runners plus coaches and parents. We’ll let everyone know Saturday where we decided to stop.

 

*There will be concessions available. However, we ask that athletes have a healthy breakfast that morning and NOT eat concession food until after they have competed. We will have healthy snacks provided by parents; athletes are strongly encouraged to partake of these AFTER competing.