Race Info

2019 LC Widewater Info

P.Schwan 2019, Race Info

2018 Widewater girls start

Liberty Center Widewater Invitational Sat. 9/21 (High School & Middle School)

Results available at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/libertycenter/2019/

2019 Widewater Info and Map

Widewater Retreat Center
4050 Old US24
Liberty Center, OH 43532

*Parking Note – Do not go to the main park entrance. Parking is off of County Road 4 west of the park and should be marked.  There is a $5 charge for parking, and it’s a bit of a hike from the parking area to the starting line so plan accordingly.

Schedule:

8:15am – Bus leaves from HS (est. arrival 9:00am)
10:30am – High School girls race (Black Division)
11:15am – High School boys race (Black Division)
11:45am – HS Black Division awards
12:00pm – Middle School girls race
12:30pm – Middle School boys race
1:00pm – Middle School awards
2:15pm – Estimated return to EHS
Meet Notes – This course is a perennial favorite.  It offers a little bit of everything: fast/flat first mile (for the HS), grassy and rolling second mile, and the third mile includes wooded trails, a water hazard followed by a steep hill, and a flat, open finish.  This course has been essentially unchanged for the 12-year history of this meet, and it has been certified in the past for D2/D3 District meets so it’s known to be accurate.  Most of our runners have been on this course before and will be able to give advice from their experience to the runners who haven’t seen it before.  Current forecast is a sunny day in the mid-80’s, and past experience says it will indeed feel plenty warm for this race.  Hydration and rest will be an important factor for this one.
Note – Bring extra shoes/sandals, socks, etc. if you don’t want to ride home wet.  There is a water hazard near the end of this race and you WILL get wet 🙂
From a spectator standpoint, here is pretty good viewing of the start, one mile mark (HS), and the finish (as well as “the hill” near the finish).  Most of the rest of the course is accessible, just be prepared to get some exercise!

2019 Fayette Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2019, Race Info

2016 Fayette girls start

Fayette Eagle Invitational – Sat. 9/14 (High School and Middle School)

Harrison Lake State Park
26246 Harrison Lake Road
Fayette, OH 43521

Results online at http://www.baumspage.com/cc/fayette/2019/

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
10:00am – Girls high school race
10:45am – Boys high school race
1:00pm – 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 (one of the reasons the high school hasn’t participated the past three seasons).

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.

2019 Archbold Invitational Info

P.Schwan 2019, Race Info

2017 Archbold Lindy

Archbold Invitational Sat. 9/7 (Middle School only)

Results available at https://www.baumspage.com/cc/archbold/2019/

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

8:20am – Bus leaves from the Middle School (est. arrival 9:00am)
10:30am – Middle school girls
11:00am – Middle school boys
1:00pm (est.) – Bus returns to Middle School

Archbold Course Map

Meet Notes – Believe it or not, this is one of the oldest courses we still run on and it hasn’t changed much over the years. 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. This a very “manageable” meet for middle school runners as the course is not very complicated. 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. Archbold hosted the NWOAL League Meet here last year, so many of our runners are already familiar with this course.

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.  The most exciting parts…the start, finish and crossover between reservoirs…are all within close proximity though so it’s a good meet to watch.

*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.

2019 Tiffin Carnival Info

P.Schwan 2019, Race Info

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Tiffin Cross Country Carnival Sat. 9/7 (High School only)

Results available at https://www.baumspage.com/cc/tiffin/2019/

Course maps: High School Course

Hedges Boyer Park
491 Coe St.
Tiffin, OH 44883

6:30am – Bus leaves from High School (est. arrival 8:00am)
9:35am – Girls’ Div. III Varsity
10:05am – Boys’ Div. III-B Varsity
11:25am – Boys’ Div. III Open
3:30pm – Estimated return time
Meet Notes – This course was an absolute mess last year as it rained quite a bit leading up to the meet, so we’re looking forward to a DRY course with ideal weather conditions.  All of our races are in the morning, which should be in the mid-60’s and partly cloudy. Perfect race weather!
One of the largest meets in the country, this carnival is in its 51st 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.

 

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.
  • 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.

Defiance Early Bird Open Info

P.Schwan 2019, Race Info

 

2018 Augie Defiance

Defiance Early Bird Saturday 8/24 (High School & Middle School)

Results available at https://www.baumspage.com/cc/defiance/2019/

Course schedule and maps:

Defiance High School Course
Defiance Middle School Course

Defiance High School
1755 PALMER DRIVE
Defiance, OH 43512

*Parking Note – There is a $5/car charge for parking that includes admission to the meet.

Schedule:

6:30am – Bus leaves from HS (est. arrival 7:30am)
9:00am – High School boys race

9:45am – High School girls race

10:30am – Middle School boys race
11:00am – Middle School girls race
1:00pm – Estimated return to EHS
Meet Notes – Our 2019 XC racing season kicks off in somewhat familiar fashion with the Defiance Early Bird Open.  The change this year is the course: we are no longer running at Camp Lakota but instead race at Defiance High School.  The reaction from the athletes to the news that they would not face “The Hill” has been mixed, but suffice it to say this year’s course will be flatter and therefore likely faster.  This change will hopefully also mean easier parking and access to the course.
We have not been on this particular course yet, but the course maps (linked above) look to be more or less an “out and back” style route. Runners will start and finish on the infield at the track, including a section actually on the track. Because of this, and runners wearing spikes need to be sure their spikes are 1/4″ or smaller.
The weather forecast looks great for this weekend, although we should point out it always seems to feel hotter than the actual temperature at this meet so hydration is every bit as important as always.  Get a great night’s sleep and we’ll see you Saturday morning!

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

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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
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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.