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| Mobile Challenge of Champions
Langan Park, Mobile AL September 5-6, 2008
DyeStat featured meet / On-site coverage with Arthur Mack
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Meet Preview - Meet Director Steve Schoenewald says the show will go on - By Arthur Mack
Last year's girls winner, Emily Reese GA, and boys runner-up, Lee Gilmer AL - photos by Lonn Spencer
 
Challenge of Champions planning to run despite effects from Hurricane Gustav
By ARTHUR L. MACK (including late update from meet director Steve Schoenewald)
MOBILE, AL—Mobile Challenge of Champions meet officials held their breath this week to see what effect Hurricane Gustav would have on the central Gulf Coast. But despite some heavy rains and tornado threats, the meet is going on as scheduled.
The Challenge of Champions, sponsored in part by the Mobile County Commission, is in its 16th year, and has traditionally brought out some of the best teams on the Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida Gulf Coasts, as well as some of the best teams from the state of Louisiana. The meet, touted by Harrier Magazine as one of the top early season cross-country meets in the nation, is scheduled for Saturday, September 6 at Mobile’s Langan Park, with an open division and an invitational division.
Meet director Steve Schoenewald and his staff were “on pins and needles” prior to the storm’s arrival, hoping to get through effects of the hurricane in the Mobile area with minimal damage, and determined to hold the meet if at all possible, even with a reduced field.
In an update Wednesday, Schoenewald said that the area received about five inches of rain, 40 mph winds, and a “bunch” of tornado warnings during the storm. “Everything was closed Monday and schools were out Tuesday also,” he added. “I have not heard from the out-of-state teams as they are out of school till Monday. There were many mandatory evacuation orders. … It is hard to get a hold of anybody. Hotel rooms are at a premium.”
The 2005 meet, which took place after Hurricane Katrina decimated the Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana Gulf Coasts, went on despite the absence of some of the out of town teams and damage to some of the course.
As for this year?
“The meet will go on just like when Hurricane Katrina hit,” Schoenewald said. “I think we’ll be able to pull it off. Tomorrow we will spend all day working on the course. It needs mowing and cleaning up the debris. Right now, I don’t know how many teams will be in the meet, but we’re going to have a meet because the kids deserve it.”
Teams on the invitational girls’ side that are scheduled to compete in the meet include Mobile’s UMS-Wright and St. Paul’s. UMS-Wright was second in the Alabama 5A girls’ state championships last fall, while St. Paul’s was third. Other Lower Alabama teams scheduled to compete include Mobile’s McGill-Toolen Catholic; Baker High School; Fairhope, last year’s 6A Section 1 champions; along with Faith Academy, last year’s Alabama Independent Schools Champion.
Out of town schools scheduled to compete in the invitational girls’ division include Our Lady Academy, fourth in last year’s Mississippi 2A girls’ state championships; and Episcopal School of Acadiana of Cade, La., last year’s class B state champions.
On the boys’ side, local teams include St. Paul’s and UMS-Wright, which finished 1-2 at last year’s Alabama 5A state championships, along with Spanish Fort, which finished fourth. Other local teams include Fairhope, last year’s 6A Section 1 champions; Bayside Academy, last year’s Alabama 1A-2A state champion; and McGill-Toolen Catholic.
Some of the out of town schools scheduled to compete include Mandeville, La., and Episcopal School of Acadiana of Cade, La.
Amazingly, Schoenewald said, Mobile had more rain the night before the Invitational Division of the track meet last spring (8 inches). He figures at least a few of the out of state teams won’t make it, but has gotten a thumbs-up from St. Thomas More of Louisiana (boys) as far as getting to Mobile.
“Hopefully, we will have some out of area teams. We are looking to put on the best meet possible for the teams and athletes that are here.”
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