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The Asics Midwest Preview Hot Summer Bash


Saturday, August 23, 2008 - Northmor HS, Galion OH


Hosted by Hilliard Davidson HS --- DyeStat on-site with SteveU

Meet's Own Site

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Roys, Carmel the Big Winners at 'Bash'

The performances were strong, but the meet was about a lot more than just winning and losing - STEVEU STORY

RESULTS from The Columbus Running Company - Dave Dillahunt PHOTOS - Highlights

  


Above: 12 teams launched their 2008 harrier season when the gun went off Saturday morning.  At right, Medina OH's defending D1 state champ Donny Roys had a decisive win, when all was said and done.  Photos Dave Dillahunt.

Highlights
  • Carmel IN, 3rd in its state meet last fall but returning 6 of 7 varsity runners for veteran head coach Chuck Koeppen's 41st and final season, dominated the varsity team competition with five in the top 14
  • With 42 points, Carmel forged a 71 point margin over 2nd-place Toledo St. John's Jesuit's 113.  The winners were led by 3rd-place finisher Dan Kinn's 16:10.
  • Donny Roys, the 2007 Ohio D1 state XC champ who led Medina to the team title (and an NTN bid), broke his pursuers in the final mile to win the 5k battle (moderately fast course, temp in 70s and climbing) in 15:58, eight seconds ahead of Jesuit's Kevin Yarnell.
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Talent shines through, but fun and camaraderie reigns in unique event

By SteveU

 
The pack includes Roys, Kinn, Abraha, and Yarnell.  Photo Dave Dillahunt
Yes, there were individual champions.  Yes, there were team champions.  But the message being sold at the Asics Hot Summer Bash Midwest Preview in Galion OH Saturday was that this was intended to be an early season shakeout for quality programs, with lots of food, fun and camaraderie.

Call it a message successfully delivered … and received.

In fact, the title of the event could not better describe what transpired in and around the athletic fields at Northmor High School.  It was “hot,” and very much like “summer,” though the temperature didn’t reach the mid-80s quite fast enough to really make the runners in the four races suffer.  It was undoubtedly a “bash,” as evidenced by the fun everyone had during the post-race potluck and raucous t-shirt exchange.  And it was definitely a “Midwest preview,” because if you don’t keep an eye on the deep, deep powerhouse retiring Head Coach Chuck Koeppen has at Carmel IN, or the Ohio state title defense Medina’s Donny Roys is launching, you might miss something big.

There were 12 quality teams in the varsity race Saturday, including three of the top five and seven of the 16 from last fall’s Ohio D1 state meet.  But the Greyhounds from Carmel dominated in a fashion normally seen against much more modest competition.  Led by senior Dan Kinn (3rd, 16:10), they went 3-5-9-11-14 – that’s five in the top 14 – to amass 42 points and win by a surprising 71 over runner-up Toledo St. John’s Jesuit.

Individually, there was still a wealth of contenders at 2M, but then Roys pulled away decisively in the woods to win by eight seconds in 15:58.  Jesuit’s Kevin Yarnell, coming off a strong track season where he ran a 4:18 1600, held on best for 2nd in 16:06.

More than 300 runners completed the course in four races – a lot for just a dozen schools.  Then after everyone warmed down, ate, and traded t-shirts, they were able to hear a short, motivational speech from Jim Spivey, the 3-time Olympian and coach who works with meet sponsor Asics.


Roys Rolls Late

A big pack with an unbroken stream of runners behind them stepped through a mile in 5:14 to start the varsity race.  That certainly seemed on the slow side but, hey, it’s not even the last weekend in August.  At the 2M, though, the split was 10:12, indicating a few things: The first mark may have been a tad long, the pace was fine after all, and a sub-16 was still on.  There was still a crowd at the front, though, including Yarnell, Roys, Kinn, and surprising Reynoldsburg freshman Tsehaye Abraha.

But Donny Roys is a patient runner.  Five minutes later, he emerged from the woods alone, a comfortable margin – befitting a defending state champ in his season opener – in hand.

“It felt real easy,” he said.  “It’s the first meet and I just wanted to start out sticking with the group.  Right after the mile mark, I started to speed up.  In the woods, past the 2-mile mark, I tried to surge and then tried to really work the big hill in there.  Then I was able to kind of cruise in.”

“He’s done a lot of miles this summer and done them under control,” said Medina Coach Milt Place.  “He trains smart.”

Roys was definitely happy with the time for a first race – on this day, on this course – but it was clear he’s as much or more focused on team success vs. individual honors.  He didn’t want to commit to saying Medina – which lost some key players – was ready to focus on a return trip to NXN, knowing there’s a lot of work and development ahead.  “But in the end, I think we would like to get back there.”

Last year (team state title, 12th at NTN Finals), he said, “was the best.  It was really a season to remember.  We had all known each other a long time and the older runners I’ve run with were like big brothers to me.”

 
Chris Walden picks up a key 5th-place finish, just ahead of Tsehaye Abraha.  Photo Dave Dillahunt 
Jesuit Coach Todd Black was fairly pleased with his athlete Kevin Yarnell’s 2nd-place finish (16:06), noting that it was a step along with way for him of being a true state contender (he was 28th last year). “If you want to be the best at state, you’ve got to focus and work on it.  He’s heading in the right direction.”


“41 and Done” – a big year for Carmel

Chuck Koeppen retired from teaching several years ago, but says after he coaches this year – his 41st – he will step away from the XC course and track.

Unless he decides to pull a Brett Farve, he jokes.

If he wants to go out on top, he may have picked the best year to do it.  His Greyhound boys, who last won a state title in 1996 and have been a perennial top-3 power in Indiana, have returned six from last fall’s varsity that took another 3rd at state.  They are hungry and want to send their coach out in style.  Saturday, they showed they can dominate even at less than full strength.  Senior Logan Rosenberg, top man at state last year, finished as just the 6th man as he tried to run through hip and hamstring problems.  Junior and likely #3 man Tom Ohlman didn’t compete at all.  But with Kinn leading the way and soph Chris Walden running a big PR (16:20) for 5th, the Indianapolis-area visitors were just fine.

Kinn didn’t seem particularly impressed by his individual effort.  The team’s M.O. appears to be that if you’re needed to do the job, you fill the role and individual glory is no big deal.  Said Walden, “I came here knowing that if I had to do it, I could.”

The Greyhounds seem pretty focused on the long-term task.  “It seems like we’ve been in the top three (in Indiana) the last 10 years,” said Kinn.  “We’ve got to win it this season for Coach.”

Coach Koeppen has won 10 boys state titles, more than anyone else in Indiana.  But that last title was 12 years ago and he also has more runner-up finishes than anyone else (nine).  Defending champ Fishers will be formidable, but could this be Koeppen’s best team?  “Just as far as camaraderie and chemistry, I think so,” he said.  “And maybe as far as talent, too.”

Meanwhile, the battle for second was something of a Ohio D1 pre-pre-State battle, with all of those squads in the house from last year’s finals.  While each team seemed to have a key member or two missing or off their game, it was Toledo St. Johns Jesuit 113, Cleveland St. Ignatius 126, Medina 129, Centerville 139, Reynoldsburg 144, and Hilliard Davidson 148 forming the pecking order for the Buckeye State squads.

After Roys, Medina’s next three finishers were 19th, 27th, and 38th, signifying work to be done.  Coach Place indicated that the team was missing its #2 runner, but that he “thought we might be able to run faster.”

“But Carmel is definitely very good,” he added.

Jesuit's Coach Black was philosophical about his team’s placing and what it could mean.  “We came into this meet not really knowing how we stood; we’re kind of rebuilding,” he said.  “But we’ve picked up a few new guys, we’ve got some sophomores who are running well, and a couple seniors to provide leadership (one didn’t run today).”

 
The t-shirt exchange - wanna trade?  Photo Dave Dillahunt 
The Michigan teams weren’t as strong, in 8th and 10th, but Pinckney and Milford both faced significant graduation losses.  “We’re very young,” said Pinckney coach Tom Carney, whose boys have won three straight D1 state titles.  “But we have some legitimate runners and we’ll be okay later in the season.”

Coach Brian Salyers’ Milford team has also won two Michigan titles this decade.  He expressed appreciation for the type of meet the ‘Bash’ has become.  “Rarely can you find a meet of this caliber where there is a true camaraderie among the coaches … and it trickles down to the athletes.  When you have all of these good programs, it’s too easy for it to become a knock-down, drag-out thing, but that’s not the case here.”

In other words, it’s ideal for an early-season opener.  And it’s not just the varsity kids who benefit, but by having a freshman race for kids to race against their peers, as well as two open races, everyone has a place.

“Pat does a great job,” said Coach Koeppen.  “He gets all of his friends to come out here and bring their teams.”

“Pat” is Hilliard Davidson coach Pat Schlecht, who along with parent volunteer Brian Lieburn, ran an outstanding meet – and were happy with the outcome.

“I’m pleased with how the meet went.  Asics has done a really nice job with us.  It’s all about the sportsmanship, the picnic … we have an incredible group of parents and volunteers.”

The day ended with something that everyone could benefit from, particularly those 19-minute 5k runners in the freshmen or open races.  In the brief, but potent motivational speech that Jim Spivey gave to close the event, he recalled how he was standing on the line as a sophomore in his first race ever – a 19-minute effort – and compared it to standing on the line of the 1984 Olympic 1500 with all-time greats like Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, and Steve Scott.  It was convincing testimony that you can start modestly, but if you work hard and dream big, you can run with the big boys some day.


Schedule
  • 10 a.m. - Freshman race
  • 10:25 a.m. - Varsity race
  • 10:45 - 19:30 and faster Open race
  • 11:25 - 19:30 and over Open race
Meet Jim Spivey - Former Olympian representing Asics will be official starter

Potluck, T-Shirt Exchange and more - See Race Info PDF

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