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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
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Preview: Strong Midwest boys teams to get early challenge
by SteveU
The Asics Hot Summer Bash Midwest Preview will bring together some of the best boys teams in the Midwest this weekend, including 2007 NTN participant and Ohio D1 defending champ Medina, Michigan D1 champion Pinckney, and 2007 Indiana 3rd place finisher Carmel.
Medina, 12th in the NTN Finals, has three seniors off the team to replace. Defending state champ Donny Roys returns, however, and has a chance to be one of the better runners in the nation this fall. He was 10th in the NTN Finals. Others are stepping up into the #2 and #3 slots and the team could be stronger than last year.
Pinckney had their top four seniors graduate from their 2007 Michigan D1 Champs, but has won three straight state titles, so they know how to reload. Younger runners are moving up and establishing spots on a team that is traditionally deep.
Carmel’s 3rd place finish in Indiana last year was achieved with just one senior and they are considered to be deep and loaded for this season. Their top returnee from that race is Logan Rosenburg.
The rest of the field is mostly Ohio teams, led by 2007 D1 runner-up Centerville, which in the state meet last fall featured 4 juniors and 3 seniors. They would appear to be led by Shawn Roberts, 6th in that state meet race and a 1:54 800 runner at state in the spring, and reportedly has strong senior leadership overall. Toledo St. Johns Jesuit, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Hot Summer Bash host Hilliard Davidson, and Reynoldsburg were 5th, 9th, 14th, and 16th in that D1 race, giving this meet here five of the top 14 Ohio D1 teams from last year.
Reynoldsburg reportedly has two strong front-runners, and Davidson is missing one top returnee and has another coming back from injury. Jesuit will likely be led by Kevin Yarnell, who ran 4:22 for 1600 at state last spring, and is looking strong and deep. St. Xavier and St. Ignatius both reportedly have huge teams with lots of 16:50 runners at this point of season. Hilliard Darby and Oletangy Liberty are also in the field from Ohio.
The other Michigan team is Milford, which was 6th in its D1 State Meet last year. They won the state title the two years before Pinckney’s reign started.
Hot Summer Bash Index |
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