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"The Rivalry Renewed... St. Xavier and LaSalle Go at it Again
in 2001"
by Scotty Cotter
The LaSalle High School cross country team has traveled across
the country,
from California to North Carolina this season. They have beaten
teams from
Utah to New York. Their performance at both the The Great Race at
the Great
Bay and at the Great American Cross Country Festival have earned
them the #1
national ranking in Harrier magazine. For most teams, this success
would
pave the way for league, regional, and state titles. Such is not
the case
for LaSalle, the runner-up at the 2000 Ohio state championships.
Their
greatest challenge will not come from a team in California, Texas,
or
Florida, but rather in their own back yard. The number one ranking
in the
state of Ohio, as well as the Greater Catholic League (GCL) and
state
championship trophies, rest just five miles down the road at St.
Xavier High
School. This Saturday these two perenial powers will once again
collide in
the GCL Championships.
To say these two schools are rivals might not be enough. In the
past few
years St. Xavier has established itself as a premier program in
the nation.
A state title in 1998, a runner-up finish in 1999, and the most
dominating
performance in Ohio history en route to another title in 2000. LaSalle
has
put itself on the map with individual state champions in 1999 and
2000, an
impressive runner-up finish in 2000, and of course their win at
the Great
Race at the Great Bay in 2001. Not only are the teams joined by
great
success, but perhaps even more so by geography. Separated merely
by a few
miles, these two schools have addresses on North Bend Road.
On paper, this clearly looks to be LaSalle's year. Led by defending
state
champion Allen Bader, LaSalle has both the front runners and the
depth to
win both this Saturday and at the state meet. Many people wrote
off St.
Xavier after it lost its top four runners last year (three in the
top 10 at
the state meet) to graduation. However, the motto for St. Xavier
this year
might be "Tradition never graduates." Many of last year's
inexperienced and
junior varsity runners have stepped up to fill the vacant spots.
This year's
GCL championships will probably not produce a terrific individual
battle as
last year's did (with Bader beating St. Xavier's Andy Weitmarschen
by tenths
of a second), nor will it produce a dominating team performance
(St. Xavier
placed five runners in the top nine in 2000). Bader should cruise
to
victory, while the team title will be decided in the trenches, a.k.a.
depth.
One thing is for certain, should LaSalle hope to maintain its number
one
national ranking, as well as to win the GCL and state championships
they
won't have to look very far. The defending champs are right down
the street.
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