Hilliard, OH - The Midwest Meet of Champions (MMOC) will be held on Saturday, September 8th, and is hosted by Hilliard Davidson and Hilliard Darby high schools. The course is considered flat and fast and very spectator friendly. The course records are held by Emil Heineking and Bekah Smeltzer. Heineking, from Chardon, was the state cross country champion in Ohio and a Foot Locker finalist last year. He set the boys course record in 2006 with a time of 15:14 for 5,000 meters. Smeltzer, from Monroe Jefferson, was a state champion in Michigan and established the girls course record last year with her 18:14 5k performance.
The top two boys teams at this meet last year received bids to compete in the Nike Team National meet in Portland, Oregon. Peninsula Woodridge and Cincinnati LaSalle each won team titles in Ohio last year and return to the MMOC in 2007! Among those competing for the title on the boys side will be Fishers High School (the #1 ranked team in Indiana), St. Thomas Aquinas (defending DIII champs in Ohio) and Canal Winchester (DII state runner up in 2006). We also have a tremendous field on the girls side, featuring defending Ohio team champions St. Ursula Academy (DI) and Salem (DII). Other outstanding teams are Kettering Alter (DII state runner up the past three years) and Magnificat (fourth in DI in 2006), which return most of their key runners this year. Magnificat is currently ranked #7 in the Nike Team National rankings in the Midwest.
Other top teams that are expected to contend for titles at the MMOC this year include cross country powers Centerville, Massillon Perry, Cincinnati Turpin, Massillon Jackson, Oak Hill (IN), Pickerington North, Cincinnati Colerain and host schools Hilliard Davidson and Hilliard Darby.
The boys individual race should be very competitive. Among those to watch are Andrew Shield and Cale Allen (Fishers), Kenta Shimizu (Hilliard Davidson), Shawn Roberts (Centerville), Brian Himelright and Joe White (Peninsula Woodridge), Tony Migliozzi (St. Thomas Aquinas), Cameron Balser and Matt McClain (Oak Hill), David Rafailedes (Massillon Jackson) and Joe Jackson (Hilliard Darby).
Top individuals on the girls side are Emily Pritt and Hallie Busta (Massillon Jackson), Madeline Chambers (Magnificat), Erika Alpeter (Hilliard Darby), Karissa Magnuson and Lauren Kachel (Pickerington North), Emily Sabo (Peninsula Woodridge), Sam Patty (Turpin), Hilary Esselstein (Kettering Alter), Liz and Lauren Shivers (Salem) and Tori Brink (Hilliard Davidson).
Preview By Scott Alpeter