Sports
Ohio Cross Country Teams to Run at Flyer 5K
By: Marisa Oberle
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The Ohio cross country teams travel to Kettering, Ohio this weekend to run in the Flyer 5k hosted by the Dayton Flyers. This is the first time the ‘Cats will compete in the event.
The Bobcats will compete against various teams from the region, including Mid-American Conference rival Miami University. MAC coaches recently listed Ohio at sixth for the men and 10th for the women in preseason rankings.
The men’s team started off last season strong winning both the Ohio Invitational and the Miami Invitational. The team placed second at All-Ohio Championship and fourth at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational. They capped off the 2014 season by finishing fifth in the conference.
This season, the Bobcats aim to win their first MAC team championship since 1996. With an abundance of upperclassmen, the Bobcats should have no problem finding an experienced leader to guide the team. Seniors Jarrod Genther and Jake Gentile look to be strong contenders to fill that role. The team also adds four freshmen this year, adding depth to the team.
The women’s team also started off the 2014 season strong. The team placed first at the All-Ohio Championship and second at the Ohio Invitational and the Miami Invitational. They also finished fourth at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational like the men’s team. Similar to the men, experience and leadership will be needed for the 2015 season. Nine seniors make up the 19-person roster and any one of them are more than qualified to take on the position.
Saturday’s meet will be the first of four invitationals that both teams will compete in. Both races take place at Indian Ripple Park. The course is completely redesigned from previous years.
The gun shoots off at 9:45 a.m. for with the men’s race. Shortly after, the women begin competition at 10:45 a.m.