SETTING THE SCENE: After a two week break, the boys cross country team will host the Milford Invitational this weekend. The Eagles hope to build on their prior success, when four runners set new personal bests at the Xavier Invitational.
A LOOK BACK: The Eagles were idle last week, in preparation for the Milford Invite and second half of the season prior to the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championships in mid-October.
The previous week’s report: The boys cross country team headed to Kingswood Park in Mason on a perfect morning to race for the Xavier Invitational. Team leader Harris Craycraft set a fast, early pace, and finished in 10th with a season’s best time of 17.16. Clayton Virzi surged to the shoulder of Craycraft, and in a career personal best17.17, Virzi finished just a stride behind Craycraft for 11th place overall. Another tight finish and new career bests followed, as Sean Vonderhaar (17.41 - 13th) and Peter Kroeger (17.42 - 14th) finished in the top twenty. As the fifth man, Luke Schneider lowered his career best to 18:27, a great time for a freshman who spends half of his time playing for the school soccer team.
The team finished the meet in 4th place of 15 teams, 20 points behind ECC rival and third place team Anderson. The varsity team from Badin won the meet, while the ECC’s Turpin finished third.
THE WEEK AHEAD: The Eagles are back in action on Sat., Sept. 17th when they host the Milford Invitational. Held at Valley View Nature Preserve, the Milford Invite kicks off Saturday morning at 9:30 am, with the varsity boys taking the start line at 10:30 am. Last year the Eagles picked up a first place team finish, and four runners were award recipients in the varsity race as they finished in the top twenty.
INSIDE THE ECC: The Eagles were idle last week, which led to some changes in the ECC Standings. Harris Craycraft remains Milford’s top runner at 7th, followed by Clayton Virzi in 8th. Sean Vonderhaar is now ranked 17th, while Peter Kroeger is tied for 19th. Luke Schneider (44) and Joseph Kruse (48) round out the Eagles who ranked in the top fifty this week.
POLL WATCH: St. Xavier moved past Mason this week to claim first place in week three of the Cincinnati Enquirer area coaches’ poll. Mason fell to second, but Elder, LaSalle and Lebanon maintained their positions in third through fifth. Loveland fell from sixth to seventh, fellow ECC member Kings fell from seventh to eighth, and Turpin entered the poll at tenth. Milford received 6 votes this week, while Anderson received just three votes.