Mon Feb 13 2012
By Eric Clutter
Record-Courier correspondent
BOARDMAN — The Woodridge Express keeps on rolling.
For the sixth straight fall, the Bulldogs boys cross country team will be running in November in Columbus at the state cross country finals. And this time they will be looking to capture an unprecedented fourth consecutive Division II state title.
Saturday afternoon at Boardman High School, the Bulldogs, state’s top-ranked team in Division II, punched yet another ticket to Scioto Downs Race Track with an impressive first-place showing. Woodridge navigated its way through a treacherous, mud-laden course that was made further difficult by blustery conditions to post a low score of 50 points. The next closest pursuers were Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary with 103 and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy with 118.
The regional title was the school’s fifth in a row.
Three Bulldogs juniors were among the first six runners to cross the finish line: Jimmy Charles (3rd), Vibush Sivakumaran (5th) and Kyle Cochrun (6th).
“We have been really excited with those three,” said Woodridge head coach Jeff Howard. “We have to close up a little bit with four, five and six. I think we’ll be OK next week. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do something great.”
Woodridge was the only area team to qualify for next Saturday’s 5K title run.
The Field Falcons knocked on the door for the second straight year, finishing one spot out in Division II with a fifth-place posting — 34 points behind fourth-place-qualifying Akron Hoban’s 131 points.
“Fifth place two years in a row — that’s a tough pill to swallow,” said a disappointed Field head coach Ed Conroy, moments after hearing the final verdict. “I wish Woodridge the best down there and the other three teams. We’ll just keep working harder for next year and hopefully they can do what they need to do.”
Seniors Jared Husser and Brian Haverkamp were the top placers for the Falcons, crossing the line in 17th and 20th, respectively.
“Our two captains ran fantastic races. They ran right where we hoped. I’m really pleased with the two seniors,” said Conroy.
With a couple runners having been under the weather during the week and another missing from Saturday’s lineup, the Crestwood Red Devils took 10th place. However, senior standout Brandan McGee placed second to University School’s Greg Jantzen and will compete next week in Columbus.
McGee himself was sick the week leading up to the Trumbull District meet — which he won — and Crestwood head coach Tom Franek believes he can run better.
“I still think he is coming off of it from last week,” said Franek. “It takes a couple of weeks so I was real happy with the way he raced. He did a couple tactical things that we will change. He made some moves when he should have stepped back. I think next week, hopefully, he’ll be feeling better again.”
In Division III, the Rootstown Rovers posted a 12th-place showing, paced by senior Chad Begue (56th).
“We don’t have a true frontrunner which puts you behind the 8-ball right away,” said Rootstown head coach Larry Bailey. “We had that great pack (throughout the season) but at the regional meet you have to have somebody out front, which I think next year we really will. It was kind of a growing year for us.”
In Division II, Ravenna senior James Nichols, by coming in 11th, became the first Ravenna boys runner in recent history to advance to the big stage.
“He has worked hard all season and it is good to see things pay off,” said Ravenna head coach Phil Starks. “I’m ecstatic for him. It’s great. I want to say he is the first guy in years to make it down to state in cross country.”
Four places following Nichols, Waterloo junior Ethan Whittaker became his school’s first boy to qualify for Columbus since the fall of 2006.
“He has worked hard all year and one of his goals was to make the state meet this year,” said Waterloo head coach Greg Drugan. “He is extremely dedicated and works hard every day in practice. He now knows that hard work pays off. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
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