Ohio Cross Country State Meet Postponed One Week for Flooding on the Course

By Adam Kopet

The Ohio Cross Country State Meet has been postponed one week, from Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, due to flooding on the course, according to an OHSAA press release.

Recent heavy rains in central Ohio have left standing water on the National Trail Raceway course in Hebron. The decision was made for athlete safety.

However, pushing the Ohio state meet back a week interferes with Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) qualifying. NXR Midwest is Nov. 11 in Terre Haute, Ind.

There are currently two Ohio teams ranked in DyeStat's Regional XC Rankings. Mason is ranked No. 5 in this week's boys rankings. In the girls rankings, Beavercreek stands at No. 3.

The top two teams at each NXR meet are automatically selected to compete at NXN. The third- and fourth-place teams at each NXR meet are eligible for at-large selection.

Beavercreek front runner Taylor Ewert, a junior, is no stranger to racing twice in one weekend. This past summer she won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor 2,000-meter steeplechase on a Saturday and followed that up with setting an American U-20 record in the 10,000-meter racewalk at the USATF Junior Championships on the following Sunday.

However, it may not be possible for the entire team to have such a weekend, with two quality 5K races in two days.

NXN's new rule about individual at-large selections could come into play with Ewert, or Conant Smith of Middletown High, who wouldn't have to compete at NXR Midwest to earn a spot at NXN.