The Bobcats travel to Findlay this weekend for the All-Ohio Championships with one goal in mind.
It should be a great meet for us
we're going to go up and try to win it coach Clay Calkins said. Our team is a lot more well rounded than in past years and there is a lot of guys and ladies that are progressing at a great level.
The meet features teams from across the state, including Mid-American Conference rivals Miami, Toledo and Bowling Green. It will be one of the last major tune-ups before the MAC Championships.
The Bobcats were picked to finish second to last in the conference during the pre-season, which surprised distance runner Carime Reinhart, who took second in the women's 3000-meter run last weekend. The meet offers a chance to prove the doubters wrong, she said.
I didn't know that stat
but I think it's totally wrong
Reinhart said. They're underestimating us and I think we're going to surprise some teams. A lot of teams might be more scared of us after we show what we can do.
The women will count on a diverse group of events to score significant points, Calkins said.
On the track, the distance events will look for numerous women to place. Jessica Kestler will lead the Bobcats in the 60-meter hurdles.
In the field events, Jaclyn Lugaila and Brittany Vinson will lead the Ohio women. Lugaila's best shot put throw of the season, 14.28 meters, is currently the second best in the MAC, while Vinson won the long jump last week.
On the men's side, Scott Mayle will be back in action after resting last meet and will look to score in the 60- and 200-meter dashes, as well as the long jump. Dan Bailey is coming off a career meet in which he set two personal records and scored 20 individual points. The duo's performance, along with the jumpers, will key the Bobcats, Calkins said.
The distance events look to contribute as well, as they placed six runners in the top five at the Central Collegiate Championships.
Momentum is huge when it comes to track and cross country
said Shamus Eaton, who won the men's 5000-meter run last weekend. Any confidence boost you can get going into the next week is a big help. A strong team showing really carries over.
The meet kicks off at 11:30 Saturday morning at the Malcolm Athletic Center in Findlay.
17
Archives
Josh Johnson
