11th Annual Benjamin Logan Early Bird XC Invitational - Preview
Panthers ready to race, will the Raiders match their pace?
Early Bird XC Invitational Meet Preview
Tuesday August 23rd Benjamin Logan Raiders will be hosting their Early Bird XC Invitational.
After a long summer of training, XC teams are finally ready to dawn their race singlets and lace up their racing spikes. For the Fairbanks Panthers steady improvement is the goal, and for Rachael Hoover an opportunity to defend a 1st place finish from 1 year ago.
“I just want to get out there and run with a strong pack of girls. I’m not sure I’m ready to push the pace yet but we will see how the race unfolds.”
The Invitational site is just a stones through away from Panthers Coach Van Winkle’s family farm. What does he expect for the meet?
“I know the place well, I went to high school there, class of 2001. BL’s XC Coach, Kevin Butler, was my high school track coach. It’s fun for me to come back here and see my old coach.
We expect to run well but it’s hard to know in your first meet of the season. We look at what we did last season and at a minimum try to match it. Boys finished 7th and the girls 6th, I would be pumped if we could move up to the top 4 for both teams. Maybe even nab a trophy.
This is the 7th year Fairbanks has attended Benjamin Logan’s early season meet.
“It’s become quite a tradition for us to run at this meet, but I always think the Raiders are dealing with the devil because of the heat. It’s always just blazing hot at this race.” Van Winkle
Last season race directors shortened the high school course to 3200m from the traditional 5k due to excessive heat. Panthers Assistant Coach, Jeff Powell, recalls the experience.
“Oh I remember the heat! I told the kids, it’s just another hurdle, just 1 more hurdle, you just have to hurdle through it! To no avail, it was hot like Death Valley and the race ran like it was the Bad Water 100 miler. Nobody was moving fast.”
It appears the devil is still on vacation this summer as race day temperatures look to be 20 degrees cooler than 2021. The weatherman has forecasted temps to be the 70’s.
“The weather really is a big factor. Give us cooler temps and if the meet stays just a 2 miler…….. we’ll be excited & ready to race. “ Van Winkle
So there it is; the Panthers will be ready to race, will the Raiders match the pace?
Come out to Ben Logan High School on Tuesday evening and find out.
Meet Information
Benjamin Logan High School
6609 State Route 47 East
Bellefontaine, OH 43311
SCHEDULE:
4:15pm- Coaches Meeting (finish line of the track in the Stadium)
5:00pm- Junior High Girls
5:30pm- Junior High Boys
6:00pm- High School Girls
6:45pm- High School Boys
AWARDS:
High School:
Championship, Runner-up, and 3rd Place trophies for the top three boys and girls teams.
Medals to the top 10 individuals in each race.
Place ribbons for 11 through 50.
Junior High:
Championship and Runner-up trophies for the top two boys and girls teams.
Medals to the top 10 individuals in each race.
Place ribbons for 11 through 50.
Meet Results will be on Finishtiming.com: