DEREK ARMSTRONG

DEREK ARMSTRONG
School: Maplewood
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: Captain on Division III state championship team, ran a personal-best 16:23 to place ninth at state meet, regional champion, finished second at Tiffin Carnival meet, academic all-Ohio.
Positive influence: My coach, Ted Rupe, because of his great program and experience in the sport. I admire him for all the hard work he does for us to be great.
Best memory: I could not have felt better when I won regionals, but when our team won state, it was the best feeling in the world. All our hard work was put into that race and it paid off. We all had tears of joy.
Surprised to learn: I started running cross country for the first time in 10th grade. I was a soccer player until that point. My friends and coaches made me try out because they had seen me run in other sports.
AARON ALLISON
School: East Palestine
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: First place finishes at Suburban League meet at Austintown, Columbiana County meet and district meet, placed 18th at regional and 44th at state, academic all-Ohio, first team all-Tri-County League.
Positive influence: My coach, John Daubenspeck. He has been a great coach and motivator for my track and cross-country career. He has also been a great teacher to me and is the most influential person in my athletic career.
Best memory: Winning the district meet at Trumbull County Fairgrounds and running at the state meet in Columbus.
JASON CORMAN
School: McDonald
Grade: Junior
Statistics/accomplishments: Finished in top three at district meet and top 10 at regional meet, placed 23rd at state, all-Inter-County League, all-Trumbull County, ran personal-best 16:29, academic all-Ohio, member of state runner-up team.
Positive influence: David Stonestreet. He was always the one getting everyone out for runs and never letting up in workouts. David is the reason I love doing hard workouts and am not satisfied with anything less than what I am capable.
Best memory: We have a team camp set up in the hills of the national park in Boston, Ohio. The trail-running was the best I'd ever run and I had a great time with my team. I look forward to going there every year
Surprised to learn: I used to be short and pudgy. I run the same times for a 5K now that I used to run for two miles in the seventh grade.
SHANE HARDING
School: Salem
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: Placed fourth at district meet and 30th at state meet, earned all-County honors, placed first at Metro Athletic Conference meet, ran personal best 16:52.
Positive influence: My coaches over the years. They took me seriously and strived to get the best out of me.
Best memory: Bonding with my team and being able to line up with them at the regional meet.
JOE KUNKEL
School: McDonald
Grade: Junior
Statistics/accomplishments: Ran personal best 16:24, first-team all-Suburban League, ICL and Trumbull County selection, district runner-up, four place at Boardman and Suburban League championship, fifth at regional meet, sixth at Div. I Medina meet, member of state runner-up team.
Positive influence: My dad. He recently began training for marathons again, which has motivated me a lot. I figure if he can run 26.2 miles, I can at least do 3.1.
Best memory: Climbing the podium this year with my team as state runners-up knowing we will use that finish to push us through next year.
Surprised to learn: The Maplewood "Goons" are actually good friends of mine.
LUKE MCCLUGGAGE
School: Jackson-Milton
Grade: Junior
Statistics/accomplishments: ICL champion, Lordstown Inv. champion, Mahoning County champion, district champion, placed third at Suburban League championship, placed area-best fifth at state meet.
Positive influence: My coach, Ron Malfeldt. He was always there for me when I needed a friend and always got me mentally ready for a race and my friend Nate for supporting me the days of the race. Also, my parents and God.
Best memory: By far, the last 400 meters at state. The crowd made me "Leave it on the course," as the state shirts said.
Surprised to learn: I sing in choir and play the guitar.
PAUL MOSER
School: Maplewood
Grade: Junior
Statistics/accomplishments: First team all-Ohio, academic all-Ohio, member of state championship team.
Positive influence: My grandparents. They enjoy watching me run and that's a strong motivation to have.
Best memory: Standing on top of the podium with my team at the conclusion of a season full of memories and finally winning the state championship we had always wanted.
Surprised to learn: I carry a 4.0 grade point average.
ERIK MOSS
School: Mooney
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: Earned all-county and all-Suburban League honors, won Steel Valley Conference meet, state qualifier.
Positive influence: My coach, Adrian Mangino, because he helped develop my strong work ethic, which has led to my success.
Best memory: Winning the conference race.
Surprised to learn: I plan to go to the Navy ROTC program at Miami of Ohio.
DAN NEMERGUT
School: South Range
Grade: Sophomore
Statistics/accomplishments: Placed third at ICL meet, second at Mahoning County, ran personal best time of 16:51 to place 32nd at state, academic all-Ohio.
Positive influence: My sisters and my father. They have shown me how to succeed and set my goals as high as they can be.
Best memory: Hearing the crowd cheer at state. That was an experience I'll never forget.
Surprised to learn: I am from a family of seven children. All of my brothers and sisters have run in high school -- including Kim and Julie, who were all-Ohio and still run in college. My dad is my coach, so I have a strong tradition to uphold. I am also an honor student and work at Dairy Queen part time.
JOHN PALMER
School: Maplewood
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: Second team all-Ohio, member of Div. III state champions, first team all-Northeast Athletic Conference.
Positive influence: My mom, because she has always supported me in everything I do and always encourages me.
Best memory: The few moments on the podium receiving my [state championship] medal.
DANNY SIMPSON
School: Leetonia
Grade: Senior
Statistics/accomplishments: Placed 19th at state meet to earn all-Ohio honors, two-time TCL and Western Reserve Inv. champion, runner-up at Columbiana County meet, finished seventh at regional, personal best time of 16:41.
Positive influence: My former teammate and current Marine, Justin Harris, who graduated last year. He introduced me to running and going on runs with him is a clinic in terms of running with your heart.
Best memory: Qualifying for state after Boardman [regional]. I had choked there year after year. I didn't get much sleep the week before regionals, so I was uptight and I didn't want my family to come to that race. I just wanted to be by myself.
Surprised to learn: The guys I run against probably think I never wash my clothes, but that's not the case. I wear the same clothing before every race -- a Circleville cross country shirt and a pair of Duke shorts inside out. I am very superstitious and that was my lucky attire. I also put peppermint oil all over my neck before big races. Supposedly, the oil heightens your senses. Who knows? I bought it.
COACH OF THE YEAR
TED RUPE
School: Maplewood
Statistics/accomplishments: Led Maplewood to third state championship in school history and first since 1997. The Rockets' 48 points was the second-lowest Division III boys school in history. Team finished 208-1 and was the top-ranked team all seven weeks in the state cross country poll.
Positive influence: My high school coach at Maplewood, Oscar Grant. He has shown me the benefits of hard work. Not only was he a great athlete (Oscar ran in the 4:40s for the mile back in the '40s), but he contributes to running at all different levels -- coaching, officiating and organizing fine meets such as Sim Earich Inv. and the district championship.
Best memory: At the state championship, the Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner, Clair Muscaro, came and spoke to me about my team and my brother Chris' team at McDonald (which finished state runner-up). We had taken both trophies the past two years and commented on how proud our parents must be. Our parents were in the front row of the spectators, so Muscaro had them join our teams on the podium. It helped illustrate to our young athletes that we are all influenced by the generation preceding us and are responsible for providing a positive influence on the generation that follows.
Surprised to learn: In the summer of 1987, during the height of the Cold War, the Youngstown Peace Race foundation sent me to Moscow to represent the U.S.A. in the Moscow Peace Race. I was received with mixed responses during the race -- mostly hissing and boos when I took the lead at about the 6K mark of the 10K race. But with about 1K to go, I broke the tension in the air by looping back on the course to allow the second place runner to tie with me. We crossed the finish, the Soviet runner and the American runner, clasping hands across the finish line. The crowd erupted in approval to the sight of the two of us sharing a victory and new-found friendship.