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SUBURBAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS || Raiders Roush wins boys race
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South Range High junior Ryan Roush runs across the fi nish line of the Suburban League 5K cross country meet at the Canfi eld Fairgrounds on Tuesday.
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Boardman senior Katie Heney crosses the finish line of the Suburban League Championship cross country meet at the Canfi eld Fairground on Tuesday. Heney took first place for the girls, who had 327 registered runners. The event had more then 1,200 runners, including middle school boys and girls.
By Jon Moffett
By JON MOFFETT
Canfield
With sweat pouring down his face, and a slight hint of congestion in his voice, South Range High junior Ryan Roush accepted his first-place plaque and headed to the water table.
He earned both, winning the boys heat of the Suburban League Championship cross country meet at the Canfield Fairgrounds on Tuesday.
“That was a rough race,” Roush said panting. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy coming off of bronchitis last week. But it was anybody’s race.”
Bronchitis. You know, that illness that constricts airways and makes certain tasks, like running, nearly impossible.
But Roush said the lingering condition actually helped him in the 5K race because of the sweltering conditions.
“I think it actually made it better, because it made it easier for me to breathe,” he said. “And I think the heat made it harder on everyone else.”
Roush finished the race with a time of 17:15.8. That mark, he said, was especially surprising because of how he thought he’d do.
“Coach [Jack Nemergut] kept telling me not to be upset if I don’t finish too well,” he said. “But I guess I did pretty well.”
Also finishing well, and not far behind Roush, was sophomore teammate Tim Nichols.
Nichols, who finished in third with a time of 17:27.1, looks more like a reggae singer than a runner. His hair is in dreadlocks that creep down to his shoulders. The tarantula-like hairdo was a burden, he said.
“I’m pretty tired. The heat was difficult because of all my hair,” Nichols said. “I’ve had the dreads for about five months, but I’ve been growing it for about two years.”
Cardinal Mooney’s Nevin Lesnoski (17:25.1) was sandwiched by the two Raiders.
Having captured two of the top three spots, is this the birth of a cross country dynasty at South Range?
“I sure hope so,” Roush said.
Speaking of dominance, the meet was won by McDonald High, whose cross country teams have been successful in recent history. The Blue Devil boys won the meet with 62 points. The girls won with 74 points. Finishing second were Boardman and Canfield, respectively.
Capturing first place for the girls was Boardman senior Katie Heney.
Heney said her time of 20:38.4 wasn’t a personal best, but it was enough for her.
“I just came in real relaxed and stayed positive,” she said.
Heney said she was even more positive after the race. The same was not so for being relaxed.
“I’m very tired right now,” she said. “It’s really hot today.”
There were 698 runners — 371 boys and 327 girls — registered for event. Race director John Daubenspek said the turnout was tremendous.
“The Suburban League was started to provide better competition for area high school runners,” Daubenspek said. “Where we used to run dual meets, or triangular meets, the number of runners was really limited. So kids would get in the middle of a race and there really wouldn’t be any runners near them to compete with them.”
But the added numbers, he said, equal added motivation for participants.
“Now we have 12 or 13 schools competing, so there are plenty of runners,” he said. “So everybody has more competition and more runners to push them and drive them more, and also prepare them for bigger meets.”
Heney said running with a larger group helps motivate runners during the race.
“You try to stay with them and you draft off of each other and push each other,” she said. “It helps a lot. It was a good group of girls here.”
Having won, Heney said she had a long night of celebrating ahead — sort of.
“I’ll probably go home, do my homework and go to bed,” she said laughing. “And then I’ll probably go for a run tomorrow.”