Goat race slated Saturday

Staff report

MCDONALD

The 11th annual Billy Goat Challenge Cross Country Invitational will kick off the cross country season on Saturday at Woodland Park.

The meet is sponsored by the McDonald Cross Country Boosters.

Approximately 800 athletes from across Northeast Ohio will compete.

Participating schools are Akron Firestone, Austintown Fitch, Canfield, Crestwood, CVCA, Garaway, Garfield, Girard, Howland, Jefferson, Warren JFK, LaBrae, Lake-view, Lordstown, Niles, Poland, Struthers, Streetsboro, Woodridge and McDonald.

Races begin with the junior high boys at 10 a.m., followed by junior high girls at 10:30, varsity boys at 11 and varsity girls at 11:30 a.m.

An awards ceremony will take place at the park gazebo at 12:20 p.m..

In 2012, CVCA won the boys varsity race. It was the first time in seven years that a team other than Wood-ridge won.

Top returning runners include Bobby Johnson of McDonald, Ben Bockoven of CVCA, and Alex Shrock of Sugarcreek Garaway.

The meet and course record is held by CVCA’s Kyle Sullinger (2008) at 16:18.

Crestwood won last year’s girls varsity race and CVCA was second.

Top returning individuals are Allison Parks of United, Natalie Pasiczwyk of CVCA and Rachel Wentworth of Sugarcreek Garaway.

The meet and course record were set in 2005 by Crestwood’s Bridget Franek at 18:47.