State Cross-Country Feature: Fairfield duo returns to State Championships
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
This year, the Fairfield Lion cross-country duo of juniors Michael Mangus and Blake Hildebrant aren't content to just be a part of the Division III State Cross-Country Championships this Saturday … this time, they are more determined, with lofty goals to achieve when the gun sounds at 11 a.m. at National Trail Raceway in Hebron.
The duo from Fairfield High School has put in more work than ever to gain a repeat trip back to the state competition, with quicker times, more miles run and an attitude of determination of achieving feats they have been focusing on through the summer and autumn months.
[[In-content Ad]]"Last year, we were just trying to make it (to state), but this year, we expected to make it," Mangus said. "We were more focused this year on getting back to state, rather than what we were going to do at regionals.
"Everything before league, districts and regionals is just a stepping stone to get back to state. In the grand scheme of things, the races at the end are the most important."
"We were stronger this year," Hildebrant said. "We were more prepared this season.
"I agree with Michael on the races before league and districts … they are just stepping stones to where we want to ultimately be."
FHS head coach Raymond Friend praised the two runners for their work ethic and ability on the courses each week.
"These two, I had to worry the least about all season," he said. "They are always out in front of the pack, and we work really hard on trying to get the rest of the team to prepare and train as hard as these guys.
"Michael puts in more miles than anyone else. He sets the example, and the rest try to follow his lead. Day-in, day-out, every race I know I can count on what these guys bring to the team."
This week, Hildebrant and Mangus (who are both Academic All-Ohio student-athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA to qualify for the honor) didn't let the inclement weather brought by Hurricane Sandy slow them down. They practiced in precipitation and chilling winds all week long leading up this race … the race they focused on during the summer heat wave and the aforementioned fall coldness that arrived earlier than usual.
Mangus this year has undoubtedly, once again, been the leader of the Fairfield Lion cross-country team as they repeated as Southern Hills League champions and made a repeat visit to the regional meet this past Saturday.
The junior runner, Mangus, has finished no less than fifth this season (at regionals) and had a streak this year of five consecutive first-place finishes.
In 10 races this fall, Mangus has six firsts, two seconds, a fourth and a fifth place finish.
"Getting firsts like that is a real confidence booster," Mangus said. "I got a fourth at Mason, and I really wasn't happy with that finish. After that, I got on a roll, won a few times and felt like I was more prepared for the end of the year."
Running on a variety of courses, Mangus' quickest time was 16:27 at Ripley in the SHL Meet, and at regionals this year, he ran a time of 16:52, compared to one year before at the same course, when he raced his way to a seventh-place finish with a time of 17:21.
"We are more experienced at the Pickerington course now," Mangus said of his finish last Saturday. "That was part of the improvement from last season, along with practicing more and training harder.
"I added five to 10 more miles per week this year in my training." (Last year, Mangus and Hildebrant said they each ran at least 40 miles per week.)
When asked why he put in the extra miles and conditioning this season, Mangus' answer was confident and one of a competitor.
"I just wanted to stay ahead of the competition," he said. "I didn't want to get worse, and I wanted to run a better time I did the year before every week."
Mangus, a three-time SHL champion, wants to improve on his state time from last season when he finished 63rd at 17:09.
As for Hildebrant, a fall two-sport athlete, he hasn't had the chance to attend every race or practice this season because of his commitments to the FHS soccer program, one he helped lead to a sectional title and 10 wins this fall.
This season for Hildebrant, he's raced nine times with a most recent finish of 12th with a time of 17:09 at the regionals in Pickerington, compared to last year, when he finished 14th at 17:37. The one event he missed was the Highland County Invitational as he was at the field next to the cross-country course at FHS playing in a soccer match against Blanchester, one in which he scored four goals in a 10-0 Lion victory.
Assistant coach Bill Mangus spoke about Hildebrant and the competitiveness the junior brings to the Lion program.
"He brings a very competitive nature … a hard work ethic and the intensity," he said. "When he's able to make the practices (when there was no soccer), he brings a 110-percent effort and takes full advantage of the time, and you can see the results."
On the cross-country course this season, Hildebrant overcame an early injury where he finished 86th the first time he raced at Pickerington, but his season came full-circle as he earned eight Top 15 finishes, including a best of third at RHS in the SHL Championships. His best time of the season was at Unioto (a course similar to the state championship course), where he finished in eighth at 16:52.
"I trained a lot harder this year on a personal level," Hildebrant said. "I worked more at it, worked more on getting in shape. I just ran more miles than ever.
"I really don't know what happened the first time at Pickerington with the injury. I had to stop running and walk some at times, but I finished the race. I worked through that though, and to go back at regionals and finish like I did … it was reassuring that I could race like I wanted."
At state, as a sophomore one year ago, Hildebrant was 65th at 17:10.61.
"I run to cross the finish line every week," Hildebrant said. "Knowing that I improved each race … that's what I run for, that feeling."
Both runners, as previously mentioned, prepared this week through many different weather conditions, but both runners said it's something they deal with and work through because the goals they each have at state on Saturday are too big to let up now.
The course at National Trail Raceway is all flat, like a track for the entire course with few turns. To help get used to that surface, the duo practiced some this week at the track of East Clinton High School.
"We'll definitely be able to handle a lot more than last year," Mangus said. "As for the state course … I prefer a course that's more difficult. I really don't like the real fast ones.
"Last year, we didn't have the definitive goals headed into state, but this year we have set specific goals we want to meet. I want to finish in the Top 25."
"We know how we should go out and start Saturday's meet," Hildebrant added. "We kind of burned out last year as we ran too hard too early … now we know how we must pace ourselves.
"I want to finish in the Top 40. We know what we are supposed to do to achieve our goals, and we have a better understanding on how to do it."
The duo from Fairfield High School has put in more work than ever to gain a repeat trip back to the state competition, with quicker times, more miles run and an attitude of determination of achieving feats they have been focusing on through the summer and autumn months.
[[In-content Ad]]"Last year, we were just trying to make it (to state), but this year, we expected to make it," Mangus said. "We were more focused this year on getting back to state, rather than what we were going to do at regionals.
"Everything before league, districts and regionals is just a stepping stone to get back to state. In the grand scheme of things, the races at the end are the most important."
"We were stronger this year," Hildebrant said. "We were more prepared this season.
"I agree with Michael on the races before league and districts … they are just stepping stones to where we want to ultimately be."
FHS head coach Raymond Friend praised the two runners for their work ethic and ability on the courses each week.
"These two, I had to worry the least about all season," he said. "They are always out in front of the pack, and we work really hard on trying to get the rest of the team to prepare and train as hard as these guys.
"Michael puts in more miles than anyone else. He sets the example, and the rest try to follow his lead. Day-in, day-out, every race I know I can count on what these guys bring to the team."
This week, Hildebrant and Mangus (who are both Academic All-Ohio student-athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA to qualify for the honor) didn't let the inclement weather brought by Hurricane Sandy slow them down. They practiced in precipitation and chilling winds all week long leading up this race … the race they focused on during the summer heat wave and the aforementioned fall coldness that arrived earlier than usual.
Mangus this year has undoubtedly, once again, been the leader of the Fairfield Lion cross-country team as they repeated as Southern Hills League champions and made a repeat visit to the regional meet this past Saturday.
The junior runner, Mangus, has finished no less than fifth this season (at regionals) and had a streak this year of five consecutive first-place finishes.
In 10 races this fall, Mangus has six firsts, two seconds, a fourth and a fifth place finish.
"Getting firsts like that is a real confidence booster," Mangus said. "I got a fourth at Mason, and I really wasn't happy with that finish. After that, I got on a roll, won a few times and felt like I was more prepared for the end of the year."
Running on a variety of courses, Mangus' quickest time was 16:27 at Ripley in the SHL Meet, and at regionals this year, he ran a time of 16:52, compared to one year before at the same course, when he raced his way to a seventh-place finish with a time of 17:21.
"We are more experienced at the Pickerington course now," Mangus said of his finish last Saturday. "That was part of the improvement from last season, along with practicing more and training harder.
"I added five to 10 more miles per week this year in my training." (Last year, Mangus and Hildebrant said they each ran at least 40 miles per week.)
When asked why he put in the extra miles and conditioning this season, Mangus' answer was confident and one of a competitor.
"I just wanted to stay ahead of the competition," he said. "I didn't want to get worse, and I wanted to run a better time I did the year before every week."
Mangus, a three-time SHL champion, wants to improve on his state time from last season when he finished 63rd at 17:09.
As for Hildebrant, a fall two-sport athlete, he hasn't had the chance to attend every race or practice this season because of his commitments to the FHS soccer program, one he helped lead to a sectional title and 10 wins this fall.
This season for Hildebrant, he's raced nine times with a most recent finish of 12th with a time of 17:09 at the regionals in Pickerington, compared to last year, when he finished 14th at 17:37. The one event he missed was the Highland County Invitational as he was at the field next to the cross-country course at FHS playing in a soccer match against Blanchester, one in which he scored four goals in a 10-0 Lion victory.
Assistant coach Bill Mangus spoke about Hildebrant and the competitiveness the junior brings to the Lion program.
"He brings a very competitive nature … a hard work ethic and the intensity," he said. "When he's able to make the practices (when there was no soccer), he brings a 110-percent effort and takes full advantage of the time, and you can see the results."
On the cross-country course this season, Hildebrant overcame an early injury where he finished 86th the first time he raced at Pickerington, but his season came full-circle as he earned eight Top 15 finishes, including a best of third at RHS in the SHL Championships. His best time of the season was at Unioto (a course similar to the state championship course), where he finished in eighth at 16:52.
"I trained a lot harder this year on a personal level," Hildebrant said. "I worked more at it, worked more on getting in shape. I just ran more miles than ever.
"I really don't know what happened the first time at Pickerington with the injury. I had to stop running and walk some at times, but I finished the race. I worked through that though, and to go back at regionals and finish like I did … it was reassuring that I could race like I wanted."
At state, as a sophomore one year ago, Hildebrant was 65th at 17:10.61.
"I run to cross the finish line every week," Hildebrant said. "Knowing that I improved each race … that's what I run for, that feeling."
Both runners, as previously mentioned, prepared this week through many different weather conditions, but both runners said it's something they deal with and work through because the goals they each have at state on Saturday are too big to let up now.
The course at National Trail Raceway is all flat, like a track for the entire course with few turns. To help get used to that surface, the duo practiced some this week at the track of East Clinton High School.
"We'll definitely be able to handle a lot more than last year," Mangus said. "As for the state course … I prefer a course that's more difficult. I really don't like the real fast ones.
"Last year, we didn't have the definitive goals headed into state, but this year we have set specific goals we want to meet. I want to finish in the Top 25."
"We know how we should go out and start Saturday's meet," Hildebrant added. "We kind of burned out last year as we ran too hard too early … now we know how we must pace ourselves.
"I want to finish in the Top 40. We know what we are supposed to do to achieve our goals, and we have a better understanding on how to do it."