Whiteoak cross-country team races at regionals; Landen Eyre earns state berth as regional runner-up
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On Saturday, Oct. 29 in Pickerington, the Whiteoak Wildcats cross-country team competed for a chance to return to the state cross-country meet, and sophomore Landen Eyre is advancing to state after earning a regional runner-up finish at Pickerington North.
It was mentioned all throughout the meet how it was the best weather anyone could remember at the regional meet, and the competitors took full advantage of it. Whiteoak's Eyre blazed one of the fastest times at the Div. III regional of the past 20 years.
Eyre clocked a 15:55.05 for the 3.16 mile course and placed second out of 143 of the best runners in the region.
“Landen put together another tremendous race,” Coach Doug Hughes said of Eyre's performance. “The course was fast as it could be, and the competition was especially strong. Last year's winner finished in seventh place, and several state contenders filled out the top 10. He's worked tirelessly every day for next week's meet. He’s ready to compete with the best of the best, and I can't wait to see it."
Teammate Weston Blair battled for a 25th-place finish with a time of 17:11.
"Weston had to take a month off from practicing and workouts due to some physical issues he was having, and for him to bounce back the way he did today was a great thing to see,” Hughes said.
The next four runners in for Whiteoak were the very successful quartet of seniors Christian Price 87th (18:36), Bryce Van Hoy 96th (18:46), Wade Evans 98th (18:51) and Evan DeAtley 111th (19:23).
“Those four are probably the most successful group of senior runners to ever run for Whiteoak cross country,” Hughes said. “Together they totaled 10 all-league awards, two county championships, three league championships, a district championship and the first-ever state tourney berth for Whiteoak cross-country.
“To say they'll be greatly missed doesn't give them their fair due. Tremendous runners and even better teammates and people.”
Rounding out the running for Whiteoak was freshman Shawn Mitchell-Cox 114th (19:26) with one of his best performances of the season.
Overall, Whiteoak finished ninth out of 17 teams to conclude the second-best finish in Whiteoak cross-country history.
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It was mentioned all throughout the meet how it was the best weather anyone could remember at the regional meet, and the competitors took full advantage of it. Whiteoak's Eyre blazed one of the fastest times at the Div. III regional of the past 20 years.
Eyre clocked a 15:55.05 for the 3.16 mile course and placed second out of 143 of the best runners in the region.
“Landen put together another tremendous race,” Coach Doug Hughes said of Eyre's performance. “The course was fast as it could be, and the competition was especially strong. Last year's winner finished in seventh place, and several state contenders filled out the top 10. He's worked tirelessly every day for next week's meet. He’s ready to compete with the best of the best, and I can't wait to see it."
Teammate Weston Blair battled for a 25th-place finish with a time of 17:11.
"Weston had to take a month off from practicing and workouts due to some physical issues he was having, and for him to bounce back the way he did today was a great thing to see,” Hughes said.
The next four runners in for Whiteoak were the very successful quartet of seniors Christian Price 87th (18:36), Bryce Van Hoy 96th (18:46), Wade Evans 98th (18:51) and Evan DeAtley 111th (19:23).
“Those four are probably the most successful group of senior runners to ever run for Whiteoak cross country,” Hughes said. “Together they totaled 10 all-league awards, two county championships, three league championships, a district championship and the first-ever state tourney berth for Whiteoak cross-country.
“To say they'll be greatly missed doesn't give them their fair due. Tremendous runners and even better teammates and people.”
Rounding out the running for Whiteoak was freshman Shawn Mitchell-Cox 114th (19:26) with one of his best performances of the season.
Overall, Whiteoak finished ninth out of 17 teams to conclude the second-best finish in Whiteoak cross-country history.
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