“All-Ohio is a huge race,” said Shafer, a senior from Riverside High School in Painesville. “It’s always a good barometer as to how the season’s progressing. I knew how I wanted to put myself out there and have a really good race. It’s a tough race. It was kind of a slow day overall for everyone. I really had to grind it out in the later stages of the race. I was happy with the way it turned out. It gives me a lot of confidence. All the work is starting to pay off.”
Shafer didn’t plan to run at Wright State. He wanted to concentrate on school. But when the opportunity arose to walk on to the team, he decided he didn’t want to give up the sport after a successful high school career in which he was a regional qualifier in 2009.
That decision paid off. He was 15th at the Horizon League championships as a sophomore and eighth last season. This season he has been Wright State’s top runner at all four meets.
Shafer set a school record in the 5K with a time of 15:15 on Sept. 6 at the Queen City Invitational in Mason. Evan Firestone set the previous school record in the 5K at the same meet in 2010.
Wright State has one more meet, the Wilmington Fall Classic on Oct. 18, before the Horizon League Championships on Nov. 2 in Youngstown.
Meanwhile, Shafer is working on his masters degree in accounting, interviewing for jobs and running with his teammates. The Raiders get in their miles at John Bryan State Park or Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs or Indian Riffle or Fairborn Community Park closer to home.
“You get to spend hours on end running with your teammates, and I really enjoy that aspect of it,” Shafer said. “I love my teammates, and we’re bonding really well.”
Men's basketball: Coach Billy Donlon gave his team Thursday off after two days of practice Tuesday and Wednesday. Anticipating a long season and knowing he has a veteran group that features three players trying to return from major surgeries, Donlon said they have practiced three straight days only once since practice began Sept. 29.
Senior Cole Darling hopes to be cleared in a week and a half for full-contact practices. That would be six months after his shoulder surgery.
Women's soccer: Emilie Fillion scored two goals as the Raiders (5-4-3) beat Findlay 4-0 on Wednesday at Alumni Field. She now leads the Horizon League with eight goals.
The Raiders have won three straight games and are tied with Milwaukee at 2-0 in the Horizon League. They play at Valparaiso on Saturday and at Detroit on Wednesday.
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