Cross country: 4-time state finalist looks for 2nd title

Heading into his fourth state meet, Isaiah Bragg feels confident in his ability to handle the course.

Emmanuel Christian Academy’s Isaiah Bragg finished third in the Division III boys race at the Troy regional cross country championships on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Staff photo by Barbara J. Perenic Emmanuel Christian Academy’s Isaiah Bragg finished third in the Division III boys race at the Troy regional cross country championships on Saturday, Oct. 31.

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By Michael Cooper, Staff Writer Updated 8:30 AM Thursday, November 5, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Isaiah Bragg doesn’t feel any pressure, except the kind he puts on himself. He’s always had lofty goals — and he expects to achieve them.

“I have some pressure on myself for the goals and expectations I want to achieve,” Bragg said.

The Emmanuel Christian Academy senior cross country runner is the defending Division III state champion. He enters the state race Saturday, Nov. 7, as a slight underdog, mostly because he doesn’t have the top time overall.

He knows it will take a career effort to defend his title.

“I just want to have my very best time there, the best race I can,” Bragg said.

Bragg won the state title last year as a junior at Cincinnati Christian. It was the only race he won all season.

This year, Bragg won seven races during the regular season, including the Metro Buckeye Conference and the Centerville Stampede gold race, composed of D-I and D-II squads.

He also won a D-III district race, passing Russia’s Luke Pohlman at the finish line.

He finished third at the D-III regional in Troy on Oct. 31 behind Summit Country Day’s Colin Cotton and Versailles’ Sam Prakel.

The finish was good enough to advance to the state meet for the fourth straight season — which gives him a small advantage over the rest of the field.

“I know the course. I know how to run there,” Bragg said. “Some people go out too hard. I know how to run my race there and I don’t get too excited.”

With the race just a few days away, Bragg isn’t feeling any pressure to win a state title — just have the best race he possibly can.

“That’s what it’s going to take to get a win,” Bragg said.

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