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On Saturday it was the heat. After a month where the high temperature struggled to break into the mid-70s most days, runners were greeted with temps in the mid-80s.
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“There’s no way to train through it, especially last week where it was cool air all week then a hot day,” Northwestern coach Tracy Cleland said. “It takes a toll on the times, no doubt.”
Northwestern sophomore Kassidy Carpenter didn’t wilt under the conditions — both the hurdles and the heat — to finish seventh at the invitational in a time of 20 minutes, 43 seconds.
“It was pretty hot and we were struggling with the hills a little bit,” Carpenter said. “The downhill definitely helped a lot. Sometimes it was a little bit rough, especially in the beginning you get cut off and it was hard to find a spot to get around on the sharp turns. Other than that it was fine.”
Carpenter’s goal this season is to break 20 minutes. Her personal best is 20:28 set at the Cedarville Friendship Invitational on Sept. 16.
The sophomore leads the Warriors’ youth movement that finished eighth out of 11 teams. A total of 170 girls competed in the high school race.
Finishing second for the Warriors was Jenna Cleland. She was followed by senior Maddie Johnson, freshman Natalie Parrett, junior Abbie Grieser, junior Brittany Flarida and sophomore Hailee Hard for Northwestern’s top seven runners.
“We’re super young so there’s a learning curve going on, but we’re getting there,” Cleland said. “Kassidy has done pretty well. Our No. 2 through No. 5 has done well and are starting to drop some times.”
While it’s difficult to set a personal best on Bellbrook’s tough course, Carpenter has dropped time considerably from last season. Last weekend she finished the Cedarville course in 20:28, cutting 37 seconds off her time from last season. At the Mason Invitational on Sept. 9, Carpenter cut a full minute off her time of 20:42.
“I think I’ll be getting there soon,” Carpenter said of her sub-20 goal. “I’m working really hard. I’m motivated and I want it.”
Northwestern’s boys finished ninth out of 12 teams. There were 231 runners in the boys race.
Senior Levi King led the Northwestern boys with his finish in 58 th (19:44). He was followed by senior Dean Wells, freshman Phillip Niswonger, freshman Rhys Smith, freshman Dominic Root, sophomore Brennan DeRamus and junior Stephen White.
Oakwood sophomore Elizabeth Vaughn won the girls meet in 19:17.6, finishing nearly 47 seconds faster than her nearest competitor. The Bellbrook girls won the team title with 36 points, good for a 50-point cushion over runner-up Cincinnati Sycamore.
Sycamore teammates Matthew Isakson (16:58.5) and Christopher Dobr (1 6:59.5 ) finished 1-2 in the boys meet. Sycamore also won the team title with 54 points, 11 less than runner-up Bellbrook.
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