JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The debate will surely continue for some time to come.
After the first season where teams got a chance to see the Oak Hills Golf Center before the state meet, the typical response from those that participated in the Capital City XC Challenge in October was to downplay the talk of gaining an advantage.
There were 22 boys teams and 17 girls teams that took part of the inaugural Capital City meet. Of those that ran, eight boys teams and 10 girls teams qualified for the state meet and returned to the course. Russellville and Fatima seemed to get the most of the sneak peek as both came back to win boys’ and girls’ state titles in Class 1 and Class 2, respectively.
Russellville coach Craig Miller said in general he doesn’t think there is much advantage to getting on the course early, but he did think it benefitted his freshman.
“Most of the time it seems like most of the kids that are here are sophomores, juniors, seniors and they were here before,” Miller said. “They’re very few that are here that haven’t run this course before. So I don’t think it’s a huge advantage. It may help the freshmen.
“Our freshman (Anthony Bertucci) that ran for us in the top five, running here in October actually helped him to be honest with you.”
Fatima coach Marcus Bridges didn’t think the benefit for his Comets came from seeing the course. He said his team got the biggest gains by racing against bigger, tougher schools at both Capital City and Hancock this year. The Fatima boys finished sixth behind five Class 4 schools at Capital City, and the girls were seventh behind a mix of Class 3 and Class 4 schools.
“I don’t think looking at the course benefits us,” Bridges said. “Just seeing different competition and running against higher level competition, having a big feel to it, I think is more beneficial than seeing the course.”
Ste. Genevieve not only ran the Capital City girls’ meet against a large group of Class 4 schools, but the Dragons won the meet before returning to claim the Class 3 state title. Standout Taylor Werner cruised around the course in 17:25.01, and she said after her record-setting state run of 17:31.30 that she was able to set pace goals for each mile after racing at Oak Hills in October.
Ste. Genevieve coach Brian Jett conceded that the advantage to getting on the course early may be legitimate, but he also said the cream will rise to the top regardless. If there is an advantage, Jett said he intends to take that opportunity every chance he can for his team.
“If they’re going to have a meet here, we’re going to come up and we’re going to compete,” Jett said. “If it eases the nerves of kids that have a chance to come up and see the course earlier, we’re going to capitalize on it. I appreciate the, ‘Earn your right to race here’ and all that, but I also look at track, and a track’s a track and the best people are going to rise to the top. So if it is an advantage at all, we’re going to try to take advantage of it.”