So Long Scioto Downs...

Yesterday the news broke that the OHSAA Board of Directors voted 9-0 to change the site of this year's high school state cross country meet from Scioto Downs to National Trail Raceway, which is 15 miles east of Columbus. The move was the result of electronic slot machines now being allowed at the track and OHSAA not wanting to have its state championship meet at a facility where gambling will be taking place.  After 26 years of hosting the state meet, I couldn't help but feel a little sad about the end of an era.  Here are a few of my favorite memories...

I attended the very first state championship meet at Scioto Downs in 1985 and was able to witness the Ft. Loramie girls team bring home the Class A runner-up trophy.  That race popularized girls cross country in Ft. Loramie and runners like Kim Schmiesing, sisters Shawn & Heather Hoelscher, Denise Barga, Stacie Hoehne, and Connie Berning were the first of a very long line of area athletes to run on the Scioto Downs course.  The following season the Minster girls were runner-up and during the 26 year span the Wildcats were either champions or runner-up an amazing 13 times.  One particular Minster star, Sunni Olding, won the D-III individual title in 2000, 2002, and 2003.  Another great memory for me is from the 2007 meet when the Versailles girls came in as underdogs, qualifying fourth at the regional meet behind Minster, Ft. Loramie, and powerful Seneca East.  Sisters Mary & Margaret Prakel, Taylor Huffman, Katie Mestemaker, Kristen Schulte, Mindy Henry, and Valerie Barga shocked Ohio and won the championship by one point over Gilmour Academy.  Lastly, my favorite personal memory was in 2010 watching our Russia Raiders, both the boys and girls team, compete together.  I didn't know it at the time, but Russia was just one of only three schools to have both their boys and girls run the last state meet at Scioto Downs, which is kind of cool.

The new course at National Trail Raceway is suppose to be fan friendly, something critics of Scioto Downs say the old course lacked.  Apparently the new venue will let fans in some areas of the stands see everything but a 600 meter section of the race.  Last year's state meet drew 12,000 fans, making it the largest high school or college cross country meet in the nation.  Hopefully the new place can keep those numbers up.  Finally, I'd like to note that one of the best things I've always heard runners share about Scioto Downs was their memory of the roar of the crowd from the grandstands (click on picture above).  I hope that's something that's not lost this year.  I'll miss the old course, probably the history more than anything.  So long Scioto Downs.