Boys OCC Preview 2

With the regular season winding down, the OCC conference meets offer one final tune-up before the postseason — and a chance for bragging rights across Central Ohio. From high-stakes rematches to breakout performances, this year’s distance fields are filled with intrigue. We broke down the 1600, 800, and 3200 in the Ohio, Capital, and Buckeye divisions to highlight top contenders, pick potential upsets, and spotlight the athletes to watch.

OCC Ohio

1600: This one gives us a rematch between Mick Temple and Owen Towler from last year, when they ran 4:13 and 4:14. Neither has come close to those times yet this season, so it’ll be interesting to see how fast this one goes. Both are doubling, but since they’re heavy favorites in their other events, this race could still be blisteringly fast. Outside of those two, it should come down to Ethan LaCross, Andrew Gould, or Marcus Speed for the final all-conference spot. It should be a great race, but I’ll take the breakout sophomore, Andrew Gould.

800: This one’s an easy pick: Owen Towler. The indoor state champion in this event should win comfortably and still have something left in the tank. After Towler, things get murky. Expect a tight race between Lavon Wilborn, Marcus Speed, Alex Hohman, Corbin Morrisey, Beckett Anderson, and Andrew Dietrich. The 800 is always unpredictable, but I’ll go with the two runners who have the best season bests—Wilborn and Hohman, both sophomores with bright futures in the event.

3200:We know who’s winning this one. Like last year, Mick Temple should comfortably cruise to a first-place finish. Behind him, there should be a solid pack fighting for second, including Liam Irvin, Andrew Gould, Mason Fry, and Reef Murray. With Gould coming off the 1600, it may be tough for him to hang with the three Gahanna Lincoln runners, so I’ll go with Irvin and Fry to round out the top three.

OCC Capital

1600: The favorite here is Casey Carlos, the only athlete in the field with a sub-4:20 PR — and he’s comfortably under that mark. After Carlos, it’ll likely be a battle between Austyn Fox, Michael Kinzer, Noah Kemp, and Owen Klein for the two remaining all-conference spots. Fox just ran 4:23 last week, and Kinzer recently beat Klein head-to-head, so I’ll take Fox for second and Kinzer for third.

800:This race is essentially a 1600 rematch, but with the addition of Gabe Wise. Wise, with a 1:54 PR, is the clear favorite and should win handily. After that, it’ll come down to who handles the double best. Both Carlos and Fox have run in the low 1:58s, so they’re the likely picks for second and third. Still, don’t count out Quinn Robinson, Ryan Foisset, or Michael Kinzer to shake things up.

3200:The big question: Will Westerville North sweep all three distance events? The battle for first should come down to McKinley Norman and Jeffrey Kerns. Both have PRs of 9:20 or better and are well ahead of the rest of the field. In their last matchup at the Wayne Invite, Norman edged out Kerns by a few seconds. Given Norman’s recent form, I think he’ll spoil North’s sweep. Behind them, it should be a battle between two Owens. While Owen Kockentiet had the stronger cross country season, Owen Klein holds the faster 3200 PR — so he’s my pick for third.

OCC Buckeye

1600:Honestly, this one’s a bit rough. Only two runners are seeded under 4:30. Brock Jarrett can likely coast to a win, and I expect Andrew Perry and Grant Hamilton to claim the other two all-conference spots. While Hamilton is seeded at 4:40, he’s a strong and capable runner. My picks: Perry for second, Hamilton for third.

800:With Gabe McNeil and Dylan Winters not entered, this one looks like another win for Jarrett. After him, it’s a mix of low-2-minute runners. I’ll admit I’m not as familiar with the rest of the field, so I’ll stick with the next fastest seeds: Jayden Notestine and Phyel Richardson to finish second and third.

3200:This is essentially a 1600 rematch, just without Jarrett. I’ll take Carter Davis to win, Andrew Perry to place second, and Grant Hamilton to take third.

No matter the division, the stage is set for some thrilling battles and season-defining performances across all three distance events. Whether it’s familiar names defending their turf or underclassmen making a statement, the OCC championships should deliver a great preview of what’s to come in the postseason.