Girls OCC Cardinal and Capital

The OCC girls distance events are loaded with talent this year, and this weekend’s conference meets should give us plenty to talk about. Between top-tier showdowns, breakout candidates, and athletes doubling back across events, there’s no shortage of storylines to follow. The Central Division 1600, in particular, might just be the most stacked race we’ll see anywhere in the state this weekend. We broke down each of the three major races — the 1600, 800, and 3200 — across both the Cardinal and Central Divisions to spotlight the favorites, highlight a few potential upsets, and give you a sense of who might be primed for a big day. Let’s get into it.

OCC Cardinal

1600: I’ll save everyone the suspense — Natalie Fouts is probably going to win this one. Her personal best of 5:02 is a solid 12 seconds faster than the next fastest entrant. The only real question is how fast she’ll go. Since she’s also entered in the 3200 — which starts just an hour after the 1600 ends — I could definitely see her opting to sit and kick.

The two runners I think have a reasonable shot at an upset are Marysville’s Maggie Foust and Bailey Gross. They've posted strong times this season — 5:14 and 5:16, respectively — and while an upset win would be surprising, it’s not impossible in a tactical race.

800: This race also has a favorite, but it’s not quite the lock that Fouts is in the 1600. Olentangy Berlin’s Elliana Alonso comes in with the top seed. Interestingly, this is only her third recorded attempt at the 800, but she’s clearly found her stride — dropping her PR from 2:31 to 2:23 in just two races.

Two other runners to watch are Dublin Jerome juniors Ella Watson and Abbie McBrearty, who have clocked 2:22 and 2:23, respectively. However, both ran legs in the Celtics’ impressive 9:33 4x800 relay yesterday, so they won’t be coming into this fresh.

3200: This is the race I’m most excited about. Many of the same names from the 1600 are back, including Dublin Jerome’s Natalie Fouts, whose 10:37 PR is over 20 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. Once again, the Marysville duo of Maggie Foust and Bailey Gross will be in the mix, having run 11:02 and 11:09 this season. If conditions are right, don’t be surprised to see one or both dip under 11 minutes.

Also in the field is Olentangy Berlin senior Grace Heitkamp, who has run 11:15 for 3200 and 5:07 for 1600. While she hasn’t quite matched those marks this outdoor season, she’s still a contender worth watching.

One name notably absent here is Thomas Worthington’s Lainey Fauth. Fauth qualified for the indoor state meet with an 11:17 but chose to focus on the 1600 instead. She’s only entered in that event this weekend, where she could certainly shake things up.

OCC Central

1600: Celia Schulte vs. Brooke Chapman. This is going to be special — arguably the best showdown of any OCC meet this weekend, and maybe the entire state.

Schulte is coming off a dominant win at the Mason Rod Russell Invitational, where she beat the best mile field assembled this year in Ohio with a 4:46. Chapman, meanwhile, just won the Delaware County Invitational in 4:48.

I’d give the edge to Schulte — despite how talented Chapman is (and I believe she’s the second-best runner in Ohio right now), Schulte is simply operating on a different level this season. With her raw footspeed, even a sit-and-kick style race likely favors her. Still, races aren’t run on paper, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.

And shoutout to Erica Kaulen — her 4:57 season best would headline most divisions. She’s just got some bad luck running in this one.

800: Celia Schulte. Enough said.

Jokes aside, her season best is 10 seconds faster than the next closest competitor. Even with just an hour between events, it’s hard to imagine anyone upsetting the future Furman Paladin.

The race for second, though, could be a fun one. Upper Arlington’s Josie Cox and Dublin Coffman’s Minori Hudson are both in the mix. Hudson has a 2:15 indoor PR and should be favored, but I’m curious to see what Cox — who isn’t a traditional 800 runner — can do. She’s seeded at 2:17, and that seems well within reach for the Golden Bear sophomore.

3200: I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say the Central Division has the best distance matchups of the entire week — especially on the girls’ side.

Olentangy Liberty’s Elena Aldrink comes in with a stellar 10:39 personal best, but she’ll be pushed by Olentangy Orange’s Bella Conforti, who ran 10:43 this season. I’m leaning toward Conforti — her recent marks of 2:23 (800) and 5:03 (1600) suggest she’s rounding into top form at the perfect time.

Beyond Aldrink and Conforti, the field is a bit thinner, but keep an eye on Emma Donovan (Dublin Coffman) and Mckinley Newcomer (Olentangy Liberty), both of whom have made significant progress this spring. I’d expect both to be under 11:30.