Central Division 

Our predicted Individual Champion:  Brooke Chapman

Our Predicted Team Champion: Hilliard Davidson Wildcats

Oh boy, this is gonna be a good one. Both the team and individual competitions have multiple true contenders, and perhaps even some NXN or Footlocker implications. 

Team-wise, the top squads in the Central Division are the Hilliard Davidson Wildcats and the Olentangy Liberty Patriots. Both have achieved top finishes at invitationals in the Central Ohio area and beyond. Specifically, the Hilliard Davidson Wildcats, who traveled to Illinois and came within two points of upsetting the York Dukes (IL), who I believe are one of the 25 best teams across the country. Due to that win, we’re giving Davidson the edge in our predictions. 

Flipping over to the individual race, two athletes have separated themselves from the pack, Olentangy Orange junior Brooke Chapman and Olentangy Liberty junior Elana Aldrink. We’ve been lucky enough to see these two talented athletes face off once this season, at the Hilliard Davidson Hot Summer Bash, with Aldrink triumphing by 15 seconds. However, Chapman has looked phenomenal since then, running 17:25 for 5000 meters and notching a runner-up finish at the Trinity Valkyrie invite in Kentucky. 

While I'm giving Chapman the nod in our predictions, this race could truthfully go either way and I can’t wait to see what happens.