This weekend’s OCC conference championships will bring together some of the top cross-country talent in Ohio, and each division has its clear favorites. From dominant teams to standout individual performers, we’ve made our predictions for who will come out on top. The Capital Division seems to have both a dominant team and a strong individual favorite, while the Buckeye and Cardinal Divisions each boast a mix of elite athletes and powerhouse teams that have ruled their fields all season long.

Capital Division 

Our predicted Individual Champion: Leigha Kay

Our Predicted Team Champion: Big Walnut Eagles

Out of all the conferences we’re previewing this weekend, the Capital division looks like the division with the clearest favorites, both on the team and individual fronts. 

Our pick for the individual winner is Big Walnut junior Leigha Kay. Kay is the only athlete in this field to have dipped under the 19-minute barrier, she was 6th at this race last year, and has been seemingly getting better each week, dropping her season best from 20:43 (5k) down to 18:57. One other name to keep an eye on is Big Walnut sophomore Leighton Coey. Coey is the top returner from this meet last year and has shown great momentum this year, opening the door for the possibility of an upset. 

In case you haven’t guessed it by now, the Big Walnut Eagles are our pick to take home the team title this Saturday. Including the aforementioned Kay and Coey, Big Walnut athletes own four of the top-10 spots on the conference's leaderboard, leaving little doubt in our minds on who will triumph this Saturday. 

Buckeye Division 

Our predicted Individual Champion: Katy Zang

Our Predicted Team Champion: Lancaster Gales

While there are many strong teams in the Central Ohio region, few are as nationally competitive as the Lancaster Gaels, who seemingly have a chokehold over the Buckeye Division with a 5k average of 18:45, nearly five minutes faster than the next fastest team in the conference and are undefeated against all competition since August 17th.

It’s a very real possibility that we'll see the Gaels score a perfect 15 this Saturday. 

When you look at the individual side of things, you see an even more clear favorite. Of course, I’m talking about Katy Zang, who is probably the best cross country runner in the state of Ohio. Zang has twice gone under the 17-minute barrier for 5000 meters, with a personal best of 16:55. If you value victories over personal bets, then take a look at the meets she’s triumphed at this fall: The Berlin Bear Dash, The Celtic Clash and the Westerville North Classic. 

Cardinal Division 

Our predicted Individual Champion: Natalie Fouts

Our Predicted Team Champion: Dublin Jerome Celtics

Depending on how you look at it, Natalie Fouts is the best cross-country runner in the entire OCC. Fouts has picked up impressive finishes at a handful of elite invitationals, including (but not limited to) the Celtic Classic and MSU Spartan Invitational, achieving a 17:22 (5k) clocking at the former. 

All this to say, I don’t see anyone else besides the Celtic star winning this Saturday. However, if Dublin Jerome opts to rest their star low-stick, expect the individual title race to come down to Olentangy Berlin senior Grace Heitkamp and Thomas Worthington Sophomore Lainey Fauth. 

Team-wise, the Dublin Jerome Celtics look like the favorites, beating many division rivals at the Berlin Bear Den Dash in late September. Additionally, when you consider the firepower that a runner like Fouts can deliver for the Celtics, I become more and more inclined to put my money on Dublin Jerome. 

As the OCC conference championships approach, the top contenders in each division are set to make their mark. Leigha Kay and the Big Walnut Eagles look poised to dominate the Capital Division, while Katy Zang and the Lancaster Gales seem unbeatable in the Buckeye Division. Over in the Cardinal Division, Natalie Fouts and the Dublin Jerome Celtics are the likely champions. With such strong fields in all three divisions, Saturday's races are sure to be exciting and competitive.