Saturday Night Lights Preview

The Centerville cross country programs host the 17th annual Saturday Night Lights on Saturday, October

1st. The race is commonly referred to as SNL. In 2005 the race originated at Watts Middle School in

Centerville. In 2008 the race grew from a mere 24 teams the first year and quickly outgrew the middle

school location and we needed a venue change. The school created a new course on a farm adjacent to

the high school, the event has been hosted at the high school since 2009.

The race was developed by the boy's cross country staff in 2004 and was inspired by the Sports

Illustrated article on the Memphis Twilight in Tennessee hosted by Christian Brothers University.

Saturday Night Lights is the oldest and largest night race in Ohio. This year should be just as exciting

with estimated crowds of over 10,000 in recent years.

This year we host almost 3000 high school athletes and 119 teams on Saturday, October 1, and then we

have the middle school edition on Saturday, October 8. In 2021 we separated the events because of the

sheer numbers and to give the middle school athletes their chance to race under the lights.

This year there are new challenges because a fire station was built on the part of the course. After taking

off 100 meters from the farm loop, the race course was changed to loop in front of the crowd at the 3100

and 4550-meter marks. This course change will make for the evening to be even more exciting than in

years past. When the athletes enter the stadium at 4500 meters the athletes will now finish with 400

meters on the track followed by 100 meters on the field turf for a dramatic finish in front of an estimated

12,000 spectators.

Girls Championship Race Preview

The event has 16 teams from Kentucky including the #1 top-ranked Dupont Manual and the top-ranked

team from Michigan- Ann Arbor Pioneer which is also nationally ranked #13 at this time. It also includes

the #1 ranked #1 Ohio team Hilliard Davidson which is also #24 in Milesplits national rankings on

September 26. #6 Ohio Loveland girls are coming off impressive performances at the Alabama Southern
Showcase and could also challenge for the team title along with Ohio state ranked #2 D2 Granville and

#1 D3 Minster girls.

The individual title will be one of the most impressive races in Ohio this year. Olmsted Falls Katie Clute is

coming off consecutive low 17:00 performances. Her primary challengers will be Bella Butler from

Dayton Oakwood, Maplewoods Caleigh Richards, Dupont’s Manual’s Jenny Secor (Tennessee commit),

and Michigan Ann Arbor’s Emily Cooper.

A total of 11 girls have personal records in the 17:00s for this year's SNL race. That should make for a

spectacular race.

Out-of-State Teams
Ann Arbor Pioneer from Michigan headlines this meet as the top-ranked team in Michigan and defending Michigan
state champion.
Dupont Manual is the top-ranked team in Kentucky this year. They are led by Secor who just signed with
Tennessee. They were 2nd in their state meet last year in Kentucky’s large schools
Oldham County is Kentucky’s #2 ranked team this year. They finished 3rd in Kentucky’s large school state meet
division last year.

Division 1 Ohio Teams

Hilliard Davidson is #2 ranked in the OATCCC coaches poll. They are coming off an impressive win at the
Michigan State Spartan Invite. Loveland #6, Centerville #11, Mentor #14, Oak Hills #16

Division 2 Ohio Teams

#2 Granville, #4 Waynesville, #7 Dayton Carroll, and #10 Oakwood

Division 3 Ohio Teams

#1 Minster, #3 Fort Loramie, #6 West Liberty Salem

Individuals Girls
1. Olmsted Falls Katie Clute- 17:02 5k PR, 4:46 mile PR, 10:19- 3200 PR, and state champion in D1 in 2022,
Ranked #12 girl in the country by Dyestat
2. Oakwood’s Bella Butler- 17:33 5k PR, 4:49 mile PR, 2nd in the state D2 cross country meet in 2022,
3. Maplewood’s Caleigh Richards- state D3 champion in 1600 in 4:57 and D3 State cross country champion
in 2021. 18:06 5k PR.
4. Dupont Manual’s Jessica Secor, 17:49 5k PR, 10:56 3200 PR, 4:56 mile PR
5. Michigan Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Emily Cooper-17:55 5k PR, 10:48 3200, 4:56 1600 PR
6. Waynesville Samantha Erbach- 17:57 5k PR, 5:04 mile PR, 11:17 3200 PR
7. Mentor’s Savannah Dennison - 17:51 5k PR, 4:58 in 1600, 10:53 in 3200 PR
8. Hilliard Davidson’s Caitlyn Jones- 18:18 5k PR, 4:58, 11:13
9. Kentucky’s Campbell County Oliva Holbrook- 18:22 5k PR, 5:03, 11:28
10. Kentucky’s Oldham County Tula Fawbush- 18:04 5k XC PR, 17:27 track PR, 4:49 mile PR
11. Hilliard Davidson’s Dillon Sweetman- 18:17 5k PR, 10:52 3200 PR
 12. Granville’s Zoee Lehman- 18:32 5k PR, 8th at 2021 State D1 XC championships, 5:02 1600 PR
13. Loveland Madison Conatser- 18:45 5k PR, 2:12 800 PR 4th in state D1 800
14. Centerville’s Mia Robillard- 17:48 5k PR, 4:58 1600 PR, 2020 State XC D1 Champion
15. Dublin Scioto’s Selah White- 18:47 5k PR,
16. Little Miami’s Grace Biddle- 18:23 5k PR, Winner of SNL 2021 Varsity A race
17. Springboro’s Cara Mooney- 18:40 5k PR, 5:02 1600 PR
18. Kentucky’s Blue Grass United- Emily Liddle- 18:19 5k PR, 5:07 1600 PR
19. Unioto’s Cameron Walker- 18:40 PR- fastest freshmen in the race
20. Loveland’s Caroline Murnan 18:54 PR- #2 freshmen in the race
21. Dupont Manual’s Bailee Montgomery- 18:54- #3 freshmen in the race

Boys Championship Race Preview

Connor from Kentucky highlights the boy's field. The team title should be a battle between Connor, Lancaster,
Loveland, and a hoard of D2 and D3 Ohio teams.

The D2 battle, in the Championship Race, features 4 of the top 5 D2 teams in the state of Ohio. #2 Unioto, #3
Dayton Carroll, and #4 Hawken all look to go head to head in a pre-state meeting.

In D3, boys Mount Gilead, West Liberty Salem, and Maplewood all are ranked in the top 5 in the most recent D3
polls.

Kentucky Teams
#2 Connor
#5 St. Henry
#10 Oldham County
#15 Dupont Manual
#17 Cooper
#22 Tates Creek

Ohio Teams
D1 Boys
#8 Lancaster, #10 Loveland, #16 Chardon, #21 Centerville

D2 Boys
#2 Unioto, #3 Dayton Carroll, #4 Hawken, #11 Oakwood, #17 Eaton,

D3 Boys
#2 Mount Gilead, #3 West Liberty Salem, #5 Maplewood, #13 Minster

Boy Individuals
1. Kentucky’s Bluegrass United- Cooper Wasson- 15:03 5k PR, 4:19 1600 PR, 9:03 3200 PR
2. Miamisburg’s Innocent Ntwali- 15:19 5k PR, 4:25 1600, 9:37 3200
3. Walnut Hill’s Gianni Allwein- 15:25 5k PR, 4:12 1600 PR, 8th in state xc meet 2021
4. Dayton Carroll’s Jack Agnew- 15:29 5k PR, State Champion D2 2021, 4:20, 9:10 PR
5. Kentucky North Oldham’s Adam Patel- 15:35 5k PR, 9:26 3200 PR
6. Boardman’s David D’Altorio- 15:38 5k PR
7. Dublin Scioto - Weston Day 15:41 PR
8. Louisville Male’s Caden Cule- 15:44 5k PR
9. Mentor’s Billy Dennison- 15:44 5k PR
10. Fairmont’s Dillon Wooten- 15:45 5k PR
 11. Loveland’s Cayden Dyer- 15:46 5k PR
12. Mount Gilead’s Will Baker- 15:49 5k PR
13. Kentucky Conner’s- Joey Carroll 15:53 5k PR
14. Hawken’s Nick Garcia Whitko- 15:54 5k PR
15. Kentucky Conner’s Drew Moore- 15:55 5k PR
16. Kentucky Conner’s George Johnson 15:56 5k PR
17. Lancaster’s Trevor Lanoy- 15:58 5k PR
18. St. Henry KY- Dixon Ryan- 15:58 PR
19. Mentor’s Michael Petrovic- 15:58 PR
20. Monroe’s Andrew Wilcox- 15:59 PR
21. Turpin’s Lucas Towne- 15:59 PR
22. Loveland’s Ronan Wolfer- 16:26 is the #1 freshman in the race

It should be a great event with 2849 runners registered, and 119 teams in attendance.

-- Coach James Weckesser