MOWRYSTOWN — For the second time in as many years, Whiteoak High School Cross Country Coach Doug Hughes has been named the Southeast District Division III Coach of the Year.
In his 18th season at the helm of Whiteoak’s cross country team, Hughes has the team qualified for regionals for just the third time in school history after their performance at the district race last Saturday at the University of Rio Grande. The Wildcats won the district championship for the first time in school history after finishing with a total time of 1:31:11.97 and accumulated a total team score of 88 with the next closest team coming in at 145.
Hughes was also named the Southern Hills Athletic Conference Coach of the Year earlier in the season after the Wildcats won their second straight SHAC championship.
The Wildcats will run on Oct. 30 at Pickerington North High School at 10 a.m. with a state cross country meet berth on the line for the first time in school history.
“We have a chance at state and are probably mapped out to finish in sixth to eighth place at regionals, but we are ready to give it all we have to go for that top five team finish and qualify for the state,” Hughes said. “We need everyone to cut off a few more seconds and run their best races of the year. We are prepared and we are mentally focused on the task at hand. We’ll lay it all out there and as always, and will proudly represent our Whiteoak school and our community.”
Submitted by Whiteoak Jr./Sr. High School Athletic Director Miah Call.
