FORT LORAMIE – On Aug. 15, the Fort Loramie Cross Country Alumni Classic will be held at White Oak Lake on Loy Road.
Participants will have a choice of a fun run or a 5K course. This will take current runners on the course they are used to running, while showing past runners the new course the program is currently running. For those familiar with the course, yes, participants will be running through the “hole”.
Race day registration and bib pickup will be from 8:30-9:15 a.m. The races are open to the public; participants don’t have to be a Fort Loramie alumnus. Registration for the fun run will be at the same time. The entry fee is $10 for the 5K race. There is no fee for participants running the fun run. The fun run is designed mainly for children, but all ages are welcome. T-shirts will be available the day of the run for $10. All proceeds will go directly to the Fort Loramie High School Cross Country Team.
The mission statement of the alumni event: The purpose of this run is to connect the past and present runners of the Fort Loramie Cross Country program. Therefore this alumni run was created — to both reconnect the past members to the program and to show the current/future runners that once you run for the Fort Loramie cross country program, you become a part of the history and family that is FL-XC.
For more information visit the Facebook page: Fort Loramie XC Alumni Classic or contact Bryan Blagg at [email protected] or Tyler Meinerding at [email protected].
The boys’ cross country program began in 1968 under Coach Ken Ruth. Ruth was followed in later years by Ken Sowards, Steve Stickley, and present coach Dennis Prenger. In 1968, Jerome Borchers and Ray Timmerman became the first of many to qualify for the state meet. That was followed by the team making it to the state meet for the first time in 1973. Team members were Walt Sanders, Tom Steinke, Mark Ahlers, Terry Barhorst, Mike Steinke, Russ Gottemoeller, and Rick Wendeln.
The girls began in 1984. They wasted no time in making their first state appearance as a team. In 1985, Denise Barga, Shawn Hoelscher, Heather Hoelscher, Kim Schmiesing, Stacie Hoehne, and Connie Berning led the Lady Redskins to a state runner-up finish. Steve Stickley was the first girls’ coach followed by current coach Dennis Prenger. Since that time the girls’ have been state runner-up in 2001 and 2003. They finished first in the state in 2002. On that state championship team was Mallory Albers, Megan Meinerding, Amanda Subler, Elizabeth Phlipot, Kiera Gottemoeller, Morgan Plattner, and Lauren Ernst.
