By Kevin Goheen • Enquirer contributor • October 24, 2009

Cross Country District Meet:

Weather conditions at Voice of America Park on Saturday were less than ideal. The wind gusted, the temperature dropped throughout the day and the fields were in a quagmire after Friday's rain.

St. Xavier, ranked No. 1 in the Enquirer Division I area coaches' poll, overcame the elements, as well as No. 2 Lakota West, to win Race A at the district meet 36-59 and move on to next week's regional meet at Troy. Defending state champion Mason won Race B 45-63 over second-place Elder.

The top four teams and top 16 individuals qualified for the regional meet.

Mason junior and defending state champion Zach Wills had the fastest time of the day - 16 minutes, 29.1 seconds - to edge Elder junior Josh Makin by less than two seconds in Race B.

Sycamore senior Nick Fry won Race A in 16:36.4 to beat St. Xavier junior Jack Butler by just more than two seconds, but Butler was just the first of a flood of Bombers to quickly cross the finish line.

All seven St. Xavier runners finished among the top 19 of the race, and their five scoring runners were in the top 15. Butler was his team's No. 2 runner and finished third overall at last week's Greater Catholic League South meet, but he stepped up his performance.

"I think this race shows we're building momentum as a team," Butler said. "... We have been working toward this all season long."

The elements were a pleasant sight for Butler.

"I actually thought it was a lot of fun," Butler said. "I can't think of any better running weather than this."

Along with St. Xavier and Lakota West, La Salle and Sycamore also qualified for the regional from Race A.. Colerain and Oak Hills joined Mason and Elder in advancing from Race B.

"Obviously we wanted to win the district championship, but emotionally we tried to be as business-like as possible," St. Xavier coach Mike Dehring. said of his Bombers. "Starting with our league meet, it's hard to get at an emotionally high level four weeks straight. To do this against teams like that has to give us confidence going into the - hopefully - next two weeks."

Roger Bacon senior Matt Wurtzler won the Division II race in 17:26.8, beating Finneytown senior Brad Besserman. Blanchester won the team title in a tight five-way race for the four qualifying spots.

Blanchester scored 101 points and Wyoming was second with 108, followed by Roger Bacon with 111 and Taylor with 116. McNicholas, which had beaten Roger Bacon at the GCL Central meet last week, finished fifth. Senior Matt Johnson and junior Jacob Boehm qualified for the regional meet as individuals for the Rockets.

Summit Country Day junior Colin Cotton won the Division III race in 17:21.6. Cotton, who finished fourth at the state meet last year, helped his team finish third with 58 points and qualify for the regional. Mariemont's 54 points won the Division III team title, beating Badin by two. Cincinnati Country Day finished fourth to also qualify for the regional meet.