BEAVERTON, Oregon (September 22, 2010) – Aloha High School will be hosting the 31st annual Nike Pre-National Cross Country meet at Portland Meadows in North Portland.  The Nike Pre-National meet is one of the premier cross country meets on the west coast with teams coming from seven States and British Columbia.  Over 100 teams with over 3,500 athletes will participate at the meet.  There will be 13 different races including four divisions of boys and girls varsity races.  The top varsity race is the Jim Danner Championship where 25 of the top teams and individual athletes in the region, West Coast, and States beyond will compete.

The Nike Pre-National Meet will begin at 8:30 AM on Saturday, September 25 with an open Citizens race followed by a 3000 meter middle school boys and girls races.  High School races will begin at 10:00 AM with the Division 3 Varsity Girls race.  Gates will open at 7:30 AM and there is an entrance fee of $5.00.

“The Jim Danner races are looking to be extremely exciting.  We have some of the top programs and amazing athletes from the West Coast and other States competing.  I anticipate very competitive and fast races in all of our races,” said Aloha Head Cross Country Coach Ken Martinez.  “We have worked hard to make this meet one of the best experiences for all of the athletes and their fans.  The course is fast, challenging, and easily viewable for its entire length.  We have seen many past participants go on to great running careers in college and professionally, including 2003 Danner Champion Galen Rupp and 2004 and 2005 Danner Champion Brie Felnagle who earned more than 10 All American honors at University of North Carolina.”

The Jim Danner Championship races for both boys and girls are expected to be very close in the team races and for individual honors.  The Jim Danner Championship Boys race is deep with experienced teams and exciting individual performers.  Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo), which is ranked No.3 in the Nation by several on-line publications is the pre-meet team favorite. Crater (OR) is ranked 17th on ESPNRISE and will be driving north to compete at Portland Meadows. Schools challenging for the team championship will be Patrick Henry (San Diego), Ferris (Spokane), Central Catholic (Portland), Henry Jackson (Everett), and Strake Jesuit (Houston).

The pre-meet favorite for individual honors is Jantzen Oshier of Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo).  Stiff competition at the head of the race is expected to include Nick Hartle of Centennial (Las Vegas), Matthew Melancon of Sheldon (Eugene), Ryan Urie of Patrick Henry (San Diego), and Weston Novelli of Strake Jesuit (Houston).

 Competing in the Jim Danner Championship Girls race are several outstanding programs. A loaded Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) is ranked No. 9 in the Nation by ESPNRISE and will head to the starting line as the pre-meet favorite.  Challenging for team honors will include Top 10 California State Meet Division 1 Championships finishers Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo), Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), and Rancho Bernardo (San Diego).  Also challenging for team championship are South Eugene (Eugene) who is ranked 45th in the Nation, a deep Saint Marys Academy (Portland), defending 4A Washington State Cross Country Team Champion Eastlake (Sammamish, Wa), and Desert Vista (Phoenix, Az) which finished second in the 5A Arizona State Cross Country Championships.

Molly Grabill of Rancho Bernardo High School (San Diego) is the pre-meet favorite for individual honors.  Grabill did not lose a Cross Country race in 2009 and is the defending California State Champion in both Cross Country and in the 3,200 on the track last season.  Other girls who could challenge for top honors include Priscilla Timmons of Skyview (Vancouver, Wa), Maureen Tremblay of Gig Harbor (Gig Harbor), Jenna Maack of Desert Vista (Phoenix, Az), Megan Fristoe of Summit (Bend, Or) Rachel Bush of Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) and Samantha Ralstin of Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, Ca)