Article published Thursday

Aaron Waldie has been running in street races with twins Malcom and Michael Campbell since grade school.

They grew up chasing each other around their Sylvania neighborhood. Bragging rights about who was the fastest runner was always at stake.

Years later, they're still involved in foot races. The only difference is the fleet-footed trio are Southview teammates.

Waldie and the Campbells represent the nucleus of the Cougars boys track team seeking a third straight Northern Lakes League championship tonight at Maumee High.

"It's really great chemistry with us," Waldie said. "We all know what we're thinking and we know how we have to push each other."

The Cougars have done a solid job of pushing one another in recent years. They've also been good at staying ahead of the pack when it comes to running down the NLL championship.

"It's our senior year and it's our last chance at it," Malcolm Campbell said. "It would be a waste to win it the past two years and not win it this year."

Waldie, an All-Ohio football player who will attend Hillsdale College, ranks among the area's fastest for the 100 meters (11.0) and 200 (22.6). Waldie is a favorite to sweep the sprint events at the league meet.

After winning the 200 and finishing second in the 100 as a sophomore, Waldie then finished runner-up in both events last year to teammate Gary Shannon.

Shannon, who transferred to Southview last year from perennial track power Elyria, has spent most of this season hampered by hamstring problems. He has used most of the spring working to strengthen his hamstrings. The defending league champion for the 100 and 200 has competed in a total of three races all spring.

"My doctor told me, 'To be so fast, you have the weakest hamstrings I've ever seen,'" said Shannon, a senior, who has been bothered by leg injuries since pulling a hamstring during the district meet last spring.

Shannon, whose time of 10.9 in the 100 ranks second-best in the area among Division I runners, will attempt to defend his title.

"I'm feeling pretty good, but I don't want to push it," he said.

Waldie expects Shannon to provide the most competition in the 100. Sophomore teammate Kwesi Kankam figures to provide Waldie with competition in the 200.

"We just expect to get first and second place and whatever place I get, if it's first or second, it's fine with me," Waldie said.

"Last year was my first year here," Shannon said. "A chance at a three-peat [team title] is really big," Shannon said.

The Campbells, who plan to attend Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, have been steady contributors in the recent NLL reign.

Malcolm Campbell is one of the area's best in the high jump (6-4) and long jump (20-10). He is the defending league champion in both events. He's also been a key member of the 400, 800 and 1600 relay teams which own some of area's top times. Southview relays teams have posted season-best times of 43.0 in the 400, 1:31.2 in the 800 and 3:27.0 in the 1600

"We're just a tight group of guys who are all competitive," Malcolm Campbell said. "We all want the No. 1 spot. We don't like to finish in second."

Michael Campbell, the defending NLL champion in the 400 and member of the Cougars' relay teams, considers the Cougars' team success as an indication of their focus and commitment.

"We like running. We like winning. We like being a team and that's what it's all about," said Michael Campbell, whose season-best time of 50.9 in the 400 ranks third-best among the area's D-I runners.

It's clear to Southview coach Ron Primeau, who returned as head coach of the Cougars boys track team this year, the Cougars are running with a mission.

Primeau led Southview to seven NLL championships in 10 seasons as coach before stepping down from the position in the mid-1990s to spend more time with his family.

However, a league title this year may prove to be most satisfying.

"I think there was a lot of pressure when I took over the team this year because it's my responsibility to get them to win it again," he said.

Field-events finals are scheduled to start at 6 tonight and running events at 7. Northview is the defending girls team champion.