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Garfield’s Klouda mastering Boardman

BOARDMAN — Tyler Klouda did more than look at the glossy drawing posted near Glenwood Avenue, giving him an idea of the Boardman High School cross country course — following the red line.

It tells nothing of the undulations and endurance he would exert going around one of the more challenging courses in the state of Ohio.

Halfway through, the Garfield junior realized he and Woodridge senior Noah Perrin would be vying for the Division II boys individual title at the recent Spartan Invitational.

The two kept toggling through the wooded area twice, the first time being the second-third of the 3.1-mile course. Klouda admits coming through that part of the course is his weakness, but that is quickly subsiding.

“I’m finally figuring it out,” he said.

Even though Perrin surpassed him to take win the race, it told Klouda his path back to the state cross country meet at National Trail Raceway in Hebron would come through Boardman once again. It is the site of the Northeast Ohio Regional in Divisions I-III.

Klouda finished fifth in Division III last season, but moves back to D-II this season — where he and Perrin — Portage County League rivals — plan to battle all the way to state.

Klouda was 5 seconds behind Perrin, who finished with 16:23.6 in the Boardman race. It was an improvement over the season opener at the Billy Goat Challenge in McDonald where Klouda ran 17:01.3.

“Lot of confidence for the rest of the season and coming back here for regionals,” he said after the race.

Klouda is confident he can run well on any course after Boardman, but his reaction to his placement gave him the push to move forward and compete with someone like Perrin — Woodridge’s top runner.

“I need to tell myself I can be that guy,” Klouda said. “I can match those moves. Although I lost, I’m very happy with the performance and how I reacted.”

The Garfield junior normally recovers quickly, which leads him to run even faster heading toward the end of races.

“I think that’ll progress through the season, my ability to push myself to my limits,” Klouda said.

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