XC 2009: Eastern US
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(Follow the links for more in-depth coverage)
By: Aaron Rich & Brandon Miles, Eastern US National Editors
Last week was a barn-burner as top ranked teams fell across the country. Top individuals and teams will assert themselves on a weekend filled with super meets and national implications, including the first state championship. Week #6 features huge Invitationals including the Florida super meet flrunners.com Invitational; the return of the Great American XC Festival to Cary, NC; and the oldest meet in the country, The Oklahoma Cowboy Jamboree.
To get the week going we recommend reviewing some very good story's on Wesley Frazier, a super freshman who is rewriting the record books in North Carolina; and a story about a surprising team, US#14 Germantown Friends, PA and their battle with US#4 Haddonfield, NJ, One Race at a Time. A story out of Rhode Island featuring Johnny Gregorek, the son of great distance star John Gregorek, "A Family's Passion, A Son's Success." Finally, a synopsis of what it means to be great, the greatest, and who stands at the precipice. A look inside the girls national championship chase, "Running into Greatness".
Rewriting NC History, One Step at a Time by Jessica Quiroli
A Family's Passion, A Son's Success by Bill Malinowski
Running into Greatness by Aron Taylor
Germantown Friends is opening eyes in PA, and the US by Don Rich
NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
(Click the above map for in-depth highlights and links)
New Jersey:
Shore Coaches Meet (NJ): Joe and Jim Rosa hammer one out at Holmdel with a 1-2 finish with times of 15:04 & 15:16!! Joe Rosa smashed Craig Forys course record of 15:15.2 with brother Jim narrowly missing the mark as well. The Rosas now own the 1st and 3rd times run all-time at the historic Holmdel course. Tyler Udland was also under 16, running 15:55 for 3rd. Holmdel All-Time List | Milesplit Onsite Coverage | Complete Meet Coverage
New York:
McQuaid Invitational (NY): US#1 Saugus, CA were flat out dominant, winning with 21 points! Saugus had 5 scorers in the top-9 and all 7 runners in the top-14 with a 1-5 average of 17:36.41 over the 3-mile layout. Kaylin Mahoney, Saugus, won in 17:02.19 and teammate Karis Frankian was 2nd in 17:12.40. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Preview by Tim Fulton Complete Meet Coverage
Grout Invitational (NY): US#13 Queensbury rocked the Division 2 race with a score of 29 points, impressively putting 4 runners in the top-5. Queensbury's Danielle and Brittany Winslow were 1-2 with times of 15:34.28 and 15:38.07 for 2.75 miles. Dan Harris, Shenendehowa, won the Division 1 race with a 2.75 mile time of 13:28.03. Chaminade won the team battle with 49 points. Manu Kumar, Yorktown, won the Division 2 race with a time of 13:27.78. Complete Meet Coverage
Pennsylvania:
Paul Short Invitational (PA): US#14 Aisling Cuffe (NY), (Photo by Don Rich, PennTrackXC.com) rips the Lehigh University campus for a 17:05 victory at the Paul Short Invitational. Aisling narrowly missed out on the course record of 17:03, set by Aislinn Ryan, Warwick, NY, in 2003. PA's Sara Sargent finished a distant second with a time of 17:47. More to come... Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Page Meet Preview
Steel City Invitational (PA): Elizabeth Simpson, Boyertown, won with a course record time of 19:27.89 on the difficult layout. Bishop Shanahan dominates the girls race with 36 points and Altoona dominates the boys race with 39 points. Meet Page
Virginia:
Octoberfest Invitational (VA): Kaitlyn Davis, Mountain View, won the girls varsity race with a time of 18:09 over Katherine Walker, Brooke Point, 18:11. Yazid Zouaimia, Centreville, won the boys varsity in a close finish with John McGowan, Sidwell Friends, with both timed in 15:45. West Potomac took the girls title with 191 points and Mountain View, took the boys title with 136 points. Meet Page
Ohio:
Midwest Meet of Champions (OH): US#1 Zach Wills, Mason, (Photo by Mike Nie) won the boys Varsity race with a time of 15:27 on a very windy day in Ohio. US#9 Magnificat rolled to an easy victory with a score of 34 points, placing 5 scorers inside the top-18. Madeline Chambers led Magnificat with a 17:57 victory. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Preview Here | Complete Meet Coverage
North Carolina:
Great American XC Festival (NC): Carolyn Baskir, NC, won the girls ROC with very fast finish over Samantha Nadel, NY, 17:14 to 17:17. Baskir's time was the 2nd fastest ever on the WakeMed course. Brian Atkinson, FL, won the boys ROC with a smoking 15:13. Clint McKelvey, TN, was 2nd in 15:18. US#6 Saratoga Springs won the girls ROC team championship with 66 points over US#8 Blacksburg, 116 points. Brookwood, GA, won the boys ROC with 111 points. (Photos by Jeff Sides) Milesplit Onsite Coverage Complete Meet Coverage
Brian Atkinson Clint McKelvey Carolyn Baskir
Wendy's Invitational (NC): Mark Blackmon, Fort Mills, won the Invitational Boys Race in 15:16. Blake Williams, Northern Durham, runs unofficial 15:20 for a solo win in the Boys Open Race. Laura Hoer, TC Roberson, won the Invitational Girls Race in 18:11. More to come! (Photos by Ken Charnock, LandSharkPhotos.com) Milesplit Onsite Coverage Lane Assignments | Complete Meet Coverage
Mark Blackmon Blake Williams Laura Hoer
Hagan Stone Classic (NC): US#6 Wesley Frazier, Ravenscroft, broke her own course record at the Hagan Stone Park, running away with a 17:42 victory by a margin of 74 seconds. Lee-Davis (VA) girls put 3 in the top-5 individually to win with 58 points. Complete Meet Coverage
Florida:
Flrunners.com Invitational (FL): Kathryn Fluehr, FL, ran an amazing 17:00.73 to win the Girls ROC with a win over sister Erika, who ran 17:24.36 for 2nd. To put the time in perspective, 2007 FL champ Ashley Brasovan, holds the course record at 16:46.66! Winter Park takes the girls team title with 63 points. Matt Mizereck takes a fast finishing Boys ROC in 14:56.51 with Armando Del Valle on his heels in 14:56.84! Erik Montoya was 3rd in 15:06.03. Dr. Phillips takes the boys team title with 81 points. (Photos by Rick Andrews) Milesplit Onsite Coverage Live Results Posting Here | Meet Preview Here | Complete Meet Coverage
New Hampshire:
Black Bear Invitational (NH): Aaron Watanabe, Hanover, won the boys varsity race with a time of 15:50 but had company in Jack Collopy, Oyster River, who finished 2nd in 15:54. Heidi Caldwell, Hanover, won the girls varsity race in 18:18 with Brianna Tevnan, Merrimack Valley, 2nd in 18:21. Meet Page
Delaware:
Salesianum Invitational (DE): Sam Bernitt, North Penn, won the boys A race over the difficult layout with a time of 16:40.35. North Penn's Meghan McGovern won the girls A race with a time of 19:31.79. Meet Page
Maine:
Maine Festival of Champions (ME): Will Geoghegan, Brunswick, ran an incredible 15:32 course record despite pouring rain and a torn up, muddy course. Emily Durgin, Cheverus, won the girls race with a time of 18:34. Complete Meet Coverage | Meet Story
Indiana:
Marion County Championships (IN): US#5 Futsum Zeinasellassie wins his county meet with a time of 15:47.7. Traishaun Johnson, Ben Davis, was a close 2nd with a time of 15:49.10. Danielle Sullivan, Franklin Central, won the girls county championship with a time of 18:23.10. Complete Meet Coverage
Hoosier Crossroads Conference Meet (IN): Scott Vicenzi, Browsburg, took a fast varsity boys race with a time of 15:49.00. Martin Connor, Westfield, was also under 15, finishing 2nd in 15:57.00. Meet Page
Indianapolis City Meet (IN): Hale O'Herren, Indianapolis Cathedral, continues to win meets with a 15:43.70 clocking. Meet Page
Wisconsin:
Red Raider Invitational (WI): Reed Payant, Marquette University HS, won the boys varsity 5k with a time of 15:40.42. Meet Page
Wisconsin adidas Invitational (WI): Gabe Heck,Madison East, won the boys varsity 5k with a time of 15:56.50. Lauren Holtz, Homestead, won the girls varsity 4k with a time of 15:00.80. Meet Page
Kenosha County Invitational (WI): Sara Ball, Tremper, won the girls varsity 4k with a time of 14:42.60. Meet Page
Minnesota:
Jaguar All Terrain Challenge (MN): Jake Sandry, Bloomington Jefferson, won the boys varsity race with a swift 15:44.50. Andy Fenske, Park Central, finished 2nd in 15:55.70. Meet Page
Red Wing Invitational (MN): Marty Joyce, Woodbury, won the boys varsity 5k race with a time of 16:04.63. Maria Hauger, Shakopee, took the girls varsity 4k race with a time of 14:49.01. Meet Page
Maryland:
Frank Keyser Invitational (MD): David Wilson, Smithsburg, won the boys varsity 3-mile race with a time of 15:19.70. Abbey Daley, Clarksburg, won the girls varsity 3-mile race with a time of 18:09.30. Meet Page
Tidewater Fall Classic (MD): Thomas Arias, Damascus, won the boys varsity race with a time of 16:13. Meet Page
Michigan:
Haslett Invitational (MI): Kyle Stacks, Concord, won the boys varsity race with a time of 16:03.80. Lauren Grunewald, East Grand Rapids, won the girls varsity race with a time of 18:44.30. Meet Page
Carson City-Crystal Invitational (MI): Julia Bos, Christian, won the girls varsity race with a time of 18:25.30. Morsi Rayyan, St. Johns, won the boys varsity race with a time of 16:00.00. Meet Page
Weekend Preview
A quick look around the east
New York:
McQuaid Invitational (NY): Featuring 244 schools this New York Super meet will feature the US#1 Saugus, CA girls! Saugus is coming off a 18:12 3-mile victory @ Foothill where they posted a 9 second 1-5 spread! Notably absent however is US#2 and defending national champion Fayetteville Manlius. On the meet page it states "244 schools, 190-from NY; 27-from out of state; 27-from Canada" Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Preview by Tim Fulton Meet page
Grout Invitational (NY): US#13 Queensbury will compete in the Girls Div II race; rebounding from an early season loss the team regrouped and had a stellar performance finishing 2nd at their own invitational last week defeating US#8 Shenendehowa and US#10 Burnt-Hills in the process. Meet Page
North Carolina:
Great American XC Festival (NC): (US#6 Saratoga vs. US#8 Blacksburg vs. US# 12 Monroe-Woodbury) US#6 Saratoga Springs will be in the Girls ROC and will be looking to make a statement as US#1 Saugus invades their home state of New York at the McQuaid Invitational. US#8 Blacksburg, VA heads into the meet to face Saratoga, NY and hopefully walk away with another victory over a national elite team. US#12 Monroe-Woodbury also seeks to demonstrate that they are the one of the top teams in NY and perhaps country. In the boys ROC, formerly nationally ranked Bishop Guerton, NH will be in attendance. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Page
Wendy's Invitational (NC): A North Carolina super meet, the annual invitational traverses the famed Foot Locker South McAlpine Greenway Park course. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Lane Assignments Meet Page
Ohio:
Midwest Meet of Champions (OH): US#1 Zach Wills, Mason, will be competing here and there is excitement in the air over seeing yet another sub-15 performance out of the talented harrier. US#9 Magnificat is heavily favored in the girls varsity race. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Preview Here Meet Page
Florida:
Flrunners.com Invitational (FL): The largest meet in the Southeast, this meet will feature top teams from throughout the region. Including 14 of the top 15 boys teams in the State of Florida. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Page Meet Preview Here
New Jersey:
Shore Coaches Meet (NJ): Traversing the historic Holmdel Park course, US#4 Haddonfield will compete in the New Jersey Super Meet. This will be a great test and national indicator of just how dominant the team can be, they are coming off a historic victory at the Bowdoin Inv. US#6 Joe Rosa and US#13 Jim Rosa square off against US#11 Tyler Udland. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Page
Pennsylvania:
Paul Short Invitational (PA): Always a solid meet in PA, this years edition features Leigha Anderson, Cumberland Valley, who recently ran a 18:20 to win her firs invitational of the season. The college races should be fun to watch as well. Milesplit Onsite Coverage Meet Page Meet Preview
Illinois:
Peoria Invitational (IL): Located on the site of the Illinois State XC Championship, Detweiller Park is considered by many as the fastest 3-mile course in the nation. Suffering a narrow defeat at the Palatine Inv. US#11 York steps up to face the top competition and prove to many the long green line is still in full force. Meet Page
Loyola Lakefront Invitational (IL): US#7 Loyola is reeling from a tremendous team performance at the Palatine Inv. where they downed the #1 team in the nation and jump into the national rankings. Averaging 14:35 last week over 3-miles, the team looks for a week off as they compete on their home course. Meet Page
Virginia:
Octoberfest Invitational (VA): Kevin Dowd highlights the boys field while the girls field will feature most of the top-ranked girls in the state. Meet Page
Maine:
Maine XC Festival of Champions (ME): The largest meet of the year in Maine will kick-off tomorrow with 58 teams and 1300+ athletes. Defending class state champions will toe the line for both the boys and girls races. Meet Page Meet Preview Here
Alabama:
Jesse Owens Classic (AL): Meet Page