Paul Springer's solo 9:01 this past spring puts him a step ahead
of fellow top returners Jason Weller of Boyertown (pictured)
and Vince McNally of Conestoga Valley.
Vince McNally of Conestoga Valley.
By Don Rich, with research by Aaron Rich A new individual champion will be crowned for the first time in 3 years as the Craig Miller era comes to a close. Two of the top returners from last year are Vince McNally, Conestoga Valley, and Jason Weller, Boyertown (Pictured on front page at D1 - photo by PennTrackXC.com). McNally was the wake-up call for Miller when he pushed him at the Gettysburg Invitational in early September, going 15:02, with Miller in at 14:56. After missing some training because of a basketball injury, McNally was 2nd in the state 1600 in 4:15, and Weller was 2nd in the 3200 with a 9:09. Fast times, but both these runners will be giving chase to Unionville's Paul Springer, who emerged from the lead pack with a 9:01 3200 PR, in a race run virtually alone. Springer, a strong contender to qualify for Foot Locker Nationals, could run away with this race, as a prelude for his nationals bid. A top 5 hopeful, Kyle Dawson, Coatesville, boasts a 9:12 3200 PR, and could be a top 3 contender. And don't be surprised to see two or three of Dawson's teammates pushing in close behind for the US#4 squad. A few top 10 contenders are Bryan Beegle, Gettysburg, who ran a 9:31 this spring; Tyler Jones, Central Bucks West; Scott Van Kooten, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 9:26 this spring; Chris Aldrich, West Chester Henderson, 4:16 this spring; and Rob Speare, Strath Haven, 9:25 this spring. This will be one very fast and competitive race, and anyone hoping for a top 10 finish will have to be in the best shape of the season.
Chris Ferry and Chris Aldrich will lead Henderson (they'll miss graduated
Kevin McGoldrick, but have three others returning from their top 7.
Let's end the discussion right now. The boys of the Ches-Mont league are year-in and year-out, the best teams in the state over the last decade. The only Ches-Mount outsiders to crack the top of the podium during that time are North Allegheny in 1997, Mount Lebanon in 1998 (both District 7); Council Rock North of District 1 in 1999, and Cedar Cliff of District 3, with wins in 2001 and 2004, the latter year when they were a Nike Team Nationals invitee, and a year in which they only topped Coatesville by five points. Consider that West Chester Henderson has won the title three times during that span, in 1996, 2002 and 2003. Coatesville took it all in 2000. And West Chester East ran the perfect race to beat a strong Miller-lead Manheim Township team, Wissahickon, and the pre-race favorites, Coatesville, in 2005. And the wins could have been more for the Ches-Mont powers. Henderson was 2nd in 1997 and 2001. Coatesville was 2nd in 2004 (as mentioned above), 4th in 2002 and 2005, and 6th in 2001. And West Chester East was 6th the year before their breakthrough last year.
Which brings us to 2006. By a consensus vote of coaches across PA, these three Ches-Mont teams were selected as the top three returning teams in the first PTXC Pre-Season Top 10 Ranking. Coatesville is #1, Henderson is #2 and East is #3. Coatesville is so solid with their returning seniors, that they are ranked pre-season #1 in the Northeast Nike Team Nationals poll, and a heady #4 in the US.
But while pleased with the ranking, they are really not impressed. And head coach Keith Andrew says he knows they understand they have won nothing, yet. "They aren't talking about the ranking. That's a good sign. We have a lot of work to do."
The team, to a man, does not think they are due or overdue for a title. Which is why they have worked harder this summer than ever before. They know they have to earn it.
Kyle Dawson leads a strong pack, which
could even post tighter compressions this year than last.
Seniors Kyle and Owen Dawson, Jason Leonard, Tom Pannulla, Sean Ward and Chad Gordon have been together since middle school, except for their soph year when the Dawsons went to Downingtown West). As JV runners in 9th grade, they talked about winning a state championship as a group. In 2004, helped by then-seniors Amin Garnett and Ellis Wilson, they came within those five little points of upsetting NTN-bound Cedar Cliff. A year later, they added re-transfers Kyle Dawson and his fraternal twin Owen, from Downingtown West. (Kyle ran 3rd for the 6th place Coatesville team in 2003.) With those two back on the team in 2004, they would have won. So the outlook, and expectations for their junior XC campaign was looking great. They easily won a very tough District 1 race, and everything looked on course for that long-planned state title.
2006 team captain Kyle Dawson says that while they didn't think they could just show up and win, they may not have had the focus and intensity needed to win that day. "No team can just show-up and win." So this year's varsity seems to be on a mission. Team leader Tom Pannulla says that he's been working toward this season since they lost November 5th, 2005. "Everything we've done since then has been toward this opportunity."
Their 16:44 average on the now-retired course in 2005 was a strong performance, but it left the six juniors hungry for more. The team is intact this year, and in fact, their credentials have apparently impressed the Nike Team Nationals rankings committee, because they are a pre-season #1 in the Northeast, and #4 in the entire US. And because some of the strongest challengers in PA are right in their league, they race each other during the week. They race at Leagues. They basically get to see a lot of each other. Henderson returns 4 of their top 5. They have a frosh who is sub-5. They had strong track outings. And they have been here before. And while defending champs East lost two of their top 5, they know what they have to do to compete. Not just across the state... but across the street.
Should any of these teams falter, look for fellow-District 1 squad Central Bucks South. They return 6, including their top 5. And they will be running to make up for a near-miss at Districts in 2005, missing states by just eight points. Look for a strong representative from District 6 as State College returns to the top of the talent pool. They return their top 6 and are lead by four seniors. The rest of the pre-season Top 10 are strong as well, and there are teams who did not make the list who will be looking to prove a point... they were overlooked. District 1's Strath Haven may be one of those.
Coatesville will stay in PA to race all season. They will go against State College 9/2 at Big Valley, travel to Gettysburg on the 9th, and Carlisle on the 30th, and then home at Steel City on October 7th. With their league, with the level of competition and with their own expectations, they'll have enough to focus on right here in PA. As Pannulla said... "This year, we're not taking anything for granted."
So buckle up, enjoy the ride. This is why we run the races.
The top eight of US#4 Coatesville, (left to right), Drew Mahoney, JR; Kyle Dawson, SR;
Chad Gordon, SR; Tom Pannulla, SR; Owen Dawson, SR; Sean Ward, SR; Jason Leonard, SR; Chris Rosato, SO.
