2006 Philadelphia Catholic League Boys XC Preview - by Tom Kennedy
Belmont Plateau beckons for the emergence of new stars from the Philadelphia Catholic League in 2006. With the graduation of PCL Individual Champ Greg Thomas of Cardinal O'Hara, along with the top 5 finishers from last fall's league championship, a talented and interesting new group of challengers will grapple for the crown this fall.
In the quest for the always-coveted team title, will LaSalle sear an exclamation point on to their era of PCL distance dominance, or will a challenger upend the Explorer's 4th straight journey to the victor's stand?
Here's a look at the exciting PCL in 2006:
The Individuals To Watch
9:01.27 in the 3,000 meters, finishing in second place behind Neil Klein of Illinois who clocked 8:59.72. In the 1,500 meter national final meters, Wood garnered third place honors in a personal best time of 4:08.47
Phil Wood, LaSalle sophomore, could lead the Explorers
to their 4th consecutive PCL title. Wood won two medals
in August at the AAU Junior Olympic Championships, taking 2nd
in 9:01.27 in the Intermediate 3000, and 3rd with a 4:04.47 in the 1500.
(Photo by Mary Ellen Malloy, Three Amigos TC and Bensalem HS coach)
Phil Wood (LaSalle) ~ This kid could be the Philadelphia Catholic League's next big-time distance runner. Only a sophomore, Wood constantly turned heads last year throughout his freshman indoor and outdoor track campaigns. Wood doubled 4:25.60 FAT (Mile) and 9:55.83 FAT (3200) at the Outdoor PCL Champs last spring. Showing poise in all big races, Wood placed 6th in the Freshman Mile at the Nike Indoor Nationals in Landover, Maryland, running 4:31 on the flat track. While his Belmont time of 2005 (16:56) is only 4th among returning PCL runners and his 2005 PCL XC Champs finish (22nd) ranks 7th, the track seasons seem to indicate that Wood could be the man to beat this November. When the gun goes off, he exudes poise and racing wisdom beyond his years. At the very least, he's a contender for the PCL Individual XC Crown in '06, but PCL fans could be looking at one of the league's best ever distance runners here by the time he's completed his career.
Dan Lowry (LaSalle) ~ The steady, team player enters his junior XC season as the top returnee by place from last year's championship (6th) and the 3rd fastest returnee by time (16:53). Lowry has decent track credentials (10:02, 4:36 and 2:02), but seems more at home on the hill and dale of Belmont. Lowry is another solid LaSalle performer, who could take a shot at the tape come championship day.
Andrew Buemi (O'Hara) ~ Despite two major injuries during XC seasons, Buemi is a 4-year varsity man for the Lions. This year, O'Hara is looking for him to knock heads with the top PCL runners. Buemi is returnee #2 on Belmont time (16:39) and returnee# 3 on place from last year's championship (11th in '05). The Lion ran 9:54 for 3200 and 4:35.8 for the Mile last spring. The top freshman finisher in the varsity championship race of '03 (26th), Buemi sat out the '04 race with a bad hip injury. Buemi has an excellent shot to challenge for the title in '06.
Andrew Golato (Bonner) ~ The Bonner junior is the fastest returnee on Belmont's 5K course from the 2005 season, posting a 16:38.89 FAT for a 3rd place finish at the Southern Division race. Despite having an off day in the Championship race in '05 (25th, returnee #11), Golato was an impressive 15th in 2004 as a freshman. Adding to that experience is an important coaching change for Golato and the Friars. While well managed by prior coach Nick Constantino, Bonner is under the direction of Archbishop Prendergast Coach Anthony Carr this fall. While at Prendie, Coach Carr has guided some of the PCL's most outstanding female distance performers, like Sheila Klick, and just last fall, he tutored PCL XC Girls Champ Colleen Boland. A combination of Golato's talent and varsity experience along with the new coaching outlook could get him that much closer to a win in the championship in '06.
Tim Heck (LaSalle) ~ A big-time player for the LaSalle distance machine for 4 years, Heck enters his senior year, after running 16:56 at Belmont for two consecutive years at LaSalle. Heck decisively won the PCL Frosh race in 2003, finished 6th in 2004, but was off in the 2005 championship, placing 26th (returnee #12 on place, tied for 3rd on time). Most of Heck's best races on the track have come on relays, so he has flown slightly under the radar on lists of individual PCL oval performers. Do not be surprised if come November 5th, this is the man you see flying out of the woods of Belmont Plateau in first place.
Kevin Rane (Wood) ~ The surprise performer of the 2005 PCL XC Championship, the Viking is returnee #2 on place (10th in '05) and returnee #7 on Belmont time (17:01). Rane may find his team in contention for major honors come November 5th and if they are, they will need him to be near the front of the pack.
Steve Dorsey (LaSalle) ~ Placed 14th in 2005 and ran 17:00 during the regular season (returnee #4 on place, #6 on time). Dorsey ran 9:58 for 3200 Meters last spring. Another solid LaSalle performer that makes them a potentially championship team.
Jim Shields, Mark Springel, Tom Iannacone (St. Joe's Prep) ~ These 3 Hawklets quietly had their moments in last year's XC and track seasons and give St. Joe's great hopes of team title contention in 2006. A senior and two juniors, they represent returnees #'s 5, 6 and 8 on 2005 Championship place (20th, 21st, and 23rd), respectively. Junior Iannacone, was the fastest of the three on Belmont and on the track last year, posting a 17:07 and a 4:34.34 FAT Mile at the PCL Outdoor Track Championships last spring. Iannacone also proved to be clutch in the indoor and outdoor league championships, medalling both times in the Mile, despite being seeded outside the top 6. Shields, the senior, who ran 17:14 at Belmont last year (returnee #9 on Belmont time), has good varsity experience, placing well in the last two PCL XC championships. Springel, a junior, is returnee #13 on Belmont time, running 17:24. If the Prep starts their championship day with three guys in the top 10, they could make a run at the title.
Dan Lowry is the top returner from the 2005 champs, finishing 6th.
(Photo by Don Rich, PennTrackXC.com)
Ed Buck (O'Hara) and Brian Kealey (Wood) ~ Both had shining moments in track last spring. Both had off days at the XC Championships last fall. Both have teammates expecting them to be PCL front-packers this fall. Both play a huge role in their team's success for the 2006 XC season. Ed Buck, a junior, became known to the PCL in the spring after his 1:56 800 meter leg propelled a Greg Thomas-less O'Hara 4 x 800 relay into the Championships of America at Penn Relays. Buck returned to split 1:56 in the COA final and later split 1:55.4 in the DMR at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. A 4:27 miler, Buck ran 17:15 on Belmont last fall. A sophomore, Kealey ran 1:58.2 for the open 800 last spring and placed 5th in a contentious PCL Outdoor 800 final after running the 4 x 800 relay. As a freshman, Kealey also miled in 4:36. If these two can figure out how to use their considerable talents correctly on Belmont, they could both be individual championship contenders.
Terrance Muldoon (Wood) ~ The junior is returnee #9 on place (34th in '05) and returnee #15 on time (17:30). A steady XC performer, Muldoon is essential to Wood's team success.
Colin Barrett, Ed Bonnevie, George Pinchock (LaSalle) ~ The LaSalle coaching staff will be looking at these seniors to round out their varsity attack. Barrett handily won the PCL Boys JV XC race last year by 40 seconds before launching an impressive track campaign. Barrett has good track range (1:59, 4:36 and 10:07) and is returnee #18 on time. His JV win last November would have put him returnee #10, by place, among varsity participants. If Barrett catches fire this fall, LaSalle could tear through most of the teams in PA. Bonnevie is one of LaSalle's most experienced XC runners, placing 2nd in the 2003 PCL Frosh race and following it up with two top 40 finishes his sophomore and junior years. Bonnevie ran 17:21 on Belmont last fall, the 12th fastest among all returnees. Pinchock has broken 10:00 in the 3200 in the last two consecutive years.
Mike Maerz and Ryan McMonigle (Carroll) ~ Maerz, a junior, is returnee #14 by time and place. Senior McMonigle missed last fall with an injury, however placed 20th his sophomore year, when Carroll took second to LaSalle. The Patriots will need these guys up near the front if they expect to contend.
Greg Wommer and Tim Reilly (Ryan) ~ 10:03 and 10:05 3200 Meter guys, respectively, last spring, these two give PCL Hall of Fame coach, Ed Ulmer, Jr., a potent one-two punch. Wommer, a junior, is returnee #13 on place (27th in '05) and returnee #21 on time. Reilly, a senior, is returnee #20 on place (37th in '05). Ryan hopes these two can build into First Team All Catholic XC performers after positive spring seasons.
Geoff Benefield (Roman) ~ The junior will be expected to lead the pack attack of the Cahilites from Roman Catholic. Placing 36th in '04 and 30th in '05, Benefield is returnee #16 by time (17:31) and place. Roman has always had a solid pack, but has lacked the front man since the graduation of Mark Burgmann is 2004. When Burgmann finished 3rd, the team responded with its highest finish in years. The Cahilites want Benefield to lead the same kind of charge.
John Watts (O'Hara) ~ Returnee #17 on Belmont time (17:32) and 2005 champs place (33rd), Watts was O'Hara's 5th man in their victory at the Delaware County Championships and their 2nd place finish at Steel City last fall. The Lions will need Watts moving way up if they expect to contend for a team title.
Billy Hamill (Conwell-Egan) The senior was 35th in '05, returnee #19 by place.
Tim Aulett (Wood) ~ Returnee #20 on Belmont time and returnee #21 on place (38th in '05), senior Aulett is an important member of a threatening Wood squad.
Joe DiEmidio and Joe Sacchetti (O'Hara) ~ If O'Hara is to take a shot at the team title, they'll have to fall back on a largely sophomore line-up. DiEmidio was 34th in '05 (returnee #18 on place) and PR'd at 17:35 on Belmont (returnee #19 on time). Sacchetti won the PCL Frosh race in 2005.
Teams to Watch
Here were the top 10 team finishes in 2005:
1.) LaSalle (35), 2.) O'Hara (56), 3. Bonner (74), 4. St. Joe's Prep (98), 5.) Carroll (116), 6.) Wood (168), 7. Roman (195), 8.) Judge (218), 9.) Ryan (257) 10.) Con-Egan (332)
LaSalle ~ Firmly established in their most successful era of PCL XC competition, LaSalle currently stands as the dominant distance school in the Philadelphia Catholic League ~ on the oval and over hill and dale. This fall, LaSalle toes the line with 7 runners who have done one of the following: 1.) run under 17:00 at Belmont, 2.) run under 10:00 for 3200, or run under 2:00 for 800 Meters. Many have done all three. Over the past few years, the boys in gold have constructed a new prototype of a LaSalle runner: good track range from 800 to 3200 meters, consistent XC racing that lasts a full fall season, and a relentless pack attack whose members constantly change order, but are rarely far from each other at the finish line. Fans of the Philadelphia Catholic League believe LaSalle stacks up well against the top teams in PA and the region. Look for them to be their strongest down the final stretch of the fall. LaSalle looks like the firm favorite in the Philadelphia Catholic League, without reservation. Lowry, Wood, Heck, Dorsey, Barrett, Bonnevie, and Pinchock should be the main guys on this squad. How good can they be this fall? WOW!
Cardinal O'Hara ~ Since 2000, the Lions have finished 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 2nd in PCL Championship XC. Last fall, O'Hara flew through the early part of their season, receiving a regional nod from the Nike Team Nationals Ranking. But, they sputtered near the end of the season and were beaten soundly by LaSalle twice down the homestretch of the fall. Cardinal O'Hara lost 5 of their top 7 to graduation, including league champ Thomas and two other First Team All Catholics. O'Hara will have to rely on a largely sophomore line-up this year. The Lions look for Buemi and Buck to battle the top runners in the league, while Watts, DiEmidio, Sacchetti, along with sophomores Mike Destefano and Brian Welsh, look to infiltrate the elusive LaSalle pack. The Lions have both the potential to be a great O'Hara squad or a lousy O'Hara squad.
St. Joe's Prep ~ Coach Curt Cockenberg has to like what he has in Iannacone, Shields and Springel. If they can produce top 10 finishes on Championship Day, the Hawklets have never had problems finding solid pack runners in their rather large midst. The potential is there for St. Joe's Prep to shock the entire league with a 1st or 2nd place finish at Champs.
Archbishop Wood ~ The Vikings should make the league's biggest leap this year in XC. That being said, the potential also exists on this team for them to take a run at LaSalle and the rest of the PCL. Wood needs front running performances by Rane and Kealey, along with solid finishes from Muldoon, Aulett, as well as seniors Andrew Borkowski, Phil Marlin, and Junior Kyle Schwab.
Roman Catholic ~ The Cahilities need two things for a successful season: Benefield near the front and their trademark purple pack closely behind. Look for Tom Dolan, Sean Monaghan, Sean Angiolillo and Patrick Baumgardner to fuel Roman back into the top 5.
Monsignor Bonner ~ The Friar lose 5 of their top 7 to graduation. So what do they have going for them? Excellent coaching, the pride of their tradition, the front running Golato, sophomore Brett Shepherd, as well as seniors Peter Dierkes and Marty Farrell should hold Bonner in the hunt.
Archbishop Carroll ~ The Patriots will scratch and claw to stay in the top 5. Their best hopes lie in Maerz, McMonigle, Senior Ben Roy, and Junior Brendan Sharp.
Archbishop Ryan ~ Coach Ed Ulmer, Jr., has the one-two punch in Wommer and Reilly. If there are decent runners backing these guys up, Ryan could be making a big jump up this fall.