11/10 Mid-Atlantic AAU Championships, Philadelphia
RESULTS POSTED
11/10 NCAA Division I Mid Atlantic Region, Lehigh University
RESULTS POSTED
11/10 NCAA Division III Mideast Region, Lehigh University
RESULTS POSTED
11/10 Pennsylvania XC Challenge, Pittsburgh
RESULTS NOT AVAILABLE
11/11 New York Road Runners Club XC Champs, Van Cortlandt Park, NYC
RESULTS POSTED
In her annual tune-up to the Northeast Foot Locker regionals set for Nov 24th, Shippensburg senior Neely Spence ran a very quick 17:19 in the New York Road Runners XC Championships on the 5K course at Van Cortlandt Park in New York - the 4th best all-time. Boiling Springs senior Kara Millhouse ran her best time ever on the course, showing she is ready for the regionals, going 18:47 to finish as the second woman. New Oxford junior Jordan Jenkins went 19:12. Spence's 8th grade twin sisters, Reynah and Margeaux ran 21:07 and 21:04, respectively. Shippensburg sophomore Jessi Howard, in her first trip to the course, ran 23:17.
Spence said she went out in 5:28 and that she was pretty happy with the race, considering it was in a week with nine runs, and that it was the first time she had "run hard the whole way this year." For perspective, she won the Northeast Regional last year in a time of 17:41.1.
Also in New York was the Germantown Friends team, who are tuning up for the NTN North East Regional, also on the 24th. Max Kaulbach - in a 'if I were to run Foot Lockers mode' - went 15:43. Jake McKenzie was in at 16:05, Isaac Ortiz at 16:24 and Gus McKenzie at 16:35.
The Cumberland Valley Athletic Club team:
Top L to R: Neely Spence, Kara Millhouse, Jori Jenkins
Bottom: Reynah Spence, Margeaux Spence, Jessi Howard
Photo courtesy Neely Spence
11/17 Mid-East Regional Championships Kettering, OH
RESULTS POSTED
Photo gallery by Liz Bollens of 2007 Mideast Regional in Ohio
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Race report courtesy of MileSplit National Editor Scott Bush: Pennsylvania finished fourth in both the girls and boys races at the annual Mid-East Regional Champs 11/17 in Kettering, Ohio. Boyertown's Mark Dennin was the lead PA guy in third place. He ran an unofficial time of 15:22.
Mark Dennin is 3rd, top PA harrier at Mideast in OH - photo by Liz Bollens
Mike Fout of Indiana outkicked Maverick Darling in the final 400 beating him 14:59-15:05, both times beating the course record of 15:08. Nazareth Academy's Megan Lutz led the girls in 10th in 18:38. Claire Durkin of Ohio crushed the field by 40 seconds in 17:24, which broke the course record by 11 seconds. Also scoring for PA were Dan Lowry, LaSalle, Zack Montijo, North Penn, and North Allegheny's Matt Jacob and Justin Taylor. Joining Lutz in PA's top five were Steph Fulmer, St. Pius, Meg Ecker, Penn Manor, Sarah Simonetti, Pennridge, and Fox Chapel's Rachel Humphrey.
MID-EAST REGIONAL PREVIEW BY SCOTT BUSH, MILESPLIT.US NATIONAL EDITOR
Since 1987 the Mid-East Cross Country Championships have brought together states in the Mid-East to match-up their top senior runners against one another. This year six states compete in the field. Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania are bringing some of their best to earn regional bragging rights.
Megan Lutz is 10th for PA at Mideast - Photo by Liz Bollens
Mid-East Cross Country Championships Meet Preview
Date: November 17, 2007
Location: Kittering, Ohio
Boys
Seven state champions and a wealth of deep talent collide in Kettering, Ohio Saturday. The strength of this year's field compares to other years up top, but the depth is amazing. Indiana enters the competition as the strong favorite, bringing ten of their top fourteen from their state meet, led by state champion Mike Fout (LaPorte). The success of Fout's season ranks him among the greatest of all time in Indiana. Third place finisher Anthony Witt (Shakamak) and fourth placer Zach Gates (Hamilton Southeastern) follow Fout up front.
Indiana's depth shines but Michigan's front runners are the strongest through three. State champion and Michigan Mr. Cross Country Maverick Darling (Ovid-Elsie) provides Fout a strong challenge, as Darling easily proved he is the best in Michigan this season. The Division II champion Addis Habtewold (St. Clair) and DII runner-up Bobby Aprill (Dexter) exhibit Foot Locker level talent, backing up Darling to give Michigan the best 1-2-3 combination in the race.
While Michigan and Indiana battle for the team title, Illinois' talent is nothing to look past. Fourth place AAA finisher Mat Smoody (Palatine) leads the way, having a shot to run with Fout and Darling. Behind Smoody comes Nathan Troester (Lincoln-Way East) and Rich Eber (Brother Rice). Both Troester and Eber finished in the top ten at the Illinois State Meet, both showing their strength in numerous races all season long. Illinois misses their top three seniors, as Chris Derrick (Neuqua Valley), Kevin Havel (Hersey) and Tom Achtein (York) decided to skip the competition.
Ohio shows two state champions at the front of their pack. AA winner Cory Leslie (Sandusky Perkins) and AAA winner Walt Luttrell (Dayton Christian) lead the way for the squad, while third place A finisher Dave Rafailedes (Massillon Jackson) and AAA second placer John Luttrell (Dayton Christian) give the squad some depth.
Showing similar team strength as Ohio is Pennsylvania. Their squad follows the lead of 3A state champion Mark Dennin (Boyertown), who's victory two weeks ago came as a surprise, but gives him all the confidence that he can run with the best. North Penn's Zach Montijo finishing sixth in the 3A race, helping his team to the state title, while Tyler Jones (Central Bucks West) finished fourth in the 3A race and should place in the top three for Pennsylvania Saturday.
Kentucky meanwhile, while not showing the same depth as other states, does show a few front runners that should compete. State AA champion Willie Polio (Owensboro Catholic) and third place AAA finisher Eddie Griffin (Fern Creek) give Kentucky two runners that can run with other states' top runners. If their pack can step it up a notch the state may be able to beat a state or two.
Girls
Just like the boys race, the team to beat is Indiana. With five of their top nine state meet finishers running in the competition, their front running power is stronger than any other state and their depth matches all. Led by state champion and Foot Locker finalist Alex Banfich (Culver Acadamies), third place finisher Lorna Whaley (Avon) and fourth place finisher Maggie Bingham (Westfield), Indiana holds the best 1-3 combination on the day.
Behind Indiana are Illinois and Ohio. Illinois' roster hosts three strong front runners in Foot Locker contender Caitlin Comfort (Peoria Notre Dame), class A state champion Olivia Klaus (Eureka) and eleventh place AAA finisher Colleen Standridge (Palatine). Those three give Illinois a strong chance of a top three finish, while their chase pack easily has the talent to step up and beat Indiana's.
Claire Durkin (Worthington Kilbourne) leads the way for Ohio. Durkin won the class A title this year, while also establishing herself as a definite Foot Locker contender. In the past two weeks her performances pushed her into the MileSplit Foot Locker National Power Rankings. Durkin and Banfich could put on quite a show for spectators Saturday. Behind Durkin come Emily Pritt (Massillon Jackson) and Erika Alpeter (Hilliard Davidson). The two finished fourth and fifth respectively in class A, and give Ohio a shot at winning the team title.
The perenially strong Michigan team is once again set to compete. Sloan Secord (Gaylord) leads the way after earning the Michigan Miss Cross Country award, and earning the DII individual championship. Tiffany Abrahaman (Rochester) is another runner on Michigan's roster to front run after she improved her stock by finishing fifth in the DI race at state.
Pennsylvania and Kentucky follow the other four states in terms of strong front running ability. Pennsylvania's top runner is Meghan Lutz (Nazareth) who finished a strong fifth in the 3A race at state, while Meg Eaker (Penn Manor) finished tenth. Kentucky's leader Rebecca Shelton (Model) finished fourth at the Kentucky State Championships.
11/17 Jesuit Schools Championship, Van Cortlandt Park, NYC
FLASH RESULTS POSTED (courtesy of Saint Joseph's Prep coach Curtis Cockenberg)
The Girard Avenue Hawks won the Jesuits Schools Champs with 21 points beating teams from McQuade (Rochester, NY), Loyola(MD) Gonzaga (DC) Xavier (NYC) Regis (NYC) Fordham Prep (NYC).
1. MARK SPRINGEL 13:14
2. TOM IANNACONE 13:19
3. JOHN PICKHAVER 13:25
5. JOHN CASTILLO 13:56
10. T DOUGHERTY 14:11
11. MIKE WOLFF 14:13
FRANK DOUGHERTY 14:41 (returning from stress fracture)
11/17 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
RESULTS POSTED
On Nov 17, three PA schools finished in the top ten at the NCAA Division III Championships, with Haverford 2nd, Allegheny 7th and Carnegie Mellon 9th. The Dickinson College women were the top PA team, finishing 13th.
11/17 NCAA Divison II Cross Country Championships, Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO
RESULTS POSTED
Slippery Rock was the top PA team in the men's race at 9th, while Bloomsburg was 15th in the women's race.