2 minutes and 57 seconds is a scoring compression that many cross country teams would be proud to own. Even without a front-runner, it's not bad.
But most boys' teams set a goal of getting as far under a minute compression as possible, with at least one runner at the front of the race. That makes for a strong, winning team.
North Allegheny has a team compression of 2:57. But not in the way you think.
2:57 is the TOTAL of the compression for the scoring five at six major invitationals this season - Red, White & Blue, Carlisle, Tri-States, WPIAL's (District 7), PIAA States, and NXN Northeast Regionals. In each race, they never went over 42 seconds. And they even boasted a low of 15 seconds in one. Pretty impressive stuff. And with a fearless sophomore running at the front, leading four seniors and two juniors, it is a formidable lineup.
Not many expected North Allegheny to make the trip to NXN Northeast Regionals after their second straight disappointing 3rd place finish at the state meet on November 1st. A favorite coming into the race after they had defeated the defending champs North Penn by a lot at Carlisle, along with several other ranked teams; North Allegheny was hurt by an uncharacteristic slow start that made passing difficult on the hills of Hershey - along with the loss of a shoe at the mile by one of their top three runners.
Even with that, they only missed the podium by a point.
The team was pretty inconsolable after the race. Somewhat in disbelief. And a lot upset - at themselves.
But this team wasn't about to slink back to western Pennsylvania, hoping for better races in track, and waiting for another group to come along to replace departing seniors.
Head coach Jim LeDonne knew the team was hurting. He knew they were angry. But he also sensed that they were different that a lot of teams. They seemed to want to take a crack at redemption. Not to beat any particular team. Not even to qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals. He knew they wanted to prove to themselves and everyone else, that the team that finished third in PA, was not who they were.
Still, he proceeded with caution.
"I sent them on a run the day after, and told them to let me know what they were thinking when they came back. They came back as headstrong as ever."
So LeDonne gave them another hurdle to go over before making any commitments. He gave them the workouts they would be doing over the ensuing four weeks. Tougher workouts than they had done during the season. He told them to take the workouts home, think about it, talk about it with their parents, and to get back to him on their decision. And he told them he didn't want anyone deciding it was too much two weeks into the process.
"They didn't change their decision. They were all in. And not just for another race, but to compete at the best of their ability."
LeDonne immediately bumped their mileage back to 55 miles a week. He and every other coach on the team volunteered their time to meet the team at North Park. The coaches laid out an uphill course of 1.2 miles with three hills, designed to simulate the opening half of the NXN course at Wappinger Falls. "I knew if they did not get out with the other top teams, they would not be able to come back on the downhill portion."
The workouts consisted of 1,000's on pace and hill circuits. They'd run the 1.2 mile hill 'hot' and recover on a 3/4 mile flats.
Ten days before the race, LeDonne knew it was important to keep them race-sharp, so he put on a 1.5 mile race simulating the uphill race conditions as much as possible.
There were no complaints. No injuries. Athletes and coaches and parents were completely on board.
LeDonne knew he had a special group. "they enjoy each other. They do everything together. I have never had a group quite like them."
The lead guy is a diminutive sophomore named Ryan Gil. LeDonne says he has improved his cross country times by over a minute from very impressive freshman times. And Gil has led the team since mid-September when he emerged as #1. LeDonne says he was more worried about Gil than any of this other runners, simply because he is younger and not yet as strong as the older guys. But those worries were soon put to rest during the workouts and the subsequent race in New York. "Ryan has gotten his second wind. And that's just one reason the guy's have tremendous respect for him. He's quiet, but he does not care who is out there to race."
LeDonne's captains are Chase Broussard, Will Appman and Patrick Morgan.
LeDonne describes Broussard as the team's mood lightener. "He has the sense of humor and keeps everyone loose."
Appman is the stat man, say LeDonne. "He knows every team. every time, every course. He even knows how far apart every hay bail will be in Portland."
But LeDonne says that Morgan is the "guts" of the team. "He's not the first guy, but when Chase lost his shoe at States, he knew he was not losing too much ground because he was keeping Pat in sight."
As for the tight team compression, LeDonne has a simple explanation. "They all chase Ryan, and then Pat is the magnet."
The team would need all of that incredible tight compression for the NXN Regional. And the training on a 1.2 mile uphill start didn't hurt either.
"The boys got out. And so did those New Jersey teams."
Halfway through the race, the top three teams were set in place, with North Allegheny third. No one would crack that top three in the closing 1.5 miles. Only Danbury CT moved up into 4th.
North Allegheny improved their position from the halfway point to the finish, and ended 12 points out of first, and eight out of second. They had been 32 out of first and 22 out of second at the halfway point. "Will improved over the 2nd half. Chase and Ryan did their usual, and Eric held his own. Patrick was Patrick."
The team had to wait a day to learn they had received an at-large bid to NXN. Beating US#10 Danbury, who already had four NXN points, was a critical factor
LeDonna says he was told they would know one way or the other on Sunday at noon. "Noon came and went. No news. And the kids and 70 of their friends were waiting at Madison's Pizza on Babcock Blvd for news. When I did walk in, they knew."
LeDonne, as experienced with pizza places as he is with cross country, got out of there before the bill came. But he left behind a great celebration.
"They weren't in awe of anyone in New York," says LeDonne. "There is nothing more motivating than a cause. And they showed that."
So it's off to Portland. But not before LeDonne and the North Allegheny coaches did some more prep work. "They practiced on hay bales this week. But we haven't watered the course. Yet."
The Final k: Features stories from the 2008 PA Cross Country season by PennTrackXC
The team:
(not a caption)
Ryan Gil SO
Chase Broussard SR
Patrick Morgan SR
Will Appman SR
Eric Balaban JR
Matt Robertson SR
Jay Cadwallader JR
Adam Jacob SR