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| | Northeast Region
Van Cortlandt Park, New York City
Nov. 24, 2007
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Ready When It Counts - Lead Story by SteveU
FootlockerCC.com - Press Release - *FSN will air Foot Locker Finals Monday, Dec. 17. Check your local listings.**
 |  | | Donn Cabral CT goes low and Neely Spence high while breaking the finish tape in their FL NE victories. By Photorun.net |
Ready When It Counts
Despite being 2006 Foot Locker Finalists, neither Donn Cabral CT or Neely Spence PA came into Saturday’s 2007 Foot Locker Northeast Regional at Van Cortlandt Park with particularly thrilling 2007 resumes. Yes, both were unbeaten, but they were a little lacking in either fast times or major invitational wins, or both.
But Cabral and Spence are developing pretty good reputations for arriving at race day in better shape than anyone on the line and ready to rock. And boy, were they ever. For the boys, Cabral laid off Brandon Jarrett’s hot early pace, then made a mid-race move no one could match. As he pounded toward the line, fans began to gasp aloud. He’s going to get the record! Indeed, the Glastonbury senior crossed in a stunning 15:09.6, an all-time FL NE record and just a second off of Josh McDougal’s course record from a NYRRC event.
Meanwhile, Spence defended her title in great style. The Shippensburg PA sr worked up to, then battled with fellow Pennsylvanian Carly Seymour in the woods, then pulled away in the final mile for a 17:37 victory. Only Ari Lambie MA has run as fast in the last 10 years.
Beyond that, there were several themes that played out. Spence wasn’t the only one on the girls side that peaked dramatically at the right time. Bromfield MA sr Emily Jones had suffered a big loss to fellow Mass. star Keely Maguire at Brown, while Mary Kate Champagne’s harrier campaign had not matched up to her being the girl with the best 2M PR in the New York (10:25). But both really rolled Saturday in finishing 2nd and 3rd.
State-wise, it was a great day for Pennsylvania, as three girls (Spence, Seymour 4th, and Kacey Gibson 7th) earned San Diego berths, followed by three boys in runner-up Mark Dennin, Chris Aldrich 5th, and Vince McNally 7th. New York and New Jersey each had five total.
All of the girls consensus favorites, save for Jillian Smith NJ (11th) made the FL NE team, but there were a few more upsets on the boys side. Almost everyone had 2-time NE runner-up Sintayehu Taye MA (20th) and NJ standout Doug Smith (15th) as making the team. Relatively few had Zack Rivers NY (6th) or Andrew Judd CT (10th). Besides Spence, Cabral, and Jones all earning repeat trips to Balboa, Shelby Greany NY (9th) will race there for the 3rd time.
More stories, pix coming
Winners Table - click on event for results, stories and photos | Event | Winners
| Freshman Boys
| Otis Ubriaco NY 16:47 over Shayne Collins MA 17:00, Harold Lamour PA 17:06
| | Freshman Girls | Olivia Tarantino NJ 19:32 over Leah Anne Wirfel PA 19:35, Mary Migton NJ 19:42 | | Sophomore Boys | Joey Jourdain NH 16:16 over Mike Mahoney PA 16:26, Francis Hernandez NH 16:31 | GIRLS SEEDED
| Neely Spence PA, 17:37 over Emily Jones MA 17:41, Mary Kate Champagne NY 17:44
| BOYS SEEDED
| Donn Cabral CT 15:09 FLNE record, Mark Dennin PA 15:24 2nd, Brian Leung NJ 15:25
| Sophomore Girls
| Stephanie Ellis MA 19:19 over Elizabeth Briasco NY 19:26, Olivia Clyde NJ 19:41 | Junior Boys
| Lowell Reeve MA 16:34 over Craig Morgan MD 16:47, Ivo Milic-Strkalj PA 16:51 | | Junior Girls | Sarah Ritchie NY 19:42 over Annie Cekada PA 19:47, Elise Brevet NJ 19:53 | Senior Boys
| Zachary Ball NY 16:41 over Zach Holz MD 16:48, Thomas Iannacone PA 16:51 | Senior Girls
| Alison Lee NY 19:26 over Alyssa Smith NY 19:30, Tricia Rossettie NY 19:39 |
Schedule
| 8:30 a.m. | Walk through | | 9:45 a.m. | Freshman Boys | | 10:10 a.m. | Freshman Girls | | 10:40 a.m. | Sophomore Boys | | 11:10 a.m. | Girls Seeded | | 11:45 a.m. | Boys Seeded | | 12:10 p.m. | Sophomore Girls | | 12:40 p.m. | Junior Boys | | 1:05 p.m. | Junior Girls | | 1:30 p.m. | Senior Boys | | 1:55 p.m. | Senior Girls |
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