Preview

Nicole Blood and a big pack of boys

by John Dye

Boys - Girls

Girls

Nicole Blood is undefeated this year and on a mission. Last year had some disappointing elements. She came into this regional last year as a favorite and lost to Ari Lambie while less than 100 percent healthy. Then she had to sit out the adidas Outdoor Championships in Raleigh in June because of the first injury of her career.

After winning Great American ROC, she said the injury made her realize how lucky she was to be able to run. "It's healed now, and I'm back to where I was or even better." That is bad news for opponents. Blood went on to lead Saratoga to another New York Federation championship and US#1 ranking in The Harrier. And she is only a sophomore. She appears headed for a showdown in San Diego with another short, compact running machine named Zoe Nelson, defending national champion and also unbeaten this year.

See DyeStat's Northeast Favorites for details.

Boys

In contrast to the girls, the boys race is wide open, with at least 20 runners legitimate contenders to qualify for nationals. This is not an NFL parity of mediocrity situation either. Most of the runners should also contend at nationals if they make it. The Northeast boys appear to have the strongest group in years.

You start the analysis with six returning national finalists, and they might not all make it back to San Diego, some because of nagging injuries: Hakon Devries NY, Ian Gottesfeld PA, Victor Gras MA, Ahmed Haji CT, Ben True ME, and Kevin Tschirhart NY.

Then you add this year's record setters: home schooled Josh McDougal NY, who won the New York Road Runners Club 5k in 15:08, fastest ever at Van Cortlandt Park by a HS runner and far faster than recent Northeast regional winners; Mohamed Khadraoui, who won the New Jersey all-group Meet of Champions in the second fastest time ever on the very tough Holmdel Park course; and Victor Gras, who won the 31st Manhattan Invitational in meet record time and third fastest ever on the historic 2.5 mile course at Van Cortlandt Park.

Finally, you have top runners taking turns beating each other. Who is best in New England? Gavin Coombs, a 4:10 miler last year, ran the region's fastest 5k (15:02) and beat 2002 Foot Locker finalist Ahmed Haji in the Connecticut Open championship. Then, a week later, Haji wins the New England Championships over Maine's Ben True, a 2002 finalist (9th at San Diego) who was looming as best in the Northeast, and Coombs. Gras was not in the New England as he was busy winning the Massachusetts All-Class state meet at Northfield Mountain.

Put the names in a hat and draw -- you might have the winner. Last year's regional had a gang finish down the long finish chute along Broadway, with the top seven runners finishing within 7 seconds. This year should be just as close.

See DyeStat's Northeast Favorites for details.

Pennsylvania Preview

by Don Rich
www.penntrackxc.com

More than 30 PA State Medalists lead a
contingent of 261 Pennsylvanians to Van
Cortlandt Park this Saturday to test themselves
against the best the Northeast has to offer in the
Foot Locker Regional Championships. There
are ten races, including two class races for both
boys and girls, plus the featured Seeded races,
with the top eight gaining a trip to San Diego in
two weeks to run at Foot Locker Nationals.

PA's top runners represent one of the strongest
groups ever from the Keystone State. The same
can be saiid for the entire Northeast Region.
Headlining the girls are AAA State Champ
Frances Koons of Allentown Central Catholic,
AA State Champ Adriene Beltz, Hamburg,
Elizabeth Kearins of CB West (3rd in AAA), and
Kate Papenberg, Red Lion, who finished just six
spots from the top eight last year.

The PA boys are led by Ian Gottesfeld,
Henderson (02 Foot Locker Finalist, 02 AAA
Champs, 03 Runner-up), Steve Hallinan,
Cardinal O'Hara (3-time PCL Champ, Belmont
CR-holder, 4th at Mid-East Regionals), Chris
Spooner, Lewisburg, (02 AA Champ, 03
Runner-up, 3rd at Mid-East), David Mock,
Westmont Hilltop (02 AA State Champ, 9th @
Mid-East), James O'Toole, Mount Lebanon
(Slippery Rock CR-holder, 13th @ Mid-East), Ian
Fitzgerald, North Hills, 3rd in AAA @ States),
Brian Fuller, Cumberland Valley (the only PA
runner to beat AAA State Champ Craig Miller this
season), Jed Christiansen, Greenville, (3rd in
AA @ States), Brian Soder, Harbor Creek, and
Greg Williams, Henderson, who finished 2nd in
a seeded race at Great American, beating
Gottesfeld, and joined Hallinan and Gottesfeld
in breaking Chris Dugan's Belmont CR in
September.

No doubt about it, this is a great PA senior
class. As a fan, you have to be happy that the
Northeast is just as deep this season. As a
Pennsylvanian, it's going to be a nail-biter. But
most of the members of our group this year
have focused on this race from the beginning.
Gottesfeld, Williams and Fitzgerald skipped the
Mid-East Regionals for various reasons. Others
felt they needed a race. Both paths have proven
successful in the past, and this class should
have at least two who survive the hills of Van
Cortlandt for a trip to San Diego.

Noticably absent from this group are
sophomore and AAA State Champ Craig Miller.
He and his twin Brad are multi-sport talents,
and are playing in a basketball tournament this
weekend. Experience is important on this
course, but both have two years to show their
running talent to the rest of the country. St.
Hubert's Amy Kelly won't be racing. She would
have been in contention. And Indiana's Marissa
Umbel, a junior who was second to Koons at
States in the AAA race, is also a basketball
player. Hopefully we'll see the talented
underclassmen in the years to come. Others
who could have cracked the top eight with a
perfect race, who are not running, include
Palisades' Christa Plummer, Uniontown's Katie
Thaeder. Forest Hills' Jake Strayer (a wrestler),
McGuffey junior Jeff Weiss, and Connellsville
junior Ken King.

No predictions this year. But I know that each of
the PA athletes who will race this Saturday will
leave nothing on the course. You can't ask for
anything more. And you should expect to see a
few punch their tickets to California.

Foot Locker Northeast region

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is published by
John Dye
Baltimore MD

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