Preview
Boys: Brian
Sullivan is lone returning national qualifier but he may
not be best in region.
Girls: Jenny Barringer stands out
by Ricky Quintana
Boys - Girls
Boys
Brian Sullivan (TX) is the lone Footlocker National
qualifier from last year which leaves the race wide open to 36 + possible
high school boys. The competition could be as fast and close as 2001
which saw all eight qualifiers running under 15:00 minutes and separated
by 14 seconds. At the moment, Texas' best is not Sullivan, though, but
Scott MacPherson of Plano . MacPherson turned back Sullivan at the
Texas 5A state champs with his 14 second victory, 15:06. His time was
the best of the day.
In head to head competition, junior Tennessean Andrew
Bumbalough, placed best at the Great American Cross Country
Festival in Cary, NC against several south regional contenders and
nation's best runners. Bumbalough's 15:36 was good enough for second
in the seeded invitational as he beat Jake Morse(TX, 6 th ) Andy Biladeau(FL,
8 th ) Charlie Dickhaus(GA,9 th ), Erick Mack(NC, 10 th , Erik Stanley(TX,
11 th ), Ryan Curran(NC, 12 th ), and Nick Hutchins(NC, 13 th ).
More info on the other contenders for the top eight spots:
Eduardo
Arguello (FL): Arguello defeated all at the flrunners.com
IV pre state meet with his 15:18 in October, but has been rumored to
have shut down after his 15:42 at the 2A state champs. If he does compete
and earns a spot, that will be the second for Miami Belen Jesuit (Eddie
Acosta was the first, 1998).
Andy Biladeau (FL): Biladeau posted a 9:13.1
in a 3200m postal in Miami and then went on to win the 2A state title
with the best time of the day, 15:21. Last year, health problems,
diagnosed after the xc season, caused sub par performances at the tail
end of the season. Those seem to be behind him now.
John Compton (NC):
The senior placed 2 nd to Torres at the NCISAA 3A state meet, 15:35,
and posted a post season 9:28.74 at the Cardinal Gibbons postal on
Nov. 15. Very fit.
Ryan Curran (NC): He placed 2 nd in the 4A state champs
with a 16:07 after posting a season best of 15:34. Very good, 9:22.05
for 3200m last year. Former teammate of 2002 Footlocker National 5
th placer, Matt Debole, who will be in attendance Saturday.
Charlie Dickhaus (GA):
The senior ran gamely in the seeded race at the Great American Cross
Country Festival to finish 9 th . He was overpowered by Ryley Miller
at the 5A GA state champs. He has 4:19.36, 1600m(2 nd place), and 9:23.28,
3200m(1st) from last year state champs.
Scott Gemberling (WV): He finished
third behind the Simpson twins(Justin was the Footlocker national qualifier)at
last year's state champs, but ran to victory this year. He has a modest
best of 15:50 from that meet, but at the state track meet last spring,
he posted a 4:19.36(1 st ),9:23.28(1 st ) and 2:00.23(3 rd ) triple.
David Groff (VA): The senior has come a long way since
last year's listed PR's of 4:30.56 and 10:00.52. He posted a 9:21 for
3200m on Nov. 15 at VMI. His best is also a modest 15:50 which placed
him 2 nd in the VA state open race.
Nick Hutchins (NC): Ran 15:12 early
on in the season on the McAlpine course. Won the 4A state champs and
followed that with a 9:18.62 3200m time trial on Nov. 15. Knowing the
course very well could be a huge advantage for the senior.
Greg Lackey (TX):
The 3A state champ posted the fastest time in Texas , 15:00. His time
at state was 15:54.
Leonel Manzano (TX) : He won his third 4A state champs
in 15:28.1. He has great range 800m, 1:51.54, 1600m, 4:06.29, and 3200m,
9:07.18. The Texas signee could earn a berth, if he decides to compete
this year.
Alex Miletich (FL): The senior won the 3A state champs
with a deft kick. His 15:24 was his best. He also has good speed; 4:17.08,
1600m, and 9:23.19, 3200m.
Kyle Miller (TX): the senior posted a 15:16
this season, but finished well off that at state;16:08.4. He will need
to regain his form and with his 4:10.56/9:13.22, he can't be discounted.
Ryley Miller (GA): The 5A state champ powered to a
15:37 on the tough state course. Another darkhorse.
Jeff Masterson (FL):
Masterson will have to pull another big race from his hat to have a
chance. He posted a 9:21.64 on Nov.22 and led the 3A state champs for
two miles before tiring.
Jake Morse (TX): Another Texas signee who placed
well at Great American. He ran a sub par effort at state to finish
13 th , 15:51 in 5A. He has the speed, 4:14.59,9:17.60, 3200m to make
the top eight.
Alejandro Ruiz (TX): A newcomer on the scene, Ruiz,
posted the third fastest time of the day with his 15:22; a whopping 32
second margin.
Bryan Sharkey (FL): Sharkey ran personal best of 15:20
at the flrunners.com IV prestate meet to place 2 nd . At the 2A state
champs, he finished 2 nd to Biladeau in 15:29 after battling a cold
the week prior.
Erik Stanley (TX): With his speed, 4:05.27 for the
mile, Stanley has the ability to be in the mix on the speed friendly,
McAlpine course.
Brian Sullivan (TX): The senior has been a model of
consistency this season placing among the leaders in every race he's
run. Despite being beaten at the 5A state champs, Sullivan could well
win. He learned much from last year's disappointing 31 st place finish
at nationals and looks to be fitter and stronger this time around.
Fredy Torres (NC): Torres posted a 15:27 to win the
NCISAA 3A state meet. He ran a PR, 9:26.25 for 3200m on Nov.22.
Girls
This year’s girls field returns five Footlocker National qualifiers
as well
as one runner who ran the fastest time of the day in a non qualifying
race
last year. Despite the top returnees, there are 35+ possible runners
that
could claim one of the eight spots. Just as last year, there could be
many
surprises as the entrants are tightly packed and on a given
day
anything can happen.
Jenny Barringer’s season has been the most
impressive of all the contenders
for Saturday’s Footlocker Southern Regional Cross Country Championship
final. If anyone has a lock on a berth, it’s her.
She planned her
peak perfectly this cross country season to set huge PR of
16:55 at the Florida state cross country championships. Two weeks removed
from that stunning effort, Barringer pulled another startling performances
from her sleeve; an eye-opening performance of 10:18.84 for 3200m on
the track, the
second fastest all-time in Florida. Healthier than last year where she
suffered from a week long cold before finishing an out of the money twelfth
place, Barringer is poised to earn one of the eight berths and possibly
win
the Southern regional championship; that would be only the second individual
title by a Floridian in the 25 year history of the regional.
Barringer’s
road to the title will not be easy as five 2002 Footlocker
finalists stand in her path; senior Rachael Forish (TX, 2002 South Region
champ), junior Tara Lenn (AL, 4th), sophomore Kate
Niehuas ( SC, 5th)
senior
Kate Merrill (NC, 6th), and senior Maddie
Scheuler (KY,
8th). Another
possible runner in the field will be last year’s sensation, Katie
Albright
(NC). Albright won the freshman competition last year with the fastest
time
of the day, 17:51, in a non qualifying race. Battling injury since the
spring, it remains to be seen if Albright will toe the line on Saturday.
Two
of the fastest runners, Barringer and Niehaus, faced off once at the
Great American Cross Country Festival on Sept 27, 2003 in Cary, NC.
Barringer won that battle by 15 seconds. Scheuler competed separately
in the
Race of Champions and her time of 18:39 was 35 seconds slower than
Barringer’s 18:04 clocking which happened to be the second fastest
time of
the day.
Several other contenders have shown potential this season and
will be
looking for a top eight berth. They are:
Kerry Allen (FL): Soph Allen,
is the only runner in the state of Florida to
beat Barringer. She posted a 10:51.56 to defeat Barringer in the 3200m
at
last year’s state meet. Last year, she opted out of the Footlocker
southern
regional, but this year, it has been a focus of her season. Her best
of
18:07 was set this season in finishing second to Barringer at state.
Erin
Bedell (TX): The soph was sixth in the tightly contested 5A
state
championships. Her 4:58.00 credentials make her a threat on the quick
McAlpine course.
Angelina Blackmon (SC): She led Kate Niehaus early
on at the state meet
before finishing fourth in 18:16. She has a best of 17:25 this season,
clocked when she beat Niehaus in the SC regional.
Laura Bowerman (FL): The senior opened the season with a best of 17:42,
but
an injury suffered in a workout relegated her to pool running. Back healthy
and running, she could be a factor.
Racheal Forish (TX): It’s Deja
Vu for Forish after her 7th place finish in
the 5A state champs. Last year, she was 10th and came to Charlotte to
claim
the top spot.
Katie Hamel (LA): Senior Hamel had the best time of
the day at the state
champs, 12:37, to win the 4A champs overwlemingly in muddy conditions
and
could be the first ever qualifier from LA.
Emily Harrison (VA) Senior Harrison
won the state 2A champs with an 18:42 and
has one of the best mile/2 mile PR’s of anyone in the field: 5:01.39
and
10:47.92.
Cassie Hostick (TX): She finished third in the 5A state
champs and has bests
of 4:57.19 and 11:12.06.
Nichole Jones (TX): The surprise winner of the
5A state champs as a freshman.
It remains to be seen if she can challenge the other experience runners
over
5k.
Keriann Langley (LA): The senior has dominated LA cross
country this season
culminating with a 5A state championship over two miles, 12:46. Check
out
her log at alabamarunners.com.
Tia Martinez (TX): The 4A state champ ran
impressively to win over Dacia
Barr. A darkhorse.
Laurel Pritchard (AL): The soph posted the best time
at the state meet with
her 18:12. That was 28 second better than 2002 Footlocker National
qualifier, Tara Lenn’s 18:40.
Nicole Schappert (FL): The junior was
able to win the 2A state title, but
limped noticeably afterwards. She has a best of 17:56 this season and
could
secure a spot. She also has bests of 59, 5:02 and 10:56.
Miranda Walker (TX):
Finished 2nd to Jones with her 11:01 clocking and has a
season best of 18:06.
Foot Locker South region
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