Boys
Just two of last year's qualifiers return, Wisconsin's Ryan Gasper (2005) and Michigan's Justin Switzer (2005), but they will be challenged not only by runners from their own state, but a slew of contenders either just outside qualifying last year, or who didn't run at all here.
Jeff See (2005, OH), John McGuire (2005, CO), Sean McNamara (2005, IL), and Kiel Uhl (2005, IA) are probably the most accomplished peformers in the region this fall and none of them ran FL MW last year. See, a 4:06 miler as a sophomore who struggled with injuries as a junior, had the 2nd-best time overall (behind Robert Bedsole, AL) at Great American and the big Portage (MI) meet (15:10). McGuire won the Boys Seeded Race at Great American (15:24), then took his 10/30 4A State Meet in 15:06 at altitude.
McNamara (9:00.8 3200) hasn't raced outside Illinois, but has led No. 1 York with blazing times for 2.85-3.0-mile courses. Uhl has won the two biggest Heartland multi-state meets of the year, Roy Griak Gold (MN) and Rim Rock (KS).
Switzer, meanwhile, was a favorite heading into his Nov. 6 state meet, but Portage overall leader (15:06) Dan Roberts (2006) could run faster in another division. He was 9th in FLMW last year. Gasper was beaten in his state meet by Chris Rombough (2005, 24th in MW last year), who has the creds to qualify.
After these eight, look for Michael Krisch (2006, MN), Brock Hagerman (2006, IN), Justin Roeder (2006, IN) and Mohamud Ige (2005, CO) to be the strongest contenders among a slew of others.
Foot Locker Favorites in alphabetical order:
Tim Cornell, 2005, Columbia Hickman, MO
PRs/Top Times: 16:03; 4:13.35
2003 Foot Locker: 19th MW
Other Top Placings: 2003 State Champ Eric Dettman, 2006, York HS, Elmhurst, IL
PRs/Top Times: 14:48 (3M), 14:18 (2.94M), 14:07 (2.85M)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Matt Dettman, 2006, York HS, Elmhurst, IL
PRs/Top Times: 14:48 (3M), 14:20 (2.94M), 14:12 (2.85M)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Levi Fox, 2005, Troy HS, OH
PRs/Top Times: 15:36
2003 Foot Locker: 31st MW
Ryan Gasper, 2005, Ft. Atkinson, WI
PRs/Top Times: 15:26 (FLMW 2003)
2003 Foot Locker: 7th FLMW/18th FL Nationals
Other Top Placings: 2004: 2nd WI State XC
Brock Hagerman, 2006, Pendleton Heights, IN
PRs/Top Times: 15:02 (sectional); Track: 9:17.95
2003 Foot Locker: 9th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 26th State, 1st Semi-State
Mohamud Ige, 2006, South Denver, CO
PRs/Top Times: 15:13 (State 04); Track: 1:56.25, 4:24.22
2003 Foot Locker: 43rd FL Midwest
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 2nd State
Riley Klingel, 2005, Fremont, MI
PRs/Top Times: 15:18 (Portage Inv.); Track: 9:19.5
2003 Foot Locker: 81st MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 2nd Portage Inv. Div. 2
Mike Krisch, 2006, Hopkins, MN
PRs/Top Times: 15:37; Track: 9:14.16
2003 Foot Locker: 21st MW, (13th 2002)
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 2nd Roy Griak Gold
John McGuire, 2005, D'Evelyn, CO
PRs/Top Times: 15:06 (State 04), also 15:24 (Great Amer.); Track: 1:53.49, 4:17.57.
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st Great American Seeded Invite, 1st 4A State; Track: 1st 3A State 800, 1600.
Sean McNamara, 2005, York HS, Elmhurst, IL PRs/Top Times: 14:28 (3M), 14:00 (2.94M), 13:39 (2.85M); Track: 9:00.8,
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 1st Region.
Glenn Morris, 2006, Palantine HS, IL
PRs/Top Times: 15:11
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC -
Brian Parr, 2005, Fremont, NE
PRs/Top Times: 16:03 (state) (also 15:29 3M)
2003 Foot Locker: 67th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st Class A State
Dan Roberts, 2006, Vicksburg, MI
PRs/Top Times: 15:05 (Portage Inv.); 9:24.82y, 4:13.83
2003 Foot Locker: 13th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 1st Portage Inv. Div. 2
Justin Roeder, 2006, Hamilton SE, IN
PRs/Top Times: 15:25 (regional); Track: 4:19.70
2003 Foot Locker: 20th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st State, 1st Midwest Meet of Champions, 6th Semi-State
Chris Rombough, 2005, New London, WI
PRs/Top Times: 2004 - 15:49 (State 04); 4:15.09,
9:12.8
2003 Foot Locker: 24th MW
Top Placings: 2004 1st WI State
Jeff See, 2005, Middletown, OH
PRs/Top Times: 15:10; Track: 4:06.07y (2003) Foot Locker: none Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 2nd Great American Nike ROC, 1st Portage Inv. Div. 1
Justin Switzer, 2005, Waterford Kettering HS, MI PRs/Top Times: 15:26 (FLMW 2003); 9:11.4, 4:09.90y,
1:53.5
2003 Foot Locker: 8th MW, 27th National
Other Top Placings: 2004 XC - 1st Spartan Inv.; Track:
6th AOC 1M, 1st State 1600.
Kiel Uhl, 2005, Des Moines Roosevelt, IA PRs/Top Times: 15:26 (state), also 15:32;
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st 4A State, 1st Roy Griak Gold, 1st Rim Rock Gold
Tucker Weems, 2006, Shawnee Mission NW, KS PRs/Top Times: 15:50
2003 Foot Locker: 56th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st 6A State, 5th Roy Griak Gold
Jory Zunich, 2005, Williston, ND
PRs/Top Times: 16:21 (state)
2003 Foot Locker: 98th MW
Other Top Placings: 2004 - 1st Class A State
Girls
By Stephen Underwood
To figure out Foot Locker Midwest Girls, you have to start with Colorado, home of perhaps the biggest question and the biggest splash in the country this year.
The question is the status of defending national champion Katelyn Kaltenbach (2005), who has raced sparingly this fall trying to recover from an injury. She missed her state meet, but there are still hopes for racing with her Smoky Hill teammates in Foot Locker or Nike Team Nationals. Among those teammates is Morgan Schulz (2005), whose 5th from last year makes her the No. 3 returnee.
But the best runner in Colorado, the region, or even the nation could be the Rocky Mountain State's Whitney Anderson, who has run 16:56 at altitude and was 2nd at Great American Nike ROC. Colo. 4A champ Molly Palmer, who beat Schulz, also has to be considered, as does Kate Follett.
And that's just one state. The heir to Queen Katelyn's throne, should it be abdicated, could also be South Dakota's Ramsey Kavan, who was 2nd MW/6th Nationals in FL last year and has rolled through the season unbeaten for #7 US Yankton.
After that, there's a galaxy of runners, including state champs (sometimes more than one) from almost all of the region's states. One who didn't win her state meet after a fall, Jenny Morgan of US #3 Clarkston (MI), was otherwise undefeated all year and is the top non-qualifying returnee (9th). Indiana champ Adele Mitchell (12th), Ohio champ Angela Bizzarri (13th) and Michigan champ Rebekah Smeltzer (14th) are next. But there are more than a dozen more good contenders.
Runners for some of the top-ranked teams might be headed to Portland for NTN December 2. Whether or not they will race FL MW is thus a question mark.
Twenty-two of the top 40 return, as opposed to just 12 of the top 40 for boys.
Foot Locker Midwest Girls Favorites (alphabetical order)
Whitney Anderson, 2005, Summit HS, Frisco, CO
PRs/Top Times: 16:56 (regional); Track: 10:35.88
2003 Foot Locker: None
Other Top Placings: 1st 4A State, 2nd Great American Nike ROC, 7th Golden West 3200.
Katelyn Bastert, 2007, Carthage HS, IL
PRs/Top Times: 16:51 3M (state); Track: 10:50.4
2003 Foot Locker: None
Other Top Placings: 1st Class A State, 1st Rock Island Inv., 1st Notre Dame Inv.
Angela Bizzarri, 2006, Mason HS, Cincinnati, OH
PRs/Top Times: 17:39 (2004); Track: 4:59.66, 10:44.07
2003 Foot Locker: 13th MW
Other Top Placings: 1st D-1 State, 1st Centerville
Nicole Calabrese, 2005, Kingsland Spring Valley HS, MN
PRs/Top Times: 14:30 4k (State); 10:55.85
2003 Foot Locker: None
Other Top Placings: 1st Class A State
Michelle Corrigan, 2005, Pulaski, WI
PRs/Top Times: 14:14 4k
2003 Foot Locker: 43rd MW
Other Top Placings: 1st D-1 State
Eileen Creutz, 2006, Saline HS, MI
PRs/Top Times: 17:53 (Portage); Track: 5:00.53, 10:52.97
2003 Foot Locker: 82nd MW
Other Top Placings: 1st Div. 1 State, 2nd Portage Inv. D-1.
Krista Eckert, 2007, Sioux Falls Roosevelt HS, SD
PRs/Top Times: 18:26 (Griak); 14:48 4k
2003 Foot Locker: 37th MW
Other Top Placings: 1st Roy Griak Gold, 2nd Class AA State
Katie Follett, 2006, Ft. Collins HS, CO
PRs/Top Times: 17:44 (Cherry Creek); Track: 4:58.44, 10:47.51
2
003 Foot Locker: 29th MW
Other Top Placings: 72nd 5A State (unbeaten in Colo. before state), 15th Great American Nike ROC, 1st Liberty Bell D-I, 1st Cherry Creek.
Rachel Gioscia, 2005, Buena Vista HS, CO
PRs/Top Times: 18:27 (state)
2003 Foot Locker: 23rd MW
Other Top Placings: 1st 3A State
Janee Jones, 2005, Goodrich HS, MI
PRs/Top Times: 18:07 (state); Track: 4:55.44
2003 Foot Locker: 157th MW
Other Top Placings: 1st D-3 State, 5th Portage Inv. D-1
Katelyn Kaltenbach, 2005, Smoky Hill HS, Aurora, CO
PRs/Top Times: 17:29 (2003); Track: 2:09.15, 4:45.97y, 10:20.39y
2003 Foot Locker: 1st MW/1st Nationals
Other Top Placings: 5th Liberty Bell D-1 (hasn't raced since); 1st Arcadia 2M, 2nd Golden West Mile
Ramsey Kavan, 2005, Yankton, SD
PRs/Top Times: 17:34 (2003); 14:04 4k; Track: 4:49.48y, 10:43.4
2003 Foot Locker: 2nd MW/6th Nationals
Other Top Placings: 1st Class AA State, 6th Golden West Mile.
Maddie McKeever, 2005, Heritage HS, Littleton, CO
PRs/Top Times: 18:06 (state); 4:55.12
2003 Foot Locker: 15th MW
Other Top Placings: 3rd 5A State, 2nd Liberty Bell D-1, 1st Arcadia seeded 1600.
Adele Mitchell, 2005, Ft. Wayne Concordia Lutheran, IN
PRs/Top Times: 14:35 4k, 18:06 (2003); 4:56.22, 10:47.03
2003 Foot Locker: 12th MW
Other Top Placings: 1st State Meet
Jenny Morgan, 2006, Clarkston, MI
PRs/Top Times: 17:36 (2004); 4:53.56, 9:53.24 3k
2003 Foot Locker: 9th MW
Other Top Placings: 24th Div. I State (fell); 1st Midwest MOC, 1st region, 2nd Penn Relays 3k.
Heather Sirko, 2005, Livonia Stevenson HS, MI
PRs/Top Times: 17:58 (Portage)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 35th Div. I State (fell?), 3rd Portage Inv. D-1.
Molly Palmer, 2006, Coronado, CO
PRs/Top Times: 17:40 (state)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 1st 5A State
Hannah Roeder, 2006, Des Moines Roosevelt, IA
PRs/Top Times: 14:48 4k,
2003 Foot Locker: 31st MW
Other Top Placings: 1st 4A State,
Keara Sammons, 2006, Smoky Hill HS, Aurora CO
PRs/Top Times: 18:00 (GA)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 4th 5A State, 8th Great American Nike ROC, 3rd Liberty Bell D-1.
Transferred from Arizona, where she won Doug Conley and Peaks invitationals last year.
Morgan Schulz, 2005, Smoky Hill HS, Aurora, CO
PRs/Top Times: 17:51 (2003); Track: 10:33.8y
2003 Foot Locker: 5th MW/11th National
Other Top Placings: 2nd 5A State, 10th Great American Nike ROC
Rebekah Smeltzer, 2007, Monroe Stevenson, MI
PRs/Top Times: 17:52 (2003); Track: 4:57.5, 10:40.66
2003 Foot Locker: 14th MW
Other Top Placings: 1st D-2 State, 2nd Midwest MOC.
Merideth Snow, 2006, Eureka HS, Wildwood, MO
PRs/Top Times: 17:48 (Southern Stampede); Track: 10:45.2
2003 Foot Locker: 30th (2003)
Other Top Placings: 1st Class 4 State, 1st Southern Stampede
Brittany Tinsley, 2005, Indian Lake, OH
PRs/Top Times: 16:57 (Anna Inv.)
2003 Foot Locker: none
Other Top Placings: 1st State D-2, 1st Anna Inv.
Christy Titus, 2007, Bowling Green HS, OH
PRs/Top Times: 17:48 (Centerville); 10:54.14
2003 Foot Locker: None
Other Top Placings: 2nd D-1 State, 2nd Centerville Inv.
Amber Warren, 2005, St. Charles, MO
PRs/Top Times: 17:53 (2003)
2003 Foot Locker: 8th MW/23rd Nationals
Sarah Wickman, 2007, Iowa City West, IA
PRs/Top Times: 14:49 4k (state); 10:04.66 3k
2003 Foot Locker: 47th MW
Other Top Placings: 2nd 4A State, 1st Drake Relays 3k
Rachel Wittum, 2007, Rockford HS, MI
PRs/Top Times: 17:45 (Portage)
2003 Foot Locker: 20th MW
Other Top Placings: 2nd Div. I State, 1st Portage D-1,
Elizabeth Yetzer, 2006, Lakeville HS, MN
PRs/Top Times: 14:29 4k (State), 18:27 (Griak); Track: 2:10.77, 4:46.14y
2003 Foot Locker: None
Other Top Placings: 1st AA State, 2nd Roy Griak Gold
Others:
Trista Baye (WI) 27th in FLMW 2003, Kansas Champ Laura Roxburg, Pauline Garcia (IL) 16th MW last year, Kristin Hood (IA) 26th last year, Sarah Leeper (OH) 24th last year. |
