Nike Team Nationals 2005
Dec 3, 2005 at Portland OR

 

NTN News

buildup to the meet

  • Selection Sunday 1 - Nov 6 - first 16 slots filled.
  • the road to Portland - Teams all over the US are striving for an invitation to the 2nd Nike Team Nationals in Portland OR December 3, 2005. DyeStat looks in on some of these teams to describe the quest.
    • Oakton VA girls have unfinished business - atoning for last year's "disaster" at state meet that cost them a trip to NTN. They have an Olympic training partner (Alan Webb) because Oakton coach Scott Raczko still coaches his former high school star. Raczko juggles world travel for Webb with responsibilities to the Oakton girls because he still loves coaching high school. Raczko doesn't like the girls to think about NTN yet because "It's still early," but he thinks the team will be very strong by the end of the season. Story by Ben Ackerly, Southeast regional editor.
  • Best team you'll never see - The Clarkston Michigan girls cross country team was nearly torn apart last year by state association denial of a trip to Nike Team Nationals when they were ranked Midwest #1 and US#7. Now, they are regrouping and concentrating on what they can control -- a state championship for the team and a Foot Locker national finals berth for #1 runner Jenny Morgan. Clarkston is again ranked Midwest #1 by NTN this year and US#2 in Marc Bloom's Harrier Super 25. DyeStat's Steve Underwood, a Michigan native himself, spent 4 days with the Clarkston team recently. Read Steve Underwood's report
  • Preview by Rich Gonzalez - The rules are different here. This is cross-country -- a real team sport where you truly are only as good as your support crew. Last year's leaders lost star runners but they still wear the favorite's mantle this year.
  • NTN pre-season rankings
  • NTN 2004 - results of the first Nike Team Nationals

 

NTN index page

 

DyeStat
is published by
Student Sports ©1998-2005

John Dye - founder and editor in chief
Donna Dye - features editor
Kirsten O'Hara - business and marketing manager

Rich Gonzalez - reporter and DyeStatCal co-editor
Doug Speck - reporter and DyeStatCal co-editor
Steve Underwood - reporter and TrackTalk administrator