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Foot Locker Northeast
Nov. 28, 2009 at Sunken Meadows State Park, Long Island NY
CT-DE-ME-MD-MA-NH-NJ-NY-PA-RI-VT-DC & overseas military


A surprise 3rd last year, Cuffe is a near-lock
Lots of other questions, though, including: Will Lipari run?

Foot Locker Northeast Girls Preview
by SteveU, Dyestat/ESPN RISE Senior Editor

Last year at Van Cortlandt Park, Aisling Cuffe’s 3rd-place finish in the Foot Locker Northeast girls race was one of the most impressive of the meet.  She was certainly looked upon as a strong contender, but in the sophomore’s first year in the sport, a finish eight seconds behind winner Emily Jones and ahead of previous FL Finalists like Emily Lipari and Chelsey Ley was unlooked for.  

Cuffe will not be sneaking up on anyone this year.

The unbeaten Cornwall NY soph, ranked US#3, has compiled one of the most impressive, consistent seasons of any harrier of recent Northeast vintage and is the overwhelming favorite in Saturday’s relocated race at Sunken Meadows State Park on Long Island NY.  No one has come remotely close to Cuffe all fall, and even with Ley and several other state champs and near-champs in attendance, no one is likely to challenge her this weekend.

Given the presence of a heavy favorite, what then are the key questions to be answered as runners vie for the 31st annual showdown in San Diego?

How about these?

How fast will they run? – It goes without saying that while Vanny is a challenge, Sunken Meadow is a beast.  The course records are just 15:32 by John Gregorek and 18:07 by Christine Curtin.  No rain is expected, but the course will likely be wet from previous rains and it is expected to be windy with temps in the 40s.  Cuffe has been challenging CRs all year, but just missing the tough ones.  Look for a winning time between 18:05-18:15.

Will Emily Lipari run, and if so, will she qualify? – The Roslyn NY sr, and two-time NY Feds champ and two-time Foot Locker Finalist pulled out of the NY state public Class A champs two weeks ago with an ankle injury and, of course, did not run Feds either.  She is entered and has reported that she will warm up and try to race.  She had some strong races during the season, with a victory in the Brown Invitational standing out, but had faced almost none of New York’s top harriers or run in any of the state’s top meets.  The championship season has been her time to shine the past two years.  Obviously, at best, Lipari has lost some fitness, but expect her to get in a lower-top ten spot if she runs.

How well will Chelsey Ley finish? – With Cuffe on another level this year and Lipari at least slowed by injury, Ley is as clear a choice for the runner-up spot as you could ever have.  But the Kingsway Regional senior is kind of a question mark in her own way.  She really hasn’t raced anyone significant outside of New Jersey, and with the home-state competition not being the same as it’s been the past two years, those wins haven’t meant as much.  She and her team were also not at Manhattan, so a chance for regional exposure was missed there.  For the most part, Ley’s victories have been solid, but not at peak level.  

At the NJ MOC, Megan Venables had closed the gap, down to five seconds, but no one else was really close.  Ley was 8th at Foot Locker Finals last fall, but has been ranked around her current 12th most of this year.  Fans will be waiting to see if she is closer to Cuffe or the rest of the pack.

Who will be the fastest newcomer to the ranks?  There’s not a long list of fabulous freshmen or newcomers in the Northeast region states this year.  The best 9th-grader in the Metro states is probably Saratoga NY’s Keelin Hollowood, but she will be with her team at NXN NY.  In Pennsylvania, however, a super talent has risen to the top in the name of Sara Sargent.  A Pennsbury frosh, she quickly made it clear she would be a 3A state title contender with two sub-18:00 victories in September.  

Sargent’s only loss was to Cuffe in the Paul Short Invitational, but she swept through PA unchallenged, capping it off with a CR 18:35 victory in the AAA state meet.  This freshman seems to have the poise to perform under pressure.  Look for her in a top five spot Saturday.

Which state will get the most qualifiers?  Though the proven national class XC talent isn’t there after Ley, New Jersey still should have the most depth in this field.  The majority of New York’s best runners are on nationally ranked teams competing at NXN NY, and most of the other states are not deep in Foot Locker Finals talent, either – though Maine could certainly get two with Emily Durgin and Abbey Leonardi.  NJ has the best chance at three or more, though, with the NJ MOC runner-up Venables having clearly saved her best racing for November and 800 talent Marielle Hall showing her range and ability to get to this level. 

Can this be a huge year for northern New England states?  The relative lack of depth of top-shelf talent from the biggest states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts means those from less populous states like Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire have a better shot.  Maine looks good; the soph Leonardi has been the best in that state for most of her first two years and was a just-miss 12th last year – though she was 15 seconds from the top 10.  Durgin was 24th and has been second fiddle to Leonardi for the most part in Maine, but did score a victory over Leonardi at regionals, then two weeks ago produced a stunning victory in the New Englands, beating (Leonardi didn’t run) and the best of that region (Mass. is the only New England state not to compete).  

It would also be wise to keep an eye on New Hampshire’s Kelsey Smith and Vermont’s Hannah Rowe.  Smith was just 40th last year, but looked very strong in taking a close 3rd in the NH Meet of Champs, then 2nd at the New Englands.  Heidi Caldwell won the NH MOC, but was 4th at New Englands and is running NXN.  Rowe has won two straight VT titles, was 5th at New Englands, and was 18th at FL NE last year.

Will all of last year’s top returnees get in?  Cuffe and Ley, 3rd and 5th last year, are the top two of four returnees from San Diego from this region.  They’ll get in, barring epic disaster.  Lipari (7th last year, #3 returnee) should, too, if she runs.  Last year’s 10th-place finisher and #4 returnee, however, will have a tougher go of it.  Laura Vigilante was 3rd at the NJ Group race and 5th at the MOC.  But this was a huge, unexpected breakthrough for her last year and could be again.

The aforementioned contenders Leonardi, Venables, and Rowe are all among the top 10 from last year’s FL NE and have proven ready to get on the team.  A few others may not have progressed to that level, with a notable being last year’s first girl out – 11th place Jenna Davidner MA – who was injured before the MA All-State meet and was a DNF.  If she can get her ankle ready for Saturday, the Brown Invite runner-up behind Lipari could definitely figure in the qualifying.




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