2006 Nike Team Nationals - Championship Girls
10:30 am Saturday
Dec. 9, 2006 Portland OR
See the Webcast - Results - Live Blog - New York sweeps - Fayetteville-Manlius ends dream season with 50-point win. Ashley Higginson NJ 19:19 wins. Corona del Mar CA's Sarah Cummings and Shelby Buckley win Foot Locker finals berths  | Manlius Coach Bill Aris and his girls are very happy at the award ceremony ~ photo by John Dye
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Unheralded F-M girls do what highly rated F-M boys could not by Dave Devine, Northwest regional editor Two years ago, at the inaugural Nike Team Nationals, there was a substantial buzz surrounding a school from upstate New York believed to be one of the top boys’ teams in the nation. Fayetteville-Manlius (F-M) was the perfect match for a nascent, countrywide team competition—a tight pack with no superstars and a legendary work ethic. That team placed second to an equally vaunted York squad in 2004, and returned in 2005 to place 3rd behind Saratoga NY and York (on a tie-breaker). This year F-M was back, as the Manlius XC team, but it was the girls, not the boys, who toed the line.
And it was those girls who delivered Coach Bill Aris his first national title in his third attempt.
The F-M girls had been gaining steam all season, according to Coach Aris. “I knew we were going to have a good team this year. How good remained to be seen. It kept developing and building...we rose at the right moment at the end of the year, winning our State and Fed [NY Federation] championships, and I believed we had one more race in us. We just ascended the ladder.”
Even during pre-race introductions, Aris’ young charges were all business. While some teams smiled or joked among themselves as they jogged from the introduction paddock to the starting line, the Manlius girls were grim-faced and determined. That razor focus was on display early, as Mackenzie Carter and Kathryn Buchan got out strong, infiltrating the top ten in the first kilometer. The team was in 5th at that point (180 pts), with live scoring updated on massive screens alongside the track. Hilton (NY) XC club was listed in first place, with 115, followed by Westfield (Indiana) with 144.
By the second checkpoint, Manlius had asserted itself, surging to the lead in the team standings with 147 to Westfield’s 172 and Newport’s (Corona del Mar CA during the season)187. A chip error, undiscovered until after the race, resulted in Hilton being dropped from the live scoring updates, though they were more than holding their own on the muddy course.
Manlius, with Carter (4th 19:33.1) and Buchan (5th 19:35.6) continuing to lead the way, fronted the field at each of the two remaining checkpoints, but a chaotic final kilometer still left the finish uncertain. Manlius’ 3rd runner (Jessica Hauser) crossed in 29th, by which point Westfield had scored their first four. Westfield’s 5th wouldn’t cross until 123rd, however, which handed the battle up front to the two NY schools (Manlius and Hilton) and a surprising Carroll (Texas) XC squad.
Manlius’ fourth through sixth scorers shut the door on the competition with their 44th, 46th and 48th placings, and suddenly the girls who lingered in the shadows of the F-M boys for the last two years had struck elusive gold.
On the victory stand, the team described the moments after the win as “absolute euphoria.” Their coach said he had found inspiration for the team’s race plan in a favorite rock band.
Aris, who must be considered one of the great cross country minds in the country after F-M’s showings the last three years, said “I’ll give it to you straight: I love Pink Floyd. The first two kilometers was Comfortably Numb, the last three kilometers was Run Like Hell. That sums it up. That was the whole race.”
Carroll was declared the initial runner-up, before the chip error plaguing Hilton was resolved. After a short delay to sort out the scoring, Portland Meadows had its second straight 1-2 New York finish: Manlius 128, Hilton 178, Carroll 187.
One key to Hilton’s finish was the gutsy effort of top runner Allison Sawyer, who led the first 4k before losing a shoe and fighting to hang on for third.
The individual race was as thrilling as the team battle, with several lead changes in the last mile. Sawyer fronted the strung out pack into the final furlong, but lurking nearby was defending NTN champion Betsy Bies (Yankton XC) and Ashley Higginson (Colts XC), both of whom had nailed down Foot Locker berths in their respective regionals a week earlier.
Bies, hungry for the repeat win, pounced as soon as the daunting mud gave way to firmer ground. “I tried to focus on running as fast as I could when I could, because you can’t really do anything in the mud. Our coach said, ‘If you guys want to make a move you have to do it on the grass.’” Bies did, seizing the lead with a move that looked to be a race breaker.
By then, Sawyer’s shoe had been claimed by the thirsty muck, and Higginson saw an opportunity as well. “Sawyer lost her shoe,” Higginson said after the race. “I saw that and I was thinking, ‘That’s hard for her, but I’ve got to go for this now. Maybe I can get Betsy if I really go for it. One point could make the difference.” A powerful, decisive move carried her past Sawyer and Bies into a lead she never relinquished.
In the paddock afterwards, Bies was happy with her second-place finish, and admitted there was little she could have done to counter Higginson. “I put in my surge as long as I could, and then [Higginson] caught me. There wasn’t really anything I could do about it.”
When Higginson was asked what her coach said this week to prepare her and her Colts teammates for the race, she took the long view. “It didn’t have to do with just this week. Last year we felt like we missed out. Since then, we’ve been counting the days. We knew how hard we had worked for it all summer. I don’t think any words needed to be said this week.”
If any words were necessary, it may have been the four offered by Coach Aris to explain his team’s triumph in the blisteringly competitive field.
“We got it done with four things—team, love, faith and belief.”
And that’s a hard combination to beat.
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Results RecordTiming.com - Contractor License Hy-Tek's Meet Manager
Nike Team Nationals Championship Races - 12/2/2006
Portland, OR
Last Completed Event
Event 3 Girls 5k Run CC Championship
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Name Year School Avg Mile Finals Points
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1 Higginson, Ashley 07 Colts XC Club 6:12.9 19:18.4 1
2 Bies, Betsy 07 Yankton XC Club 6:14.6 19:23.8 2
3 Sawyer, Allison 08 Hilton XC Club 6:16.9 19:31.0 3
4 Carter, Mackenzie 10 Manlius XC Club 6:17.6 19:33.1 4
5 Buchan, Kathryn 09 Manlius XC Club 6:18.4 19:35.6 5
6 Upshaw, Tara 09 Carroll XC Club 6:19.2 19:38.1 6
7 Eckert, Allison 07 Sioux Falls XC Club 6:19.5 19:38.9 7
8 Cummings, Sarah 07 Newport XC Club 6:19.8 19:39.8 8
9 Eckert, Krista 07 Sioux Falls XC Club 6:20.1 19:40.9 9
10 Buckley, Shelby 08 Newport XC Club 6:23.4 19:51.2 10
11 Jackucewicz, Briana 09 Colts XC Club 6:23.7 19:52.1 11
12 Walker, Marika 07 Greenbelt XC Club 6:24.6 19:54.9 12
13 Schultz, Caroline 07 Hilton XC Club 6:26.8 20:01.6 13
14 Brasher, Julie 09 Albuquerque XC Club 6:27.6 20:04.1 14
15 Ferber, Chistina 07 Carroll XC Club 6:27.7 20:04.5 15
16 Krasich, Kristina 07 Westfield XC Club 6:28.7 20:07.7 16
17 Damon, Allison 08 Newport XC Club 6:30.3 20:12.4 17
18 Prescott, Lindsay 08 Phoenix XC Club 6:31.3 20:15.7 18
19 Bingham, Margaret 08 Westfield XC Club 6:31.4 20:15.8 19
20 Bottorff, Juliet 09 Wilmington XC Club 6:31.9 20:17.5 20
21 Murakami, Shannon 07 Santa Clarita XC 6:32.1 20:18.0 21
22 Lautzenheiser, Kathleen 10 Midlothian XC Club 6:33.2 20:21.7 22
23 Hines, Rosemary 09 Hinsdale XC Club 6:34.3 20:24.9 23
24 Love, Kaitlyn 09 Westfield XC Club 6:35.1 20:27.6 24
25 Hood, Nicole 10 Concord XC Club 6:35.5 20:28.7 25
26 Hoenke, Bridgette 07 Billings XC Club 6:36.2 20:31.0 26
27 Lautzenheiser, Leia 10 Midlothian XC Club 6:37.6 20:35.2 27
28 Ehrman, Breanne 08 Westfield XC Club 6:37.6 20:35.3 28
29 Hauser, Jessica 07 Manlius XC Club 6:37.7 20:35.5 29
30 Olson, Camille 07 Phoenix XC Club 6:37.8 20:35.9 30
31 Velarde, Rachel 08 Albuquerque XC Club 6:38.1 20:36.8 31
32 McCartan, Jenna 07 Wilmington XC Club 6:38.5 20:38.0 32
33 Dunn, Katherine 08 Santa Clarita XC 6:38.8 20:38.8 33
34 Redman, Jennifer 07 Greenbelt XC Club 6:39.5 20:41.0 34
35 Lockhart, Dominique 08 Greenbelt XC Club 6:39.9 20:42.4 35
36 Sternhagen, Kristin 08 Yankton XC Club 6:40.1 20:43.0 36
37 Fain, Auriele 08 Billings XC Club 6:40.4 20:43.9 37
38 Eisenhauer, Aleina 07 Phoenix XC Club 6:40.4 20:44.0 38
39 Rorabaugh, Becca 07 Fairbanks XC Club 6:40.5 20:44.3 39
40 Donaghy, Allison 08 Colts XC Club 6:41.4 20:47.0 40
41 Denny, Emily 07 Carroll XC Club 6:42.4 20:50.1 41
42 Callahan, Maggie 07 Fairbanks XC Club 6:42.7 20:51.0 42
43 Ritchie, Sarah 09 Hilton XC Club 6:42.8 20:51.3 43
44 Hooley, Hilary 07 Manlius XC Club 6:43.1 20:52.4 44
45 Crow, Emily 07 Tupelo XC Club 6:43.3 20:52.9 45
46 Chapman, Courtney 10 Manlius XC Club 6:43.5 20:53.5 46
47 Brown, Kirsten 07 Carroll XC Club 6:44.1 20:55.4 47
48 Malone, Molly 10 Manlius XC Club 6:44.4 20:56.2 48
49 Herman, Shelby 08 Hilton XC Club 6:44.8 20:57.7 49
50 Cerney, Heather 09 Concord XC Club 6:45.2 20:58.9 50
51 Leader, Tiffany 07 Yankton XC Club 6:45.4 20:59.5 51
52 Zumbach, Lauren 09 Hinsdale XC Club 6:45.9 21:01.1 52
53 Hannah, Kristy 10 Albuquerque XC Club 6:46.2 21:02.0 53
54 Dlhy, Brittany 08 City of Iowa XC 6:46.3 21:02.2 54
55 Smith, Emily 07 Yankton XC Club 6:46.6 21:03.2 55
56 Houser, Kellie 09 Concord XC Club 6:46.7 21:03.6 56
57 Kershner, Katie 08 Wilmington XC Club 6:46.8 21:03.8 57
58 Hofer, Mariah 10 Yankton XC Club 6:47.5 21:06.0 58
59 Johnston, Paige 09 Midlothian XC Club 6:47.7 21:06.5 59
60 Lehman, Cara 07 Billings XC Club 6:48.3 21:08.6 60
61 Dow, Samantha 08 Midlothian XC Club 6:48.4 21:08.9 61
62 Kuckertz, Elaine 09 Hinsdale XC Club 6:48.8 21:10.0 62
63 Murakami, Amber 10 Santa Clarita XC 6:49.0 21:10.8 63
64 Aragon, Alexa 10 Billings XC Club 6:50.1 21:14.0 64
65 Davis, Samantha 07 Fairbanks XC Club 6:50.4 21:14.9 65
66 Teslow, Kayla 09 Fairbanks XC Club 6:50.9 21:16.5 66
67 O'Dowd, Kristen 07 Colts XC Club 6:50.9 21:16.5 67
68 Aliotti, Sara 09 Concord XC Club 6:51.1 21:17.2 68
69 Bedonie, Allison 09 Albuquerque XC Club 6:52.2 21:20.4 69
70 Jones, Ashley 08 Hilton XC Club 6:52.5 21:21.5 70
71 Kapusta, Gina 07 Hinsdale XC Club 6:53.2 21:23.6 71
72 Hart, Kelsey 09 City of Iowa XC 6:53.3 21:23.9 72
73 Yagla, Jessica 10 City of Iowa XC 6:53.5 21:24.5 73
74 Arrington, Tyreka 09 Greenbelt XC Club 6:53.7 21:25.2 74
75 Parsons, Molly 10 Wilmington XC Club 6:54.3 21:27.0 75
76 Caputo, Catie 07 Manlius XC Club 6:54.4 21:27.4 76
77 Sidwell, Samantha 07 City of Iowa XC 6:54.4 21:27.6 77
78 Stephens, Taylor 08 Carroll XC Club 6:54.9 21:28.9 78
79 Riley, Jade 09 Phoenix XC Club 6:55.2 21:29.9 79
80 Kautz, Seanna 10 Sioux Falls XC Club 6:55.6 21:31.1 80
81 Donaghy, Erin 08 Colts XC Club 6:56.0 21:32.5 81
82 May, Hilary 07 Newport XC Club 6:57.0 21:35.5 82
83 Hargens, Erin 09 Sioux Falls XC Club 6:57.4 21:36.7 83
84 Castagno, Joanie 07 Wilmington XC Club 6:57.6 21:37.5 84
85 Breems, Bailey 10 Sioux Falls XC Club 6:58.0 21:38.6 85
86 Witt, Amy 10 Midlothian XC Club 6:58.3 21:39.5 86
87 Ostlie-Madden, Erin 08 Albuquerque XC Club 6:58.7 21:40.7 87
88 Rivers, Teshika 09 Greenbelt XC Club 6:59.0 21:41.7 88
89 Steinman, Katherine 10 Tupelo XC Club 6:59.4 21:42.9 89
90 McKay, Anne 07 City of Iowa XC 7:00.1 21:45.1 90
91 Rorabaugh, Marisa 10 Fairbanks XC Club 7:00.3 21:45.6 91
92 Jauregui, Brianna 09 Santa Clarita XC 7:00.3 21:45.8 92
93 Gushue, Allison 08 Newport XC Club 7:01.1 21:48.1 93
94 Valverde, Laynee 09 Albuquerque XC Club 7:01.5 21:49.5 94
95 Corban, Elizabeth 07 Tupelo XC Club 7:02.6 21:52.8 95
96 Flott, Allie 09 Colts XC Club 7:02.8 21:53.5 96
97 Miller, Mary Caroline 07 Midlothian XC Club 7:03.3 21:55.2 97
98 White, Cassidy 10 City of Iowa XC 7:03.6 21:56.0 98
99 Laser, Jenny 07 Hinsdale XC Club 7:04.4 21:58.3 99
100 Hilson, Megan 10 Yankton XC Club 7:04.4 21:58.6 100
101 Steinberg, Jade 08 Yankton XC Club 7:06.0 22:03.3 101
102 St. Geme, Christie 07 Newport XC Club 7:07.0 22:06.5 102
103 Crowley, Caitlyn 08 Sioux Falls XC Club 7:07.6 22:08.4 103
104 Tollefson, Libby 07 Billings XC Club 7:07.8 22:09.0 104
105 Hickson, Christian 09 Greenbelt XC Club 7:09.2 22:13.3 105
106 Crocetti, Lindsay 09 Hilton XC Club 7:09.5 22:14.5 106
107 Rumbo, Kailey 10 Phoenix XC Club 7:10.0 22:15.9 107
108 Chavez, Ashley 08 Concord XC Club 7:10.5 22:17.5 108
109 McFerrin, Maggie 09 Tupelo XC Club 7:10.6 22:17.7 109
110 Selander, Christine 08 Midlothian XC Club 7:10.7 22:17.9 110
111 Fain, AuraLea 10 Billings XC Club 7:13.5 22:26.8 111
112 Slykhous, Nicole 07 Newport XC Club 7:13.7 22:27.2 112
113 Castagno, Annie 07 Wilmington XC Club 7:14.4 22:29.5 113
114 Rumore, Nicole 09 Concord XC Club 7:14.6 22:30.3 114
115 Kahovec, Toccoa 08 Santa Clarita XC 7:14.9 22:31.1 115
116 Holman, Catherine 10 Tupelo XC Club 7:15.0 22:31.5 116
117 Holland, Maria 09 Tupelo XC Club 7:15.2 22:31.9 117
118 Mulligan, Erin 08 Concord XC Club 7:15.3 22:32.3 118
119 Valdez, Faviola 09 Albuquerque XC Club 7:15.8 22:33.9 119
120 Vaziri, Alyssa 08 Santa Clarita XC 7:16.3 22:35.5 120
121 View, Brittany 08 Greenbelt XC Club 7:17.2 22:38.2 121
122 Molt, Keri 09 Santa Clarita XC 7:19.2 22:44.5 122
123 Rutledge, Brittany 07 Westfield XC Club 7:19.2 22:44.6 123
124 Cleary, Emily 08 Hinsdale XC Club 7:19.6 22:45.8 124
125 Bowers, Aurora 08 Fairbanks XC Club 7:21.4 22:51.3 125
126 Tollefson, Phoebe 07 Billings XC Club 7:22.1 22:53.5 126
127 Mason, Jana 07 Tupelo XC Club 7:22.6 22:55.0 127
128 Stevens, Heather 09 Hinsdale XC Club 7:22.8 22:55.5 128
129 Boger, Wendy 09 Fairbanks XC Club 7:23.2 22:56.9 129
130 Fagan, Emily 10 City of Iowa XC 7:25.2 23:03.1 130
131 Fehr, Kallie 10 Wilmington XC Club 7:25.9 23:05.4 131
132 Ingalls, Sara 07 Sioux Falls XC Club 7:26.7 23:07.7 132
133 Robertson, Kimberly 07 Westfield XC Club 7:26.8 23:08.2 133
134 Clark, Morgan 09 Colts XC Club 7:27.4 23:10.0 134
135 Peck, Renee 09 Phoenix XC Club 7:28.6 23:13.5 135
136 Brown, Hannah 10 Carroll XC Club 7:30.2 23:18.6 136
137 Christie, Dana 10 Westfield XC Club 7:33.8 23:29.9 137
138 Gilbert, Caitlin 09 Carroll XC Club 7:37.5 23:41.3 138
139 Walsh, Shannon 09 Phoenix XC Club 7:40.2 23:49.7 139
140 Abrams, Chelsea 09 Hilton XC Club 7:46.4 24:09.1 140
Team Scores
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Rank Team Total 1 2 3 4 5 *6 *7 *8 *9
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1 Manlius XC Club 128 4 5 29 44 46 48 76
Total Time: 1:41:30.10
Average: 20:18.02
2 Hilton XC Club 178 3 13 43 49 70 106 140
Total Time: 1:42:43.10
Average: 20:32.62
3 Carroll XC Club 187 6 15 41 47 78 136 138
Total Time: 1:42:57.00
Average: 20:35.40
4 Colts XC Club 200 1 11 40 67 81 96 134
Total Time: 1:42:46.50
Average: 20:33.30
5 Yankton XC Club 202 2 36 51 55 58 100 101
Total Time: 1:43:15.50
Average: 20:39.10
6 Newport XC Club 210 8 10 17 82 93 102 112
Total Time: 1:43:07.00
Average: 20:37.40
7 Westfield XC Club 210 16 19 24 28 123 133 137
Total Time: 1:44:11.00
Average: 20:50.20
8 Greenbelt XC Club 243 12 34 35 74 88 105 121
Total Time: 1:44:25.20
Average: 20:53.04
9 Albuquerque XC Club 254 14 31 53 69 87 94 119
Total Time: 1:44:44.00
Average: 20:56.80
10 Midlothian XC Club 255 22 27 59 61 86 97 110
Total Time: 1:44:51.80
Average: 20:58.36
11 Sioux Falls XC Club 264 7 9 80 83 85 103 132
Total Time: 1:44:06.20
Average: 20:49.24
12 Wilmington XC Club 268 20 32 57 75 84 113 131
Total Time: 1:45:03.80
Average: 21:00.76
13 Phoenix XC Club 272 18 30 38 79 107 135 139
Total Time: 1:45:21.40
Average: 21:04.28
14 Billings XC Club 291 26 37 60 64 104 111 126
Total Time: 1:45:46.50
Average: 21:09.30
15 Fairbanks XC Club 303 39 42 65 66 91 125 129
Total Time: 1:45:52.30
Average: 21:10.46
16 Concord XC Club 307 25 50 56 68 108 114 118
Total Time: 1:46:05.90
Average: 21:13.18
17 Hinsdale XC Club 307 23 52 62 71 99 124 128
Total Time: 1:45:57.90
Average: 21:11.58
18 Santa Clarita XC Club 324 21 33 63 92 115 120 122
Total Time: 1:46:24.50
Average: 21:16.90
19 City of Iowa XC Club 366 54 72 73 77 90 98 130
Total Time: 1:47:03.30
Average: 21:24.66
20 Tupelo XC Club 454 45 89 95 109 116 117 127
Total Time: 1:49:17.80
Average: 21:51.56 Live Blog by TinaJ Chip Misplacement; results - 1. Manlius 128
2. Hilton 178
3. Southlake Carroll 187
4. COlt's Neck 200
5. Yankton 202
6. Newport 210
7. Westfield 210
8. Greenbelt 243
9. Albuquerque 254
10. Midothian 255 unofficial FINISH - Manlius 120, Carroll 174, Colt's NEck 187, Newport 197 4th interval - Manlius 136, Carroll 172, Yankton 193, Newport 197, Colt's Neck 203, Greenbelt 237, Midlothian moved in to 245, and Albuquerque 248 wait, Carroll's in second, 162! Then Newport, Westfield, Yankton, Colt's, Phoenix, Wilmington, Greenbelt and Hilton - any one of the top ten could have it! interval 3 - Everybody's in contention! Manlius 143, Newport 189, Yankton 208, COlt's NEck 213, Phoenix 234, Wilmington 250, Greenbelt 253, Hilton 254!! really close! before the second interval Hilton was running 2 and 4 individual.... looks like Fairbanks AK in 7th interval 2 - Manlius leads 147, Westfield 172, Newport/Corona Del Mar 187, Yankton 191, Phoenix 196, and Hilton drops to 6th with 226 good for Hilton, who're usually a fast closing team 1st interval - Hilton 115, Westfield 144, Phoenix 161, Yankton 165, and Manlius 180 Star Spangled Banner over Portland Meadows... the sun's out, it's a beautiful day Woot woot - Girls Championship race soon! catch the team scoring splits as we get them HERE at NTNs... |
