***Foot Locker West Region Preview***

Can they catch Zoe in 2003?
Montana wunderkind returns to defend
her regional and national titles!

    
Photos by (l-to-r) Victor Sailer, John Dye, unknown, Joe Hartman
Reigning national champion Zoe Nelson (second from left) appears to be the heavy favorite, but with
the recent burst of breakthroughs, Mike Kennedy reminds us this shindig is still up in the air!
Among the West Region's other top returnees are (l-to-r) Rachel Bryan, Heidi Magill and Caitlin Chock.

By Mike Kennedy, For DyeStatCal
          WALNUT -- After more than two months of action and the Foot Locker West Regional less than one week away, you would think that the competition would have sorted itself out and there would be few questions. Wrong!!!!! If anything there may be more questions now then there were at the beginning of the season.
          We all know how good Zoe Nelson (Flathead, Kalispell, Mt.) is—she is the defending national champion—but how much better is she one year later? And how much better does she have to be to win? Nelson is undefeated, running at least as fast -- and in some cases faster than last season -- even though she had not yet been pushed—not even a little.
           However, that just might change with the emergence of the Lawrence sisters—Collier and Marie. Collier, a senior, was just 36th last year but has turned away all challengers, although that has been far from easy thanks to freshman Marie. At Stanford, Collier held a six-second margin over Marie but Marie cut that to under a second at the Mt. San Antonio Invitational, where it has remained. Sibling rivalries are always a tricky thing—just ask Serena and Venus Williams—especially when there is an age difference. Will the two continue to run 1-2, with Collier in the lead? What will happen, for instance, if the two find themselves in second and third? Who will answer the challenge? Or will they both?
           Then there is the question of who is California’s best? For most of the year it seemed it was Rachel Bryan (Laguna Creek, Elk Grove), who third last year at the West Regional. But then Caitlin Chock (Granite Bay), who was 4th last year but took the spring and summer off, returned to competition in midseason and last week won the State Division II CC title in 17:21 for the fastest time of the day, nine seconds quicker than Bryan, the Division I winner.
           The same question of who is best in state applies to Utah. Samantha Gaffney (Sandy) was the top freshman last year at 15th and is undefeated in state having lost only at the Great America CC meet in North Carolina in the Individual Sweepstakes race. Kit Zeigle (Bingham, South Jordan), of the famous Zeigle family (Laura and Jackie), has been very impressive winning the State 5A title in 18:30, twenty seconds faster than Gaffney ran in winning the 3A title.
           One question that was seemingly answered at the Oregon-Washington Border Clash was who is the best in the Northwest. Katie Leary (Klamath, Klamath Falls, Or.) scored a 26-second victory of Washington’s best Brianna Felnagle (Bellarmine Prep, Tacoma). Both came into the meet with the fastest times in their respective State meets. Unfortunately, as of Tuesday night, neither one was entered. But there are provisions for late entries—one can only hope.
           Last year Los Alamos (N.M.) came to the West Regional with a lot of hype—and backed it up with Heather Wood finishing 6th and Kristen Hemphill placing 12th. After a similar, though not quite as dominating a season as last year, can they deliver again? Certainly Hemphill, who went on to run under 5:00 at Arcadia and has led the way this year, appears to be much improved and Wood is not far behind.
           Three state champions, freshman Karleigh Gempler (Borah, Idaho Falls) and Alexandra Brosh (Sandpoint) from Idaho and Sarah Belfour (Natrona County, Casper) from Wyoming, all won by large margins and were, in results received, undefeated and untested. Just how good are they? Gempler ran 10:21 for 3,000 outdoors and 17:50 for 5,000 indoors, as an eight grader. Both Brosh and Belfour are each many-time state cross country and track champions.
          Britney Almaguer (Elko, Nv.), Annie Falor (Flagstaff, Az.), Lindsey Kirschman (Enterprise, Redding, Ca.), Heidi Magill (Mountain View, Orem, Ut.) and Keara Sammons (Desert Vista, Phoenix, Az.) were all slowed this season by injury/illness. Which one, if any, can regain the form that made them contenders for a ticket to San Diego? As of Tuesday night, only Almaguer and Kirschman were entered.
           And finally there is Cassia Roth (Carson, Carson City, Nv.), who has not run for her school in two years. As of Tuesday she was not entered but there have been unconfirmed reports that she has been running well on the roads. Will she be on the line Saturday in an effort to improve on her 11th place finish of last year?
           Enough questions. It only remains to wait, with great anticipation, for Saturday morning when at least some if not most of the above questions should be answered—at least to some degree.

  
Left two photos by Margaret Gallagher. Right photo by Kirby Lee.
San Diego's Claire Rethmeier (left) strives to compete on the national forum
in front of her hometown fans while Nevada's Collier Lawrence (middle) seeks
to continue her unbeaten season. At right, California's Liza Pasciuto sets out
to return to the national championships setting she competed at three years ago.

  
California's Natalie Picchetti (left), a South Region national qualifier while competing
in Texas a year ago, reigning California 1600m champion Alicia Follmar, and talented
Stanford-bound team captain Lindsay Allen of national power College Park are among
the many Westerners in a groove heading into this weekend's West Regionals!

THE FAVORITES FOR SAN DIEGO
The Top Eight

1. Zoe Nelson (Flathead, Kalispell, Mt.)
2. Collier Lawrence (Reno, Nv.)
3. Marie Lawrence (Reno, Nv.)
4. Rachel Bryan (Laguna Creek, Elk Grove, Ca.)
5. Caitlin Chock (Granite Bay, Ca.)
6. Samantha Gaffney (Judge Memorial, Salt Lake City, Ut.)
7. Kit Zeigle (Bingham, South Jordan, Ut.)
8. Katie Leary (Klamath, Klamath Falls, Or.)

LOOKING TO MOVE UP
The Second Eight

Lindsay Allen (College Park, Pleasant Hill, Ca.)
Meghan Armstrong (Tualatin, Or.)
Tia Ferguson (Seabury Hall, Hawaii)
Brianna Felnagle (Bellarmine Prep, Tacoma, Wa.)
Lindsay Flacks (Harvard-Westlake, North Hollywood, Ca.)
Kristen Hemphill (Los Alamos, N.M.)
Stephanie Lenihan (A.C. Davis, Yakima, Wa.)
Claire Rethmeier (San Pasqual, Escondido, Ca.)

The Third Eight
Sarah Balfour (Natrona County, Casper, Wy.)
Elisabeth Driscoll (Bozeman, Mt.)
Alicia Fullmar (Saratoga, Ca.)
Natasha LaBeaud (Folsom, Ca.)
Megan O’Reilly (Mt. Spokane, Mead, Wa.)
Liza Pasciuto (Murrieta Valley, Murrieta, Ca.)
Nicole Torgerson (Murray, Utah)
Heather Wood (Los Alamos, N.M.)

Ten Others With the Best Chance of Making All-West Regional Top 24
Phyllis Blanchard (Rancho Cotate, Rohnert Park, Ca.)
Alma Escobar (Corona, Ca.)
Erin Fuller (Jordan, Sandy, Ut.)
Karleigh Gempler (Borah, Idaho Falls, Ida.)
Isley Gonzalez (Sunnyside, Wa.)
Melissa Grelli (Presentation, San Jose, Ca.)
Heidi Houle (Mountain View, Orem, Ut.)
Danielle Jordan (North Medford, Medford, Or.)
Brooke Russell (Hart, Santa Clarita, Ca.)
Lorin Scott (San Pasqual, Escondido, Ca.)

Five Who Showed Top 24 Form But Were Slowed by Injury or Illness Late in the Season
(Can any of them come all the way back?)
Britney Almaguer (Elko, Nv.)
Annie Falor (Flagstaff, Az.)
Lindsey Kirschman (Enterprise, Redding, Ca.)
Heidi Magill (Mountain View, Orem, Ut.)
Keara Sammons (Desert Vista, Phoenix, Az.)

And Finally The Great Unknown Factor
Cassia Roth (Carson, Carson City, Nv./did not run for her school)

Not to Be Overlooked
A quick note about this division. In states where there is a lack of depth (and competition is somewhat absent), athletes are included here realizing that they might have a chance to make the top 24 but it is also possible they might not make the top 50. In states such as California, where competition is a little tougher and it is a possible to get a better reading on an athletes who have a real chance to make the top 24, the standard for making the “not to be overlooked” division is a bit higher. All states will have at least one runner listed. Also but this time athletes must be in competition to be listed. Lastly, remember this is just one person’s opinion.

Brianna Anderson-Gregg (Philomath, Or.)
Whitney Anderson (Seward, Alaska)
Jenny Bergren (Miramonte, Orinda, Ca.)
Rachelle Billie (Shiprock, N.M.)
Linda Boucher (Murrieta Valley, Murrieta, Ca.)
Katie Bowen (Lone Peak, Highland, Ut.)
Allie Brosh (Sandpoint, Ida.)
Carly Brown (Flathead, Kalispell, Mt.)
Briana Cahn (Ayala, Chino Hills, Ca.)
Oriana Campbell (Ventura, Ca.)
Kim Conley (Montgomery, Santa Rosa, Ca.)
Amie Dahnke (University, Spokane, Wa.)
Kelsey Delagardella (Sultana, Hesperia, Ca.)
Lindsay dela Montaigne (Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, Ca.)
Hollie Dieu (Coquille, Or.)
Kimberly Donatelli (Buena, Ventura, Ca.)
Katrina Drennen (Orting, Wa.)
Alma Escobar (Corona, Ca.)
Gretchen Fagley (Sheridan, Wy.)
Heather Fitz-Gustafson (The Dalles, Or.)
Daryan Glenn (Reno, Nv.)
Ari Goldstein (Soldotna, Alaska)
Katie Gose (La Reina, Thousand Oaks, Ca.)
Erin Gray (South, Eugene, Or.)
Brittany Grimes (Centennial, Bakersfield, Ca.)
Kari Hardt (Round Valley, Springerville, Az.)
Kelsey Hardt (Hopi, Az.)
Whitney Hardt (Round Valley, Springerville, Az.)
Lyndsay Harper (Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, N.M.)
Emmeline Hartel (Birmingham, Lake Balboa, Ca.)
Emily Higgins (Rocky Mount, Byron, Wy.)
Emily King (Moanalua, Honolulu, Ha.)
Jenna Kingma (San Luis Obispo, Ca.)
Brooke Lademan (Peninsula, Rolling Hills Estates, Ca.)
Stacie Lifferth (Northridge, Layton, Ut.)
Lauren Maldonado (St. Paul, Santa Fe Springs, Ca.)
Amanda Miller (Eastmont, East Wenatchee, Wa.)
Anne Miller (Los Alamos, N.M.)
Lucy Miller (Snohomish, Wa.)
Brieanna Morris (Quartz Hill, Ca.)
Shannon Murakami (Saugus, Ca.)
Kendel Nelson (Crater, Central Point, Or.)
Amber Nickelson (Lake Stevens, Wa.)
Becca Noble (Rogers, Spokane, Wa.)
Jullian Ochs (Campolindo, Moraga, Ca.)
Sheryl Paige (Ontario, Or.)
Bevin Peters (Holy Names, Seattle, Wa.)
Natalie Picchitti (Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.)
Crystal Reed (Fountain Valley, Ca.)
Vera Ross (Campolindo, Moraga, Ca.)
Zoe Roy (Summit, Bend, Or.)
Katie Sammons (Desert Vista, Phoenix, Az.)
Marisa Sandoval (Los Alamos, N.M.)
Lauren Saylor (Buchanan, Clovis, Ca.)
Dani Shuster (Kamiakan, Kent, Wa.)
Holly Simeon (Park City, Utah)
Sariah St. Laurent (El Camino, Oceanside, Ca.)
Allison Taylor (Skyline, Salt Lake City, Utah)
Stephanie Torres (Cypress, Ca.)
Jacqueline Turner (Lutheran, Orange, Ca.)
Tori Tyler (Gunn, Palo Alto, Ca.)
Danielle Varela (Sultana, Hesperia, Ca.)
Ciara Vieweg (St. Ingatius, San Francisco, Ca.)
Natalie White (Hiram Johnson, Sacramento, Ca.)