Foot Locker National Finals
History - Doug Speck



The Races 1979-2001
In the next day we'll try to go up through 2005!!
Thanks to Foot Locker for images

From what started as an idea tossed around among the family members of an executive within the Kinney business organization, the Kinney, most currently Foot Locker National Prep Cross Country Championships, have been the most significant thing to happen to the harrier sport since its inception. The bringing together of athletes from the different regions of the nation to a national championship competition, with the timing following the regular prep season, has made it the only activity at its level with a true national championship attended by all the top athletes in the sport. If someone is not at the National prep cross-country championships started by Kinney and carried forth by Foot Locker, one always knows why, and it is a darn good excuse if they are not, the series is so meaningful and important to all involved. The meaningful expenditure of effort in preparation over a period of weeks or months for the thousands of athletes each year who trek to the Regional competitions and hope to make it to the National Finals is immeasurable. No one who runs quality high school cross-country is unaware of the National Championship series in the sport. The lifting of the sport in different areas of the nation can be attributed to the contact that runners from those areas have had with those from all areas of the nation at the national championship competition, when runners headed back home and realized that those folks who may for a time run a tad faster seemed to put their shorts and shoes on the same way that everyone did. The inspiration of the National Championship weekend, with no shortage of alums who have gone on to the Olympic level in fine style, is marked by many who return in that capacity as the most signficant occurrence in the early part of their running career.

We have been fortunate enough to be involved along the way, and have a treasure trove of conversations, observations of races, and general experiences at that championship level that form a rich history to the mid-December portion of each year as it ends the fall cross-country season. One never ceases to be amazed by stories like that of Bridget Klein, a qualifier from Alaska, who matter of factly stated that her coach used to come along with her on training runs as she readied for the nationals, because, “When you are running in steady 50 mile and hour winds it is best to have someone take you out and run back with the wind,” or “it is nice to have a car to jump into when a bear comes along during the run.” Gee whiz, and you are complaining about a sore shin or sniffles!! In addition to the great competitions and successes along the way it is conversations such as these who help make up the deep history of the Kinney, and most recently Foot Locker, National High School Cross-Country Championships.

20 years of History

Did you know that the first Kinney National Cross-Country female Champion, Ellen Lyons of Boise, Idaho, could run downhill faster than the go-kart with the camera attached filming her to the rear, with the highlights race from the first 1979 competititon, featuring Lyons waving to the vehicle during the race to please move the heck out of the way while she rocketed downhill in Balboa Park in San Diego on the way to her win. Of course, the TV folks before the contest asked Meet Director Fred LaPlante of San Diego State University if the runners could not please stay close together for the first two miles and race the last mile so it would look good for TV. LaPlante diplomatically explained that that would not work for the show. LaPlante as a University Coach, had to step aside early in the series, with his position an obvious conflict of interest that the NCAA would eventually have had some serious problems with. Of course, some early contestants in the Kinney National series stayed in housing provided by NCAA Coaches, another situation rectified early in the Championship series when possible collegiate rules violations were pointed out. This was way back when the sense of a prep national championship was so new that many situations had never been conceived, and with the best of intentions the Meet Direction group quickly had arrived at a formula that allowed the top runners from across the nation to go at it on a Championship level course with all the details off to the side falling into immaculate place such that they could concentrate on the excellence of their running.

What were some of the highlights of these races during the last 25 years - let’s try to give a bit of a sense of history to the competitions since 1979, with a story or two along the way.

 
photos by Victor Sailor
Moore and Lockhart battle - Amber Trotter rolls on Girls' side!!

2001

A great close contest on one side, and a crushing of a good field on the other happened in 2001. 
Boys were first, with tough Westerners Billy Nelson and Yong-Sung Leal setting the early pace, with the mile coming by a 4:40 with Nef Araia (IN) ahead but a good sized pack in close tow. At two miles in 9:31 Tim Moore (MI) and Bobby Lockhart (VA) were heading the pack. It was not until the final few hundred meters that decisive action took place for the win, with Moore edging Lockhart 14:50.4-14:51.5 in the closest boys finish yet in the series. Chris Solinsky (WI) had steadily moved up and was third at 14:52.9, with Nurani Sheik (UT), an interesting late season find, fourth at 14:56.5. The Midwest won the team battle over the South 38-42.  Moore went on to a fine career at Notre Dame, with Lockhart and Solinsky at the University of Wisconsin.  Sheik ran for the University of Louisville after his prep days.

The Girls' side in 2001 featured Amber Trotter, with the Ukiah HS (Northern California above San Francisco) on a tear al fall that continued here!  Out in 5:04 (yes) and continuing through the two mile at 10:22 (leading by about a m--ile) Trotter soloed an amazing 16:24.1 that blew away all the viewers!  Amber had suffered with anorexia the year previous, and sadly would not finish the spring track season after this fall healthy for reasons unknown.  She attends Middlebury College in New England and has appeared on the cross-country roster, but never competed.  I remember Mike Kennedy from Track and Field News mentioning to her after the Foot Locker Regional how she could probably easily handle the prep 5k on the track record in the spring, and Trotter reacted kind of strangely.   We left the conversation in November wondering what her motivation was in all of this.  She could probably have run a 9:45 prep 3200 with continued progress and had the ability to do it solo.  One of the all-time greats, but a story unfinished in our sport.
Back for second, it was Molly Huddle (NY) who led the mortals through a 10:52 two mile, with Erika Odlaug (IL) taking Natasha Roetter (MA) on the sprint-in for second 17:04.3-17:05.2.  Huddle was fourth at 17:19.6, with Laura Stanley (NC) edging Felicia Guiliford (NM) for 5th 17:34.6-17:35.7.  The West took the team contest with 28 over the Northeast's 61. 
Huddle was a fine collegiate runner at Notre Dame, with Roetter first not wishing to compete though attending Duke, then relenting and doing a good job for the team, including a third place NCAA squad in 2005. Odlaug signed at the University of Colorado.

 

 
photos by John Dye
Daring mid-race move by Dathan Ritzenhein and torrid sprint finish highlighted
the Girls contest in 2000!!

2000

A personal favorite year was 2000!  The Boys race would feature a magnficent struggle between two of prepdoms's all-time greats, Dathan Ritznehein (MI) and Alan Webb (VA) in their senior year, with the Girls' contest a great, really great struggle between two super ladies!

Alan Webb would obviously be the one to take Jim Ryun's ancient mile record down to 3:53.43 at the end of his senior year, and Dathan Ritzenhein's toughness in the distances was legendary, including a win here last year, so the meeting would be a great test this weekend.  Out west Ryan Hall (CA) had been racing super, and it looked like a great three person struggle.  Ritz had won the previous year, with Webb eighth, with Hall a super improver last spring and this fall.  Sunny weather in the mid-70's had Ritzenhein and a huge group come through the mile together at what seemed a casual 4:47, with Dathan later commenting that he just wanted to "feel things out" early on in the contest.  The Michigan star put on the big hurt mile two, accelerating to 4:33 pace for that segment, and puling away from the field, with the 9:20 2 mile split having only Webb close, some three seconds back.  Ryan Hall and the field had fallen some 13 seconds behind at that point.  Ritzenhein continued the pressure into the finish, winning by a stunning twenty seconds at 14:35, with Webb 14:55 and Hall 14:59 in third. New York's Charlie Milloen was fourth in 15:05, with Heinonen (Or), Pilkington (UT), and Goodwin (UT) leading the west in the next three positions. Ritzenhein would go on to the University of Colorado, and turn pro after some super success there, with Webb attending the University of Michigan before taking the same step as the duo hoped to compete at the World Champonship and Olympic level, which both did the last Games.  Ryan Hall has turned into a fine runner at Stanford and at the open level.  

In the Girls' contest, the race went out a bit quicker, with Penny Splichal of North Dakota the leader at 5:21 for the mile.   A good sized group was still in close attendance, with strong Westerners Anita Siraki (CA) and Alicia Craig (WY) working their way up to the top group there.  Sara Bei, strong from the West at back a bit early on, but steadily moved up.  Craig and Siraki led through two miles at 11:00, with Bei moving up to the leaders at that point.  As Craig fell back a bit, during an exciting final stretch run, it was Bei who finally edged ahead 16:55-16:56 right at the finish.  It was a tremendously exciting stretch run this year.  Utah's Laura Zeigle was third at 17:21, back a ways, with Natahsa Roetter of Massachusetts next at 17:29.  Sara Bei, Siraki, and Craig went on to Stanford for their collegiate running, with all racing strongly at one time or another for the Palo Alto, California program. Bei and Ryan Hall did marry eventually in a fairy tale story.  Zeigle went on to run at the University of Colorado.   
(Thanks to Steve Underwood for his yearly summary on the 2000 Meet)

photo by John Dye
Chang and Ritzenhein were 1999 winners

1999

Another race at Live Oak Golf Course within Disney World .   A nice foggy morning greeted participants, with cool weather allowing some great running.  The course change happened again, this time back to a very fast one, with the troops flying on the short grass, middle of the fairway flat footing, and mild turns.

The Young ladies came first, with Northeast  Regional champ, Melissa Donais (Mass) a bit of an upset winner from that area, Victoria Jackson (IL) a 14 second titlest from the Midwest, Erin Swain (VA) the Southern champ, and Alicia Craig (WY) the winner out West when Felicia Guiliford (NM) fell with 150 meters to go with asthma complications.  Shalane Flanagan (Mass) and Sara Bei (CA) were surprising non-qualifers after super regular seasons.  Illinois star Katherine Hartmann was the early leader here, with a first mile zooming by at 5:19 (5:35 last year on the slower course used), with Michelle De La Vina (IN) and Victoria Chang (HI) closest.  The mile and a quarter point had been a key spot in recent years, with last year's champs, Torres and Sullivan picking that spot for their moves from the field.  This year it was Victoria Jackson (IL) who pushed here and went ahead of Hartmann, De La Vina, and the western group of Chang, Felicia Guiliford, Alicia Craig (WY), and Laura Zeigle (UT).  At two and a half miles, over a bridge, Guiliford made her move, ahead with Jackson next at that point.  At three miles athletes start on a final straight to the finish, with the New Mexican leader Guiliford ahead, but appearing in real trouble as one viewed through binoculars.  Staggering off-balance, one waited for the spill to come, which it did as Guiliford slipped to her hands and knees, then rose to attempt to struggle to the finish.  Meanwhile, Chang showed amazing spirit and strength, racing down the final straight to a big win by 45 meters in 17:05.  Jackson ended second, with Alicia Craig (WY), then Anita Siraki (CA) were 3-4.  Guiliford, showing tremendous heart, and a great person, managed to struggle in in fifth place.

Chang was a definite upset winner, with some good track credentials, a fine 4:35.06 1500 and 9:38.03 3k from the previous spring and a second in the US Junior 5000m event the summer previous.  She gained international experience in the Pan Am Juniors last summer in track, but had raced only the two mile distance most of the fall in Hawaii.  The West won over the Midwest 25-32, with Guiliford quickly recovering from her seemingly serious problems. Chang went on to Stanford, as did Craig and Siraki, as the Cardinals pulled another "super sweep" of the recruits.  Guiliford went to the University of Tennessee and did some fine running. 

The Boys' contest had West stars Josh Rohatinsky (UT), and Oregonians Ian Dobson and Erig Logdson the early leaders, with southerners Ricky Brookshire (NC) and Southern champ Alan Webb (VA) along with Don Sage (IL) mentioned early on.  Webb was 4:06 the previous spring as a soph in the mile, with Sage a 4:08 for the same distance.  4:51 was the mile split in 1998, 4:37 this go-round with the quicker venue!  Dobson led there, with Dathan Ritzenhein, Mathew Tegenkamp, and Tim Keller of the Midwest also moving up to the front pack as they headed up and down the fairways of the course.  At a quick 9:22 Dobson still was the leader at 2 miles, with the Oregon star and an acclerating Ritzenhein the leaders at 11 minutes out on the course.  The bridge at two and a half miles was significant on the Boys' side also, with Ritzenhein continuing his prep distance running legend with the attitude that, "I'm going hard from here, come along if you can."  The 5-7 110 pound Michgan star "Ritz" rocketed the final quarter mile to win at 14:29, with Sage kicking furiously also to edge Dobson 14:33-14:34, with Josh Rohatinsky next at 14:36.  The Midwest totalled a shocking 23 points, the least ever in the series, to take the team title.  Fifteen came in under the 15:15 winner of Jorge Torres from last year.  A quicker course and less humidity and cooler weather really helped.  Ritzenhein had helped a Rockford male/female sweep of the Distance Medley relay events at the National Scholastic Outdoor event the previous June, then came back to win the two mile there at 9:01.79, with some great races in store later this spring and the next year for the Michigan star.  His development and that of Webb made the 2000 race a classic.  Sage would go on to Stanford with Dobson and run well, with Rohatinsky winning the NCAA 2006 Cross Country Championships for BYU.   

1998

  b

Back to Florida again. The course was made a bit tougher for this affair, with runs through the rough and over areas that would break up runners’ rhythm after concerns on a good day the 1997 course would be too easy.
The Girls raced first, with a good pack in attendance through a 5:32 first mile. At that point defending champ Erin Sullivan (Vt) took off and never looked back, repeating her win with a 17:35.8 clocking here. Lauren Fleshman (CA), later Sullivan’s teammate at Stanford, ended second at 17:42.5, with third placer Sara Bei (CA), also later a Cardinal, next at 17:43.5. Bei was fully sixteen seconds back through the mile, steadily moving up to challenge eventually for second. The West went 2-3-4-6-10 to dominate the team contest here.
The Boys’ side had Ian Dobson (OR) leading through the mile at 4:52, with Jorge Torres (IL), the event’s first ever four-time male qualifier, making a planned move after that point to race away. Washington’s Adam Tenforde made a big move himself late in the event, knocking Torres’ margin from eight to three seconds before Adam hit the wall, and he was passed for second by Louis Luchini. Torres was 15:17, with Luchini 15:24, Tenforde 15:28, with Michigan’s Jason Hartmann 15:33 in fourth. Hartmann, from Michigan, indicated that the slight humidity and heat, which was a tad more than in the Girls’ race, did affect his run. Torres went onto run at the University of Colorado, with Luchini and Tenforde at Stanford. Hartmann was a competitor at the University of Oregon, and is now back in Boulder, Colorado, training with high school teammate Dathan Ritzenhein.

1997 w   

The meet moved to Orlando, Florida on the grounds of Disney World, with it having to be referred to as “year of the rains in Florida!” The wet stuff is against the law in California thru Christmas (joke), but a quick realization was that a competition in this area of the south might be quite wet! Northeasterners, probably the area most weather affected in a consistent manner during the year in running, provided both the winners. One was a repeat winner, the other an upstart flash from Vermont.
Buckets of rain greeted runners on the day of the competition, with the Girls first. Erin Sullivan (Vermont) simply raced away to win by neatly 30 seconds in 17:22.2 over Oregon’s Mariel Ettinger at 17:51.4, with Illinois star Rebecca Mitchell net at 17:54.8. Sullivan’s win
The Boys’ contest featured the same domination, with Abdirizak Mohamud (Boston) a comfortable winner, gliding through the challenging conditions after a mid-race challenge by Jorge Torres (Illinois) 15:22.7-15:33.5. Isaih Festa (CA) was third at 15:38.9, with Steve Slattery (NJ) 15:46.5 in fourth. Mohamud ran 4:09 indoors for the mile as a prep, and went on to Lindenwood College. Sullivan, the Girls winner, was just a junior, with Festa a fine collegiate career at Arizona State and Wisconsin, with a fourth in the 2004 Olympic Trials Steeplechase, with Slattery fifth in that contest after a good University of Colorado running stint.

1996

 

1996 marked the senior year of Julia Stamps and Sharif Karie, with both stars ending the 1995 race off their feet at some point, Stamps never finishing after collapsing during the second mile, and Karie falling after being passed by Michigan’s Abdul Alzindahi right near the end, but able to arise and finish second. Alas, both would run gallantly, but not win again here!
Fellow Californian, Kristen Gordon has taken the Western Regional after Stamps rocketed out at 4:58 for the mile in Fresno, then finished third. After some problems in the chute at the Regional it appeared Stamps was ready to go here, with one-time champ Erin Davis (New York), and four-time qualifier Katy Radkewich (Ohio), third last year, talented competition! Stamps led early in the Finals race, coming through the mile just over 5:20 and having a 70 yard lead through two miles at 10:56. Gordon, Radkewich, and Abby Miller (Nevada) were closest at two miles, with Erin Davis never really able to get up into the up-front action here. Juia had a huge lead into the last hill, and was twelve seconds ahead over the top. After the regional “come from behind” Gordon indicated that she did not lose faith despite being that far behind, with Stamps going into problems during the last downhill, and really staggering as Gordon burst past right near the end. Stamps collapsed at the painted front end of the final 5 meters to the finish, and thus never officially finished, while Gordon raced to a 17:34.7 win, with Radkewich net at 17:37.7, and Abby Miller next at 17:39.4. Julia was okay after being helped off the finish line area by the medical staff. Gordon went on to a running career at Georgetown, and still lives in that area of the nation, recently getting married. Radkewich ran at the University of Michigan. Stamps went on to Stanford, suffered a serious broken leg in a skateboarding accident along the way, went into the working world, and recently won the San Francisco marathon in 2:54. As all these athletes, she was such a wonderful person you just knew she would never be down for long, no matter what happened. Kristen Gordon was always a favorite, and that very year I introduced her at the State meet as, “probably the nation’s #2 runner.” That was behind Stamps, and Kristen told me after her national win she went over the final hill repeating to herself, “No, I’m not the second best runner in the nation like Doug Speck said!!” Oh my goodness!!
The Boys’ contest was every bit as exciting! Jonathan Riley (Mass) had taken fellow Boston area star Abdirizak Mohamud (Somalian immigrant) in the Northeast Regional, with Ryan Andrus (Utah) the Western winner, Gabe Jennings (Wisc) the Midwest champ, and Sharif Karie a 20 meter Southern titlest. A leisurely 4:52 first mile (slowest ever up to this point in the series here) had a ton in close contact, with close to a dozen in close contact at 9:5 for the two mile. Fresno’s Michael Kasahun, who interestingly worked for former National prep champ Reuben Reina’s brother at Wal-Mart, and had counsel on how to run this course, made a move at two and a quarter miles into the picnic loop, with Karie and Andrus moving quickest to cover the tactic. Abdirizak Mohamad (5-11, 127), moved past the front runners to take the lead up the final big hill. Ryan Andrus was back ahead on the downhill, with Mohamud and Karie edging close for the big finish. The Somalian natives Mohamud and Karie battled the final straight, seemingly close to 60 second 400 pace, with Muhamud winning at 15:21.0, Karie 15:23.6, and Andrus 15:30.2. Mohamud was the first junior ever to win the Finals event on the Boys’ side.

1995

Thrills and spills on the cross-country course this year. Julia Stamps (Santa Rosa) seemed invincible during the fall season, with an impressive CR 16:45 27 second win in the Regional over Kim Mortensen (Thousand Oaks) 17:12. Along the way Stamps had also set a CR at Mt. SAC, and looked like a sure winner. However, the junior star came up sick the weekend of the meet, and managed to take a good fall in her room the morning of the race, arriving with a good knot on the back of her head.
The race developed into a two person contest between Stamps and Mortensen, with Julia a 5:19 at the mile for a two second lead, with the defending champ Stamps usually 10 seconds on Kim at that point in the race. Mortensen related that she took to heart the talks by Olympic level stars Friday evening before the race, where they told runners to focus on “running their own race.” After the mile and over the hill portion of the course Julia pulled away to a 20 meter lead, but Mortensen had pulled even as the twosome came by two miles at 10:58 (Julia was 10:45 in 1994 there). The Thousand Oaks star actually edged ahead after two miles as the twosome went into a “picnic loop,” with Stamps shockingly heavily collapsing near the end of that segment, with the severity of her collapse such that one knew she would not rise to finish. Mortensen raced away to a 17:12 win, with Midwesterns Amy Yoder (IN) (17:28) and Katy Radkewich (Oh) (17:33) taking 2-3. The Midwest took the team contest with 35 (88:55), with the West next at 53 (89:41).
On the Boys’ side the favorite was Sharif Karie (West Springfield, VA), a 4:08 soph 1600 runner the previous spring, with the Somalian native (two years here) undefeated this Fall. Karie led the field through the mile in a comfortable 4:43, with Abdul Alzindani (Mich), who had led some the previous year, moving up to challenge by two miels in 9:43. In a “stride for stride” challenge the duo of Karie and Alzindani battled the entire last part of the event, with Karie edging ahead to a twelve meter lead with 200 meters left in the race. Not to be outdone, Alzindani launched a powerful sprint of his own, moving up and past with 50 meters to go to the win in 15:13. Karie fell, and arose to finish still in second at 15:24, having lost twelve seconds with the time on the ground. Alzindani indicated his experience here last year was invaluable, as he took the lead before finishing 22nd. This time he was more patient with his moves, with his teammate Steve Schell interestingly outkicking Karie for the 10th spot last year, giving the Detroit athlete extra confidence. Karie went on to run for Lindenwood College, then Arkansas with, Alzindani a good career at North Carolina State.

1994

Some good action this go-round, with super soph Julia Stamps (Santa Rosa), who had a super 1994 spring frosh track season after that frosh fall was lost to an appendectomy, was flying this season on the Girls’ side. Julia was 9:28.50 for 3k in the spring prior as a frosh (national class record) and the US Jr National 3k champ outdoors with that clocking. Defending champ Marie Davis (Saratoga Springs, New York) was obviously expected to be strong, with Julia disposing of her and the field, with a fifteen yard lead at 1000 meters, a 5:11 mile, and thirteen second lead at a mile and a half. At the end the Santa Rosa soph had come within a second of the 16:40 CR by Melody Fairchild from back in 1990, with Sally Glynn (Maryland) next at 17:12, Mary Cobb (Massachusetts) 17:17, and Erin Davis 17:18. The Northeast scored 23 (86:43) to win over the West 49 (86:07). Glynn, Cobb, and Stamps would eventually hook up as teammates at Stanford, with
On the Boys’ side, after Michigan’s Abdul Alzinadani led through a 4:42 mile, there was a pack of five battling at two miles. Tim Broe (Illinois), Brandon Leslie (NM), Matt Downin (NH), the NE Regional champ, John Mortimer (NY), and Eleazar Hernandez (CA) raced abreast there at 9:45. Mortimer and Downin had a series of local races in New England, and they crested the final hill and raced into the lead. In a tremendously exciting finish the New Hampshire duo battled the entire final quarter mile. Mortimer first took a lead with 120 meters to go, then Downing gathered and sprinted by for an amazing five second win. Matt was 14:58, with Mortimer 15:03, and Brandon Leslie next at 15:06. Mortimer went on to be a Seven time All-American at the University of Michigan, twice represented the US in international competition, and is the distance coach today at Boston College. Downin was a four-time All-American at the University of Wisconsin. Tim Broe has had a super steeplechase career at the elite level with an 8:14.82 best, with a 2005 US National 5k title with a 13:11.77 best on the oval in that event.

1993

 

The event changed names from Kinney to Foot Locker this year, with the two arms of the Kinney Corporation (Kinney and Foot Locker) probably a bit more running shoe name recognition factor with the FL name attached
The competitive local stars kept the crowds huge at these championships, with Eritrean immigrant Mebrahtom Keflizighi, the recent Olympic Silver Medalist in the marathon for the US, from San Diego HS, as was Marc Davis, 1986 winner here. In an amazing effort, Kingwood, Texas, had three quaifiers for these finals, with twins Brad and Brent Hauser going 1-2 in the South Regional, and Brent Jones from the team sixth there. Bob Keino returned to win the Northeast Regional by 50 meters, with Matthew Davis of Mead in Spokane the Western winner. Adam Goucher from Colorado was undefeated and on a tear through the Midwest Regional, with a big win there that tied the CR by Michgian’s Todd Williams.
On the Girls’ side, frosh Erin Davis (Saratoga Springs, NY), leader of the nation’s #1 ranked squad, with a 9:43 3000m best in the eighth grade had a super frosh fall cross-country campaign, winning her Northeast region by 150 meters. Frosh Jackie Kerr (VA) took the Southern Region, with Carrie Tollefson (Minnesota), an eventual Olympic level great, the Midwest Regional winner, to go along with her prep activities of cross-country, track, band. Orchestra, choir, and basketball!! Melissa Lucas of Jesuit in Portland took the Western regional by a monstrous 42 seconds!
In the Finals, Adam Goucher, who had gone out too hard the previous year in the National Finals and ended 13th, paced it this time, and he surged past Keflizighi and Matthew Davis with three –quarters of a mile to go on the way to a 14:41.7 win, with San Diegan Keflizighi next at 14:43.0 and Davis third at 15:08.9. Goucher had I believe a severe ankle sprain in the spring that limited him from what would have been some great track times, but went on to the University of Colorado and a great Olympic level running career that has continued until today! Meb is obviously a part of the Olympic level picture now also, with Olympic silver from Athens in the marathon.
Erin Davis and Melissa Lucas battled on the Girls’ side, with Davis edging by with 150 meters to go, winning 17:11.8 to 17:14.5. Sarna Renfro (Washington) was third at 17:36.7. Davis became the first frosh winner, and went on to a good solid prep career, with Lucas suffering injuries that plagued her senior year and I believe a good part of her collegiate career at Georgetown.

1992

It is always great when you have a local favorite in the meet, with Milena Glusac (Fallbrook), just up the road from San Diego, a gracious local lass who was 30th and 7th the two previous years, and undefeated this fall season. She had run 10:24 for 3200m and been the US Junior 3000m Champ the previous summer and a member of the US Jr National Track team. An interesting group came from the other regions, with super frosh Jenni Brown (Salem, Ohio) taking the Midwest region by 100 yards, Karen Godlock (Polk County, NC) the South Champ, and Amanda White (Dulaney HS, Timonium, Md) the Northeast winner, returning as a runner-up from 1991. White was the daughter of pro footballer Stan White, and one of prep history’s great all-around athletes, as an All-American swimmer, 10:24 two miler, with 10 State titles for Cross-Country, Indoor, and Outdoor Track and Field! The crowd was so crazy for Glusac, I remember screwing up her intro in the roar, and I think I called her Grusac, like anyone could hear it with the final intro of the local star drowned out by some 5000 spectators ready to go! Amanda White would turn out to be just a bit too tough this day, with a quick 5:06 early pace giving way to an 11:12 two mile, with the east-coaster emerging a 17:34.1-17:38.1 winner over Glusac, with the next Agoura HS (Ca) great, soph Amy Skieresz next at 17:42.1. The Northeast nipped the Midwest for the win 42 (90:32.1)-43 (90:49.5), with the West 53 (90:51.2).
The Boys’ contest that year had Theo and Tim Martin (Page, Az), the third twin combo qualifiers ever, who went 1-2 in the West Region, with Theo 15th the year before. Northeast winner Brendan Heffernan (North Hunterdon, Annandale, NJ), a 4:12 miler, the eighth from his school to qualify for this championship series, the most of any school to that point. South winner was Brian Good from Florida, with Greg Jimmerson (South Dakota) the Midwest winner. Heffernan was very tough this day, riding 4:40 and 9:50 splits for the miles along the way to a 15:13.4 win over Jimmerson’s 15:17.9. J.J. White out of the Midwst (Dublin, Oh) was third at 15:18.4, with Bob Keino, the second son of famed Kip Keino to make these championships, fourth at 15:25.7. The Midwest was the Boys team winners with a dominating 25 point total (77:26.4), with the Northeast next at 58 (78:11.8).

1991

It was another year of the tiny dynamo on the Girls’ side in 1991, with a Midwesterner coming in and trouncing the competition on the Boys’ side this year.
Liz Mueller (Waterford, Ct), all 5-02.75 inches and 96 pounds was a real mitey-mite, who was a 2:08 800 meter runner, and came out the winner of the Northeast Regional to dominate the national finals with a 20 second win over Amanda White (Dulaney HS, Timonium, Md) 17:21.0-17:43.3. Liz was a “different strokes” soul who amazingly (at her body size) going into women’s boxing later and achieving some real fame–one sensed a feisty side to the tiny New Englander, but boxing???????? Liz really did it (check out link!) - Kate Landau (Tri Valley Central, Grahamsville, NY), one of a great group of runners that came from the small New York high school of Coaches Missy and Joe Iatauro, was third at 17:54.0, with Heidi van Borkulo (Blanchet, Seattle, Wa) 4th at 17:55.8, and Jennifer Rhines (Liverpool, NY) 5th at 17:59.1. Rhines is still active as one of the top US Olympic level distance runners. Mueller led the Northeast to a low 21 point winning total, with the West 47, Midwest 64, and South 81 this year in scoring.
The Boys’ race in 1991 was the property of Corey Ihmels of Williston HS in North Dakota, with the midwesterner, who would attend Iowa State University with some success, a 15:03.6-15:18.7 winner over Jeff Wilson (Newbury Park, Ca). Brian Hesson (Caldwell, Oh) was third at 15:21.9, with Angel Martinez (San Gabriel, Ca) 15:29.3 and Margarito Casillas (Hoover, Glendale, Ca) 5th at 15:30.6. This year the West scored 30, with the Midwest 45, South 68, and Northeast 83.

 

1990

"In a zone,” was the way to describe one winner in 1990, with the most impressive individual performance in the history of the series welcoming viewers as the Kinney Series turned into a new decade with its twelfth annual competition.
Melody Fairchild (Boulder, Colo) was a piston-like slight star out of the Midwest region who was undefeated against high-schoolers for two years, and she had murdelized (if that is a word) the Midwest Regional CR (set by a collegian) by 32 seconds while winning by 80 seconds in that competition!! She had been second and first the two previous years, so she perhaps could concentrate on history here. Her race was run first at 10:00 a.m.on an especially warm morning, with the second place finisher, Jeannie Rothman (Westlake HS, Westlake Village, Ca) at 17:38.4 probably the slowest runner-up finish in the series, and Jeannie and others were of good quality in the field! Fairchild had one of those days that I hope we all have had the pleasure of observing, where one very good runner is able to separate themselves from the mundane effort to go for the win themselves against a good pack, and head out on onto a special chase into history. The pig-tailed dynamo rolled over the San Diego course to win by a minute in 16:39.3, which is short of the CR, but check the margin of victory, which was at just short of a minute, with no until Amber Trotter a decade later coming close to this domination! All there were aware of the electricity that poured off this young lady whose effort seemed totally the opposite of her mild general manner of the 5 foot two and a half inch star! Amanda White (Dulaney HS, Timonium, Md) was third at 17:40.7, with Amanda the daughter of long-time NFL linebacker Stan White and a top swimmer in addition to her running. Leanne Burke (Randolph, Mass) was 4th at 17:44.7, with Veronica Barajas (Channel Islands, Calif) 5th at 17:47.5.
The West nipped the Northeast 31-34, with the Midwest 66 and South 122 this date on the Girls’ scoring.
On the Boys’ side that 1989 it was another Californian, mid-state coastal star Louie Quintana (Arroyo Grande), a three-time qualifier here, undefeated thus far during the year, who romped to a 75 meter win at 15:07.3 over Jason Casiano (Portage, In) 15:17.2. Louie had run 4:07.20 for 1600 meters as a junior and won races as far away from home as Virginia during the Fall, as top prep teams started to do a bit more traveling far away from home for “in-season” races. Dave Hartman (Canyon, Canyon Country, Ca) was third at 15:21.0, with Hartman currently the Cross-Country and distance coach at Texas A&M. Alan Culpepper (Coronado, El Paso, Texas), currently a top Olympic level US Star, was fourth at 15:25.3, with Kevin Hogan (Longwood HS, NY) 5th at 15:25.7. The West totalled 41 points, with the Midwest 52, South 59, and Northeast 65 this date.

1989

A popular Southern Californian was one winner this year, with a Midwestern dynamo destined for glory in this series, taking the other.
Bryan Dameworth (Agoura, Ca) had been the first frosh qualifier a few years back to shock everyone, with only a shoe stepped off during the regional his soph year stopping him from being the first four-time qualifier for these National Championships. A tall, smooth striding runner, Dameworth was coached by his stepdad, Bill Duley, with the Agoura program turning out a ton of great runners over about a decade and a half! Bryan took the Boys’ race by 11 seconds over Andy Maris (White River HS, Buckley, Wa) 14:49.9-15:00.9. Junior Louie Quintana (Arroyo Grande, Ca) helped a 1-2-3 West sweep with a third place run of 15:10.0. Mike McWilliams (Grove City Area HS, Pa) was 4th, with Stuart Henderson (McDonald, Oh) 5th at 15:10.9. The West had probably the lowest point total thus far in the series with 21 to win with the Northeast 63, South 67, and Midwest 76 for totals.
The Girls’ contest had Melody Fairchild (Boulder, Colo), a small, powerful runner take the win over four time qualifier Megan Thompson (Hazelwood Central, Mo) 17:05.5-17:12.7, with the ultra-serious Fairchild to come back the next year for something very special in these championships. Carole Zajac (Baldwin Area, Pittsburgh, Pa) was third at 17:22.9, with Zajac going on to a fine collegiate career at Villanova, with two NCAA Cross Country and two Track titles over 10,000 meters for the Wildcats. Sarah Schwald, having moved from Colorado to Mead HS in Spokane, Washington by this time, waqs 4th at 17:35.3, with Celeste Susnis (Kankakee Valley, Wheatfield, In) last year’s champ 5th at 17:39.2. The Midwest totaled 34 points this year, with the Northeast 49, West 54, and South 86 in the scoring. Future American great runner Deena Drossin (Agoura, Ca), a teammate of winner Bryan Dameworth, was 13th on the Girls’ side at 18:14.3.

1988

1988 featured some exciting racing, and frustration for the local hero!
The Boys’ race that year had a bit of an upset, as third placer from the Midwest Region, Brian Grosso (Walled Lake Western HS, Michigan) race away to a 50 yard win over thus far that year undefeated Northeast Regional champ Jason DiJoseph (Paul VI, Haddonfield, NJ) 15:03.3-15:10.1, with fellow New Jerseyite Michal Mykytok (Bound Brook HS) next at 15:12.7. Junior Bryan Dameworth (Agoura, Ca) was fourth at 15:15.4, with John Coyle (Christian Brothers, Lincroft, NJ) making it 3 of the top 5 from his state with his 15:15.7 run. The Northeast was impressive with its 25 point total over the West with 43, Midwest at 92, and South with 95 points in the team contest!
In the Girls raced in 1988 it was a Midwestern 1-2 run, with Celeste Susnis (Kankakee Valley, Wheatfield, In) the winner at 17:14.4 over Melody Fairchild (Boulder, Colo) 17:18.1. Susnis, from rural Indiana, told us she used to have to retreat to the indoors treadmill in the face of some of the Midwest winter conditions during her preparation, with her win as an eleventh grader here coming off a thirty second Regional victory in her area. The story was back a ways for the locals, with Kira Jorgensen, the defending champion, steadily fading back through the pack, with the weight of the locals all on her shoulders, eventually finishing 21st place. The ever-optimistic Jorgensen shrugged it off soon after, and spent the rest of the weekend enjoying the company of the great Nationals crew, relieving all who sensed the burden some of these favorites carry around. Northeast Regional winner Christi Constantin (Kittatinny Regional, NJ) was third at 17:18.4, with Karen Hecox (South Hills, West Covina), an eventual 3000m NCAA Champ for UCLA, 4th at 17:30.4, and Sarah Schwald (Liberty, Colorado Springs, Colo) still just a soph, 5th at 17:39.5. The Midwest Girls were nearly as dominant as the Northeast Boys this date, scoring 27 to the West’s 55, Northeast 58, and South 83 in the team department.

1987

The 1987 competition featured strong wins by Bob Kennedy (North Westerville, Ohio) and popular local hero, Kira Jorgensen, now at Rancho Buena Vista HS, a new school in Vista, California, just north of the course in San Diego County.
Kennedy, as summarized above, was a strong, smooth striding star who recorded a 4:03 mile as a prep, and kind of led things into the modern era of US distance running with a well-planned career at the University of Indiana and beyond, leading to an attempt to compete with the Olympic level flood of African runners at that level in the 1990's. His well chronicled attempts to pursue the professional lifestyle of a runner and challenge the amazing series of world level performances that emerged during his Open level career captivated American fans, with his 12:58 American 5K record certainly a stunning performance, but frustratingly still a tad away from the medal level performances at the Olympic and World Championships we all hoped for. John Sence (Milford, Oh) was next behind Kennedy’s 1987 winner of 14:59.0 with his 15:08.9, with Harley Hanson helping lead a 1-2-3 Midwest sweep with his third place 15:12.7 run. Chip Smith (Albquerque, NM) was fourth at 15:14.3, with John Horkheimer (Pittsford, NY) 5th at 15:15.0.
Kira Jorgensen was a bubbly personality, super for success at these championships, happy for the TV cameras and everyone she came in contact during the meet weekend. Her career goal, to be an astronaut, which did not surprise you a bit if you spent three minutes around the area star. And, oh boy did the locals take her to heart when she romped away from the field to a 50 yard win at 17:08.7 to 17:16.7 over Susan Bliss (St. Charles, Mo). Megan Thompson of Florissant, Missouri was third at 17:27.6, with Sarah Schwald (Colorado Springs, Colo), today on the nation’s top Olympic level distance stars after a career at the University of Arkansas, was next at 17:27.8, with Christi Constantin (Newton, NJ) 5th at 17:34.9.

1986

The 1986 contest was one that featured dominating, popular wins. With the meet being held in typically sunny San Diego, home of super active lifestyles for its residents, the Saturday morning two races were becoming very popular with fans, with the possibility of locally successful participants swelling that support well up into the thousands. Marc Davis of San Diego HS, with the school located such that Marc could look out some of his classroom windows across Balboa Park to the actual Kinney Nationals course, was an undefeated star in 1986, and the top returnee from the series at 8th place. Marc was kind of a brash personality, atypical of the distance runner types, and he had charged to a Course Record Western Regional run in Fresno, California of 14:38 off a first mile of 4:27, breaking the time of famed National Champ Eric Reynolds. Electricity was in the air on another sunny morning for the Boys and Girls contests. Winners Davis and Erin Keogh (once again) were awesome! Marc edged away from a very strong group to a dominating 14:38.1 win, very close to the Course Record set the previous year, with his over ten second margin of victory over Todd Williams (Monroe, Mich) giving the locals a chance to celebrate with their local prep hero mightily over the last mile! Marc went on to a fine career at the University of Arizona, with Williams the University of Tennessee, with both eventual Olympic level runners of note. Robert Kennedy of North Westerville, Ohio, another future great as he went on to the University of Indiana and Olympic level, was third at 15:05.3, with Paul Vandegrift (Archbishop Kennedy, Gwynedd Valley, Pa) fourth at 15:08.1, and Mason Myers (Vacaville, Ca) 5th at 15:08.7. Interestingly, Marc Davis still holds the American Record for two miles at 8:12.74, with Kennedy the AR for 5000m at an impressive 12:58.21 (quick math has three 4:09 1600's without rest and a 30 second 200 there!!! for the 5000m). A very competitive team struggle on the Boys’ side had the West with 36 points, the Midwest 40, Northeast 50, and South 90. Way back in the Boys’ race was Bryan Dameworth of Agoura, California, who became the first ever ninth grader to qualify for these championships, and an eventual champion in the series. Dameworth had a shoe stepped off during the 1987 Regional competition, or he would have been the first ever four-time qualifier for these Finals, an honor later achieved by one of the Torres brothers from Illinois.
On the Girls’ side in 1986 it was still the Erin Keogh show, with the Virginian romping away to a 16:55.7 run on the warm morning in her over 100 meter win over Kim Kauls (Forest Lake, Mn) 17:18.7, and Wendy Neely (Lake Bradock, Burke, Va) 17:19.0. A future hero for the Women’s side of the meet was set up in local Kira Jorgensen (Vista, Ca), who was 4th as just a sophomore at 17:30.3, with Elizabeth Brenden (Rye Neck, NY) 5th at 17:38.4. Tight team scoring at the Midwest win with 45 to the 51 for the West, 56 for the Northeast, and 79 for the South.

1985

Some super running was featured at the 1985 Championships, with the Boys’ contest by far the deepest ever, with nine athletes dipping under the magic 15:00 barrier on the challenging 5k course, and one young lady dominating a strong Girls’ field.
Reuben Reina (Jay, San Antonio, Tex), who would go on to a super career at the University of Arkansas, was the undefeated Southern Regional winner by nine seconds, with a good group of challengers from around the nation. Reina, with a very smooth stride, would emerge a solid winner with a Course Record 14:36.8 over Mark Mastalir (Jesuit, Sacramento, Ca) 2nd 14:41.3, one half of a fine twin duo (Eric 9th here) that would go on to Stanford University. Mark Dani (Valhalla, El Cajon, Ca) was third at 14:50.9, with Jonathan Hume (Green Mountain, Lakewood, Colo) next at 14:51.4. Robert Henes (Woodbridge, Cayahuga, Oh) was fifth in the cooking contest at 14:52.6. The Young ladies contest fell into the recent pattern of one athlete racing away from the field to a very, very impressive win. This go-round it was undefeated Virginian (Langley, McLean) Erin Keogh who cranked a 16:43.8 time to win by over 100 meters and just miss the CR set by Janet Smith a couple years previous. Keogh, with wiry strength, lightly powered over the course to her huge win, with Suzy Favor (Stevens Point, Wisc), still a force at the Olympic level worldwide, next at 17:07.8, and Carol Gray (New Prairie, Laporte, Ind) third at 17:16.9. You can see the field was spread out a bit this morning. Aimee Harms (Annandale, Va) was fourth at 17:19.6, with Susannah Beck (Waynflete School, Portland, Maine) 5th at 17:20.0. Keogh and Harms’ runs showed the continuing rise of southern runners, as this Kinney series exposed runners from all areas of the nation to top competition, with 1984 high placing Keogh obviously having a big goal for 1985!

1984

The Olympic year competition at Kinney Nationals in Cross-Country featured a couple of very determined champions. Two very strong young athletes raced away from the fields to near 100 meter margins of victory that kind of left observers stunned!
Cathy Schiro (Dover HS, NH) had run in the Olympic Trials marathon that year, so she obviously took her preparation in training very serious, with her 16:48.1-17:04.7 win over Rebecca Chamberlain (Leigh, San Jose, Ca) having all appreciate the huge background the four-time national qualifier had put into her career thus far. The short, powerful stride of the winner was very business-like as she put away the field. Stacia Prey (Brighton, NY) was third at 17:10.7, with Donna Combs (Ballard, Louisville, Ky) 17:21.5 in fourth, and Erin Keogh (Langley, McLean, Va), the southern regional champ and future great here, fifth at 17:22.3. Great team competition that year, with the Girls Midwest group with 47, West 58, Northeast 59, and South 61. Interestingly, from this group of athletes, Marnie Mason (Klamath Falls, Ore), the Western Regional Champ and 8th in the National Finals run, would return later as a coach at her alma mater, and prepare some great national finalists around the turn of the next century, with Marnie today coaching at the University of Oregon!
On the Boys’ side in 1984 it was Scott Fry from Perkins HS in Sandusky, Ohio, who ran away from the field during a 100 meter win at 14:50.0. Fry was another strongl runner, who overpowered this group over the course’s 5000 meters and two tough hills! Scott would go on to a fine career with the University of Wisconsin, helping them to the NCAA title in the next year of 1985, and again in 1988! John Trautman (Monroe-Woodbury, NY) was second in 1984 at 15:07.8, with Brad Hudson (South Eugene, Or) third at 15:11.5. Hudson was an interesting character, having moved west from New Jersey out of interest in the “Oregon running mystique.” A multi-year National Finalist, he once took the championship run out at 4:27 for the first mile in San Diego. That same year the Girls went out at some ridiculous like 4:52 first mile pace. They made a movie of the National Finals that year and showed it for the next couple of years the Friday evening before the National Championship run. The leaders at 4:27 and 4:52 died during the rest of the race, but I used to watch the jaws drop of those who watched the film who expected each year’s race to go out at that quick pace, even though I do not think the Boys ever were under 4:30 or the girls 5:00 for the first mile in any other year. 1984 had Troy Maddux (Woodland, Il) of the strong Midwest team in 4th at 15:17.3, with Bill Babcock (North Hunterdon, NJ) 5th at 15:18.5. North Hunterdon had an amazing string of qualifiers for these nationals, with the school probably ranking among the top couple in the history of the National Finals if a data base is ever established of schools with the most qualifiers in the last 25 years. The strong Midwest Boys squad scored 32 in 1984, with the Northeast 42, West 49, and South 104 in that competition.

 

1983

In 1983 the meet moved back to San Diego, with the course run over 5000m on the Morley Field portion of Balboa Park that would be used for nearly the next two decades. The Figure 8 course featured two good hills and enough ups and downs to give the contest a sense of true cross-country. Most of the race featured grass as the footing, with short sections going across the cement roads along the way. The hill would come just after the first mile, when the excitement of the day and the usually pretty tough early pace having taken the edge off the runners, and once again at the two and a half mile point, where if the contest had not been decided, it would be. The weekend stay at the Hotel Del Coroando, on the beach, was a weekend highlight for all the participants, with the meet schedule falling into an order of Thursday arrival, Friday morning viewing the course, Friday evening meal and presentation of former Kinney runners, and Saturday race action and post-race banquet.
After a couple of years of high placings, Janet Smith (Stevens, Edison, NJ) stamped her name on Meet history with a dominating run that would take seven years to better on the watch with a Course Record 16:43.7 run that had her win by over 100 meters. Smith had broken the Van Cortlandt Park CR that fall for the regularly run course, so she was ready to roll! The soft-spoken Smith left second placer Melissa Straza (Bloomington, Il), who was a 15 second Midwest Regional winner, back at 17:17.5 in second! Straza was a 15 year old sophomore that 1983 season. Cathy Schiro (Dover, NH) was third, and setting herself up for a strong performance the next year as a junior, at 17:25.1. Kathleen Smith (Churchill, San Antonio, Tx) had won the Southern Regional by 32 seconds (!) And was fourth here for that area’s highest placing thus far in the series at 17:34.1. Kirsten O’Hara (Palos Verdes, Ca) rounded out the top five at 17:38.7, with the undefeated Westerner (up to that point) having set a Mt. SAC Course Record of 17:16 along the way that Fall and winning the Regional by 26 seconds. The National competition fulfilled such a purpose with these huge regional wins on the Girls' side that year. Smith’s performance was quite stunning, with her Northeast team scoring 30 points to easily take the team contest that December. Janet went on to North Carolina State University and was a three-time All-American.

The Boy’s contest in 1983 featured one of the “fairy tales” of the series, with Matt Guisto (San Mateo, Ca) only 55th in the Western Regional in 1982, then steadily improving during the 1983 campaign to third in the 1983 Regional contest to make the National Finals. In San Diego he moved past his Regional champ, Tracy Garrison (Klamath Falls, Ore) and the field on the way to a dramatic 10 second win at 14:54.1. His celebration near the end of his win was very touching, with the upset variety of the victory and drama associated kind of adding a special, new element to the series. Tracy Garrison was second at 15:04.5, with Simon Gutierrez (Del Notre, Albuquerque, NM) third at 15:05.4 to lead a 1-2-3 West sweep. David Halle (Guilford, Rockford, Il) was 4th at 15:08.4, with fellow Midwestern Chris Zinn (West Plains, Pottersville, Mo) next at 15:09.7. The West scored 28 to the Midwest’s 39
Both race winner Guisto and Gutierrez went on to the University of Arizona, with Matt doing a great job at the NCAA level and continuing his running long after, making the 1996 US Olympic team over 5000m.

1982
It was back to Florida once again for the 1982 competition.
In the widest Boys’ win thus far in the series, and running a race described by National Meet Director Max Mayo, as, “One of the most dominating in National Finals History,” Eric Reynolds (Camarillo, Ca) ran away from the pack during a 14:35.7 5000m win on a flat course that Mayo described as deceptively tough in the way of step to step footing. Back in second, nearly 100 meters behind, was Mike Connelly (Upper Perkiomen, Pennsburg, Pa) at 14:49.5. Stephen Taylor (St. Mary’s, WV) was third at 14:53.6, with Michael Collins (Rye, NY) 4th at 14:54.1 and Anthony Smith (Port Chester, NY) 5th at 14:54.6. Reynolds ran a solo 8:44.0 two mile that next spring in track, the #4 time in prep US History, with the tall, long striding Southern Californian felt to be one of the area’s all-time greats. The Northeast won the Boys’ team scoring that year with a small 29 point total. Reynolds went to UCLA after high school, and a series of injuries held him back from ever achieving what many felt to be a national or olympic class potential there.

The Girls competition in 1982 had junior Christine Curtin (Mepham, Bellmore, NY) the winner at 16:58.6, with Michelle Rowan (Washington Township, Sewell, NJ) next at 17:02.3. Californian Cory Schubert (Del Mar, San Jose) was third at 17:04.6, with Andrea Volpe (Lake Braddock, Burke, Va) 4th at 17:06.2, and Janet Smith (Stevens, Edison, NJ) 5th finisher at 17:13.6. Curtin, a 12-time New York State Track and Cross Country champ, established a Course Record on the regularly run Van Cortlandt Park Course in New York City in 1981, and was a fine 4:43.5 miler the next 1983 spring track and field season.

photo by Hank Lawson
Charles Alexander

1981

The 1981 competition was moved to Orlando, Florida, with course a completely flat one, with the course deceptively slow with patches of grass and sand during the 5000 meter contest.
Midwestern and Northeastern Girls ran well in this competition, with Connie Roberson (Reading, Cincinnati, Oh) and Lois Brommer (Mechanicsburg, Pa) separating early from the pack and running head and head the entire way, before Roberson edged ahead on the finishing kick, 16:40.4-16:43.2. Lynn Strauss (State College, Pa) continued her high finishes in third at 16:59.9, with Laura Craven (Beechcroft, Columbus, Oh) 4th at 17:01.0, and Janet Smith (Stevens, Edison, NJ) 5th at 17:11.7.
The Boys’ contest featured a large pack that only separated in the final half mile, with Charles Alexander (St. Christophers, Richmond, Va) a very strong finish to win 14:51.9-14:55.9 over Harold Kuphaldt (Bella Vista, Fair Oaks, Ca). Westerners went 3-4, with Eric Reynolds (Camarillo, Ca) 14:58.3 and Keith Morrison (Peoria, Az) 15:00.8. Mike Connelly (Upper Perkiomen, Pennsburg, Pa) was 5th at 15:01.2. This was the first year when it was pointed out that the single week between the Western Regional, which must be held the week prior to the Nationals, may have put together a very tough racing schedule for people from California. The folks from that populous state, who currently run their state meet the Thanksgiving weekend after tough sectional competition, then move on to rugged regional, and the next week National level competition, have no week’s gaps in the tough racing schedule, like those in other areas, who have a week off between the Thanksgiving time Regionals and Nationals. Race winner Charles Alexander became another Kinney Nationals winner who packed it off to Stanford for a good career, and still shows up in area road racing results in Northern California, where he has remained after graduation.

 

1980

There were five regions in those days, with seven from each of the different areas making it to Nationals (thirty five in total for each of the Boys and Girls contests. The athletes this year were housed at the famed, historical Hotel Del Coronado, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, with the San Diego weather cooperating (as it usually does), with daytime December weather in the 70's, with banquets and weekend treatment befitting royalty. With many of the athletes coming from areas of the country where December brought anything but hospitable running conditions in the weather department, the San Diego weekends typically are something out of a fairy tale for most of the participants. To be honest, any year with weather conditions of above 70 degrees for race time, there were heat problems for some of the athletes from other parts of the nation, with anything below 75 degrees for Southern Californians considered on the “chilly” side. With the current racing schedule having the Championships done by 10:30 am on Saturday morning, heat is not a condition of consideration, with the second race on the schedule for many years with the schedule used finishing after 11:00 am in the morning, a time when local heat can become an issue when you are used to running in freezing conditions in the weeks leading up to the title run.
Anyway, 1980. Again, some great races with interesting results.
The Girls race had Ceci Hopp (Greenwich, Ct) rocket to the front and race away from the pack to another large individual win, by 50 meters over last year’s runner-up, Lynn Strauss (State College, Pa) 17:12-17:20. They both took down the CR by Ellen Lyons from last year, so they had done some super running! Vicki Cook (Alemany, Mission Hills, Ca) 17:31 was third, with Sandy Forsythe (Memphis, Tn) 17:36 in fourth and Millicent Anderson (Canyon del Oro, Tucson, Az) 5th at 17:48. Ceci Hopp and Ellen Lyon started the tradition of top athletes from this competition heading on to Stanford, with the duo forming the leadership of Coach Brooks Johnson’s super squads of the early 1980's.
The Boys from the West region seemed to handle this warm morning the best in their contest, with that area of the country going five of the top seven. Jay Marden (Mission San Jose, Fremont, Ca) took the race in a Course Record 14:53 (taking down the 15:05 from last year by Brent Steiner) over southern Cal rival Jon Butler (Edison, Huntington Beach) 14:57. Marden had traded the early pace-setting with Marty Beauchamp of New York, with Butler going from fourth to second in the final half-mile and ending up 25 meters short at the finish. Beauchamp (Tupper Lake, NY) was the first non-Western region athletes at 15:00 in third, with Tim Hacker (North, Menomonee Falls, Wi) 15:03 in fourth, and Tom Ansberry (Santa Rita, Tucson, Az) 15:04 in fifth. Hacker went on to win the NCAA Cross-Country title at University of Wisconsin, and was able to get down to 3:34.66 for 1500 meters. Ansberry starred at the University of Arizona.

photo by Hank Lawson
Ellen Lyons

1979

This initial competition, held in Balboa Park in San Diego on a course different than the one currently used, immediately showed the great diversity geographically to the quality in the sport. The Boys’ winner the first year turned out to be Brent Steiner (Shawnee Mission South, Overland Park, Ks), who had run 8:47.0 for the previous year for a full two miles on the track. Barasa Thomas (Santa Barbara, Ca), a Kenyan foreign exchange student, who had won the Western Regional, stayed close to Steiner’s blistering 4:30 first mile in the National race, with a 100 yard concrete switchback at two miles allowing the Kansan to gain most of the margin he kept into a 15:05-15:10 win. Dwight Stephens (Williams, Alexandria, Va) was third at 15:18, with Andi DiConti (La Canada, Ca) fourth at 15:27, and Jim Smith (Haddonfield, NJ) 5th at 15:27.
The Girls’ contest that first year had Ellen Lyons (Bishop Kelly, Boise, Id) complete two years of undefeated action in the sport, romping to a 17:28 Course Record run (set by San Diego State’s Lynn Kanuka the same year at 17:48). Idaho, not exactly thought of as a hotbed of American prep distance running, showed the amazing nature of these championships, where athletes who do not necessarily face national level competition each weekend or two can rise to the occasion at the national level competition. Lyons had led early in the race through a 5:12 first mile, with Roxanne Bier (Independence, San Jose, Ca) moving into the lead before the tough switchbacks at the two mile point, with Lyons closing very strong over the last mile to win by over 100 yards. Lynn Strauss (College Park, Pa) ended second at that first year meet, with Ann Galdue (Bayley-Ellard, Madison, NJ) third at 17:51. Californian Bier was fourth at 17:56, with Suzanne Girard (Maine-Endwell, Endwell, NY) fifth at 17:56.