Are you ready for
Cross Country!
The season will soon be upon us - ranging from steamy Indian Summer meets
through cold, wet state championships and climaxing in sunny Orlando's
Disney World for the Foot Locker nationals in December. Here is
plenty of fodder for discussion of who will be the best this
fall.
Rick Hill's 2000
XC Overview - who are the old faithful, the challengers and
the upstarts - teams and individuals?
Rick
Hill's Detailed
Boys Preview
Top Teams: Flathead, Klamath Union,
Mountain View, Novi, the Woodlands, Rockford and York
Top Individuals: Stephen
Haas, Ryan Hall,
Erik Heinonen, Dathan Ritzenhein, Bobby Lockhart, Seth Pilkington, Nick
Schneider, Chris Toloff, and Alan Webb
Rick
Hill's Detailed
Girls Preview
Top Teams:
Bingham, Bowman, Campbell
County, Colonie Central, Rockford, San Lorenzo Valley and Saratoga
Springs.
Top Individuals:
Alejandra Barrientos, Sara Bei, Anita Siraki, Felicia Guliford, Laura
Zeigle, Alicia
Craig, Erin Donohue, Michelle dela Vina, and Kalin Toedebusch.
About
XC Rankings - with differing courses and not enough
head-to-head competition, how do you do national rankings anyway?
Foot
Locker Returnees
Non-seniors in the 1999 races
Finals
- Defending boys champion Dathan Ritzenhein and Alicia
Craig, 3rd in 1999, head the lists. Six of nine boys returning are from
the South.
Northeast - Brian McGovern 6th, Melissa Donais 1st.
South
- Alan Webb 1st, Jessa Vacek 2nd
Midwest
- Dathan Ritzenhein 1st, Kalin Toedebusch 4th
West - Erik Heinonen 10th, Alicia Craig 1st
Rick Hill's
2000 High School
Cross Country Preview
Old faithfuls, challengers,
and upstarts
by Rick Hill
[Editor's Note: Charlotte NC businessman Rick Hill is a
lifelong running enthusiast and track parent - son Richard runs for
Georgetown - who made the Great American Cross Country Festival an
immediate hit last year in Charlotte. In preparing for the 2nd
Great American September 22-23, Hill has become an expert
observor of the national high school running scene. Here is his
preview of the 2000 cross country season. John Dye]
OVERVIEW
Within a few weeks, another high school cross country season will be
underway, and the sport will begin its quest to determine over 300 state
championship teams, the top teams in the country, and top individuals.
Likewise, the debate to determine the nation's best team, region,
program (boys and girls), individuals, and coaches has already begun. This
preview will include an early look at the top teams, regions, and
individuals, as well as trends and major meets impacting high school cross
country.
To begin, it is obvious that most of the traditional powers will
maintain their status at or near the top, and a few new and promising
programs will continue to evolve on the national scene. Top boys teams and
traditional powers, which will make an impact in 2000 include Mountain
View (UT), Kingwood (TX), The Woodlands, (TX), Mead (WA), and York (IL).
Established programs that will challenge this front pack include Rockford
(MI), Poly (CA), Gloucester (MA), Flathead (MT), and Novi (MI). Upstart
teams to watch include Atlantic (FL), Western Albemarle (VA), Robinson
(VA), North Mecklenburg (NC), Clovis (CA), Cherokee (NJ), Klamath Union
(OR), St. Anthony's (NY), Eureka (CA), and St. Xavier (OH).
Top girls' teams include Bingham (UT), Rockford (MI), Saratoga
Springs (NY), Colonie Central (NY), and Campbell County (WY). Challengers
to the throne are San Lorenzo Valley (CA), Pennisula (CA), and Middletown
(MD). Additionally, several very strong teams that have seldom traveled
out of their region will move into the national spotlight, and a few
surprises are certain. Teams to watch include Hopi (AZ), Bowman (ND),
Manchester Central (NH), Eisenhower (WA), Green Valley (NV), and Iowa City
West, (IA).
On the individual front, new stars will emerge to challenge last year's
returning super stars and an outstanding fresh crop of youngsters at the
freshman and sophomore levels will establish themselves as candidates for
the next All-Americans. Top boys will be lead by Dathan Ritzenhein, who
will make a claim this school year as the best high school distance runner
of all time. An excellent group including Nick Schneider of Benilde-St
Margaret's (MN); Alan Webb of South Lakes (VA); Ryan Hall of Big Bear
(CA); Bobby Lockhart of Handley (VA); Stephen Haas of North Mecklenburg
(NC); Eric Heinonen of South Eugene (OR); Rob Korborsi of Jersey Village
(TX); and Brian McGovern of Fairfield Prep (CT) will follow him.
The girls will be lead by Anita Siraki of Hoover (CA); Alicia Craig of
Campbell County (WY); Felicia Guliford of Gallup (NM); Michelle dela Vina
of Wheeler (IN); Laura Zeigle of Bingham (UT); Alejandra Barrientos of San
Lorenzo Valley (CA); Kalin Toedebusch of Rockford (MI); and Sara Bei of
Montgomery (CA).
SUMMARY
In terms of overall depth, the nation's top two regions will be the
Midwest and West. Rockford will have the top program consisting of both
boys' and girls' teams. The top boys will include Stephen Haas, Ryan Hall,
Erik Heinonen, Dathan Ritzenhein, Bobby Lockhart, Seth Pilkington, Nick
Schneider, Chris Toloff, and Alan Webb. The top girls will include
Alejandra Berrientos, Anita Siraki, Felicia Guliford, Laura Zeigle, Alicia
Craig, Erin Donohue, Michelle dela Vina, Kalin Toedebusch, and Sara Bei.
The top girls' teams will likely include Bingham, Bowman, Campbell
County, Colonie Central, Rockford, San Lorenzo Valley and Saratoga
Springs. The top boys' teams will include Flathead, Klamath Union,
Mountain View, Novi, the Woodlands, Rockford and York.
Related Articles by Rick Hill:
Boys
detailed preview -
Girls
detailed Preview -
About
National Cross Country Rankings
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