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DyeStat Cross Country
Photo Story - Division 1 Boys
No Competition
for Dathan Ritzenhein
by John Dye
PORTAGE MI 10/7/00 -- As Rockford MI sr Dathan Ritzenhein came down the home stretch with no one else in sight, Michigan track writer Jeff Hollobaugh (www.michtrack.com) said this is the way it has been all season. No one within a quarter mile of Ritzenhein.
Has it held back Ritz' preparation to defend his national Foot Locker cross country championship? "No, I'm about where I want to be at this time of the season," said Ritz after the race.
This race had a good runner, Saline MI sr Sean Moore, but Ritz dispatched him by 61 seconds in 14:42, 2nd fastest time in the nation this year (to his own 14:31 at the Spartan Inv 2 weeks ago) despite a cold, blustery day that had strange sequences of hail, snow, and sunshine.
The race was run with mile and 2-mile splits of 4:35 and 9:22, and Ritz did not take the lead immediately.
"The first mile was too fast, and I didn't feel that I warmed up enough," said Ritz.
But when he got warmed up and made his move late in the first mile, the race was over.
The start was the last time Dathan had company |
Clear lead first time through the woods |
No one in sight on the straight between the
loops |
Crowd at finish line cheers Ritz in |
Ritz digs for finish line |
Ritz wins |
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