Bobby Curtis
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Amber Trotter
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by John Dye
BALTIMORE MD 9/14/01 -- Bobby Curtis
KY and Amber Trotter CA are the first
athletes to be named Nike Athlete of the
Week, a new feature on DyeStat in the 2001-2001 school year.
Curtis and Trotter earned the award by their stellar performances
in the first Great
Race of the Great Bay in San Francisco September 8. Each ran
the fastest time of the day out of three varsity races that drew
athletes from 13 states.
Curtis, a junior from St. Xavier Louisville KY, took aim on the
vacancies at the top of US boys distance running after graduation
of Ritz, Webb, and Hall. He was10th at the Foot Locker national
finals in Orlando last year, the second fastest undergraduate, and
he already had a swift 15:12 5k back home in Louisville this season
before travelling west to San Francisco. In Section 1 of the Great
Race, Curtis hung with LaSalle Cincinnati ace Allen Bader for 2.5
miles before easing ahead to win by 6 seconds in 15:29.3. Their
times held up as 1-2 for the day after all three sections were completed.
The 6-foot Curtis doubled his weekly mileage last summer from 30
to 60 miles and acknowledges that his season goal is the Foot Locker
national finals. "I won't make any predictions, but I hope
to do well," he said.
Trotter, a senior from Ukiah CA, enjoyed a smashing return to action
at San Francisco. She had a brilliant cross country campaign a year
ago (3rd fastest in California State Meet, 5th in Foot Locker West,
and 7th at Foot Locker national finals). But medical problems cost
her the 2001 outdoor season, and she entered her senior year with
a lot of questions. Those questions disappeared quickly in Girls
Varsity Section 3 at Golden Gate Park as Trotter moved in front
in the first mile and ran away from Sally Meyerhoff AZ and Saratoga
NY ace Nicole Blood. Trotter finished the 5k course in 17:21, which
was 48 seconds ahead of the stretch fight between Meyerhoff and
Blood. Meyerhoff's 18:09 tied Section 1 winner Jenna Timinsky CA
for second fastest of the day. Trotter was emotional in post-race
interviews, saying tearfully, "You don't know how much this
means to me."
The Nike Athlete of the Week award will be presented each Thursday
to the boy and girl who had the most outstanding achievements of
the previous 7 days. To nominate athletes, see on the AOW Nomination
Form.
Honorable Mention Week of September 13
Boys
- Ryan Ripley FL, 15:12 at Red Mule 5k,
Brooksville, tied with Curtis for fastest 5k in US this year.
- Steve Hassen FL, Vanguard Ocala jr, 14:49
3m, fastest 3-mile in Florida so far this season.
- Joe Thorne GA, Dekalb Lakeside sr, 15:18
5k, winner of big Berry-Darlington Invitatinal
- Mark Mullelly PA, 15:31, winner of Central
Bucks East Invitational in fastest PA time this year.
- Michael Hadden CA,
15:09 for fastest time at Laguna Hills and he is only a sophomore.
- Brent DesRoches OH, 15:59 winner by 40
seconds in the Heritage Days meet at Trotwood-Madison.
- Kurt Michels MT, 14:41 3m winner by 44
seconds on home course in Flathead Inv
- Tony Bachman WY, 16:17.4 5k course record
for Campbell County.
- Brett Gotcher CA, 41 second win in 15:20
at North Monterey County Early Bird Inv.
- Jameson Mora CA, 14:43 is best time of
day to lead Canyon Country to win in Seaside Inv, Ventura CAx
Girls
- Erika Odlaug IL
-- Deerfield senior continued her assault on the Lakewood Forest
Preserve course in Wauconda IL with a 14:16 win for a 2 minute
victory margin over Katie Birn, a top 6 runner in Illinois in
2000. Odlaug's time was 18 seconds better than the course record
she set earlier this year, which in turn was 26 seconds better
than the old course record held by former Foot Locker finalist
Vicki Jackson.
- Jessie Cickay PA, 17:50, fastest 5k in
PA so far, winner of Central Bucks East Inv in PA.
- Angela Homan OH,
three course records in 7 days, including US#3 17:56 in the Columbus
Grove meet.
- Julie Allen CA,
17:34 for fastest time in the big Laguna Hills Invitational.
- Angie Saterstad
PA, 18:49 winner over a tough Gettysburg Invitational course.
- Sunni Olding OH
soph, 18:58 winner of the big Tiffin Cross Country Carnival.
- Emily King OH, 18:46 winner by 57 seconds
in the Heritage Days meet at Trotwood-Madison.
- Zoe Nelson MT, freshman debut with a 64-second
victory in 17:40 at Flathead Inv
- Heidi Lane MT, 17:51 3m win by 71 seconds
at Great Falls Inv.
- Nikki Bohnsack MI, led Rockford to perfect
15 score in Bath Inv with 18:47 5k.
- Liza Pasciuto CA,
15:48 winner over tough course (3 miles plus 255 ft) at Prado
Dam, Chino CA.
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