Regional editor: Don Rich
 
 
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Manchester Invitational
9/25/2004 at Manchester NH
Preview -

NE#4 Champlain Valley VT girls are one-point winner
over NE#5 Manchester Central NH

by Don Rich, Northeast regional editor and publisher of PennTrackXC.com


NE#4 Champlain Valley VT used the comeback over the last mile by #3 runner Emily Olsen and #4 runner Mairead Harris (in red above), who finished 14th and 16th, to hold on for a one-point win over host NE#5 Manchester Central NH. Harris staggered in from 40 meters out, but held on, only losing one place.

On a warm, sun-splashed day on one of the great courses in New England (I''ve only seen this one, and it's a beauty), the #4 and #5 girls teams in the Northeast went at it - banged and bruised and ill - and in the end, were separated by a mere point.

Form held for a day as #4 beat #5. Visiting Champlain Valley VT edged hometown host Manchester Central 70-71. And it was the tenacity of the top two runners and fortitude of the 3-4 runners that pulled it out over the last mile.

Coming out of the woods, Manchester was in control. Rounding the last uphill turn toward the uphill finish, Champlain Valley's surge had caught the people they needed to catch. But it wasn't quite over. CV #4 Mairead Harris faltered with about 40 meters to go. Her coach, Scott Bliss was impressed with what he saw next as she staggered to the line. "You hate to see it happen, but when human nature takes over like that, it's unbelievable." She only lost one place, and that was the difference. (Harris was still being treated, and we'll report her condition when we have it.)

Manchester coach Jess Weiss was equally impressed with her team's effort. "It's early. We were sick early in the week after a Friday meet in the rain. So we did well." Weiss had particular praise for frosh Lauren Ashby, who ran 3rd for the team and finished 11th overall. "It was her first big race."

Champlain Valley also had some sickness to deal with. Their normal #1 is coming back from pneumonia, running 2nd, and their #3 girl ran 7th. "It wasn't our normal gap, but we'll take the win," Bliss said. Manchester's 21:07 team average was .8 of a second better than CV's. Champlain Valley also nearly missed the race. According to Bliss, "the alarm sounded, there was smoke, and then our bus died." Thankfully they had cell phones and text messaging, and summoned parents with vans who had started the trip later.

Pinkerton sophomore Ashley Morgenstern won in 20:07. Formerly ranked Concord NH ran 5th in the race, and coach Barbara Higgins was pleased with the effort while racing a team that is not a full strength. NE#9 Hanover NH opted to run the Small Schools race because they were missing key runners. They won with 73 points. In the boys Elite race, Concord senior Guor Majak toasted the field with a 15:40. Bishop Hendricken RI tallied 94 points, 17 better than Londonderry.

1 Champlain Valley Union VT 70 5 6 14 16 29 33 37 Total Time: 1:45:39.00 Average: 21:07.80
2 Manchester Central 71 4 10 11 21 25 35 38 Total Time: 1:45:35.00 Average: 21:07.00
3 Oyster River 95 7 12 18 26 32 56 57 Total Time: 1:47:16.00 Average: 21:27.20
4 Bow 111 2 15 17 30 47 51 54 Total Time: 1:48:12.00 Average: 21:38.40
5 Concord 115 8 13 20 34 40 44 Total Time: 1:48:26.00 Average: 21:41.20

1 #768 Morgenstern, Ashle 11 Pinkerton 6:29 20:07 1
4 #572 Lessard, Megan 12 Manchester Central 6:35 20:26 4
5 #148 Frost, Kendall 10 Champlain Valley 6:35 20:26 5
6 #152 McCormick, Melanie 11 Champlain Valley 6:40 20:40 6
8 #201 Devost, Devin 12 Concord 6:41 20:45 8
10 #570 Guenther, Melissa 11 Manchester Central 6:42 20:48 10
11 #563 Ashby, Lauren 09 Manchester Central 6:47 21:03 11
13 #198 Connolly, Ally 11 Concord 6:51 21:16 13
14 #156 Olsen, Emily 10 Champlain Valley 6:51 21:17 14
16 #149 Harris, Mairead 12 Champlain Valley 6:53 21:23 16
20 #199 Corbett, Carrie 12 Concord 6:56 21:32 20
21 #562 Allard, Michelle 11 Manchester Central 6:57 21:34 21
25 #567 Casinghino, Mary 11 Manchester Central 7:00 21:44 25
29 #150 Hopkins, Amy 12 Champlain Valley 7:03 21:53 29
33 #154 Morel, Lindsey 12 Champlain Valley 7:07 22:06 33
34 #211 St. John, Hilary 11 Concord 7:09 22:11 34
35 #574 Montville, Megan 10 Manchester Central 7:14 22:28 35
37 #153 McEwen, Sydney 10 Champlain Valley 7:17 22:37 37
38 #569 Gibbons, Ali 11 Manchester Central 7:17 22:38 38
40 #197 Clymer, Elizabeth 12 Concord 7:19 22:42 40
44 #203 Hyland, Catherine 12 Concord 7:26 23:05 44

Preview

Three NTN Northeast ranked girls teams in 180-team field.

by Don Rich
NTN Northeast Editor
PennTrackXC.com

The Manchester NH Invitational is one of the largest in New England. This year, 93 girls teams and 87 boys teams will challenge the
terrain, each other, and individual aspirations over the challenging 3.1 mile layout. Headlining the meet will be three girls teams which are currently ranked in the Northeast, #5 Champlain Valley VT, #7 Manchester Central NH, #9 Hanover NH, and previously ranked Concord NH.

Also racing will be Freeport junior Abby Samuelson, daughter of distance great Joan Benoit Samuelson.

On the boys side, teams from Greely Me, Griswald CT, Bishop Hendricken RI, Essex Junction VT, and Londonderry and Keene NH will compete. Foot Locker finalist Cory Thorne of Portsmouth NH will also be there.

Frosh race at 9. Last race at two.

 

Northeast Week Sept 25

 


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