Ken Cormier throws biggest curve -
Aislinn Ryan follows the Gator

SAN DIEGO -- On the final day of the cross-country season, "America's Finest City" turned into "Curveball City" for many of the nation's top boys high school runners. With one unexpected development after another, nothing went according to script -- or perhaps so it only seemed.

Unexpected minor course alterations, a rumored mild difference in race distance, and some overly soft footing were all factors catching several entrants off guard and off their game. The biggest curveball, however, was tossed by Arizona's Kenneth Cormier. A virtual unknown outside of state lines until this weekend, Cormier pulled the shocker of shockers in upsetting a superb field to win at the 2004 FootLocker Cross-Country Championships on Saturday morning at Balboa Park's Morley Field.

Cormier capped an unbeaten senior season with a bold exclamation point as the 19-year-old state champion glided past pre-race favorite Andrew Bumbalough of Tennessee with less than 250 meters to go, then held off Bumbalough's desperation reply to bolt across the finish stripe to victory in 15:22. Bumbalough, a slight pre-race favorite, appeared in familiar and ideal position to unwind his trademark negative-split gear over the final mile, but ended up being just short and citing unexplained sluggishness throughout race morning as signaling a precursor to his uncharacteristic close.

Gator cart paces Ryan

On the girls' side, New York's Aislinn Ryan bolted into the lead group early and then found a familiar friend -- the lead "Gator" cart -- and wore down a "Who's Who" field to pull away down the stretch en route to her first national title. The likeable Warwick Valley HS senior was neither the New York state public nor New York Federation champion -- losing both times to Saratoga Springs' venerable ace, Nicole Blood -- but emerged as the best of the best here.

Ryan, who credited the magnet-like presence of the lead gator vehicle to essentially pace her into a groove in her victory at the Great American Cross-Country Festival, had the same tempo-like presence established for her here, although no other frontunners were able to match the pace.

"As the race wore on, my focus and my confidence started to grow," said Ryan, who posted an eight-second victory over runner-up Marie Lawrence, 17:31 to 17:39. "By the time we hit the last mile, I was in groove and knew I was going to finish well, regardless of how others around me did."

Cormier is brightest of new faces

In each case, the pre-race favorites were beaten fair and square while a feast of new faces also surfaced on the national scene, led by the brightest new face of all -- Cormier.

"This is the greatest feeling, to have everything finish up as I planned and win it!" quipped Cormier as a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. "I was right in the hunt in the last mile and knew my chances were real good. No one really knew about me, so that was a plus and there was no pressure."

Cormier tabbed the weather conditions (76 degrees and humid at nearby Montgomery Field during the morning despite readings on the mid-60s on most Internet weather sites that used the coastline's Lindberg Airport reading as reference) as an advantage for the California runners, but said his own familiarity with heat also helped, although it was not as dry as he's used to. Lastly, being a relative unknown certainly helped.

"Definitely. I didn't have a gorilla on my back," said he said. "I was able to stay loose and focus without any distractions."

Cormier, a surprise winner at the Foot Locker West Regional in California last weekend, knew a national championship title was possible. After all, he was unbeaten all year and he only weeks before saw his cherished Boston Red Sox stun the sporting world by ending the most ignominious drought in all of sports to win baseball's World Series.

"After that, I knew it was possible," gushed a smiling Cormier.

In reality, his confidence was rooted during an intense cycle of training, reaching a summertime mileage apex approaching 120 miles a week, then culminating with a near-triple-digit weekly mileage log deep into the season.

"The mileage definitely works for me, giving me the mental confidence and physical conditioning I felt I needed to be ready for these races," explained Cormier, a home-schooled talent who is, by Arizona's state association rules, able to run for Douglas High, which he said is "located in the middle of nowhere, near where Arizona, New Mexico and the Mexico border meet."

weird feeling dogs Bumbalough

Tennessee's Bumbalough, tabbed as the people's popular choice entering the weekend after blowing away Alan Webb's course record in winning the FootLocker South Regional at North Carolina's McAlpine Park, seemed out of his element early on. Rather than flashing the poise and patience evident in previous standout performances, a look of concern and labor blanketed "Bumbi's" face by the middle mile, despite being in the lead group. Even when he moved into the lead late in the race, it was clear this was not his best day.

"I actually had a weird feeling before the race, but not sure what it was," admitted the Brentwood Academy senior. "Usually, I feel right on for a big race, but it just didn't feel right here."

Things felt just right for Loyola HS senior Mark Matusak, who placed a distant and disappointing 22nd here a year ago, but was among three Californians moving strongly in the final mile this year to improve their positions and play a major role in the West Region team's victory. Matusak finished best among the California trio of A.J. Acosta and NTN runner-up Brandon Bethke, closing quickly to place third overall in 15:26, just ahead of Colorado's John McGuire (15:27).

The final shift in placing was especially satisfying for the UC Berkeley-bound Matusak, passing the Stanford-signed McGuire in the final strides. Matusak initially entertained strong desires to attend Stanford, but was miffed when the school made what Matusak termed as an unsuitable offer during the recruiting process. McGuire appeared ready to challenge for the victory with a half-mile to go, but looked uncorfortably out of sync on the final steep descent, where Bumbalough effortlessly passed him and others closed in.

Wisconsin's Chris Rombough (New London HS) bumped up his stock on the national scene with a fine 5th-place finish, upholding the state's fine tradition here as fellow statesman Chris Solinsky won the national crown here two years go. Rumbough edged pre-race major threat Chris Barnicle of Massachusetts, with Barnicle (the Northeast Region champion) faring favorably on the national stage to take 6th in 15:34.

Recognition as the nation's most improved runner during the season's stretch drive might go to Washington's Robbie Barany, with his surprising 3rd-place finish at the Nike Team Nationals prefacing a stunning 8th-place effort here. The Eisenhower Yakima talent defied the odds twice in postseason, with his squad earning a surprise berth to the NTN Nationals, and then earning All-America honors via a Top 15 finish at FootLocker Nationals.

Other notable imrpvoements down the stretch came from Oregon's Kenny Klotz and California's Diego Mercado. Klotz stunned everyone with unexpcted wins at both the state meet and the Nike BorderClash before earning his bid to San Diego from FootLocker West. "I didn't feel good at all today, but I'm not letting that overshadow what I was able to accomplish in getting here," said Klotz, who placed 24th. "I had a breakthrough year and I hope to carry that over into track season."

Mercado, privately considered by us as perhaps the Golden State's most fit distance runner over the last 16 months, came into his own after some nice adjustments in recent months. A notoriously fast race starter a la his idol, Steve Prefontaine, Mercado learned the value of patience after an overly quick start in a big race at midseason led to problems once again. Since then, a bit more conservation in the opening mile has led to better showings by race's end, including here: "This was a great way to end the season," chimed Mercado, who placed 20th. "I don't think people expected me to be here, but I was able to put some good races together when it really counted and that got me here!"

The San Diego area's Acosta, who passed at least four runners in the final half mile, was the meet's top junior (9th in 15:38) while New York's Ryan Sheridan placed 17th overall (15:50) to end the season as the nation's top sophomore.

Midwest Region champion Jeff See had a seemingly rough outing here, with the Texas standout Scott MacPherson, considered a threat to win it all by some after dominating performances in the Lone Star State this fall, was in the lead near the mile mark, but faded in the final mile to drift back and eventually place 30th, ending another rough outing for the South Region, which had 7 of the last 12 individual spots.

NTN winner Sean McNamara of national team champion York HS (Elmhurst, Illinois) found it difficult to race at an elite level for a second consecutive weekend, but still fought well to place 12th here in 15:42. Six of the top twelve boys finishers this weekend were in action last weekend (three competing at NTN and three others at the FootLocker West Regionals), and 5 of the top 11 girls from the weekend bounced back strongly from a week ago as well.

about the slow times

Cormier's winning time was the slowest in meet history, but that detail could be attributed to a few factors.

For starters, the path was slightly different than that undertaken in past years, with a large fallen tree along the course in recent weeks forcing a re-directed route around the obstacle. Additionally, the tour of the dog park in the opening mile utilized a wide, sweeping path a bit longer in distance than the conventional layout pattern employed in years past. Finally, hard mid-week rains left the course very soft in some patches, and downright muddy in others.

opposite emotions in New York girls

The girls' race was a tale of two extremes for New York athletes, with Ryan's exhilirating win almost being overshadowed by an uncharacteristically rough outing from the great quartet from Saratoga Springs HS. After dominant showings three weeks straight --New York Federation, Foot Locker Northeast and NTN Nationals -- the SS foursome seemed out of sync here. Nicole Blood (21st), Hannah Davidson (23rd), Lindsey Ferguson (24th) and Caitlin Lane (38th) represented the famed crew here, with the unit claiming 3 of the first 6 placings by Northeast Region athletes, compared to 4 of the 6 they garnered at the Northeast Regional at Van Cortland Park two weeks before.

One would have to think that three all-out, high-quality efforts in consecutive weeks might have been too tall an order. According to Saratoga Springs coaches Art and Linda Kranick, a few of the girls did mention in a post-race meeting here that perhaps "too many races" this year led to the sluggish close, although the girls were reported to admittedly concede they could think of no particular races they'd have given back from their schedule either.

another second for Marie Lawrence

Nevada's Marie Lawrence appeared in ideal position for the win in the girls' race, moving to the lead on the final mile and approaching the steep downward slope where she bolted so well on a year ago, but Ryan closed even better (much as 2003 champion and speedburner Katelyn Kaltenbach did) to snare the top spot. Although earning the runner-up position for a second consecutive year, the popular Lawrence was undeterred.

"My main place goal was to finish at least as high as last year, and hopefully to improve," said the Reno High sophomore. "I wasn't able to stay with her in the end... she was just stronger toward the finish."
South Dakota's Ramsey Kavan had quite a close to her senior cross-country season, earning top honors at the inaugural Nike Team Nationals, then taking an impressive third here in 17:47. Kavan also shared the lead in spurts, then held off Colorado phenom Whitney Anderson and Ohio's Brittany Tinsley (both in 17:49) to take third. Kavan and Anderson, a transfer from Alaska, were the top senior finishers in the field.

Washington's Brie Felnagle, a transplant from soccer who has dazzled in her two short years in the sport, took sixth in 18:02 and figures to battle for distinction as the lead 800/1600 talent in the nation this coming track season. Montana's Zoe Nelson, the 2002 winner, closed out a phenomenal cross-country career with a rare fourth consecutive trip to nationals, matching last year's placing with an 8th-place effort (18:09). Arizona-to-Colorado transfer Keara Sammons (11th in 18:20) and teammate and defending national champion Katelyn Kaltenbach (15th in 18:28) showed well for NTN runner-up team placer Smoky Hill HS. Kaltenbach, slowed by her season-long absence due to injury, actually defied the odds and the skeptics by earning a FL berth from the Midwest Regionals, then keying the NTN team showing.

Californian Kauren Tarver earned the distinction of being the nation's top frosh placer, placing 16th in 18:28 and being the second-best Californian, right behind sophomore sensation Lauren Saylor of Buchanan HS of the Fresno area. Tarver was among five frosh represented here and smashed two-time nationals qualifier Liza Pasciuto's 9th-grade course record at Mt. SAC earlier this fall.

more about the slow boys times -- pace was probably the reason

At least two individuals toured the course in GPS-calculated distances of 4.98 kilometers, creating curiosity as to if the layout in previous years might have been a tad short. "The course seemed longer and it was definitely slower," said 9th-place finisher A.J. Acosta, who is very familiar with the park layout as his El Camino High School campus is located within 40 miles from here. "The course doesn't take water well, and the rains made it slushier in some areas. Times were a bit slower, maybe a few seconds each."
If so, however, it would not explain why only the boys times were abnormally slow while the girls' performances were typical of what has been achieved here in years past.

In reality, the tactical nature of the boys race had an effect on times as much as anything. With Bumbalough out of his groove and others in the field in search of the first true major victory of their careers, it could very well be that no one else in the field courted the credentials to post a screaming time. Still skeptical? Well, be advised that 21 runners were within 30 meters of the lead at the two-mile mark -- a much larger pack a that late stage than in past years. It appears the pace was just not as torrid as in editions past. However, it sure made for a thrilling dash to the finish line!