Foot Locker West

Boys Preview - Josh Rohatinsky

by Doug Speck

(times below for track distances from obvious 800 and 1600 
distances unless otherwise noted). 
The Boys Foot Locker Western Regional will be its typically 
wide open and wooly affair, with a flock of good runners from a 
pretty wide geographic area. There are quality athletes from 
almost every one of the twelve states included in the Region, 
with an interesting race assured as some stars in the sport are 
created. The West does return four of the top five athletes back 
from the 1998 National Foot Locker Finals (Darren Ritzenhein of 
Michigan, this year's Midwest Champ is the only outside 
returnee), with Josh Spiker of the group stress-fracturing out 
after a super start to his senior year. The West should send 
another super group with the sorting out interesting here. 

The Placings: 

1) Josh Rohatinsky (Provo, Utah) - winner here last year, and top 
returnee from Foot Locker National Finals at fifth place. Top 
3200m runner in nation at 8:55.69, and great 1999 Fall season, 
seems raring to go and get it on. Aggressive, tough runner who 
builds up over the final half of his better races. 

2) Ian Dobson (Klamath, Klamath Falls, Or) - Great Fall with some 
super course records along the way. Defeated California's best 
at Stanford Invite, with big individual win in leading team to 
victory in Oregon State Meet. 3:58.5 (1500m) and 8:34.37 (3000m) 
bests in track. Qualifier last year for Foot Locker Nationals, 
he led part of the Finals race before finishing seventh. Strong 
runner, sets rugged pace, described his edging away from Josh 
Spiker and others at Stanford as, "not really picking it up, just 
maintaining my pace and they dropped back." Special race up 
front if the top duo decide to go at it. Course Record 15:30 
from Rohatinsky last year with 14:32 the time at regular course 
finish line by Jeff Nelson, still national two mile record holder 
at 8:36.5!

3) Juan Reyes (Carl Hayden, Phoenix, Az) - Eighth here last year 
and twentieth in the National Finals race. Good spring track 
season, great 3200 with Rohatinsky at Great Southwest Classic, 
Josh winning 9:05.18-9:05.80. Twenty-Seven second win to take 
down his own Course Record at Arizona State meet a month back. 

4) Dave Vidal (Flathead, Kalispell, Mt) - Top soph here last year 
at twentieth place. 4:16.33 last spring with good State Meet win 
this Fall in Cross-Country and great series of races. 

5) Golden Harper (Orem, Ut) - Twenty-Fifth here last year, 
9:10.31 in track for 3200 meters (3rd Great Southwest to 
Rohatinsky and Reyes). Second best time Utah State CC Meet 
behind Rohatinsky. 

6) Augie Escobar (Villa Park, Ca) - 8:56.23 3200 meter runner in 
track last year. Carefully timing peak this Fall. Has run fast 
enough to win most of his Championship races at the end of the 
season. Tremendously talented, his 8:56 3200m featured 29 final 
200 meters! 

7) Michael Kiter (Shadle Park, Seattle, Wa) - Top time in tough 
Washington State Meet, 4A winner by 24 seconds. 9:25.19 3200m 
1999 track season as soph. 

8) Kevin Clary (Flathead, Kalispell, Mt) - Fortieth here last 
year but 9:07.83 3200m in last visit to California at Arcadia 
last April. Member of one of nation's top programs 


OTHERS: (A NUMBER OF WHOM WOULD NOT SURPRISE A BIT IF THEY 
DISPLACED SOME OF THE ABOVE) 

--Travis Laird (San Marcos, Ca) San Diego Section star who had 
very consistent season and emerged with ten second win over great 
group at California State meet. 9:18.09 3200 meter best, should 
go in with great confidence this weekend. 

--Brett Andrus (Mountain View, Orem, Ut) - 26th here last year, 
1st in Utah Sportsman Meet of Champions (Rohatinsky did not run). 

--Seth Pilkington (Roy, Ut) - third best time in solid Utah State 
Meet (behind Rohatinsky and Harper). Part of great running 
family. 

--Morgan Anderson (Highland, Pocatello, Id) - Big State Meet win 
(90 meters), with Jed Barta from Idaho shocking with his second 
here last year. 4:26.38 and 9:26.92 double in State Track Meet 
last year. 

--Casey Jermyn (Plains, Mt) - Class winner in Montana State Meet 
in great time (#2 of day). 4:27.21 and 9:46.78 double last year 
State track. 

--Ben Ortega (Taos, NM) - 39th here last year, top time New 
Mexico State Meet. 4:26.75 and 9:32.63 double in State Meet at 
altitude in track last spring. 

--Brett Holts (Bend, Or) - #2 time good Oregon State Meet. 
Leader of one of nation's top teams for Coach Bob Latham. 

--Eric Logdson (Canby, Or) - #3 time Oregon State Meet this Fall. 
Fien 8:32.23 best last spring for 3000 meters in track (2nd
State 4A Meet). 

--Ryan Hall (Big Bear, Ca) - Number of fine races this Fall. 
Under 15:00 on the regular course here which would translate to 
qualifying spot if can duplicate in crowd today. 4:22 1600m 
runner. California Divisional Champion Cross-Country. 

--Matt Harriman (Omak, Wa) - #2 time in very competitive 
Washington State Meet. 4:19.01 and 9:35.37 State 2A 1600 and 
3200 champ last spring in Track. 

--Dale Fox (Shelton, Wa) - #3 time in Washington State Meet this 
Fall in Cross-Country (2nd 4A to Michael Kiter). 4:18.34 1600m 
last spring in Track. 

--Eric Strabel (Colony, Alaska) - top time Alaska State Cross-
Country Meet this Fall. Stated 1600m/3200m champ track 4:29.87 - 
9:40.23. 

--Tim Williams (Laramie, Wy) - Most improved runner in Western 
U.S. since last year? 4:39.42 - 2:05.59 double in State Track 
Meet last May, beat some good people to win State CC in top time 
of day.

--Stuart Eastman (Placer, Auburn, Ca) - fine State Meet Race (2nd 
to Escobar in his division) #4 time day Cal State Meet. 9:28 
3200m best in track. 

Others: (Listed Alphabetically) 

Pat Beattie (Bartlett, Alaska) - Ryan Bousquet (Esperanza, 
Anaheim) - Chandler Goodwin (Mountain View, Orem, Ut) - Andrew 
Ice (Ferris, Spokane, Wa) - Cory Jeffers (Bonanaza, Las Vegas, 
Nv) - Duncan Lundquist (Judge Memorial, SLC, Ut) - Daniel Mejia 
(Katella, Anaheim, Ca) - Rowdy Sargeson (Capital, Helena, Mt) - 
David Sheeran (Pine View, St. George, Ut) - Tyler Weaver 
(Gillette, Campbell County, Wy) 

ONE PERSON (OR TWO?) WHO IS NOT ON THIS PAGE WILL MAKE THE FOOT 
LOCKER NATIONALS - SOMEWHERE THERE IS AN ATHLETE (OR TWO) WITH 
SPECIAL ABILITIES WHO HAS NOT SHOWN THROUGH TO THIS STAGE OF THE 
SEASON, WITH A REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT THIS WEEKEND - THIS IS THE 
FUN OF FOOT LOCKER!!!

How the Race will go--

With a crowded field of 250 making the course very, very 
tight, anybody with a memory of last year will realize the need 
to move out quickly at the start. This will be a crowded, very 
quick first mile with a ton of people between 4:30 and 4:45. 
Powerful Ian Dobson or Oregon will be prominent in the lead pack, 
with 98 National team members Juan Reyes and Josh Rohatinsky also 
realizing the need to move out with the front group. Powerful 
Augie Escobar, and course vets from last year David Vidal, 
teammate Kevin Clary, and 98 25th placer Golden Harper are 
cruising along with a huge pack that will come by the mile under 
4:35. 

During the tough and hilly switchback loop, maybe not so 
much on the first section of up-hills, but on the final long 
summit grade and over the top and down, the better runners will 
separate from the field. Tall, erect running Ian Dobson and 
shorter, slightly leaning Josh Rohatinsky, will power down the 
grade behind the track stadium and start to edge away from the
field. Down on to the airstrip there will be three groups. 
Leaders Dobson and Rohatinsky, with Josh taking the junior course 
record on the regular course here (when he passed that finish 
line on the way to the 5k line) at 14:44 last year, powering 
along in front, with the duo on pace to run in the middle 
14:30's. Teammates Vidal and Clary, Augie Escobar, Golden 
Harper, and 98 Nationals team member Juan Reyes make up a second 
group, with Washington champ Michael Kiter leading the rest of 
the field shortly after. 

There should be a number of people 
within sight of that eighth spot through a mile and a half. 
During the lonely and tough stretch after "poop-out" hill and 
behind the Reservoir Hill before the long run up that segment, 
Dobson and Rohatinsky will continue to power on, with the field 
stretched behind. Over the final hill Josh will lower his head 
and mount a charge, like he did in 1998 to start to pull away, 
with Dobson still running very strong. By the top of Reservoir a 
top ten have broken a bit away from the field. Interestingly, 
last year there was a thirteen second gap between eighth and 
ninth, with fourteen seconds after Mike Gregg 
in ninth back to tenth in that contest.