The Buckley Rankings (week ending 11/10) sharethis
City Champ Preview
*point totals have been culled from various sites containing times and speed ratings; data is then tweaked (from my years of expertise with numbers) to arrive at an approximate team score; that does not necessarily mean I am picking the finishers in point order
1. Chaminade (41)(odds 1-2...)for you neophytes to odds-making, that means you risk $2 win an additional $1)...the Yankees of this meet in recent years; I'm sure Coach Carriero (in the footsteps of fellow Italians Torre & Girardi) has his team ready; great balance and depth are the keys to the Flyers success this year; tough to beat, but the odds are prohibitive (can't make any money betting on them) 2. St.Anthony's (49)(odds 3-1)...I thought that the Friars were the best team in the early portion of the season; Murphy a slight favorite for individual title; with Walshak, they may get two in before Chaminade; I'll take the 3-1 and gamble on Dearie's charges to pull a minor upset (I think I lost on this bet last year)(any takers) 3. Monsignor Farrell (104)(odds 20-1)...easy Sectional winner, but cannot see the Lions finishing any higher; solid 3rd 4. St.Joseph by the Sea (152)(off the board...no odds)..."Z" can contend for title; he just cruised through a hot, humid Sectional win; Vikings were less than scintillating two weaks ago; Coach Chris feels they're ready; looking for first State Fed appearance 5. St.John the Baptist (175)...Woody's Cougars have regrouped after finishing behind Kellenberg at NSCHSAA; artificial number puts them 2 pts. ahead of Firebirds for last spot 6. Kellenberg Memorial (177)...different approach after Cities' flops the last few years; freshest team in the race; good team at 2 1/2 miles; see ya at Bowdoin Park 7. Fordham Prep (222)...always dangerous at this meet; throw out bad Sectional; Rams could sneak out a 5th 8. Regis (236)...injuries and illness have not helped; do Donodeo's boys have enough to rebound this late; forget the point total; can be trouble for team #4 thru #7 on best effort 9. Iona Prep (265)...need a geography lesson to travel to the meets the Gaels have attended; definitely better than their Westchester showing 10. St.Peter's (276)...things have not panned out well for the Eagles this season; get a last chance
Week ending 11/1 1. Chaminade...win NSCHSAA crown 29-36 over the "Black Wave;" while Friars get top 2 places, a gaggle or covey of "Flyers" dominate first ten positions; Nickel, Slattery, Hayes (happy to see him coming around), Woop (there it is), Awad and James 2. St.Anthony's...Murphy and Walshak cash the exacta, and Flynn OK, but must be an overall disappointment; there are bigger fish to fry within the fortnight at the Cities; on a positive note, 5-man average of 17:12 (converts to c. 13:22 at VCP) is the same as Chaminade; how will that pan out in a larger race is open to conjecture 3. Monsignor Farrell...comfortable 30 pt. win at NY Sectionals (sans the Frosh); but times did not scare anyone; Coach Cuffe made a guest appearance Sunday at Sunken Meadow for the NSCHSAA festivities; Tom made the trip through Jersey (where he stopped in Newark to vote six times for Corzine), then through the Appalachan Trial through the Holland Tunnel...then I don't know where...Arkansas was an easier journey 4. St.Joseph by the Sea..."Z" looking good, with speed to spare, as NY race winner; but, did not look good as a team; are these the same 10th century Vikings that raped the horses and rode out on the women when conquering South Beach and Prince's Bay??? 5. Kellenberg Memorial...perfomed well as a team (especially Pat Burke...who runs under the pseudonym of Paul Burke on just-in-time results); Mike Cook way below par (I don't know why, Estrella doesn't know why, Perrone doesn't know why, Daly doesn't know why, Cook doesn't know why, and Marty Brown has enough to worry about with the girls team to have time to wonder why) 6. St.John the Baptist...things just didn't go well for the Cougars (they don't know why either) in losing to the Firebirds by 15 pts.; still very much a threat for a state berth 7. Regis...sign of life as the Donodeo's Raiders get some missing pieces back and lose 2nd in NY by only 5 pts. to Sea; the nickname "Raiders" seems odd for this institution; what are they,"corporate raiders?" 8. St.Peter's...edged out Fordham Prep, but can't seem to get a cohesive effort 9. Fordham Prep...5th in the NY Sectional is not where you usually see the Rams; need help and quickly 10. Xavier...Knights average converts slightly better than Iona Prep; get the edge over the Gaels because Xavier participated 11. Iona Prep...13th at Westchester Champs (ouch); Jan Mitchell is a Giants season ticket holder (The Lost Weekend...starring Ray Milland) 12. Archbishop Molloy...easy BQ Champs can only get a #12 ranking (ouch for the entire diocese) 13. Holy Trinity...Coach Muller was very nice to everyone on Sunday; his girl runner Colleen Schmidt won individual NSCHSGAA title (she is sister of Kellenberg's Tim Schmidt, and not related to either Brian Schmidt of Kellenberg)(cousin of Connor Shelley...Kellenberg/Marist) 14. Monsignor McClancy...lands on the list of 15 1/2 15. Xavierian...(tie) edge out St.John's Prep 15. St.John's Prep...(tie)sectional winner Gabriel Vazquez earns the "Johnnies" a spot; St.John's University has nickname/mascot name change to "Red Storm Thunderbird;" you've got to be kidding me; but why am I mentioning SJU at all, they don't even have a male XC program (Division I disgrace)
