Cornwall, NY junior Aisling Cuffe (photo below left by John Nepolitan) was looking for a very fast time and thought the Eastern States Championship race was a good setting in which to do so.
The problem with that theory – through no fault of hers – is that there was no one else willing to carry out Cuffe’s furious pace, or pursue her goal of breaking the 2.5-mile course record.
Cuffe’s mad dash, in which she separated from Fayetteville-Manlius’ 1-2 punch of Hannah Luber and Courtney Chapman over the last mile, resulted in a winning time of 14:03.3, the fourth-fastest time in meet history, at the 37th Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.
Cuffe, whose name is pronounced ASH-ling CUFF, fell short of the course record of 13:55.3 set two years ago by Carly Seymour of Central Cambria, Pa.
``I was looking to go under 14,’’ said Cuffe, the Varsity C winner here last year in 14:36.9. ``The record would have been nice. I definitely pushed a little bit early just to get into the lead. I fueled off a surge at the cow pasture (in the first half-mile) and I took off after that. I definitely felt like I was going fast.’’
Cuffe said she planned for running alone in this race by practicing hitting certain splits.
``I’m happy that I won, but I wish I would have been No. 2 all-time,’’ Cuffe said. ``every race I get to build my confidence. My potential is building to a whole new level.’’
On the meet’s all-time list, Cuffe trails only three girls. The leaders:
The Eastern States race produced the five fastest individual times of the day, with top-ranked Fayetteville-Manlius the author of four of those times, and there were 15 girls under 15 minutes in the race.
Only two other girls outside of the Eastern States race dipped under 15 minutes. Sara Sargent of Pennsbury PA won the Varsity F race in 14:42.0, No. 7 overall, and Meghan McGovern of North Penn PA won the Varsity C race in 14:51.0, No. 12 overall.
The sub-15 club:
14:03.3, Aisling Cuffe, Cornwall, Eastern States 14:26.2, Hannah Luber, F-M, Eastern States 14:26.8, Courtney Chapman, F-M, Eastern States 14:37.7, Molly Malone, F-M, Eastern States 14:39.8, Jillian Fanning, F-M, Eastern States 14:42.0, Sara Sargent, Pennsbury PA, Varsity F 14:43.5, Brittany Winslow, Queensbury NY, Eastern States 14:44.7, Brianne Bellon, Saratoga Springs NY, Eastern States 14:46.8, Mackenzie Carter, F-M, Eastern States 14:47.3, Keelin Hollowood, Saratoga Springs NY, Eastern States 14:48.4, Danielle Winslow, Queensbury NY, Eastern States 14:51.0, Meghan McGovern, North Penn PA, Varsity C 14:55.6, Kathlee Lautzenheiser, Midlothian NY, Eastern States 14:56.5, Lindsay Crevoiserat, Glastonbury CT, Eastern States 14:57.4, Haley Pierce, Tatnall DE, Eastern States 14:58.3, Joelle Amaral, Randolph NJ, Eastern States 14:59.8, Heather Martin, F-M, Eastern States
Fayetteville Manlius rolls to Easterns title #3
There was little question as to Fayetteville-Manlius’ ability to blow away the field in the Eastern States Championship race.
The only uncertainty regarding the New York state powerhouse was its ability to claim what it came so close to owning a season ago.
Fayetteville-Manlius NY, the top-ranked team in the DyeStat Top 50 poll and the three-time defending national champion, put to rest any doubts about their record chase with authority, jamming four runners into the top five and scoring 22 points to overwhelm a loaded field at the 37th Manhattan Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.
F-M won the Eastern States race for a third straight season. US #3/NY #2 Saratoga Springs placed second with 80 points, US #14/NY #4 Queensbury was third with 111, SE #5 Tatnall DE was fifth with 140, and US #18/NY #3 Monroe-Woodbury was fifth, also with 140.
With an exceptional effort – F-M’s five-runner spread was an incredible 20.6 seconds -- coach Bill Aris’ squad averaged 14:35.5 for five runners and broke a course record that many thought would not be touched when it was set five years ago.
Saratoga Springs, with All-American Nicole Blood in the fold, averaged 14:39.8 in 2004.
Last season, F-M narrowly missed the mark, averaging 14:40.3 in the Eastern States race.
``There was definitely a smaller field – we’re used to 21-22 teams in this race – but there was just as much competition,’’ said F-M seniorHannah Luber, (photo right by John Nepolitan) who led her team by placing second overall in a personal best 14:26.2.
``We were just looking to run hard, get some fast times and win the race,’’ Luber said. ``And if that gets the team average record, so be it.’’
Aris credited a breakout performance by Luber as the key to F-M’s performance in reaching that course average record.
``For three years Luber has been running here and she’s never had a good Manhattan,’’ Aris said. ``It was all mental. She was able to get over that, finally, and run like I knew she could. Quite frankly, she was the catalyst of our team today.’’
The top five responsible for the new record were rounded out by junior Courtney Chapman, third in 14:26.8; senior Molly Malone, fourth in 14:37.7; freshman Jillian Fanning, fifth in 14:39.8; and senior Mackenzie Carter, eighth in 14;46.8.
``These girls put their heart and soul into it and when that happens, the body follows,’’ Aris said. ``Every single one of these girls believed they could do this, and they helped each other get to this point. They are selfless.’’
The problem with that theory – through no fault of hers – is that there was no one else willing to carry out Cuffe’s furious pace, or pursue her goal of breaking the 2.5-mile course record. 
Hannah Luber, (photo right by John Nepolitan) who led her team by placing second overall in a personal best 14:26.2.
