The Woodlands sr Sarah Andrews.  Photo Neal Baumgartner

• Sarah’s scorcher – Two years ago at the Woodbridge Invitational, Christine Babcock laid down a mark that literally made the country’s XC fans gasp.  Even on a flat, fast course, that’s generally thought to be slightly less than 3 miles, Babcock’s 16:05 – 26 seconds faster than her previous course record – was perhaps the most stunning girls performance of the year.  She would back it up all year with a senior season that included US track records in the 1500 and 1600, and it seemed like it would be a long time until someone challenged it, wouldn’t it?

No.  In the last two seasons, Sarah Andrews has come from Houston to the cool California evening and produced 2008’s winner of 16:17 and September 19th’s 16:01 sizzler.  Andrews, of course, was a sub-17 runner on the track last summer – twice, in fact.  But her Woodbridge time sends a message that she’s at least as good as anyone not named Sveinsson and Goethals – or maybe closed the gap.  The Woodlands TX senior followed that up with a 10:51 2-mile in the FEAST Flight Score meet a week later.

• Cuffe’s crusher – Aisling Cuffe had said she wanted to break 18:00 at Bowdoin Park this year, but could anyone have imagined she would do it by herself in September?  First, the Cornwall NY junior had opened with a 17:22 5k on a considerably less challenging course.  But then in the Bowdoin Park Classic last weekend, even with a very good field failing to push her, Cuffe went deep into the 17s, hitting 17:38.2.  That mark trails only a 17:27.3 by Nicole Blood from 2004 on the course’s all-time list, and ranks ahead of a legion of champions from Aislinn Ryan to Erin Davis to Molly Huddle. 

• Not just Frazier in NC – Freshman comet Wesley Frazier of Ravenscroft is showing no signs of letting up on her historic tear through North Carolina.  After her state record 17:05.9 at the Seahawk Invite in Wilmington, she tackled the tougher course at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park – the Great American and NXN SE layout – and ran a scintillating 17:10. 

That justifies Frazier’s continued ascension up the Top 25, but what about the East Chapel Hill sr behind her?  The previous week, Carolyn Baskir ran 17:58 at Seahawk – even though it was more than 50 seconds behind Frazier, it was a very good race that indicated the senior had a good chance at making a national meet.  But Sept. 19, she found a new level, digging deep to fight Frazier much longer and winding up with an eye-popping 17:24, a huge breakthrough that shows Baskir is not just a contender to make a national meet, but place high.  For comparison, now-graduated Georgia star Amanda Winslow won NXN SE last fall in 17:35.
 
Last weekend, Baskir finally ascended to the top of the victory podium, winning the U.S. Army XC Festival at Maymont in 17:42, beating the standout twins from Blacksburg VA – and probably the top two in that state – Kathleen and Joanna Stevens.

• Virtual clash in Colorado – Fans saw Colorado’s best two girls race Sept. 18 in at the Liberty Bell, but unfortunately not against each other.  Racing in different classes, Boulder jr Kelsey Lakowske and Highlands Ranch jr Eleanor Fulton took turns laying down fast times – Fulton first winning by 41 seconds in 17:39.4, then Lakowske topping it with 17:35.2.  Having beaten Kaitlin Hanenburg the previous weekend at the St. Vrain Invite, Lakowske moves into the top 10 and is the girl to beat in Colorado for now.

• Proving ground – Some elite harriers manage to get a few easy early victories in before the competition stiffens with major invitational battles a few weeks later.  Not Molly Grabill.  The Rancho Bernardo CA junior has had to face the Megan Morgan-led trio from highly ranked Torrey Pines three times to start the year.  At least at the Sept. 19 Mt. Carmel Invite, they were in different races, but Grabill still had the best time of the day – 14:48 for 2.75M – to continue to lend credence to the thought that she’s the Golden State’s best.  She confirmed that last week under a scorching sun at Stanford, running 17:22 for 5k to beat Morgan, again, by 17 seconds.  Casa Grande’s Jacque Taylor, thought to be another of the state’s top three or four, faded late to 10th.

• Newcomers – Baskir leads the five new faces in the Top 25 this week.  The others:
  • #19 Avery Clifton, the Topeka-Washburn sr who won the Rim Rock Classic 4k in 14:40.29
  • #23 Abbey Leonardi, the Kennebunk ME soph who was fastest girl of the day at the Manchester Invite NH in 18:21 for 5k
  • #24 Megan Patrignelli, the Monroe-Woodbury NY senior and middle distance star who won the Queensbury Invite NY in 18:02.60
  • #25 Kathleen Stevens, the Blacksburg VA senior who was 2nd, just two seconds back, to Baskir at Maymont.