Since Nike created the Nike Cross Nationals, a girls team from New York as flown back to the East Coast with the team title and this year should be no different as US #1 Fayetteville Manlius (Manlius XC) begins its drive for a fourth straight title this weekend at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, New York. Anything short of a regional win for Fayetteville would surely be a sign of the apocalypse. after the two big meet performances the team has run this season. After the two major meet outings this season including a win in the Eastern State Championship race at the Manhattan Invitational and a perfect 15 at the New York State Class “AA” Championship, (photo right of the FM top 5 at the NYSPHSAA Champs by John Nepolitan) there is little doubt that the 3 time champs will not be heading to Portland for a title defense. The one question is how fast will they run? After posting 5 of the days top 6 times at the NYSPHSAA Championships two weeks ago, Fayetteville could run the race this weekend as a trial running just fast enough to advance. Behind the national leaders, US #3 Saratoga who won the schools 17th New York Federation title last weekend over the same Bowdoin course, looks to be solid in the other automatic qualifier. If Saratoga was to faulter or FM have a total melt down – neither are expected – Queensbury(Adirondack), Shenendehowa(Clifton Park), and Monroe Woodbury are poised to punch their tickets and possibly two of those team could earn at at large bid.
Individually the Winslow sisters (Amanda and Danielle) of Queensbury, Lizze Predmore (Shenendehowa), Shaylyn Tuite(Pittsford Mendon), Samantha Nadel(North Shore), Megan Young(Nanuet TC), Amanda Moreland (HFL Cougars) and Nicole Irving(Shenendehowa) all should be in the mix for the individual crown and possible individual qualifying spots.
Of course the above list of individual contenders does not include Coutrney Chapman, Molly Malone, Jillian Fanning, Mackenzie Carter, Katie Sischo, Hannah Luber – all from Fayetteville Manlius and expected to be in the front pack and could contend for the individual title if they wanted to, but it is expected that the pack will save something in reserve for Portland and not do anymore than they need to.
Can it be an FM sweep?
The Fayetteville Manlius boys team comes into the weekend as the top team in New York, but sat out last weekend’s Federation Championship after winning the NYSPHSAA “AA” title, but needing a week to shake off the flu. FM will be without the services of defending NXN NY Regional champion Alex Hatz who has struggled all season with different illnesses and has shut down his season. FM beat North Rockland (Red RaiderXC) at the NYSPHSAA meet, but if there is something of a home field advantage, North Rockland has it having run on the Bowdoin Park course 3 times this season. Behind the expected top two, Honeoye Falls Lima (Hfl Cougars), Burnt Hills (Deluge XC), Warwick Valley and Liverpool are expected to try to pick off an auto qualifying spot.
The individual battle is sure to include Otis Ubriaco (Burnt Hills), Steven Houghmaster (West Genesee), Nick Hughes(North Rockland), Caleb Edmonds(Cooperstown), Tim Luthin (Warwick), Marco Bertolotti (Port Washington), Alex Deir(HFL), Andris Goncarovs (Ithaca), Shaun Thompson(Baldwinsville), Brendon Farrell (Fayetteville Manlius) and Max Straneva (Chenango Valley) (photo left by John Nepolitan) all will be among the leaders fighting for the win and for possible individual qualifying positions. Straneva, who is bound for Syracuse University next fall, along with Deir are looking for a return trip to Portland. Straneva who won many of his early season races with less than impressive times having worked through most of them and then suffered a lose at the NYSPHSAA Champs, but bounced back last weekend at the "Feds " to take the individual crown.
With the two New York races following the two North East races and the two open races the course could be a little sloppy and could slow times, but this weekend is not about the clock it is all about earning a trip west the first weekend in December to run in the National Championship.
be no different as US #1 Fayetteville Manlius (Manlius XC) begins its drive for a fourth straight title this weekend at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, New York. Anything short of a regional win for Fayetteville would surely be a sign of the apocalypse. after the two big meet performances the team has run this season. After the two major meet outings this season including a win in the Eastern State Championship race at the 
The Fayetteville Manlius boys team comes into the weekend as the top team in New York, but sat out last weekend’s 
