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South Region
McAlpine Park, Charlotte NC
Nov. 24, 2007

SteveU's Favorites

Girls Questions, questions, questions.
Boys Colby Lowe is clear favorite

by Steve Underwood, DyeStat News Editor

Foot Locker SE Girls

THE PICKS

1. Ashley Brasovan FL
2. Kathy Kroeger TN
3. Emilie Amaro FL
4. Cory McGee MS
5. Emily Reese GA
6. Aurora Scott VA
7. Jennifer Dunn AL
8. Kayla Hale FL
9. Malia Cali LA
10. Lauren Smith TX

LOOK OUT FOR
Brittany Koziara FL, Tara Upshaw TX, Virginia Hine TN, Katlyn Will MS, Kathleen Lautzenheiser VA, Lia DiValentin VA

THE RETURNEES
Aurora Scott VA, 1st
Kathy Kroeger TN, 2nd
Emilie Amaro FL, 3rd
Cory McGee MS, 5th
Kayla Hale FL, 6th
Virginia Hine TN, 9th

WHO’S MISSING
Madeline Morgan AL (leader of #1 Mountain Brook, and her teammates, who are in the NTN Southeast regional)

THE BREAKDOWN

Questions, questions, questions.

Can Ashley Brasovan FL overcome her FL South blues and win big? How much further back has Kathy Kroeger TN come? Will Emilie Amaro FL break through and beat them both? Is Aurora Scott VA in shape? Can Jennifer Dunn AL and Malia Cali LA duplicate their state meet showings?

There are six returnees from this region – will they all get back in?


Great American was, or at least should have been, a great indicator for this meet. With Brasovan’s dominant victory, Kroeger’s solid comeback, a strong 3-4 by Amaro and Reese, and the top four seemed simple. Sure, you still have to work Scott and Cory McGee MS in there, but …

But now, it’s a little less certain. Amaro worked her way awfully close to Brasovan at the state meet. Scott has been racing, but not like she was at this time last year. Dunn and Cali ran so well at state that you have to find a place for them.

We’re still going with Brasovan. All she has to do is get out there with the leaders and let her talent and training shine through. As good as she was the last two years, she is significantly better this year. As long as she’s healthy, she wins.

Kroeger should be closer to Brasovan, and Amaro closer to both of them, but that 1-2-3 order from Great American will stick in the end, just closer between the three.

As great as Scott has been, she hasn’t shown any sign she’s ready to pop a mid- or high-16. It’s hard to put her higher than 6th, behind 06 qualifier McGee and 05 qualifier Reese, who have both been consistent this year (McGee, since she’s been healthy).

Dunn hasn’t consistently shown she’s at this level yet, but her monster state meet win bodes well. Cali, a soph that’s new at this level, scorched the 3M courses in LA with high-16s and low-17s. If she can handle the pack and the pressure, she should get in.

In Kayla Hale FL, there’s a fifth returnee that should make it with flying colors; with Virginia Hine TN, however, she hasn’t seemed to get faster and with the newcomers pushing their way in, she’ll really have to rise to the occasion.

The rest of the “Look out for” list is long, led by Brittany Koziara FL, NTN South champ Tara Upshaw TX, and Midlothian VA star Kathleen Lautzenheiser VA.

RETURNING FROM TOP 100
1 Aurora Scott (11) Chesapeake, VA 16:26
2 Kathy Kroeger (10) Franklin, TN 16:32
3 Emilie Amaro (11) Cooper City, FL 17:15
5 Cory McGee (9) Pass Christian, MS 17:19
6 Kayla Hale (10) Indialantic, FL 17:19
9 Virginia Hine (11) Memphis, TN 17:24
11 Catherine Loden (11) White Oak, TX 17:33
12 Tara Upshaw (10) Southlake, TX 17:46
16 Adrianne Soo (10) Chapel Hill, NC 17:56
18 Jennifer Dunn (11) Decatur, AL 17:58
19 Ashley Brasovan (10) West Palm Beach, FL 18:01
20 Kelsey Johnson (11) Iowa Park, TX 18:01
22 Elizabeth Barclay (10) Charlottesville, VA 18:02
24 Tricia Terry (10) Mcallen, TX 18:05
25 Brittainy Robertson (11) Rosharon, TX 18:06
26 Heather Beichner (11) Cary, NC 18:10
28 Kate Borowicz (10) Greenville, SC 18:13
29 Courtney Whittington (10) Winston Salem, NC 18:15
30 Amber Zimmerman (9) Knoxville, TN 18:16
31 Mary Grace Pellegrini (11) Louisville, KY 18:17
32 Ashley Isham (9) Cedar Park, TX 18:20
33 Allison Homer (10) Blacksburg, VA 18:21
34 Ashley Flores (9) Fort Worth, TX 18:22
35 Maggie Traylor (11) Jacksonville, FL 18:23
36 Kimberly Spano (10) Huntersville, NC 18:24
37 Katie Traylor (9) Jacksonville, FL 18:25
40 Andie Cozzarelli (11) Apex, NC 18:27
47 Laura Rapp (11) Lynchburg, VA 18:37
49 Katlyn Will (10) Corinth, MS 18:40
50 Kristen Wolfe (11) Midlothian, VA 18:41
52 Caroline Kirby (11) Arden, NC 18:42
54 Elizabeth Heath (11) Alexandria, VA 18:43
55 Kaylan Comer (11) Stafford, VA 18:43
56 Laurel MacMillan (11) Blacksburg, VA 18:44
58 Melanie Wilcox (10) Dallas, TX 18:45
60 Morgan Turner (10) Lincolnton, NC 18:49
62 Devin Spoerle (11) Titusville, FL 18:50
63 Madison Stark (11) Chapel Hill, NC 18:51
66 Mandy Perkins (10) Ormond Beach, FL 18:52
68 Leila Norman (11) Marietta, GA 18:53
70 Kristie Krueger (11) Argyle, TX 18:54
71 Emily Reese (11) Atlanta, GA 18:55
75 Leslie Blackshear (9) Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 18:56
76 Emily Carpenter (11) Cabot, AR 18:57
78 Sullivan Parkes (10) Winchester, VA 19:03
82 Zoe Galbraith (10) Leander, TX 19:11
86 Kathleen Wilson (11) Marietta, GA 19:17
87 Lindsay Ester (11) Burlington, NC 19:18
92 Elise Medley (10) Louisville, KY 19:20
93 Hannah Orders (11) Charlotte, NC 19:21
95 Jessica Duble (10) Rising Fawn, GA 19:22
98 Rachel Buser (11) Berkeley Springs, WV 19:23
99 Juliana Stern (10) Melbourne, FL 19:24
100 Elizabeth Gilbert (9) Houston, TX 19:24




Foot Locker SE Boys

THE PICKS
1. Colby Lowe TX
2. Ryan Hill NC
3. Sean Keveren TN
4. Peter Dorrell VA
5. Jason Witt VA
6. CJ Brown TX
7. Thomas Porter VA
8. Griff Graves VA
9. Matt Sonnenfeldt TN
10. Luke Lovelace SC

LOOK OUT FOR
Joe Franklin FL, Rory Tunningley TX, Zac Flowers TX, Johns Ross VA, Matt Mizereck FL, Mark Blackmon SC, Cody Hughes TX, Michael Hammond VA, Andrew Colley VA

THE RETURNEES
Ryan Hill NC, 1st
Griff Graves VA, 3rd
(Girma Mecheso GA was too old to be eligible)
Colby Lowe TX, 7th
Luke Lovelace SC, 9th
Thomas Porter VA, 10th

WHO’S MISSING
Taylor Gilland NC (4A state champ, injury)
Aaron Hamilton AR (7A champ, not registered with team a possible at-large NTN team)
Pat McGregor AL (6A champ, NTN SE)
Bill Matthews and Waldo Du Plessis AL (Baylor TN’s 1-2 duo, NTN SE)

THE BREAKDOWN

By all rights, Colby Lowe TX should get tired one of these days and have a “down” race. But it hasn’t happened this year and, just maybe, it won’t at all.

If Lowe runs as he has all season, he’s a good bet to take down defending champ Ryan Hill. The only thing with Colby is he loves to take it out hard, but he hasn’t faced anyone who’s gone with him all year or could catch him if they didn’t. Saturday, he’ll face a lot of people who could beat him if he doesn’t watch his pacing.

Hill had a career race here last year, but a disappointing one in San Diego. He’s run well in track last spring and XC this fall, but not at that level. It will take picking up where he left off last year here at McAlpine to get his career to the next level.

At the beginning of the season, it looked like it might be the Sean Keveren show here. No one came into the season with a faster 2M PR than what the Tennessean ran at NON. But while Keveren is unbeaten, including a Great American win, his performances haven’t opened eyes like, say, Chris Derrick’s have in Illinois. If Keveren is fit and ready, he could win it; or if he runs no better than so far this year, it could be middle of the top ten.

Virginia is next

After those three, it’s mostly about Virginia, which has two returnees and at least two others who will get in if they run well. The state is THAT deep this year. Even five or six isn’t out of the question. Midlothian VA bypassed NTN SE, so its #1 man and 3A champ Jason Witt will battle along with 2A champ Peter Dorrell. Dorrell, it should be added, was second only to Brian Leung NJ for best-of-the-meet at Manhattan.

But those two Virginians are the ones that did NOT make it to San Diego last year. It is Griff Graves and Thomas Porter who are vying for return trips to Balboa. Both, especially Graves, can be inconsistent. Graves has as much talent as anyone in the region, but had another down race at state. Porter, on the other hand, was a strong second to Witt in 3A.

Others who look good to make it are Lowe’s teammate, CJ Brown, 06 qualifier Luke Lovelace SC, and Matt Sonnenfeldt TN, who has run close to Keveren twice.

RETURNING FROM TOP 100
1 Ryan Hill (11) Hickory, NC 14:46
3 Griff Graves (11) Abingdon, VA 14:55
4 Girma Mecheso (11) Lawrenceville, GA 14:57
7 Colby Lowe (11) Southlake, TX 15:09
9 Luke Lovelace (11) Chapin, SC 15:13
10 Thomas Porter (10) Fredericksburg, VA 15:13
12 Cody Hughes (11) Westminster, TX 15:18
15 Jason Witt (11) Midlothian, VA 15:27
17 Peter Dorrell (11) Blacksburg, VA 15:30
19 Daniel Manco (11) Miami, FL 15:31
20 Sean Keveren (11) Brentwood, TN 15:31
21 Gordy Dooley (11) Hebron, KY 15:32
23 Stefan Shealy (11) Spartanburg, SC 15:34
27 Patrick McGregor (10) Birmingham, AL 15:38
29 Tim Smith (11) Roanoke, VA 15:38
30 Eric Larson (11) Pensacola, FL 15:39
31 Joshua Pinson (11) Lilburn, GA 15:41
33 CJ Brown (10) Roanoke, TX 15:44
35 Levi Grandt (11) West Union, WV 15:44
40 Bradshaw Kenimer (11) Alexandria, VA 15:49
41 Lorin Wilson (11) Boerne, TX 15:51
46 Willie Polio (11) Owensboro, KY 15:54
50 Aaron Hamilton (11) Rogers, AR 15:56
51 Nathaniel Brame (11) Radford, VA 15:57
54 Zack Flickinger (11) Roswell, GA 15:58
55 Ryan Beabout (11) Wheeling, WV 15:58
58 Matt Cleaver (11) Marietta, GA 16:00
59 Austin Ellis (11) Barboursville, VA 16:00
64 Britt Koestler (11) Roanoke, TX 16:05
65 Charlie McGoogan (10) Charlotte, NC 16:05
66 Rory Tunningley (11) Lockhart, TX 16:05
68 Matthew Sonnenfeldt (10) Knoxville, TN 16:06
70 Matthew Clay (11) Douglasville, GA 16:07
75 MacLean O'Donnell (11) Oak Ridge, TN 16:11
77 Taylor Surly (11) Rogers, AR 16:12
79 Ryan Bennett (11) Humble, TX 16:13
81 Brandon Hamilton Griffin (11) Monroe, GA 16:13
82 Dylan Ferris (11) Kernersville, NC 16:14
83 Davis Graham (11) Brevard, NC 16:14
86 John Culver (11) Merritt Island, FL 16:15
96 David Huckaby (11) Fort Mill, SC 16:18
99 Joseph Hackney (11) Acworth, GA 16:19

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