Marc Pelerin
Marlton NJ
at Manhattan Invitational
photo by John Dye
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Natasha Roetter
Lexington MA
at Eastern Massachusetts regional
photo by Cheryl Treworgy
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by John Dye
BALTIMORE MD 11/23/01 -- DyeStat announces Marlton NJ sr Marc
Pelerin and Lexington MA sr Natasha Roetter as winners
of the Nike Athlete of the Week award
for the 11th week of the 2001 cross country season.
 Pelerin
was fastest in New Jersey for the second straight week, winning
the Meet of Champions in 15:44 (5k), fastest in 10 years over the
famous Holmdel Park "bowl." In a meet where Haddonfield
had historians wondering if their top 3 were the best cross country
trio in New Jersey history, if not the country, Pelerin beat them
all, increasing his margin over Haddonfield ace Chris Platt from
2 seconds to 5 seconds compared to the Group championships the week
before.
The Cherokee senior was ninth at Foot Locker Northeast last year,
losing out on the Disney trip by half a second to Peter Meindl.
Pelerin has another crack at Meindl this week at Van Cortlandt Park,
where 2000 finalists Brendan Fennell and Mint Henk and 2001 New
York champion Brian Dalpiaz will also be waiting.
 Roetter,
the defending Foot Locker Northeast champion, is training up to
this year's meet in superb form. Last Saturday she smashed the Massachusetts
state record by 32 seconds in 17:32 (5k) in the MIAA All-Mass Division
1 championship. Natasha beat fast improving Sarah Isbitz by 45 seconds
and was 51 seconds better than Division 2 champion Ari Lambie. Roetter
now has three 5k times in the 17:30 range for the season, also winning
the Brown Invitational, Tufts Columbus Day Invitational, and the
Eastern Massachusetts regional.
The Nike Athlete of the Week award is presented each Friday to
the boy and girl who had the most outstanding achievement of the
previous week. Winners will receive a long-sleeved Nike dry-fit
running shirt and Chris Lear's award winning book, Running with
the Buffaloes, which can be purchased online at ShopDyeStat.
Honorable Mention Week ending November 23
Girls
- Episcopal Jacksonville FL sr Kara Scanlin
- Florida state meet record 17:20 (3m) winning 1A championship.
- Hawthorne Christian NJ jr Lindsey van Alstine
- 18:43 (5k) - 10-second winner of New Jersey Meet of Champions
- startling upset of Jesse Mizzone that left Van Alstine and everyone
else stunned - 45-second turnaround compared to Mizzone in 1 week
at Holmdel Park - first win over Mizzone in 6 tries.
- West Lafayette Jessica Gall - one of those
girls who gets left out of national rankings because her state
runs shorter distance for girls, the Indiana state champ got her
chance to run 5k at the Mid East Championships and took advantage
of it - 2-second winner of 6-state meet at Kettering OH in 18:00.
- Notre Dame Elmira NY sr Molly Huddle - 18:03
(5k) - dominated strong field (former Foot Locker finalists Tracey
Brauksieck and Laurel Burdick and US#1 Saratoga ace Nicole Blood)
to win New York Federation title - 2nd fastest all time at Bowdoin
Park (Erin Davis, Saratoga 17:57, 1992) - Notre Dame doesn't even
have a formal cross country team, except the formidable team that
she and her coach-father Bob Huddle form.
- Ukiah CA sr Amber Ttrotter - 16:15 (3m)
winning North Coast section final in fastest 3-mile time in US
this year (Amber also holds the next 2 fastest times) - was so
relaxed she took time to smile and wave to crowd along the way
- continues to leave California girls competition in a shambles
and stir speculation of how she would finish against the boys.
- Peninsula CA sr Emily Vince - 17:06 (2.91m)
- 61-second winner in big school 1A division of powerful Southern
Section finals at Mt. SAC - breakthrough win for Vince heading
for California state meet this week.
Boys
- Southwick Tolland MA jr Andy Pitts - 15:27.7
(5k) is fastest in Massachusetts for second straight week, regionals
and All-Mass finals, muscling his way into the Foot Locker Northeast
contender ranks.
- Sayville NY jr Brian Dalpiaz - 10 second
winner of New York Federation championship in 15:45 (5k) over
strong field that included 2000 Foot Locker finalist Brendan Fennell
- but field didn't include PHSAA Class A champion Peter Meindl,
who skipped the Federation meet to train for Foot Locker Northeast
- Dalpiaz' time was 2nd fastest ever at Bowdoin Park (6 seconds
behind 2000 Foot Locker national 4th Charles Millieon).
- Arroyo CA jr Yong-Sung Leal - 14:38 (3m)
for 30-second sectional win over Carl Dambkowski in tune up for
California state meet.
- Berkeley Prep FL sr Rolf Steier - 15:35
(3m) beats Great American champion Ryan Deak in Florida 1A championship
in a tactical race that wasn't decided until the last second,
which the two split into 0.6 fraction.
- Vanguard Ocala FL jr Steve Hassen - 15:12
(3m) - fastest of day in Florida state meet - class 3A champion.
- MI sr Tim Ross - 15:05 (5k) - Mid East
champion with 10-second win over LaSalle Cincinnati's Allen Bader
and the best seniors of six states.
- Canyon Country CA Luke Llamas - 14:51
(2.91m) - If US#4 Haddonfield NJ doesn't have the best 1-2-3 punch
in the country, US#2 Canyon does, and Llamas leads them to big
school Division 1 championship in powerful Southern Section finals
at Mt. SAC.
To nominate athletes, use the AOW Nomination
Form.
Nike Athlete of the Week home page
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