November 24th: Kentucky's Day of Running Destiny!

 

November 24th - Kentucky's Date with Running Destiny

 

Tomorrow brings the running world in Kentucky two huge races both being held miles away in North Carolina.  Foot Locker South sees Kentucky potentially having its first back to back national qualifier with Jacob Thomson.  Nike Cross Southeast has Assumption back in a spot to qualify again after becoming the first Kentucky girls team ever last year.  St. Xavier is also the same potential spot looking at their second trip to Portland (made NXN in 2005, before Regional Qualifying.)  Regardless of what actually happens this day just like the whole year, it will be one that shows Kentucky is on the move up .

 

Foot Locker South

Last year, Jacob Thomson became Kentucky's first qualifier since Michael Eaton won FL South in 2005.    Eaton is also the last runner to make two years in a row.  Thomson, who was seventh last year will try to equal his feat and comes in as one of the favorites to win the entire regional.  His senior season has seen him rise to national prominence with wins at the Trinity Invitational, Terra Haute State Preview, Midwest Catholic Regional, and a runner-up finish at Great American. The Runner-Up finish in which he ran 14:43 is the most telling of what could happen tomorrow.  He was beaten by .3 of a second that day by Sean McGorty of Virginia.  The Stanford Commitment went on to win the Virginia State Championship with a 14:47 besting the rest of the field by almost 45 seconds.    McGorty and Thomson will go head to head again tomorrow.  That being said there will be plenty of great talent up front chasing them in this meet to watch out for.  It will be fast as any of the runners in the Championship Race should expect, Thomson has shown he can handle the fast opening mile (PR 4:10). 

A couple runners to watch are Class AAA champ Chase Geary and Runner-Up Patrick Gregory.  They will try to get into the last part of the top 10 just like Thomson did last year in preparation for a huge jump next year.  Both Geary and Gregory have solid speed and should be able to handle the early pace. They are both sub 9:13 3200m runners with Gregory having 4:14 speed as well. 

The girls race is wide open for us with the top three runners being Maggie Allen, Whitney O'Bryan, and Cassidy Hale.  Hale finished 15th last year with a best time of 17:41 last year after winning the Kentucky State Meet.    She is the only one with experience out of the three on the course which will help as she will understand the differentness of this race.  O'Bryan popped off another big time performance  finishing in the top three at state for the fourth time in a row.  The last three years she has been third, but this year she moved up to second.  Allen is probably one of the most improved runners from 2011 to 2012 in the state and this experience will continue that growth.   

There are 125 Kentucky runners entered and most are probably thinking they are going to run a scorching fast time and several of them will.  Good luck to everyone in Charlotte.

 

Nike Cross Southeast

Last year Assumption finished second overall in this race qualifying for Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon.  They are back with four of their top five from last year.  The front three from last year has became a front four with Kenzley Defler joining the loaded group of Bailey Davis, Katherine Receveur, and Emily Bean.  The group will rely heavily on this bunch as they go head to head with Tatnall from Delaware.  The ladies at Tatnall won over Assumption last year but lost Haley Pierce up front most notably (2nd at NXN overall.)  Assumption beat Tatnall this season at Great American on September 29th.  They had Davis and Receveur both in the top eight with Bean and Defler in the 20s place-wise.  Both Davis and Receveur were in front on Tatnall's #1 runner.   Assumption's #5 Kate Crawford needs to put a gap on Tatnall's #5 to put this race out of reach. 

St. Xavier has been a constant at Nike Cross Southeast, but this time they are going for the win.  They have always had a strong #1 up front (Sheryak 17th last year.)  But then the rest of the group will spread out too much (#5 Beavin 106th last year.)  The big difference this year with St. Xavier is that the pack is tight and they have done it race after race.  Check out the times from state (16:17, :23, :24, :27, :28.)  That 11 second gap 1-5 can potentially bring the pain.    They were second overall at Great American behind Christian Brothers (NJ), New Jersey is not in the southeast so they are a moot point.  They beat Broughton and Brentwood at the Trinity Invitational and Great American.  Chantilly from Virginia is down their #1 runner (running at Foot Locker.)  Both races should be good ones, good luck to the Tigers and Rockets!!!