GIRLS SEEDED RACE
Both Virginia's Aurora Scott and Tennessee's Kathy Kroeger shattered a 20 year old course record Saturday previously held by one of the greatest female distance high school runners to come out of the South Region in Erin Keogh. Keogh was a two-time Foot Locker Nationals champion in 1985 and 1986 with impressive times of 16:43 and 16:55 respectively at Balboa Park in San Diego. Keogh also ran one of the fastest times ever in U.S. prep history with a 10:03 clocking for 3200 meters. Keogh set her 16:45 course record at McAlpine in a 1986 win at the regional meet at McAlpine. Knowing Keogh's stats makes one gain a greater perspective and appreciation of the races by the two South region girls at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte this weekend. Jordan Hasay may be the defending champion and running better than last year's races, but the South region has two girls who will look to give the region their first Footlocker Nationals champion in a long time.
Coming into Saturday's race, Kroeger had received a bit more attention than Scott as her 20 second win at Great American in September gained her national attention in the high profile meet. However, anyone closely tracking Scott's races this fall would not have been surprised by the outcome at Footlocker South or at least predicting a win for the homeschooled junior from Chesapeake, Virginia. Scott's 1:18 half marathon in September and a recent 16:37 road race 5K showcased a great level of fitness from the returning top finisher for South region at Footlocker Nationals. However, being homeschooled and not being allowed to compete in sanctioned high school events, Scott was easily overlooked by many coming in. Scott did not though let the lack of discussion about her change her beliefs in what she could at McAlpine. "Well I thought I'd do just what I've been training to do. I know what I've done in practice. Rankings don't mean anything. I just go out there and run my own race. Whatever happens, happens."
Both knew coming in that each would be the others toughest competition and they did not play around at all early on as they gapped the field by blazing a 5:15 first mile and hitting 10:40 at two miles as they were on course record place. Scott made a move to break away from Kroeger in the last woods section and poured it on as she entered the lake with several seconds on Kroeger. "I started at about 1200 meters out. I picked up the pace and carried it through and just did what I do in practice. It didn't feel any different to me. I felt very confident." Scott crossed the line in 16:26, six seconds ahead of Kroeger in 16:32 for second place, and 19 seconds under Keogh's old course record.
Having broken the record held by a previous Footlocker Nationals champion in Keogh, who had one of the fastest winning times ever at Balboa in 16:43, and breaking the record by a considerable margin in 19 seconds, one could definitely make the case for Scott to make a national championship run in two weeks in San Diego. However, Scott personally did not need the course record to know what she's capable of running. "I didn't need to break the record to have the confidence that I can do it. I have done my practices and know what I've done in my practices. I know I am at that level or better."
Scott does not beat around the bush or sugarcoat what she wants to do in San Diego. She's not there to soak up the California sun or make lifelong buddies. She is going there for only one reason. "Honestly, I'm going out there to win it. I'm not thinking about anybody else. Just run my own race like I did today."
Despite the loss to Scott, Kroeger is definitely well in the picture as she was also well under Keogh's mark in 16:32. Kroeger was just pleased with getting back to San Diego. "I felt pretty comfortable with my race. I knew I did not have to win it and just be in the top ten to qualify, so there was not as much pressure. I tried to stay with Aurora, but she pulled away in the last mile and I just hung on for second," said Kroeger. Last year, Kroeger finished just off All-American honors at Footlocker Nationals with 16th place finish and is glad to have a return trip back to Balboa to go after All-American honors and better. "Well I'm just really excited to be going back and have a chance to race again. It would be really awesome to improve my time and place from last year."
There is a very good chance after Saturday's performances, the South region could have two runners out in front in two weeks leading the region and the nation at Balboa Park.
With the exception of freshmen Cory McGee in fifth place at 17:19, the rest of the top ten qualifiers turned out to be a tri meet between runners from Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. Both Tennessee and Texas shared the highest total of individual qualifiers with three each. Behind Kroeger, a pair of White Station High School teammates in Rita Jorgensen (17:23) and Virginia Hines (17:24) both earned trips to San Diego with eighth and ninth place finishes respectively. A rare feat with having two runners qualify from the same high school as the two runners from Memphis were second and third at Tennessee State Meet behind Kroeger as Hines improved drastically from her state race as she was 47 seconds behind her teammate Jorgensen three weeks ago.
Team Texas was represented inside the top ten and outside of the top ten as the state not only had three individual qualifiers, but six runners in the top 15 to give the Lonestar state the state team title in the seeded division. Jillian Rosen, a senior from Richardson High School, led the state with a fourth place run of 17:15. Team Texas ran as a team and definitely dressed as a team as all three qualifiers were sporting Metroplex Striders uniforms with Rosen, Samantha Means (7th, 17:21), and Kinsey Hine (10th, 17:28). All three Texas girls are seniors and first-time qualifiers.
Florida's Ashley Brasovan was expected to be the state's top finisher, but for the second year in a row the Wellington High sophomore had an off day at McAlpine in finishing 19th in 18:01. However, junior Emilie Amaro (3rd, 17:15) and sophomore Kayla Hale (6th, 17:19) picked up the slack and came up with strong big races to give Florida two qualifiers for the girls' race at Footlocker Nationals. The Cypress Bay junior Amaro did not have the best of races last year at Footlocker South with a 32nd place run, but shook that race off as a distant memory this year as the first finisher after the two amazing talents in Scott and Kroeger.
While all three of the returning FLN qualifiers on the boys' sided survived this year's regional race to make it back to San Diego with Ben Hubers of Georgia and Texas pair of Duncan Phillips and Colby Lowe, the same was not the case for two of the returning Footlocker finalists among the girls. Catherine White of Virginia, an All-American last December in San Diego, dropped out at the two mile. Returning finalist Emily Reese finished well back in 71st place (18:55). Reese is a junior, so she'll have a chance to comeback next year, but White will just have to take out her disappointment on the track as she was a two-time All-American on the oval as a junior including a national runner-up finish in the two mile at Nike Indoro Nationals.
BOYS SEEDED RACE
Girma Mecheso of Georgia was billed by many as the favorite coming into Footlocker south despite being a mystery man by coming onto the scene this fall. After his decisive win over returning Footlocker finalist Ben Hubers at the Georgia State Meet, there was no mystery in how legit the Ethiopian native was as a runner. However, in Saturday's race at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, the competition in the South region proved to be even more legit.
Mecheso broke away from the lead pack after the group came through the first mile in 4:38 and attempted to stretch the lead on the chase pack around the lake in the first go around as he hit two miles in 9:22. When Mecheso reappeared on the lake, he was still in first, but closely behind was Hickory NC junior Ryan Hill. Hill had posted a 14:55 on the same McAlpine course in October at the Wendy's Invite. However, Hill was quite surprised to see himself closing on Mecheso. "I thought Girma was the man. When he got away from us that first time, I thought he was gone. But he just came back to us and we got him." Hill had an incredible kick around the lake to post a time of 14:46 and "we" that Hill was referring to included Hubers getting revenge on Mecheso in second place at 14:51 and Abingdon VA junior Griff Geaves garnering third in 14:55. Mecheso ended up holding onto fourth place in 14:57.
Coming into Saturday, Hill was only ranked or predicted to finish as high as fifth (at least according to DyeStat's SteveU). Hill actually thought Underwood was right on with his placement. "I felt like the predictions were accurate, but I wasn't going to sit back and take fifth. Ben, Griff, and myself were reeling in Girma in the last mile there and so I just took advantage of him. It looked like he was kind of falling asleep in the last mile, so I was able to kick by him."
Tying last year's champion Michael Eaton with the fourth fastest time ever at McAlpine, Hill has another year to move up further on the all-time list. Hill does not have to move up on the all-time list by North Carolian runners next year as his time was three seconds by the previous best by Matt Debole in 2001. Debole did not win in 2001 with Bobby Lockhart taking first, but the Hickory junior Hill became only the second runner from the Tar Heel state to become a Footlocker South champion.
Hill hopes he can lead the South to a strong team finish in San Diego as a projection as the last team among the four regions is likely. Anything better than fourth will be considered exceeding expectations, but Hill's hopes are high how his fellow qualifiers canpeform. "I feel the South is kind of underrated and does not get a lot of respect, but I think we've got a solid team. So I want the South to be competitive and try and win the team competition. For myself, I guess just get the best finish I can."
After finishing 43 seconds behind Mecheso at the Georgia State Meet two weeks ago, returning Footlocker finalist Ben Hubers felt more nervous coming in about hsi chances of returning to San Diego. However, Hubers raced at the state meet under the weather and back at 100 percent for the Footlocker regional, he showed his Great American champion form prior to the state meet. "That (the state meet loss) did play a larger role into today. It made me a little more nervous, but I know a couple of weeks ago there was something wrong with my throat. I couldn't really breathe right. I hate to use that as an excuse, but I was not 100 percent ready I don't think. This time I came out here and was ready."
Ready he was as Hubers stayed up with the top runners throughout the race as when Mecheso made his big move in the second mile, the McEachern High School senior was running in the top three with fellow Georgian Jay Heller. Heller ended up collapsing when entering the lake for the the second time and did not finish. While Hill closed hard to run down Mecheso on the lake, Hubers was not far behind him finishing equally strong. "With 400 left, I saw Girma ahead of me and was like 'You know I can catch him.' I just went after it."
Hubers will return to San Diego in two weeks as probably the most experienced runner among the qualifiers and two fellow returnees with Duncan Phillips and Colby Lowe of Texas also qualifying for a second year in a row. Hubers has been thinking about Footlocker Nationals and the home course at Balboa Park all season long in preparation. "You know the course and know everything they are going to throw at you and dazzle you with when you get out there. It just helps to know what's happening, so you can stay calm and focused on the race."
Last year at Footlocker Nationals, Hubers had a solid showing in 18th place, but felt he could have performed better if he was more prepared for the hills at Balboa. "For Balboa, I'll be more prepared this year. That is the one thing that killed me last year was I did not have enough hill training later in my season to really get me ready for that. But once again the experience comes into play as my coach knew that this year, so I've been doing everything that I need to do to get ready for that course. I'll be ready."
2006 has been a banner year for high school cross country in Virginia. Virginia is sending their first two teams ever to Nike Team Nationals this week with the Southeast #1 ranked squads from Midlothian High School. Aurora Scott just broke the course record held by Erin Keogh, considered a vast majority to be the greatest high school cross country runner to ever come out of Virginia with her two Footlocker National Championships. The icing on the cake for Virginia was having three boys qualify for Footlocker Nationals. Five states had one individual in the top ten, while Texas is sending the same pair from 2005 in Phillips and Lowe. Virginia was the only state to have three qualifiers and it was the first time the state has had three qualifiers for the boys since the 2001 FLN bound group of Bobby Lockhart, Matt Keally, and Fleet Hower.
Top finisher for Virginia is an adopted son of the state as Griff Graves started off his high school career in Alabama before transferring to southwest Virginia's Abingdon High School prior to his sophomore year of cross country. Graves was considered to be a strong contender for a top ten spot, but his third place personal best time of 14:55 was somewhat of a surprise considering Graves is more of a strength and hill runner rather than a speedster. Graves knew his strengths and weaknesses coming into McAlpine. "My expectations were just to stay with the leaders and not be caught off in the eighth and tenth spots at the end because I don't have a very good kick. Which actually today, I proved that wrong. I was able to outkick Girma and that was pretty impressive. I was pumped mostly about that."
Virginia's second finisher in West Springfield senior Mike Spooner echoed the same feelings about McAlpine not being a course that suited his hill running abilities as well and is glad to be able to advance onto Footlocker Nationals to test himself at Balboa Park's course. Spooner finished fifth in the race with a time of 15:06 and has high expectations two weeks from now to finish higher on the South region team. "This course doesn't really favor me. Its a really flat course and I need hills everywhere, so my main mission was just to get out of here and go onto California and try to be the number one South finisher there," said Spooner.
The Virginia 3A state champion Spooner finishing in the top ten was not really a surprise nor was Graves punching a ticket to San Diego, but Mountain View sophomore Thomas Porter was quite a huge surprise considering Porter had not even been ranked in the top ten in Virginia earlier in the season. After an amazing freshmen year in cross country and track, which included a freshmen race record run of 15:47 at Footlocker South and winning the national title in the freshmen mile at Nike Indoor Nationals, Porter struggled during the regular season this fall to live up to the expectations from his outstanding ninth grade year. "I got into the summer training a little late. I did that knowingly that I was going to peak later in the year. So I just moved it up and put on the blinders and not really care about what everyone else was doing." Porter and his coach Dave Davis knew what they were doing as none of those races earlier in the fall matter anymore because Porter is now making a trip to San Diego as the lone underclassmen in the group.
All three qualifiers will benefit from having fellow Virginians as South teammates. They already showed teamwork in Charlotte as the senior statesman Spooner helped his younger freshmen buddy Porter at the start. "Mike (Spooner) let me in right behind him at the starting line, so I didn't have to go back five rows. That really helped a lot. I got out where I needed to be." Spooner has already talked of big plans to work with Graves during the race in San Diego, but is not ready to reveal anything. "Griff and I are going to tag up. I don't want to spill anything yet, but we are starting to work on something to take down the other guys and make the South look really good," stated Spooner in sly fashion.
Being isolated in the southwest corner of the state away from all of the other top runners in the state for most of the year, Graves is just excited to actually get to socialize and hang out with the fellow Virginians for a rare occassion. "I can't wait to have the guys traveling with me. I hope we get to stay in the same room or whatever, but I don't know how that all works."
Duncan Phillips and Colby Lowe have raced as rival and as teammates in the past. They battled out as rivals a few weeks ago for the Texas 5A state title with Lowe coming out the winner. Both Texans will get the chance to race as teammates again as they were able to secure return trips to San Diego as they finished virtually together at 15:09 with Phillips in sixth and Lowe in seventh. Lowe is only a junior and will have the opportunity next year to become the first runner since Bobby Lockhart in 2001 to qualify successfully for three consecutive Footlocker Nationals out of the South region. Lowe looked to be saving himself during the race as he kept himself in top ten position throughout, but did not seem to press himself to run with the front pack. Not a bad idea considering how busy we'll be the next two weeks. Lowe will be traveling this week to Oregon to compete with his Nike Team Nationals bound squad from Southlake Carroll and then travel to the West Coast the following weekend for Footlocker Nationals.
Phillips finished fifth in last year's race with a time of 14:59 and was not far off his 2005 performance this weekend in taking sixth place in 15:09. The University of Arkansas bound senior was able to reverse the order of finish between himself and Lowe after finishing as a state runner-up to Lowe several weeks ago for the Texas 5A state title. Both Texans along with Hubers will bring valuable past Footlocker Nationals experience to offer to the rooke South region team members.
Few had projected senior Michael Anderson of Florida and junior Luke Lovelace of Soouth Carolina in their top tens, but the Florida 1A state champion Anderson and South Carolina 3A state champion Lovelace will be joining some of the pre-race favorites in San Diego. Anderson finished eighth in 15:12 with Lovelace only one second and one place behind him in ninth at 15:13. Anderson has ran well at McAlpine in the past though, so it should not be as surprising as he showed a flash of things to come in winning the sophomore race two years ago in 15:52. Lovelace beat a slew of runners who have a far superior 3200 meter best than his 9:41 from last spring, but only eight runners were able to finish ahead of his 15:13 on Saturday to earn his way to nationals.
GIRLS SEEDED RACE
Both Virginia's Aurora Scott and Tennessee's Kathy Kroeger shattered a 20 year old course record Saturday previously held by one of the greatest female distance high school runners to come out of the South Region in Erin Keogh. Keogh was a two-time Foot Locker Nationals champion in 1985 and 1986 with impressive times of 16:43 and 16:55 respectively at Balboa Park in San Diego. Keogh also ran one of the fastest times ever in U.S. prep history with a 10:03 clocking for 3200 meters. Keogh set her 16:45 course record at McAlpine in a 1986 win at the regional meet at McAlpine. Knowing Keogh's stats makes one gain a greater perspective and appreciation of the races by the two South region girls at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte this weekend. Jordan Hasay may be the defending champion and running better than last year's races, but the South region has two girls who will look to give the region their first Footlocker Nationals champion in a long time.