Noah and Sam Affolder took the top two spots against a strong Foot Locker Northeast field at Van Cortlandt Park on Saturday.
Noah, the defending champion, positioned himself in the front of a crowded lead pack. Around 30 guys were all together at the mile mark. He made a move on the field to open up some separation on the Northeast's best.
Sam sat back in the pack early on, sitting around 15th through the mile, but he slowly bridged that gap to his brother. Before the final (long) home stretch, Sam caught Noah and the two were step-for-step. But older brother proved to be too much, as Noah repeated as Foot Locker Northeast champion. Noah clocked in at 15:28 for the win and Sam was second in 15:36. An all-Affolder top two.
Photo by Steven Pisano
After the brothers, the fight was on for the final eight qualifying spots for Foot Locker Nationals. In the end, the race seemed to favor those who went out a little more conservatively.
JP McCaskey's Nathan Henderson (above) was next to Sam Affolder, just outside the top ten around the mile. The senior moved up and found himself in the top ten and kicking his way to San Diego, placing ninth in a time of 15:47.
Photo by Steven Pisano
Even further back at the mile was Quaker Valley's Zach Skolnekovich (above). The William & Mary signee exited to brifge to the home stretch in 12th, but made a crazy kick to pass four runners, including Henderson, to take eighth in 15:47.
It was a big day for the state of Pennsylvania, which will send four runners (five if you count PA resident, but Maryland high schooler Dalton Hengst) to Foot Locker Nationals in two weeks in San Diego. Watch an interview below with Noah and Sam Affolder.