What a day for the PA boys! On the fringes of elite for his high school career, Jon Pastore, the #1 guy on three-time state AA champions Scranton Prep, extended his senior season with a gutsy, error-free run against the best the Northeast could throw at him. Joining him in San Diego will be star junior Ian Gottesfeld of the State AAA Champions West Chester Henderson. Both are great runners who were able to find that something extra needed to fight the worst element of racing, self-doubt. And running without benefit of a high school team, Angie Saterstad nearly made her Foot Locker dream come true.

Pastore was disappointed with his 7th place finish at States, but received, and accepted an invitation to race at the Mid East Regional two weeks later in Ohio against some of the best from the midwest, where he finished first for PA in 11th. "I got mentally confident with the race out in Ohio, and that boosted my spirits, and I came out here trying to get top eight. I didn't know if I could really do it."

Pastore's race had a lot to do with successful planning. He knew he didn't want to get caught around the first sharp turn at the Foot Locker balloon, so his teammates got him his spot on the starting line on the outside. "The whole pack slowed down to the left, and I was on the right, so I picked people off." He pulled up to about 25th entering the woods. Sensing that the start had been extraordinarily fast (word was the half was 2:08), Pastore ignored the mile split. "I didn't want it to break my confidence." Pastore continued to roll and even took the lead briefly just after the two mile mark. "It's definitely my best high school race, and hopefully I'll have another one two weeks from now."

Gottesfeld came in with the weight of expectations. He was a state champ. He hadn't lost a race in PA all season. And he had been among the elite at the Great American Festival in September, finishing 5th in the Race of Champions. Yet he was still unsure, despite finishing 35th in 2001, about what would unfold. But he shook it all off, along with a clump of mud on his shoe in the first half of the race, and a momentary lack of concentration over the final 100 meters, to finish 6th and punch his ticket to San Diego.

"I had this really big wedge of dirt in my cleats. I was like running on a bump. It felt like a rock. It covered my 3/8th spike and hurt my footing and made my spikes useless. Then halfway through the race it fell off and I decided I better take advantage of it." He did, pulling up to the leaders in the woods, and coming out for the final 800 in great shape. He even took the lead briefly in the final stretch before he "shut down mentally." That momentary lapse allowed five guys to shoot past before he got back to the job at hand and finished strong. " I went too early I think, because then they flew by me."

Gottesfeld's goal for San Diego is to finish top among the Northeast contingent. In fact, he thought he could have won the Regional. "Anybody's got a shot if you're in the lead at that point, so obviously I could have won this. It's not that I'm trying to be brash, I'm just saying it's only logical."

Angie Saterstad has travelled the longest road to near stardom. Locked out of her high school senior cross country season because she missed the first day of summer practice, Saterstad spent the season training with the United Stars, a Philadelphia area track club, training on her own, and racing New York Road Runners' Club races at Van Cortlandt Park to get into race shape. The comeback was tough because she was coming off a disappointing Foot Locker regional in 2001 after finishing 10th as a sophomore in 2000. Her 9th place finish makes her the first alternate should any member of the team not be able to make the race. Saterstad's plan was to be in the top 30 near the mile and work her way to the top eight from there. She was actually in 12th at 1.25 miles. She came out of the woods in 11th and passed a couple of runners to eventually get 9th. She's not disappointed with her effort. "I went for it , and I'm proud of what I did." But she did miss her teammates, the chance at a 4th District 3 title, a shot at a state championship, and a potential berth on the Mid East squad. "But I proved to myself what I could do."

Saterstad is hoping to join her high school team for her final outdoor track and field season. "If it means I have to miss the national indoor meet to be on the team, that's what I'll do."

PA @ FOOT LOCKERS FROM RACE DAY- Girls Results Boys Results PA Qualifiers' Story PA Boys Seeded Race Pix Page PA Boys Seeded Post Pix Page PA Girls Seeded Race| Post Pix Page Pastore | Gottesfeld | Saterstad Quotes PA Class Races Pix Page PA Athletes | Fans' Pix @ Foot Lockers November 28, 2002 - PA Preview PA Entrants Listing 2001 PA Performances Page 2000 PA Performance Page All-Time PA Performances @ Foot Lockers (Kinneys)

DYESTAT & FOOT LOCKER COVERAGE Dyestat's Northeast Foot Locker Page Dyestat's National Foot Locker Page Northeast Foot Lockers Web Page Foot Lockers National Web Page

BOB BURDETTE MEMORIAL

From Walt Murphy's News Service: A Celebration of Life in honor of Bob Burdette (who was the Penn Relays High School Chairman) will be held on Thursday evening, Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m., in the Donaldson Room of Weightman Hall (33rd and Spruce Sts., Philadelphia). The Donaldson Room overlooks Franklin Field. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Bob Burdette Memorial Fund of the Track & Field Coaches Association of Greater Philadelphia. Make checks payable to TFCAGP. Send to TFCAGP, 49 Carriage Drive, Doylestown, PA 18901

PennTrackXC announces the opening of its PIXstore. Select any photo taken after April 13, 2002, tell us the page and the shot, and it can be yours in high resolution on a CD. We're adding PayPal soon, but until then, send a check made out to PennTrackXC to: PennTrackXC 18 East Eagle Rd., Havertown, PA 19083. Cost includes CD and shipping. 1-4: $10.00 each 5-9: $8.00 each 10+: Call 610-853-0710 for price E-mail ?'s to Don Rich

EARLY SIGNING PERIOD 11/13-20

Early Signing Ended 11/20 The Early Signing Period for high school seniors to make college choices began 11/13 and ended 11/20. So far: Eric Fleming, (right) Bishop Shanahan, to U. of Pittsburgh | Meghan Bishop, Gwynedd Mercy, to William & Mary | Cassie Buckwalter, Wilmington, to Connecticut | Maris Reutzel, Meadville, to Wagner College | Ganne Way, Warwick, to Kentucky | Complete List.

Each season contains News and Feature stories.
Check News Archives, Feature Archives,
Season Archives, for past seasons.

RECENT RANKINGS | PA ALL-TIME

Did you know that 3 PA records are also National Prep Records? Check these lists for Girls / Boys

RECRUITING INFORMATION

Campus Champs.com - CampusChamps.com is a reference tool for the high school student athlete that contains information on playing high school sports and preparing for college. It is a one-stop resource for their college planning and financial aid needs altogether online in a friendly, sports-based community.

DyeStat's Donna Dye has created an excellent Recruiting Guide with information for everything from rules to getting scholarships.

RESULTS STILL NEEDED

WE NEED 2002 XC RESULTS FOR:
From 10/5: Pittsburgh Central Catholic Inv | From 9/28: Northern Inv @ Fox Chapel | A.J. Everhart | Mercersburg | From 9/21: Altoona | Conrad Weiser | From 9/14: Wellsboro | From 8/31: McDowell Girls'

HEARD AROUND THE TRACK (COURSE)

November, 2002 - Track & Field News unveiled their 2002 High School All-American team in their November issue, and it includes quite a few Pennsylvania athletes. Coughlin's Justn Ryncavage in Javelin and Merion Mercy's Tiffany Abney are only US#1's. Story.

October 11 - The Philadelphia Inquirer has now joined the coverage of the case of Angie Saterstad (above on the sidelines at the Carlisle Invitational 9/28) vs. Hershey High School. It's a fairly complete compilation of the public facts, and appropriately titled, "Running into an ugly mess." Read the story.

September 20 - Walt Murphy's News and Results Service reports that Princeton University, citing facility and financial constraints, will no longer host the high school portion of the "Princeton Relays", a popular event on the Eastern indoor prep circuit.

July 11 - From Walt Murphy's News and Reporting Service, Foot Locker nationals are returning to San Diego, CA for 2002. Read the release.

PIAA INFO & NEWS

For videotapes of PIAA T&F/XC Championships, contact Beth Ann McCoy: PA Cable Network 717-730-6000. There are six tapes of each T&F championship and onefor each XC championship. $29.95/ea. incl. tax&shipping. Tell them PennTrackXC sent you.

FEATURES

 

November 21, 2002 - PA Cross Country All-State Teams courtesy of PTFCA. This year's team was awarded All State Status by a committee of the PTFCA meeting on November 21 - the selection was based on honors won, quality and consistency of performance and head to head competition.  Congratulations to the new all state athletes. 2002 PA XC All-State Team.

November 21, 2002 - Jessica Cickay to regroup for 2003-2004 seasons, missing Foot Lockers after going to nationals in 2001. The story.

November 3, 2002 - Philadelphia Inquirer XC writer Ira Josephs contributes a great piece on our sport in the November 3rd Sunday Inquirer -
"For runners, the hills of Belmont are hallowed ground."

MEMORIAL/SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

Memorial contributions for Kim Gallagher can be sent to the Jessica Smith Trust Fund, 1037 N. 67th St. Philadelphia, PA 19151.

Contributions may be made to the Bob Burdette Memorial Fund of the Track & Field Coaches Association of Greater Philadelphia. Make checks payable to TFCAGP. Send to TFCAGP, 49 Carriage Drive, Doylestown, PA 18901

The Kevin Dare Pole Vaulting Scholarship Fund

TRAINING TIPS

Study. Hydrate. Stretch. Sleep. Study.
Run hard. Trust your training. Have fun.

The 2001-2002 Training Series from Pain Relief & Physical Therapy in Media

2002 OUTDOOR RESULTS STILL NEEDED

FROM OLDEST TO NEWEST, WE STILL NEED RESULTS FROM:
4/20-Towanda; 4/27-Mt. Carmel; 5/1-Last Chance Meet @ Liberty HS; 5/3-Schuylkill Ct. Relays; 5/7+8-Metro League @ McDowell; 5/9-Central League @ Lower Merion; 5/11-Saturday's Results for Mid-Penn @ Carlisle; 5/11-ChesMont League @ Coatesville; 5/11-Firing Meet @ Governor Mifflin - PLEASE EMAIL DON RICH. THANKS!