Current Features
November 18, 2001
Preview of PA contenders for the Northeast Footlockers @ Van Cortlandt
Park 11/24
NOTE: If you're a contender for Foot
Locker Nationals, don't read any predictions, including this one. Just
trust your training, let the race come to you, and have FUN. Get 'em PA!
Scenes from 2000: Mazzocco 35th - Saterstad
10th - Pudlin 3rd
Back to PA Northeast
Footlockers Page
Madia - Cickay - Saterstad want to go to Disney
(with a side-trip to the Foot Locker Championships).
The
PA girls competing at the Northeast Foot Locker Championships 11/24 in
New York are one of the best groups to contend for the eight coveted places
for the national meet. (It could be stronger. Below is a list of the probable
contenders not making the trip.) The greatest absence is the loss of Julia
Pudlin
to injury this season. As a junior, she took 3rd in the Northeast and 8th
at Nationals. Healthy, she would have been a near-lock. She'll be at the
race cheering on Baldwin School teammates and other PA runners she says
"...have taken PA running up a notch."
But Pudlin is being ably replaced this year by experience and talent
that could see as many as two PA athletes hit the top eight. The top returner
is junior Angie Saterstad of Hershey. She was 10th in the Northeast
as a sophomore and knows what it takes on race day. She is stronger this
year, and even though she is coming off a disappointing race at States,
this is the race she has been aiming for. Our State Champ, Stephanie Madia
of North Allegheny, has never run Foot Lockers. But since winning her second
state championship (she was AAA 1600 champ this year), she has shown the
mental toughness and focus necessary to race well at Van Cortlandt. She
reinforced that view with a 4th place finish at the Mid-East Regional Championships
in Ohio this past Saturday, just 12 seconds off the winning time against
tough competition.
The
pleasant surprise of the year was the emergence of sophomore Jessica
Cickay of Council Rock as a nationally elite runner. She
nearly won her first championship despite suffering from the heat
at States, and in the cooler weather of late November, should
contend.
Wissahickon
star Erin Franklin was added on Wednesday to the Northeast
Footlockers competitors' list in a late update. Erin's presence
only improves PA's chances, as she spent much of the season breaking
course records of former Wissahickon teammate and state champ
Paige Miller. Franklin was in the lead pack at States this year,
finishing only 20 seconds off Madia and Cickay.
AA State Champ Jesi Christiansen is a wild card in the race.
She just runs until they tell her to stop, and if she passes two miles
in contention, she will be hard for anyone to shake. She was within 13
seconds of Madia and Cickay in their earlier race. Another experienced
Foot Locker athlete is Valley View's Stacey Muchel. She was 4th
in AA just 17 seconds back of the day's fastest time. Just as importantly,
she was 19th in 2000 at Northeast Foot Lockers. That experience counts.
And out of God's Country in north central PA comes Charity Learn.
She was 3rd in AA, within 16 seconds of the Madia/Cickay times. She gained
valuable experience this past weekend in Ohio, where she ran 3rd for PA.
Others to watch include XC newcomer Kim Malcolm, Villa Maria (Mid-East
team); Katie Ewart, Upper Dublin, the 2000 District 1 champ, who
was running well this fall until a sinus infection stopped her. She was
listed on the Mid-East roster, but did not run; sophomore Paula Giguere,
Parkland, the two-time District 11 champ who was 29th in the Championship
race at Northeast Foot Lockers in 2000; XC convert, junior Jessie Yester
of Downingtown; and Wyomissing junior Amy Huss, who was 8th in the
Northeast Foot Lockers sophomore race last year. Twin sister Debbie is
injured.
Not
running at Northeast Foot Lockers: We're missing Amy Kelly
of St. Hubert's, a sophomore, who this season became only the
6th girl ever to break 19:00 at Belmont Plateau. Three of those
athletes went on to become Foot Locker Finalists, and one of the
others is a contender to make the trip this year. Others not running:
Katie O'Connell, Coatesville (3rd in States, 8 seconds
off Madia/Cickay; 11th in Ohio-2nd on PA); Leanna Nastase,
Forest Hill (15 seconds off at States); Jessica Perry,
Peters Township (17 seconds off); and Lauren Bricker, Hempfield
(7) (19 seconds off). Thanks for the great season.
Madia, Franklin (not running
FL), Saterstad, O'Connell (not running FL)-photo
by Megan Feehan
Mazzocco - Weilacher - Robertson best PA class
in four years at Northeast Foot Lockers.
From
a contender viewpoint, the boys representing PA this year don't bring the
depth of the girls squad. But the three or four guys at the front of the
pack have the potential to crack the top eight. All are running well at
the end of the season, and have been aiming for this race. The only way
to rate them at this point is on Foot Locker experience.
Heading that list is Baldwin's Dan Mazzocco, the AAA State Champ.
who was 35th at Van Cortlandt in last year's race as a junior. He knows
the atmosphere and the course. Mazzocco was the 2nd PA finisher at last
Saturday's Mid-East Regional Champs in Ohio, 20 seconds off the pace. His
year is geared for 11/24. The top PA finisher in Ohio was Coatesville's
Rob Robertson, who was 3rd overall, and seven seconds up on Mazzocco.
Robertson was 3rd at States. He dominated the District 1 race, and looks
to be peaking at the right time for this race. He ran Foot Lockers last
year, and if he makes the jump to top eight, he'll be making a climb similar
to the one Mazzocco made at States this year from his 2000 States performance.
Joining Mazzocco and Robertson at the head of the PA guys' class is AA
Champ Andy Weilacher of Eisenhower. Weilacher, who is headed to
a strong program at Northern Arizona, took a bye on the Ohio trip to train.
He was unchallenged at States, and only a few seconds off Mazzocco's time
in the other race. Look for these three in the lead pack as they enter
the woods before the mile.
Other top PA runners challenging for spots will be Liberty senior Dorian
McDonald,
who was 2nd to Mazzocco at States, 23 seconds back, and made the trip to
Ohio; sophomore Ian Gottesfeld of Henderson, who was 4th at States;
Pottsgrove's Corey Rogers, who was 6th in Hershey and ran in Ohio;
Council Rock's Mike DiDio, who was a DNF at States after suffering
heat exhaustion, but was the 3rd PA finisher in Ohio; and Joel Thomas
of Emmaus, 10th at States, who also ran in Ohio. Neither Rogers or Thomas
ran Foot Lockers in 2000. DiDio and McDonald have the experience of racing
the course.
Not running at Northeast Foot Lockers: Former State Champion Shawn Cavanaugh,
Mount Lebanon; Pat Philbin, Cedar Cliff; Bobby Boston,
Altoona; Brian and Eric Soder, Harbor Creek; Ben Weaver,
North Clarion.
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