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.
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); Lauren Bricker, Hempfield
(7) (19 seconds off); and Erin Franklin, Wissahickon (20
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.
