42nd Annual Manhattan Invitational Boys Letter Race Preview
| Saturday, October 11, 2014 --- Van Cortlandt Park --- 12:51 PM to 2:03 for 7 Races |
Much of the day's action at Van Cortlandt Park will be devoted to the Letter races, and there are great matches on hand for all. Time was a bit limited for pulling in info from all of the different states. Also apologies to non-NY teams if the rating scores don't quite capture your full strength, as some of the estimations are really tough. The following summaries should give at least some idea of what's in store for the boy's 7 Letter duels.
Overview
If you are a top team in Race A, you always know you're in for a battle at Manhattan. A again has a tough slate, but the pain seems to have been pretty evenly distributed among 4 of the 7 races if our estimates are in the ballpark. That of course leaves three races for maybe a little guy to win, which is the way it should be. Toughest contests appear to be A, C, D, and G. Two of the best battles should occur in Race A, where NJ #6 Haddonfield takes on a Brighton team ranked #3 in NY-B, and in Race C where PA's top team Malvern takes on NY-A #9 Corning and a Hoover team from Alabama that may do very well.
Cheers to all, and remember not to start sprinting all out when you come out of the woods. There's still 600 meters to go.
Race A
Time: 12:51
Teams at the Top: Haddonfield (171.6), Brighton (166.2), Cornwall (160.6), West Genesse (156.8), Baldwinsville (153.2), Suffern (148.2), North Hunterdon (146.8), Chariho (144.2), Trinity (143.6), Westhill (142.2), Bronxville (138.0)
Runners with Hops: Aidan Doyle - Cornwall (181), David Leff - West Genesee (179), Greg Pelrose - Haddonfield (177), Sam Layding - North Hunterdon (176), Drew Schmitt - Brighton (176), Chad Evans - Haddonfield (172), Will Randall - West Genesee (172), Danny Brennan - Haddonfield (170), Paul Dellinger - Brighton (170), Colin Gallagher - Haddonfield (169), Jonah Allard - Bishop Gibbons (168), Erik Engstrom - East Hampton (167), Austin Stoner - Haddonfield (167)
Overview: Haddonfield won the Bowdoin 2 race two weeks ago, so it will be the favorite here. Brighton and Cornwall get to share a NY-B battle while trying to run down the guys from NJ. Cornwall's Aidan Doyle has the best number, but David Leff of West Genesee and Haddonfield frontrunner Greg Pelrose should be there with him.
Race B
Time: 1:03
Teams at the Top: Greenwich (157.6), Bayport-Blue Point (156.6), Brooklyn Tech (154.8), Mepham (151.8), Champlain Valley (148.6), Regis (147.4), Manhasset (145.4), West Morris Mendham (144.2), Stuyvesant (144.2), Delbarton (141.4), Jordan-Elbridge (141.0),
Runners with Hops: Jeremy Spiezio - Greenwich (184), Paul Ehmann - West Morris Mendham (180), Mike Grady - East Meadow (177), Jordan Earlywin - Delbarton (173), Eric Chen - Stuyvesant (171), Tyler Marshall - Champlain Valley (168), Ben Schott - South Western (167), Chris Perillo - Mepham (167), William Colgan - Pascack Hills (165), Victor Garifo - Bayport-Blue Point (165), Tyler Marshall - Champlain Valley (163)
Overview: This is definitely a race that one of the smaller teams could win, something that should excite Greenwich and Bayport-Blue Point. Brooklyn Tech and Mepham will be trying to win one for the big schools. Greenwich's Jeremy Spezio could add a Manhattan title to his state championship from last year, but Mendham's Paul Ehmann should be well rested and ready to challenge.
Race C
Time: 1:15
Teams at the Top: Malvern Prep (170.4), Corning (165.4), Hoover (160.2), Summit (158.6 ), Lincoln-Sudbury (156.8), St. John the Baptist (153.2), St. John's Prep-MA (145.2), East Rochester (145.0), Islip (142.6), Auburn (140.4),
Runners with Hops: Jaxon Hoey - Malvern Prep (180), Billy McDevitt - Malvern Prep (179), Shawn Hutchison - Bishop Eustace (179), Tommy McDonough - Hoover (175), Jared Moore - Corning (173), Peter Kane - Corning (173), Tim Josephs - Garden City (172), Matt McDermott - Niskayuna (173), Brian Bates - Corning (172), Carson Tullo - Hoover (171), Zach Csipkay - Colts Neck (169), John Paul Rumore - Hoover (167), Jordan Middleton - Auburn (166), Josh Hoey - Malvern Prep (166), Shota Nakamura - Edgemont (166), Jordan Brannen - Colts Neck (165)
Overview: Malvern is the top team in PA and should have the edge here, but Corning and Hoover have strong line-ups, and Lincoln-Sudbury and St. John the Baptist always seem to come to Manhattan with game lineups. The battle at the top will be intense, but Malvern's frontrunners Jaxon Hoey and Billy McDevitt should be leading the way.
Race D
Time: 1:27
Teams at the Top: Guilderland (163.2), Northwest (162.0), Shaker (157.6), Salesianum (155.8), Morristown (154.6),, Orchard Park (154.6), Somers (147.6), Connetquot (142.0), St. Peter's-NJ (140.2)
Runners with Hops: Diego Zarate - Northwest (185), Noah Carey - Guilderland (184), Paul Nichols - Shaker (170), Skyler Lattuca - Longwood (168), Noah Tindale - Guilderland (167), Evan Quinn - Morristown (166)
Overview: Race D could be the closest battle, with no clear favorite standing out here. Guilderland did well at Bowdoin running against some of the nation's top ranked teams, and Northwest of MD has had some strong results in more low-key races. Salesianum always brings a strong squad, and Shaker is the only NY team ever to win Eastern States in recent times, Noah Carey of Guilderland is one of NY's top runers, and though its hard to get a fix on just how fast Northwest's Diego Zarate is, anyone who runs a 5K in 15:41 and took the MD 1600m state championship in 4:15 is someone who can blast a little.
Race E
Time: 1:39
Teams at the Top: St. Joe's Collegiate (159.4), Cicero-North Syracuse (154.2), Monsignor Farrell (152.2), Clarence (151.4), Mamaroneck (150.4), Scarsdale (146.4), Jamesville-Dewitt (142.8), Hackley (140.2), Pawling (139.2)
Runners with Hops: Patrick Dye - Jamesville-Dewitt (175), Julio Ruiz-Gomez - Monsignor Farrell (172), Anthony Casullo - Clarence (171), Will Young - Mamaroneck (168), Anthony Belfatto - St. Joes Buffalo (168), Andrew Bearkland - CNS (168), Ittai Rosales - Mamaroneck (167), Luciano Fiore - Bay Shore (165),
Overview: The meet seems to take a bit of rest for the E and F races, but the E seems set for a NY winner. St. Joseph's may be able to step it up, or CNS may seize the opportunity, or Monsignor Farrell may win one for the home crowd, or Clarence may give western NY a win. Lots of possibilities here. The battle for the individual winner also appears to be open for whoever wants it most.
Race F
Time: 1:51
Teams at the Top: Walt Whitman (151.2), Chatham (150.2), Holmdel (149.6), Middletown North (148.0), New Paltz (146.2), Smithtown (143.6), Colonie (142.2), Wayne Valley (140.2),
Runners with Hops: Aaron Barlev - Holmdel (178), Michael Marano - Middletown North (174), Lorenzo Mazzuca - New Paltz (172), Will Mitchell - Chatham NJ (168), Liam Hynes - Chatham NJ (165), Martin O'Connell - Eastchester (165), Jarod Wilson - Newark (164)
Overview: A fairly equally matched group of NY and NJ teams appear set to battle it out in Race F, and there is no real favorite here. Aaron Barlev of Holmdel had a 15:35 at Ocen County early in the season but was recently beaten by Chatham's Will Mitchell, so the championship here looks up for grabs.
Race G
Time: 2:03
Teams at the Top: Tappan Zee (167.0), John Jay CR (157.2), Sachem East (155.2), Chaminade (152.0), Highland Regional (152.4), CBA Albany (152.2), Midwood (149.2), Flagler Palm Coast (148.4), Haddon Township (148.2), Calhoun (147.0), Rush-Henrietta (142.6)
Runners with Hops: Luke Gavigan - Tappan Zee (187), Luke Petela - Haddon Township (181), Liam Burke - Tappan Zee (180), Jordan Price - New Providence (176), Tomas Reimer - Fiorello LaGuardia (172), Owen Long - Haddon Township (170), Ben Smith - John Jay CR (169), Eion Nohilly - John Jay CR (169), Joshua Clark - Highland Regional (168), Patrick Hehir - Tappan Zee (167), Justin Pacifico - Flagler Palm Coast (165)
Overview: The Manhattan goes out with a bang as two Section 1 NY-B rivals Tappan Zee and John Jay-Cross River face off against each other and a Sachem East team that recently won one of the Suffolk Coaches meet races. Luke Gavigan has a couple of state track championships to his credit, and he will be the favorite here after besting the next closest runner by 19 seconds two weeks ago at Wild Safari.
