Jack Jibb Goes All-Time, Bella Burda Beats Best at Bowdoin

Oct 19, 2014

Wappingers Falls, NY - The Section 1 Coaches and Officials meet gives most the last chance to take to the hills of what will stand as both the Federation Meet Course, as well as the home to Nike Cross Regionals for NY and Northeast. We were there to capture all the action.

Race Highlights

Boys

Race 1 - Luke Gavigan continues on his undefeated streak in 2014. He will most likely face Noah Affolder (Section 3) and Kobie Lane (Section 9) at the state meet, both of which are also undefeated. The bigger story of the race is that Mount Academy won by an impressive margin, both in Race 1 and in the overall merge, running without their #1 runner, who was cheering along the sidelines. This small school is scary good.
Race 2 - Jack Jibb of Monroe-Woodbury shoots to #46 All-Time at Bowdoin, with his sub-16 minute performance.
Race 3 - Benito Muniz of Carmel wins the race, rounding back into form. Taking a very slow start to the season with eyes on the post season, much like that of Mikey Brannigan, it will be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out. The team battle between Brewster and Tappan Zee gets interesting as well, as the gap slowly closes in Class B for Section 1.

Girls

Race 1 - Sophmore Rachel Ludwikowski leads Suffern to the individual and team title, including the merge. It would end up being the most competitive battle for a first place finish of the day.
Race 2 - There is no better place than Bowdoin Park that Bella Burda has run. She has won the merge three years running, and has proven she is in her best shape yet. Burda is the 6th fastest runner all-time at Bowdoin from her 17:55.2 Federation win in 2012, and the three spots behind her are occupied by Erin Davis, Emily Lipari, and Hannah Davidson, three of the top runners ever from NY. Ahead of her are Aisling Cuffe, Nicole Blood, Mary Cain, Aislinn Ryan and Jillian Fanning, a group that includes three national champions, plus one national and world individual titlist, plus a member of a team that won many national crowns with her as leader.
Race 3 - Kaitlyn Ryan of Bronxville wins the battle, but can't win the war. With exactly the same score as Sectionals in 2013, Pearl River wins the team title in 41 points on a tie-breaker, the same as a year ago when it was over JJ-CR.

Coaches and Officials, 2012-2014

=======================================================================
    Name                    Year  School                  Finals  Points   Speed Rating
=======================================================================   ------------
  1 Burda, Bela             2012  Arlington             18:24.79    1      146.7    147
  1 Burda, Bella            2013  Arlington             18:47.00    1      136.33   136
  1 Burda, Bella            2014  Arlington             18:08.59    1      149.14   149