Manhattan Invitational 2007 - Boys Meet Preview

Some top individual runners info taken from PolyXC posts on dyestat's NY Message Board.

Varsity Boys A

Top Teams

Team

This has to be Shaker vs. Smithtown, but El Modena, CA could be in the mix.
Merrimack, NH is very good and also could challenge for the win. 

Individuals
The meet starts off with a bang as Doug Smith from Gill St. Bernards in New Jersey and Brandon Jarrett from St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey square off in what many are calling the unofficial NJ State Championships as St. Benedicts does not belong to the NJSIAA. Word is that these top two could run under 12:20.  Giovanni Signoretti of Smithtown NY, RJ Sniffen and Craig Weiss of Shaker NY, Kevon Carter of Valley Stream Central NY, William Godfrey of Merrimack, Louis Serafini of Niskayuna, and Jacob Shoemaker of Sudbury will be fighting for 3rd place.

Boys Varsity B

Top Teams

 Team

Can anyone really mess with Danbury here? Yes. Oakton can win with a great effort. Chaminade is always a dangerous team and could give them the best run while PA’s Holy Ghost is #6 in their state and known for three front-runners who go out hard. West Windsor-Plainsboro North, with outstanding frosh Joe Rosa is coming off a 2^nd place finish @ Shore Coaches w/ the #5 team avg. for the day and could be ready for a breakout race. 

Individuals
This race could match two of NY’s Section One’s best runners in Colby DelBene (Pawling, NY) and Julian Sheinbaum (Scarsdale, NY).

Top Teams

Team

Queensbury, NY has been looking very good all season long. They have a very deep team and should pull this one out unless Kellenberg has one of those great days, which is possible. If they falter, Liverpool, NY, Thomas Jefferson, VA, and Voorheesville, NJ could be there to pick up the slack. Note that Fayetteville-Manlius, who holds the team average record for the meet, is in this race. 

Individuals
Top harriers are expected to be Tom Elnick of Kellenberg, Matt Flint of Queensbury, Brian Landry and Evan Heflin of Thomas Jefferson, Ethan Hickey and Brian Picciotta of Liverpool, Dan Lowry of LaSalle College PA, and Dan Roark of Dracut MA.

 Boys Varsity D

Top Teams

 Team

You gotta like North Penn, PA, as they could be PA’s best team this year. They dominated a strong field at Carlisle on 9/29 and are ed by Zach Hoagland in the front. Midlothian should be in the mix as well as Ithaca, NY. Memorial, NJ has made some ripples on the NJ Top Ten voting, maybe a top 5 in this race. And Pearl River, NY, with a potential individual winner, could place top five as well. Bishop Hendricken, a RI power, can always make noise here and Horace Greeley, NY is a solid team as well with two top runners. 

Individuals

Jason Witt is the favorite in the race. He finished 7th at the NTN nationals last year. However, Pat Dupont of Fairport NY, and Zach Hoagland of North Penn should press him in the race.

 Brad Miles, and Zack Montijo of North Penn, Andrew Corcoran of Westhill NY, Andris Goncarovs of Ithaca, Mike Hickey of Pearl River, Pat Erban of LaSalle RI, and Bronson Venable of Bishop Hendricken should be running in the lead pack.  George Galasso (Jr. / Holmdel) is r ounding into shape after breakout spring season (4:17.xx for 1600m), he could surprise (Uniform: White / Blue).

Boys Varsity E

Top Teams

Team
Germantown Friends, PA has to be the favorite. Three seniors at front - if their #5 moves up, they are there against anyone in the country. Brentsville, VA should be the best chance to make a run at Germantown West Chester Henderson, PA. - Unranked and unmentioned, but they are 'opening' at this meet with senior stud Chris Aldrich. Ridgewood, NJ is good, but not in Germantown Friends league – could battle for 2^nd though.  NY’s top team in the race should be Suffern, with a great pack of 5. The Unofficial NY Class C State Championships could take place here as Tully and Collegiate face off. Collegiate is a private school so they won’t be at the NYSPHSAA Championships and there’s no promise that Tully will be at Feds. 

IndividualsTop individuals include Max Kaulbach (Germantown Friends), Chris Aldrich (Henderson), and Ray Delgado (Thousand Islands). Other strong harriers include Dylan Trotzuk (Collegiate), Isaac Ortiz, Jake McKenzie, and Gus McKenzie (Germantown Friends), Mitch Leveille (N. Kingstown RI), Evan Flach (Suffern), Chris Burke (Tully). Aldrich could be the favorite here.

 Team
This should be the deepest race of the day with at least ten strong teams. Warwick Valley, NY vs. Don Bosco Prep, NJ. WV beat DBP in the merge at the Wizard Invitational 38-56 so this could be a close race. 

IndividualsThe top guys from Warwick (Brad Ackerman and Alex Leuchanka) should be in the front pack as well as Robert Molke from Don Bosco. Demetri Goutos (Saratoga Springs, NY) should be up there as well. Forrest Misenti of Xavier CT , Guilderland’s Roland Graves and Cornwall’s Colin Anderson could be sleepers. Belgiovanni and Spencer of Don Bosco are are potential winners.  

Brian Leung (Sr. / West Winsor-Plainsboro South, NJ) This kid is the real deal. 15:52 in sub-tropical Holmdel @ Shore Coaches Invite (#16 AT) (Uniform: Oregon Green and Yellow) 

Robby Andrews (Jr. / Manalapan, NJ) 2.5 may be the right distance for this 4:17.94 1600m guy (Uniform: White / Red)

Varsity Boys G

Top Teams

 Team

Shenendehowa, NY is the slight favorite over an always strong CBA, NJ team. This race matches two of the meets best ever against each other as both have long, storied histories here. CBA has a very tight pack. Morris Hills, NJ has been a pleasant surprise thus far. They dominated the “D” race at Shore Coaches w/ the #2 team avg (17:07) 

Individuals

Kyle Merber of Half Hollow Hills and Mike Danaher of Shen’s Mike Danaher have to be one of the favorites here though an out of state sleeper is likely to be in the mix in this race. There are also lots of dark horses to keep an eye on. Bobby Andrews of Shoreham-Wading River is a junior who has run well at Van Cortland in the past. Andrew Palmer of Walt Whitman is a huge talent who won the freshman race at FLNE last year. Mike Masse of St. John's Prep MA also has a load of talent.