Who's going to Portland for NXN. Will FM boys and girls make the trip? How about Saratoga and Burnt Hills. ArmoryTrack.com will be on site this weekend at Bowdoin Park with race videos, pictures, interviews, and stories. So enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and break and we'll see you Saturday.
Girls Team Favorites
At stake - Top 2 teams get automatic qualifying spots to NXN Nationals in Portland. Next two teams are eligible for 2 At-Large spots. Last year 4 NY teams qualified and the general consensus is that with be the case this year as well.
Fayetteville-Manlius (Manlius XC Club) - The two time defending National Champions skipped the NYS Federation meet to stay fresh for regionals and nationals, With Courtney Chapman leading the charge, they are a pretty sure bet to make it back to Portland. NOTE: The entry list on the official meet site has FM crossed out. This is just a mistake. They are entered and will be running.
COURTNEY CHAPMAN VIDEO INTERVIEW
Burnt Hills Balston-Lake (Deluge)- They were 5th last year at NXN and are coming off their win at the NYS Federation Championships over Saratoga. They will have to put together another great race to beat Saratoga here but even if they don't, 3rd and 4th places should get at-large bids.
Saratoga Springs (Kinetic) - They won the 2004 NXN event and were 3rd last year. They have been to the meet every year except 2006, when they probably should have ben there. If they can put together good races from all their runners on the same day, they can definately placed 2nd and could close the gap between themselves and FM. This is a team that could still find a way to win the national title under the right circumstances.
Queensbury (Adirondack)- The often overlooked Queensbury girls are very good. They have been finishing just behind the big three teams all year long but they were only 16 points back on Saratoga at Feds. Another effort like that and they could be going to Portland.
Shenendehowa HS (Clifton Park TC) - Shen is so tough it's shame they compete in the deepest region in the country. Three of the four teams ahead of them all compete in Section 2 in NY. They were 36 points back on Queensbury at Feds but with a better effort, they could steal a spot in anyone falters. Lizzie Predmore is a heavy favorite to qualify individually.
East Aurora - 34 points back on Shen at Feds, East Aurora won the Class B State title this year, again. They just missed a chance to go to Portlan last year when Warwick edged them for 4th place and they would love to pull an upset of their own this year.
OTHER TEAMS ENTERED
Arlington (Arnett XC Club)
HFL (Cougars)
Fairport
Hilton
Individual Favorites (5 spots available)
Lizzie Predmore (Shenedehowa)
Samantha Nadel (North Shore)
Amanda Mooreland (Bloomfield)
Lizzie Predmore (Shen)
Roxanne Henningson (Greenwich)
Elizabth Briasco (Queens)
Kirsten weiberg (East Aurora) l
- Arlington
- Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
- East Aurora
- Fayetteville-Manlius
- HONEOYE FALLS-LIMA (HFL)
- Queensbury HS
- Saratoga Springs
- Shenendehowa
- SHOREHAM-WADING RIVER
Boys Team Favorites
Shenendehowa (Clifton Park) - They won states and Feds so they ahve to be the favorite. Led by Alex Leuchanka, who is an individual title contender, Shen looks poised to make a return trip to NXN. If they run the way they did at states, they will be hard to beat.
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH COACH MARK THOMPSON AND ALEX LEUCHANKA
Fayettevile-Manlius (Manlius) - Alex Hatz leads the charge. He won the Class AA title at states and is a definate favorite here. FM has a better race in them then they showed at States and maybe the break helps them. They can win this race, but they could also finish 3rd.
Burnt Hills-Balston Lake - 2nd at Feds after winning the Class A state title. This is a dangerous team. If they run like they did at Feds, they'll be tough to beat for 3rd. But if they run like they did at states, they could be watching NXN from home.
Shoreham Wading River - Only lost to BHBL by 6 points at Feds so they obviously are right in this thing. It is my opinion that only 3 NY teams will make it, so this could be the breaking point. They are right in this thing. A great race like they ran at Feds could earn them their tickets to Portland.
Honeoye Falls-Lima (HFL Cougars) - They beat SWR at states for the Class B title and this race is simliar to that race in size, a lot smaller then the NYS Fed meet. They are very capable of placing 3rd in this race - don't be surprised if they do. VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH ALEX DEIR
Arlington (Arnett XC) - They're front three are very tough. Arlington's weakness has been their gap to 4 and 5, but in this smaller race, they won't lose as much. Of corse they won't pick up as much with their 3rd guy as well, so they still project around 6th, but they are within shouting distance and this is their home course. VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH COACH STEVE ARNETT
OTHER TEAMS ENTERED
Warwick Valley
East Aurora
Monsignor Farrell
MSIT
Rush-Henriatta
Port Washington
INDIVIDUAL FAVORITES (5 spots available)
Max Straneva (Chenango Valley)
Otis Ubriaco (Burnt Hills)
Alex Deir (HFL)
Bobby Andrews (SWR)
Mike Hickey (Pearl River)
Adam Doherty (Arlington)
John Muller (Arlington)
Nick Hughes (North Rockland)