Foot Locker, NXN-NE Regionals This Weekend

For a several Rhode Island teams and individuals, the cross-country season continues this weekend in New York. And for a few, it could extend even further.

Ocean Staters will be split up at two different meets on Saturday with the Foot Locker Northeast Regionals at historic Van Cortlandt Park and the Nike Cross Nationals Northeast (NXN-NE) Regionals at Bowdoin Park in Wappinger Falls, N.Y.

The NXN-NE meet will feature a good portion of our R.I. athletes. Among some of the top schools scheduled to compete in the boys' race are recent state champion  and runner-up Bishop Hendricken and La Salle Academy. East Greenwich and individual state titlist Jeffrey Pedersen are also entered. The Hawks are ranked No. 9 as a team, while the Rams are No. 13. The top two teams earn a trip to Oregon for the Nike Cross Nationals. La Salle's Max DiMuccio, who was the top R.I. finisher at the New England Championships, placing fourth overall, is listed as a dark horse to secure one of the five individual spots (not on a qualifying team) for the national meet. In the girls' race, Portsmouth and La Salle, 1-2 finishers at the State Meet, will test their mettle against the top teams in the northeast. The Patriots' Nikki Merrill and the Rams' Grace Connolly and Emily Kane, are among the dark horses for a top-five individual placement.

The Foot Locker meet will include three-time state champion Eleanor Lawler of South Kingstown. Lawler was eighth at the regionals two years ago and earned All-American status by taking 14th overall at the national meet.