1. North Rockland Adjusts Without Tuohy
It was sure to make National News when the top runner in the country wasn't on the starting line. Katelyn Tuohy had mentioned some muscle tightness in the legs earlier in the season, but it would be a knee issue that would sideline the Record Breaking runner. Without her, the potential for a Class A upset in Section 1 increased tenfold, as Arlington was coming on strong. But the Lady Raiders got the job done with an impressive run, ten second compression in their 2-5. Haleigh Morales would take second overall after battling her own injuries this season, giving them the win. It's unclear of the severity of Tuohy's injury, or if she will return next week. More can be gleaned from the interview above with North Rockland Coach Brian Diglio.
2. Section 8 Rescheduled
Consider it a freak storm, but Saturday saw unruly conditions on the Island that would be home to States in a week. 60mph winds predicted and heavy rain caused Section 8 (Nassau County) to move their Sectional Championship at Bethpage back a day. Suffolk, the home of the State Meet, got through their competition just fine on Friday, but it begs the question, what happens if we get another freak storm next weekend. The course can handle the conditions better than most, with post Hurricane Sandy seeing improvements around the park.
3. Saratoga Springs Back Into Focus
They raced the last weekend of August, the first weekend of October. Those were the only times we got a clear look at the Saratoga Girls, a team we typically have more visibility from. With Suburban's cancelled the week before, and Sectionals being a muddy mess, there still is some clouds to peer through, but if Sectionals is any indication, the Blue Streaks are ready to roll. They improved their projected winning score by 20 points in one of the most competitive sections, and showed some new faces were ready to compete. They now head into States as the favorites, for the first time in nearly a decade. To boot, Kelsey Chmiel dropped her own SPAC Course Record in her final attempt on the course, in the worst conditions she's ever seen on the fabled course.
4. Parker Stokes Continues Improving
He was the States Top Returner based on his 2017 Season, and as he did the year before, he is starting to hit his stride in the Championship Season. Notching his first 190 Speed Rating of the season, he won Sectionals by over a minute. The competition for the top mark in the merge may be more competitive than last year, but Parker Stokes (Maine-Endwell) season is going right along to plan, as it sits.
5. No Doubt Whether Weather Played A Factor
Long Island wasn't the only location that weather played a factor in the races. Section 2 was flooded for Friday's races, and the Weather seemed to move West, as Section 3 provided some of the most uneven ground seen since Wayne of last year. Section 1 saw some mud on the typically pristine Bowdoin Course as well. The conditions were sure to zap more out of the legs of the runners in those prospective sections heading into next week, but we won't know the full effect until at least the next weekend.
Brooke Rauber leads Class D through the mud at Chittenango HS