AIS Preview
2018 Recap
From last year's preseason onward, Trinity was expected to win a third straight AIS title after it entered 2018 with a largely intact squad. Tiger seniors Geordie Young, Aydin Williams, and Stephen Andryc combined on Marathon Sunday with the freshman duo of Nikhil DeNatale and Cole Nesselson to roar to a 62-93-96 win over Collegiate and Hackley, with Packer Collegiate in 4th with 109.
Riverdale Country Day junior Tobias Wolfson repeated as AIS champ, topping Trinity's Geordie Young for the second straight year by 8 seconds. Seniors Gabriel Cannavo of Poly Prep and Aydin Williams of Trinity were 3rd and 4th, and Hackley freshman Jonah Gorevic was 5th.
The Federation championship was cancelled because of snow, but Cannavo went on to finish in the top 50 at Foot Locker NE and Wolfson and Young were in the top 50 at NXR-NY.
Teams
Last year's AIS graduates include the guys who finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, two of them from Trinity. 14 of last year's top 20 are back though, so the AIS should not only develop well in 2019, but it also should have a competitive battle among the teams. Four teams enter the season with speed ratings within 5 points of each other.
Packer Collegiate finished 4th in the AIS last year, but the Pelicans have their top 6 back along with their #4 guy who was injured in mid season. AIS top-15 guys Peter Cembalest, Davis Robertson, and Carter Weaver should be perched at Packer's helm, but the top 6 Pelicans are seniors, so there is some urgency to go for broke.
Hackley is also blessed with a big group back from last year, as five of the top 6 return. Hornet junior Jonah Gorevic and sophomore Brendan DiStefano are on the Hackley lead, and unlike Packer, all of the Hornets' top 7 returners will also be around for 2020 on a team with a lot of potential for development. Trinity is still in the hunt for its 4th straight AIS title despite losing four of its top 6 finishers from 2018. Tiger sophomore Nikhil DeNatale is back from a top 10 finish, and the potential return of senior William Ketterer-Sykes after missing the 2018 season should give Trinity a boost. Finally, a deep Collegiate team has five of its top 6 back including top 20 finishers George Nicholson, William Goodwin, and Ben Davis, so the Dutchmen have a lot to build on.
Top Runners
Tobias Wolfson will be going for his third straight AIS championship and is expected to get it. Wolfson added a win in his Manhattan race, and he will likely make a bid for a spot at one of the Nationals meets. Jonah Gorevic is a junior and the AIS heir-apparent to Wolfson for 2020. Four seniors from last year's top 10 include Theo Dassin of Ethical Culture-Fieldston, Peter Cembalest of Packer Collegiate, Ryan Egan of Browning, and Nathaniel Oakes of Riverdale Country Day. Trinity's Nikhil DeNatale is still only a sophomore, so we may see a lot more development from him this year.
Top 5 Teams at 2018 AIS Championship
Top 5 Teams from Last Year's Speed Ratings (TR) and Compression
Top Returning Runners by Last Year's Speed Ratings (TR)
