Nationals Weekend

For many high level cross country athletes, this weekend was the weekend they have been training all season for. The Foot Locker Nationals, USATF Junior Olympic Nationals, and USATF Club Nationals all took place on December 13th. 

Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals was held at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. The girls 5K race was won by senior, Anna Rohrer from Mishawaka, Indiana with a time of 17:13. She also won this race as a sophomore in 2012. She was injured for the 2013 cross country season with a stress fracture in her foot. Anna Rohrer made history as a two-time champion joining Jordan Hasay, Erin Keogh, Melody Fairchild, and Erin Sullivan. The best placement by a local runner was the 5th place finish by Hannah Debalsi from Westport, Connecticut. 

Grant Fisher was the winner of the boys Foot Locker Nationals 5K race with a time of 15:03. The senior from Grand Blanc High School was among a field on all Juniors and Seniors. He now joins Edward Cheserek, Lukas Verzbicas, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Abdrizak Mohamud as two-time Foot Locker winners. The best placement by a local runner was by Alex Ostberg from Darien, Connecticut who placed 9th. 

The USATF National Cross Country Junior Olympics was held at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Many girls from New England medaled at this event. The best local placement was by Caroline Fischer of Granite State Flash who placed 2nd in the 11-12 year old 3K race with a time of 10:24. Her early placement led her team to capture a 4th place title. In the 15-16 girls 5K race, Claire Hanlon of Sentinel Striders placed 18th with a time of 18:33. Stephanie Mattson also of the Sentinel Striders had the best local placement in the 17-18 division with a 15th place finish with a time of 19:32 over the 5K course. 

New England boys also finished well at the National Junior Olympics. Sean Kay of the North Shore Striders placed 12th in the 11-12 age division with a 3K time of 10:10. In the 13-14 age division, Sam Toolin of the Sentinel Striders placed 5th out of 405 runners with a time of 12:58 over the 4K course. The Sentinel Striders placed 3rd as a team in the 17-18 age division led by the 11th place finish of Adan Petti. 

The USATF National Club Cross Country Championships was held at Goodman Campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Boston Athletic Association women won this event beating 43 other teams. They were led by Sarah Pagano who placed 6th with a time of 19:40 over the 6K course. Following her were 9th and 10th placements by Juliet Bottorff and Elaina Balouris and 19th, 20th, and 22nd placements by Jennifer Rhines, Emily Lipari, and Katie Matthews. 

The Boston Athletic Association men got 2nd at the National Club Championships. Zap Fitness Reebok finished first as a team over the 72 other teams competing. Dan Lowry led them finishing 15th with a time of 19:50 over the 10K course. Other top 30 placements were by Ethan Shaw, Eric Ashe, and Brian Harvey.