2011 Wildcats Cross-Country

Season Preview

(Girls/Boys)

 Hopeful in 2010, a young Wildcats team instead paid its dues in a tough CNYCL National Division and a tougher Class AA Section III, finishing with a losing dual meet season, only the second for the ‘cats since 1996. The good news is that nine of the top-10 runners from that season return to make amends. They will be experienced, balanced and should enjoy good team depth with the addition of several talented runners from last year’s modified squad. The operative phrase, however, will be this: prove yourselves.

***Top Returning Runners***

Laura Leff (Gr 10):  Following a widely accomplished 8^th grade varsity year, Laura did not let up in grade 9. As the top-ranked NY cross-country freshman in 2010, 4^th place State Championship and 3^rd place Federation Championship individual finishes propelled her to the NYS Freshman-of-the-Year award. Indoor Track saw her establish school records in the 3000, 1500, 1000 and 800 meter events as she placed 8^th at states in the 1000m and then became the New Balance National Championship Freshman Mile winner with the nation’s fastest freshman mile time. Outdoor Track brought an emphasis on her growing specialty, the 2000m steeplechase. She set a meet record in that event at the Red-White-Blue-Gold Invitational and a 3000m meet record at the East Syracuse-Minoa Invitational before traveling south to the Loucks Games in White Plains, where she won the steeplechase with a meet, Section III and school record time of 6:52.74. Laura lowered that time to 6:51.28 at the State Championship when she placed 4^th. The 2011 New Balance National Championship promised stronger times, but canceled airline flights doomed her opportunity to compete. Overall improving strength and performances in all events from the 400m to the 5k races suggest a big sophomore year ahead for Laura.

Anna Leo(Gr 11):  In 2009, freshman Anna qualified for the Class AA Cross-Country State Championship in Plattsburgh, where she logged a personal record 5k time of 19:25.6. The following Indoor/Outdoor season were shortened by sequential injuries, but she returned in mid-summer to complete her sophomore harrier season with a sectional top-20 finish and rank as the #2 Wildcat. Yet another series of injuries sidelined her for the 2010/11 indoor season, but outdoor track this spring saw Anna healthy and regaining both fitness and performance times. Hoping she has paid her dues, a strong and consistent summer training regime should lead Anna back into the top echelon of sectional performers, right where her team wants her.

Abby Kastick(Gr 11): Abby  finished her 2010 sophomore XC season ranked a top-30 competitor in Section III and the team’s #3 runner. During Indoor Track, an 11:17 seasonal PR in the 3000 meter followed before Abby turned to the steeplechase in outdoor, where she met the Open Qualifier standard with a personal best 7:43.98. Incremental increases in her basic foot-speed are combining with strong summer mileage. Abby looks this fall to push into the top tier of sectional runners.

Amy Hannahan(Gr 12): Amy finished her junior season as the team’s #4, despite some injury issues that prevented strong championship performances. Her indoor and outdoor seasons saw more consistent training and further development of her basic foot-speed, with sub 2:30 800 meter performances as evidence. Her most ambitious summer training schedule to date is underway, one that could catapult Amy into a sectional top-20 spot this fall.

 Kelly Powell (Gr 12): One of the team’s most versatile athletes, Kelly has run a 1:02 400 meter as well as a 5:13 1500m. She finished the 2010 XC season as the team’s #5 runner and ran in the fourth position at least six times, proving she can also race the trails. Running healthy and injury-free will be the primary keys to Kelly’s success this season-- and in that pursuit she has already set a substantial mileage target for herself this summer. With plenty of ‘athletic’ miles this July/August, the signals point toward a break-out senior season for Kelly.

***Runners To Watch***

Lindsay Weaver(Gr 9):  Lead runner for her 2010 Modified Cross-Country team, Lindsay was the individual winner at both the Baldwinsville and Marathon Invitationals. A hard-nosed trainer and competitor, Lindsay moved up to varsity as an Indoor Track middle distance runner. There she quickly absorbed the training and racing demands of that level, racing all distances from 800m to 3000m. With that background, she furthered her solid development during Outdoor Track with PR’s of 1:08.5 in the 400m, 2:34.45 in the 800m and a 5:05.6 1500m clocking which took her all the way to the Open Qualifier meet. With all the physical and mental attributes of a top racer, Lindsay will be a significant contribution to the 2011 Wildcats.

Mary McGlynn(Gr 10):  One of the pleasant surprises of the 2010 team, Mary began the season out of the top-10 team depth chart. Steady improvements and just plain hard training pushed her upward throughout the season and landed her on the ten-runner sectional championship squad. In her final race of the season, she brought out her strongest performance, a top-40 Class AA finish and #4 for the Wildcats. Mary focused on building strength and speed throughout the Indoor Track season, which lead to an Outdoor Track 11:43.6 personal record in the 3000m. A solid summer of training is already underway, suggesting continuing improvements by this promising sophomore.

Season Surprises??

Every year provides harriers the opportunity to discover(or re-discover) themselves as distance runners. 2011 will be no different for this version of Wildcats XC. A freshman newcomer for Outdoor Track, Katie Zwerger, could work herself into a top varsity role as a sophomore. Four freshmen--Nicole Paone, Elise Dunshee, Hannah Garty and Olivia Kastick--all have the experience and drive to crack the varsity top-10. And veterans such as Lauren Brieant, Alycia Andolina and Morgan Farmer could easily step up into top team roles. Time will tell….

This year’s Wildcat squad have already been warned they will be discounted by the local and state pollsters. And that’s understandable. The 2010 ‘cats team that finished ranked #5 in Class AA and placed a trophy third at the Federation Championship graduated a stable of talented and focused senior runners who dominated the team’s top-5. But that senior class taught their returning teammates more than a winning tradition that included a 19-5 dual meet record since 2007 and three consecutive Federation Championship appearances. Those graduates also taught the 2011 Wildcats an appetite for training. It’s a hidden legacy that will become increasingly apparent from this latest edition of Wildcats XC.

***Top Returning Runners***

   Martin Leff(Gr 12): An All-CNY runner in 2010 and the team’s #2 ranked runner, Martin is the pre-season favorite to lead the Wildcats in 2011. He will also be pre-season ranked top-5 in Section III. Martin was zeroing in on an accomplished 2010-11 Indoor Track season, with PR’s of 9:52.37 in the 3200, 4:31.73 in the 1600 and a leg on both the state-bound WG 4x800 and the nationals-bound 4x1mile when he was sidelined by an injury which persisted into the outdoor season. He did recover quickly enough to regain fitness and clock a 2:02 800 meter leg on the spring 4x800. Summer mileage is already underway, and Martin’s on target to drop below his personal record of 16:03.2 this fall.

  Mark Reilly(Gr 12): Talent waiting to be tapped is the word on Mark Reilly. And up and down 2010 XC year ended strongly for Mark, the team’s 7^th man at sectionals and a team 9^th overall for the season. He just missed a spot on the team’s 3^rd place Federation squad. During Indoor Track, Mark stepped in for the injured Martin Leff at the State Championship and delivered a personal best 2:04 leg for the team’s 4x800 Relay. A nagging leg injury hampered his outdoor season, but Mark’s summer mileage is one of the best on the team, and he’s aiming toward a big autumn season on the trails as well as a big role on his Wildcats team.

Ethan Osborne(Gr 11): The hard work of distance training seems to suit Ethan just fine. In 2010, he established himself as a team top-10 runner, finishing with the #9 rank and a 17:35 5k PR, a minute and a half improvement from his freshman year. The 2010-11 Indoor Track season was devoted to improving foot speed with shorter races that included a 1:35 600 meter. He did find time, however, to clock 10:34 in the 3200m. This spring, he traded his gloves and cleats for running flats and pursued outdoor track, where he notched a 4:44 1600m and gained valuable training time at speed. Ethan is king of the miles for the Wildcats so far this summer, a clear signal he is readying for the opportunity to step up into a key varsity role this fall.

Nate Conroy(Gr 10): A runner in the shadows of powerful WG seniors during the 2010-11 seasons, Nate is not likely to spend any more time there. His freshman apprenticeship was a strong one. He finished the team’s #11 runner during the XC season, clocking a 17:54 5k personal record. Indoor offered too few competitive opportunities, so Nate devoted much time to developing his speed and overall fitness. Outdoor Track was more expansive, with Nate competing in everything from the 400m to the 3200m(10:46) and the  3000m Steeplechase where he ran 10:48. His steady development will continue this fall.

***Runners To Watch***

   Jack Erhard(Gr 10): The numbers may not suggest it, but Jack is poised for a strong sophomore season. His freshman cross-country season was cut short by injury following the opening invitational, and Jack was able to return for only two races in late October. Indoor Track was spent  mostly training and running the occasional 400m. Jack’s best running season, as a result, came with Outdoor Track and included a 4:54 1600m effort. He has this summer pushed himself up among the top team mileages and has the ability to find a home in the team’s top-5 this fall.

 Luke Potash(Gr 12):  The team’s speed merchant, Luke has clocked fast times in the 400m and 200m events, but he extended his range this past year with a 2:10 800m and also clocked 1:30.70 in the 600m during Indoor Track, 15^th best in the section.  Taking his speed long this fall will be the major focus of Luke’s summer pace work. Success with that training could catapult him to a team top-5 spot and push him up into the section’s top tier of runners.   

 Will Johnson(Gr 11):  Will has been a quiet, steadily improving force on the team. Following several team top-15 finishes last season, he moved during indoor and outdoor track to one of his interesting distance racing alternatives —the high hurdles.  The speed work has done him well and, combined with the summer season of solid miles already underway, could leap him up into the varsity top-7.

****Season Surprises??***

The beat goes on, but not only at the front of the West Genesee XC line. Each season, talented and driven neophytes, as well as veterans who have paid their dues, make the move up, accepting more challenges and making more sacrifices to become top runners in the program. The 2010 Wildcats are not short on candidates of this kind. Jay Paika-Rawlings could see a bust-out season this fall. The long miles that are passing beneath the feet of Mike Richards this summer may transport him to a varsity role. Connor Smith ended strong in ‘10’ and could make a move up this fall. Mike Lannon ran as high as #12 for the ‘cats team last year, and has the tools to earn a spot near the top. There are others, of course, and, as always, motivation and desire will be key ingredients in this 2011 cross-country mix.