By Leonard COUTIN

On Saturday, Dec. 9, Balboa Park in San Diego hosted one of cross-country’s most exciting invitationals – the 39th Annual Foot Locker National Cross- Country Final. The invitational presented 10 of the best runners from four regions across the United States: Northeast, South, Midwest and West.

Eyes were on returning winner Claudia Lane, a junior from Malibu High School. Despite only running competitively since ninth grade, Lane has managed to stamp out the competition in the last two years. In 2016, she ran a time of 17:04.8, battling seniors Nevada Mareno from South and Anne Forsyth of Midwest until the final down hill to the finish line. In 2017, she also quashed her competitors to win the final with a time 17:03.04.

On Dec. 9, alongside 39 other runners, Lane showed no hesitation in jumping out in front once the gun sounded, immediately assuming leadership of the pack as they charged down the grassy meadow. Coming up to the first up hill slope, Lane poured on the juice, putting distance between her and the rest of the field, and continued to use her momentum as she hit the down slope. At the 800m mark, Lane was on track to better her 2016 time by a second at least, posting a 2:34 compared to last year of 2:35.

Lane has the ability to take charge of a race early on and makes the necessary checks over her shoulders to see where the competition is throughout the race. At the first mile mark, Lane posted 5:17 with the two Midwest leaders Katelynne Hart and Olivia Theis posting 5:36 followed by Jacqueline Gaughan from the Northeast (5:34) and Ana Wallace from the South (5:44). All of these runners were in solid positions with enough time left to make their challenges to claim the win of the day.

Coming into the two-mile mark, Lane posted 10:57.2, while Hart and Theis posted 11:13.

Significantly different from last year’s race was the lack of others at the final stretch leading to the finish line. Lane comfortably took the win, her second Foot Locker championship title. At the final steps of the finish line, Hart pulled just ahead of her teammate and leaned forward to grab second (17:22.5), while Theis placed third (17:22.7). Katherine Lee from Northeast scored fourth (17:38.3) and Gaughan placed fifth (17:44.6).

Final team score: Midwest 29, Northeast 48, South 79 and West 82

Lane has the chance to return next year to set a course record time, though no other runner has won three championship titles. There are only four girls who have twice won the Foot Locker Championship. Erin Keogh, representing the South as a junior, won in 1985 with a time of 16:43 and in 1986 with a time of 16:55. Melody Fairchild, representing the Northwest as a junior, won in 1989 with a time of 17:05 and in 1990 set the new record posted time (16:39) on the course. Erin Sullivan represented the Northeast as a junior and won in 1997 with a time of 19:97 and in 1998 with a time of 17:35. Lastly, Jordan Hasay, representing the West, won as a ninth grader in 2005 with a mark of 17:05 and again as a senior in 2008 posted 17:22.

The Foot Locker course has not changed and the terrain is grassy, with up and down slopes and a hill that makes the course a true cross-country run. The loop is run twice as the course is designed as a 1.5 loop equaling the 5,000m distance.

Over the past five years, the winners of the boys’ races were divided between two prominent regions: the Midwest and the South. The West has not won a championship title since 2006 when Chad Hall of Big Bear High School ran a time of 15:20 on this course. Only five winners have secured two championship national races: Abdirizak Mohamud of the Northeast who, in 1996 as an 11th grader, won with a time of 15:21 and in 1997 he won with a time of 15:22. Dathan Ritzen Ritzenhein from Northwest as an 11th grader won in 1999 with a time of 14:29 and in 2000 ran 14:35. Lukas Verzbicas from Northwest won as a 10th grader in 2009 (15:07) and in 2010 as a 12th grader ran 14:59. Ed Cheserek, an 11th grader in 2011, won running 14:52 and in 2012 took the win with a time of 14:59. Lastly, Grant Fisher from Northwest, as an 11th grader in 2013, won with a time of 15:07 and in 2014 won in 15:03.

This year’s four winners by region were: Kashon Harrison from the West (Red Valley, Arizona), 15:38.4; Daniel Kilrea from the Midwest (La Grange Park, Illinois) 14:53.3; Tristan Shelgren from the Northeast (Boxford Massachusetts) ran 15:32.8; and John Tatter from the South (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) ran 14:55.

The entire boys’ group was tightly spun at the first 800m, coming in at 2:24-2:26. The pace was slow and anticipation was high as to who was going to break out and take the lead. As the runners approached the first mile mark, Kashon Harrison took the lead with a time of 4:55 but it did not last long. On the downhill, Shelgren (Northeast) accelerated past Harrison. Approaching the mile-and-a-half mark, Dylan Jacobs (Midwest) moved up to take the lead, running neck-and-neck with Daniel Kilrea (Midwest), both posting a 9:48.3 at the two-mile. Jacobs, who placed seventh last year at the Nationals (15:21), knew the course well.

Unfortunately for Harrison, he fell off the pace and moved back in the seventh position running his two-mile in 10:00 as did Shelgren. The South’s lead runners Michael Phillips, John Tatter and Graydon Morris were all close when they posted their two-mile mark (9:56.4). Jacobs continued to lead at the 2.5 mark with Graydon Morris (South) running second. Pouring it on at the last 400m, Jacobs looked over his shoulder for the final time then sprinted to win with a time of 15:19.17. Morris, a few strides back, captured second (15:23.3), followed by Kilrea (15:27.3), Tatter (15:27.9) and Jake Renfree (S) (15:38.7).

Once again the Midwest team took command of the Foot Locker Nationals.

Final team score: Midwest 31, South 32, Northeast 81 and West 98

The four top winners this year from each of the regions were as follows: Kashon Harrison representing the West; coming from Red Valley Arizona demonstrated his strength at Mt. Sac won with a time of 15:38.4. Daniel Kilrea representing the (Midwest) from La Grange Park, IL ran 14:53.3. Tristan Shelgren representing (Northeast) Boxford MA, ran 15:32.8 on his course and John Tatter representing (South) from Winston-Salem, NC ran 14:55.

All four winners of their regions looked strong and ready to do battle, but so were the other 36 runners. For the very first 800 the entire group was tightly spun together as if they were in a web coming in at 2:24-2:26. The pace was slow with a high anticipation of who was going to go out hard and take the lead role. As the runners approached the first mile mark, Kashon Harrison took the lead with a time of 4:55 but it did not last long. On the downhill Shelgren (Northeast) accelerated pass Harrison breaking dust and picking up the pace. Finally the herd of runners started to separate and you could see daylight between the runners. Approaching the mile and half mark Dylan Jacobs (Midwest) moved up to take the lead running neck to neck with Daniel Kilrea (Midwest) both posting a 9:48.3 for the 2 mile. Jacobs was 7th last year at the Nationals running 15:21 and knew the course well.

Unfortunately, Harrison fell off the pace and moved back in the seventh position running his 2-mile in 10:00 time as well as Shelgren. The South lead runners Michael Phillips, John Tatter and Graydon Morris were all close by as they posted their 2-mile in (9:56.4). Jacobs continued to lead at the 2.5 mark with Graydon Morris (South) running second. Pouring it on the last 400, Jacobs (MW) looked over his shoulder for the final time and sprinted in to win with a time of 15:19.17, Morris (S) a few strides back captured 2nd 15:23.3, Kilrea (MW) 3rd 15:27.3 John Tatter (S) 4th 15:27.9 and Jake Renfree (S) ran 15:38.7. Once again the Midwest team took command of the foot Locker Nationals.

Final Team Score: Midwest 31, South 32, Northeast 81 and West 98

  Chuck UTASH, Leonard Coutin