footlocker picks!

I actually think your girls' picks are stronger than the boys' picks. Derrick is strong, but you have two front-runners in Puskedra and Fernandez, it's going to make for a very honest race, a winner who's both strong and fast, and with the nature of this race, you usually don't have someone run away with it. I think there's definitely some surprises out there, but it's Puskedra's or Fernandez's race to lose.

Katie Flood should finish higher than 8th; except for FLMW, she finished far ahead of Emily Sisson whenever they ran against each other. The big unknown, though, is how much is a long season taking it's toll, especially for those who ran NTN trials, FL trials, NTN nationals and FL nationals.

IMHO, I'm not sure how much all of this high-level racing, week after week is helping distance running in the USA.

Does Fernandez run 130 miles a week in singles?

Boys

1. Fernandez

2. Puskedra

3. Cabral

4. Derrick

5. Lowe

6. Fout

7. Darling

8. Jarrett

9. Hill

10. Brown

Girls

1. Durkin

2. Hasay

3. Spence

4. Kroeger

5. Amaro

6. Brasovan

7. Seymour

8. Jones

9. Bishton

10. Morgan

]

You win. Gotta love having Durkin as your #1.

boys

1. Fernandez

2. Derrick

3. Puskedra

4. Lowe

5. Darling

6. Cabral

7. Hill

8. Havel

9. Finnerty

10. Attarian

gals

1. Hasay

2. Kroeger

3. Durkin

4. Scott

5. Chetelat

6. Spence

7. Flood

8. Sisson

9. Brasovan

10. Jones

Fernandez is a entertainer, he has speed and great strength but will not have the heart to do what it takes to win. It'll be a close one between Derrick and Puskedra, both are wise beyond stupid high school games like kicking it in just to win a regional. Bigger things on their minds, mark my words fernandez finishes no higher than 3rd.

your a fag!!! what has fernandez done to say he isnt going to win this kid has been money all year it will be a battle but its going to be german over puskedra with a strong chance of derrick sneaking in past puskedra as well

Ohio Rulz wrote:

You win. Gotta love having Durkin as your #1.

I don't really follow high school running, but Claire Durkin lives in my same area of Ohio, so it's hard not to know about her as she's in the paper all the time. I don't know much about her competition, but I'll say she wins the whole thing. The record she bested at the regional was held by Melody Fairchild. Now THAT'S a stout record.

Flagpole Willy wrote:

I don't really follow high school running, but Claire Durkin lives in my same area of Ohio, so it's hard not to know about her as she's in the paper all the time. I don't know much about her competition, but I'll say she wins the whole thing. The record she bested at the regional was held by Melody Fairchild. Now THAT'S a stout record.

You really don't follow high school running, but you'll make a definitive statement like that?

Yes, Claire is probably one of the top 3 or 4 girls in the nation right now - and may win it all - but you should understand a little about the competition first. While Kathy Kroeger and Aurora Scott may be having down years, Kroeger (last year's champ) certainly seems to be rounding into shape just in time. I'd place Durkin at about her level. But the one to watch, as usual, is Jordan Hasay. This is a girl who ran 4:16 1500 last summer and is probably the high school girls middle distance talent of this generation. She may not be as great a harrier as she is on the track, but if she's near to her level of two years ago then watch out. Durkin better have dropped her before the last hill and final 800 meters to have a prayer.

Ok. So what happens if my pick of Durkin is wrong? Um....nothing. I still say Durkin wins. We'll find out soon.

German will get 3rd at best. It's supposed to rain Friday, possibly into Saturday. After FLW, and NTN, we all know California guys can't run in bad conditions. The cali girls had no problem at NTN however...

Derrick

Cabral

Puskedra

German

Finnerty

Fout

Hill

Darling

Jarrett/Leung

Leung/Jarrett

Durkin

Hasay

Brasovan

Spence

Flood

Kroeger

Sisson

Seymour

Tarver

Jones

Whoops, put Lowe in ahead of German for 4th, and move everyone else down one.

I don't think Sisson will even get top 10 this year. Flood has been destroying her!

1. German Fernandez 14:45

2. Chris Derrick

3. Donn Cabral

4. Luke Puskedra

5. Colby Lowe

6. Micahel Fout

7. Ryan Hill

8. Rob Finnerty

9. Brian Leung

10. Kevin Havel

1. Hasay -17:24

2. Durkin

3. Kroger

4. Spence

5. Scott

6. Seymour

7. Sisson

8. Brasovan

9. Greany

10. Flood

I think that Fernandez won't win. It would be fitting if Derrick didn't, either. I actually think Puskedra will probably do it. But you guys are underestimating Fernandez. He IS the best runner in the field, I'm just afraid that after two honest efforts like the CA State and FL West, he will be cashed.

But don't doubt it--the 14:24 is the best effort since Ritzenhein, and maybe ever. And this guy has only had less than a year of consistent training from what I understand.

Boys' Individual Picks

1. German Fernandez

2. Luke Puskedra

3. Michael Fout

4. Donn Cabral

5. Colby Lowe

6. Maverick Darling

7. Ryan Hill

8. Christopher Derrick

9. Kevin Havel

10. Rob Finnerty

I second the notion that Hasay has better talent than the others.

She also has better speed than the others.

She also has better training than the others (has experimented more and found out more about herself).

She also has better racing experience than the others; how many of the others have successfully race the top Kenyan in their age group (while being at the bottom of that age group herself). She also has performed very well at all the big races with the one exception (FL2006, which is likely to help her, actually).

I think that it is at least as likely that she will be alone in the second half of the race as that anyone else will win the race. Two years ago FL was the culmination (and coronation) of her season, last year it was not. Her speed allows her to go at a pace that makes others just over the ragged edge; she will not sprint away from them in the second half but will go at a pace that will push them over the edge if they try to match for too long.

In the other race I just have a hard time seeing anyone as better than Fernandez. What I do not know is who can win a race like Withrow has done, blasting back up to the leader and continuing past. It might be that one of several of the other favorites can run it this way and win. Fernandez does seem to be able to push himself to the limit.

Fernandez has proved he can push himself when no one is there, get Derrick on his ass and we could see a whole new ballgame.