USA Cross Country Championships
Feb 12-13, 2005 at Vancouver WA

Results - Leo Collins story - Pix

Junior Women 6k
U. Colorado freshman Liza Pasciuto, 2-time Foot Locker finalist in high school at Murrieta Valley CA, 21:50.1

High Schoolers Erin Bedell TX and Jennifer Barringer FL are 2-3 and HS 5000m record holder Caitlin Chock CA is 5th. Stanford freshman Lindsay Flacks is 5th and Harvard freshman Lindsey Scherf 6th.

photos by Brian Myers, PhotoRun

Liza Pasciuto soars to first national title

by Leo Collins

The USATF XC country Championships returned to Fort Vancouver , across the river from Portland Oregon . It was once the key area for England 's Hudson Bay Company & its First Factor John McLaughlin, who provided crucial sustenance to early pioneers along the Oregon Trail . It is now home to a resurgent Caitlin Chock who played a key role in this year's title race.

The area, which was surveyed by Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery over 200 years ago, is far different than it was way back then. Oddly enough some of the wildlife still survives & my wife & I recall a bald eagle flying over the course just after the race a few years ago, the last time USATF was here. Although no bald eagle flew over head today it was Liza Pasciuto (right), who soared today, as she won her first national championship.

Jenny Barringer takes early lead

The race began in an oddly reminiscent manner as Jennifer Berrringer, a Footlocker star from the South Regional of Footlocker, went to the front as is her wont. The lead pack, which could barely be differentiated from the rest, included 11 runners. The field ran the 400 meters of flat as such & headed to the first downhill. Traversing the lower section, which moves to the bottom of the hill near the ancient fort & then climbs half way back up again before a brief respite of 200 meters before flowing back down once again., with little change. As they began their ascent up the long 300meter climb the lead pack remained essentially unchanged.

Lindsay Scherf and Zoe Nelson move on top

Back at the top & repeating the loop for a second time Lindsey Scherf of Harvard moved into the lead & Zoe Nelson, a former Footlocker champion, moved into a clear 2 nd place. Of course the proverbial cast of thousands trailed just a bit in arrears. By the time they reached the bottom of the hill once again the leaders were trimmed to a mere eight runners, who included Liz Pasciuto, Caitlin Chock, Jennifer Barringer, Lindsey Scherf & Lindsay Flacks of Stanford.

Harvard's Scherf, who was coming back from some physical problems, moved briskly down hill & into the lead but found the up-grade a bit much for her current condition, yet she continued to push the pace. With the hill once again crested the runners returned to their group race and, as the last loop began, four runners ran together at the front yet only a stride or so ahead of another four runners.

Caitlin Chock surges, but Pasciuto counters

It was Chock, who broke the band apart with a surge. She would later relate that she would rather go for it & fail rather than not try at all. Her move shortly after the 4K mark gave her a lead of nearly 30 meters at one time. She was followed by Pasciuto, who slowly reeled her back in to close the gap to 10 yards & then countered with a surge of her own. By the time she reached the final hill she had gained a distinct lead & continued to forge ahead resiliently up the last grade. The gallant Chock made an effort to follow but could not maintain the pace.

Colorado 's Pasciuto seemingly sauntered up the hill yet she continued to increase her lead, as the game Chock literally grimaced fighting her way up the hill. Cresting the hill the leader pulled away, while behind her the cast of placers was quickly changing with Chock now contested by the fast closing trio of runners including the resurgent Barringer, Flacks & Erin Bedell. With just a wee bit of distance to go it was Bedell followed by Berringer & Flacks, who swept by the tired Chock. Still she hung on as did Harvard's Scherf to claim the last spots on the US team.

The top six had claimed a hard fought excursion to the World's Championships to be held next month at St. Galmier, France & indeed had distinctly separated themselves by 11 seconds from their pursuers who were led by Chris Fiduccia, Emily Harrison & Heidi Magill. Of note very young Bria Wetsch, only 16, finished in tenth place just ahead of the valiant Zoe Nelson, who certainly made it a shot to make this team.

The day, of course, belonged to Liz Pasciuto, who noted that she'd never won a big race before. For a young runner scoring her first victory & seeing that finishing banner, for the first time, is a fabulous sight as young Liz attested. An eagle may not have been soaring above but one certainly did just above ground just as in times of old. It would appear that she is not only very good, but she has a superb sense of timing. A national championship is a great time to pick for one's first triumph.

 

Pix

by Vic Sailer, PhotoRun

Erin Bedell
Jennifer Barringer
Scherf and Flacks
Bedell, Chock and Koons
Zoe Nelson

 

Results

results from USATF web site 

             TEAM
  ID#  PLACE SCORE FINISHER                                          TIME    TEAM
  177     1        Elizabeth Pasciuto, 18, Boulder, CO            21:50.1    Univ of Colorado
  178     2     1  Erin Bedell, 17, Plano, TX                     22:03.9    Dallas Metroplex STC
   41     3        Jennifer Barringer, 18, Oviedo, FL             22:05.1
  286     4        Lindsay Flacks, 18, Calabasas, CA              22:05.4    Stanford University
   48     5        Caitlin Chock, 19, Portland, OR                22:06.0
  218     6        Lindsey Scherf, 18, Scarsdale, NY              22:08.1    Harvard University
  228     7        Christina Fiduccia, 18, Barrington, IL         22:19.2    North Carolina State
  477     8        Emily Harrison, 18, Front Royal, VA            22:27.0
   44     9        Heidi Magill, 18, Orem, UT                     22:29.4    Brigham Young U
   47    10        Bria Wetsch, 16, Chaska, MN                    22:32.7
   42    11        Zoe Nelson, 17, Kalispell, MT                  22:34.1
  577    12        Tori Tyler, 17, Los Altos, CA                  22:40.2
   46    13        Frances Koons, 18, Allentown, PA               22:58.7    Villanova University
  490    14        Allison Kreutzer, 18, Lilburn, GA              23:08.2
  547    15        Monika Rothenburger, 18, Dana Point, CA        23:13.3
  438    16        Elizabeth Cufari, 18, Pittsford, NY            23:23.2
   45    17        Angelina Blackmon, 18, Rock Hill, SC           23:26.0    North Carolina State
  545    18        Claire Rethmeier, 18, Escondido, CA            23:29.4
  487    19        Danielle Jordan, 18, Medford, OR               23:32.8    Liberty University
  464    20        Marie Grabinski, 18, Evanston, IL              23:43.1
  536    21        Crystal Pitney, 14, Fairbanks, AK              23:48.5
  413    22        Olga Aulet-Leon, 18, Rancho Palos Verd, CA     23:57.4
  167    23     2  Yasmine White, 15, Arcata, CA                  24:03.6    Buffalo Chips RC A
  180    24     3  Kinsey Farren, 16, Dallas, TX                  24:04.3    Dallas Metroplex STC
  491    25        Lynn Kubeja, 18, Mendon, NY                    24:06.5
  182    26     4  Morgan Kuykendall, 16, Canyon, TX              24:15.1    Dallas Metroplex STC
  168    27        Sarah Kemple, 18, Indianapolis, IN             24:25.8    Butler University
  184    28        Tia Ferguson, 19, Kula, HI                     24:28.7    Duke University
  160    29     5  Alexandra Kosinski, 15, El Dorado Hills, CA    24:37.1    Buffalo Chips RC A
  162    30     6  Cecily Lemmon, 16, Vacaville, CA               24:44.6    Bufflao Chips RC B
  181    31     7  Christina Henderson, 17, Coppell, TX           24:48.5    Dallas Metroplex STC
  336    32        Erin Gray, 17, Eugene, OR                      24:53.2    Track City Track Club
  544    33        Jennifer Redman, 16, Washington, DC            24:55.6
  158    34     8  Danielle Domenichelli, 17, El Dorado Hills, CA 24:56.7    Buffalo Chips RC A
  183    35     9  Carlene Mayfield, 16, Grapevine, TX            24:58.9    Dallas Metroplex STC
  528    36        Stephanie Paine, 18, Arvada, CO                24:59.8
  595    37        Lauren Zaludek, 16, Eugene, OR                 25:04.6
  538    38        McKayla Plank, 17, Los Gatos, CA               25:07.2
  484    39        Kaitlin Hurley, 18, Portland, OR               25:12.1
  161    40    10  Jacqueline Lee, 17, Granite Bay, CA            25:13.7    Bufflao Chips RC B
  471    41        Anna Hacker, 18, McFarland, WI                 25:22.7
  159    42    11  Katie Fritzke, 15, Weed, CA                    25:32.2    Buffalo Chips RC A
  392    43    12  Katrina Lee, 16, Santa Fe, NM                  25:36.0    Wings of America/ECF
  163    44    13  Kaylin Pennington, 17, Benicia, CA             25:43.0    Buffalo Chips RC A
  386    45    14  Rachelle Billie, 16, Shiprock, NM              25:56.3    Wings of America/ECF
  165    46    15  Natalie Sojka, 14, Mount Shasta, CA            26:00.0    Bufflao Chips RC B
  388    47    16  Terra Brown, 16, Smith Lake, NM                26:30.1    Wings of America/ECF
  394    48    17  Alex Lewis, 15, Santa Fe, NM                   26:37.4    Wings of America/ECF
  389    49    18  Phoebe Garcia, 18, Parshall, ND                26:48.2    Wings of America/ECF
  390    50    19  Jessica Hale, 18, Rehoboth, NM                 27:17.3    Wings of America/ECF
  164    51    20  Danielle Robberson, 17, Yreka, CA              27:28.3    Bufflao Chips RC B
  466    52        Jaymi Grant, 17, Pendleton, OR                 27:56.1


Team Scores

1. Dallas Metroplex STC                                  Score = 15
  178     1  Erin Bedell, 17, Plano, TX                     22:03.9
  180     3  Kinsey Farren, 16, Dallas, TX                  24:04.3
  182     4  Morgan Kuykendall, 16, Canyon, TX              24:15.1
  181     7  Christina Henderson, 17, Coppell, TX           24:48.5
  183     9  Carlene Mayfield, 16, Grapevine, TX            24:58.9
                                             Total Time = 1:35:11.7

2. Buffalo Chips RC A                                    Score = 26
  167     2  Yasmine White, 15, Arcata, CA                  24:03.6
  160     5  Alexandra Kosinski, 15, El Dorado Hills, CA    24:37.1
  158     8  Danielle Domenichelli, 17, El Dorado Hills, CA 24:56.7
  159    11  Katie Fritzke, 15, Weed, CA                    25:32.2
  163    13  Kaylin Pennington, 17, Benicia, CA             25:43.0
                                             Total Time = 1:39:09.5

3. Bufflao Chips RC B                                    Score = 51
  162     6  Cecily Lemmon, 16, Vacaville, CA               24:44.6
  161    10  Jacqueline Lee, 17, Granite Bay, CA            25:13.7
  165    15  Natalie Sojka, 14, Mount Shasta, CA            26:00.0
  164    20  Danielle Robberson, 17, Yreka, CA              27:28.3
                                             Total Time = 1:43:26.5

4. Wings of America/ECF                                  Score = 59
  392    12  Katrina Lee, 16, Santa Fe, NM                  25:36.0
  386    14  Rachelle Billie, 16, Shiprock, NM              25:56.3
  388    16  Terra Brown, 16, Smith Lake, NM                26:30.1
  394    17  Alex Lewis, 15, Santa Fe, NM                   26:37.4
  389    18  Phoebe Garcia, 18, Parshall, ND                26:48.2
  390    19  Jessica Hale, 18, Rehoboth, NM                 27:17.3
                                             Total Time = 1:44:39.6

DyeStat US index page

 

DyeStat
is published by
John Dye
Baltimore MD

©1998-2004