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NXN Northeast Regional 2015 Preview - DyeStat

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DyeStat.com   Nov 25th 2015, 6:55pm
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Principe trying to lead La Salle back to NXN

 

By Mary Albl for DyeStat


 

It was less than two weeks ago when DJ Principe put down the second fastest time at Thetford Academy. The La Salle Academy junior clocked 15 minutes, 48.4 seconds on the steep and difficult 5,000-meter cross country course to win the New England Championship title. 

 

The Rams walked away with their third straight team championship as well.

 

Now, Principe and La Salle Academy of Rhode Island enter this Saturday with another difficult challenge: Try and defend their Nike Cross Northeast Regional crown.

 

"At regionals, that's always a tough course," Principe said after New Englands. "But coming off this, feeling really good, I definitely want to try and go after it."

 

Principe will guide a talented Rams squad at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. La  Salle features seniors Jack Salisbury and Matthew Bouthillette, both top 15 finishers last year and after some early season struggles, the Rams look to be in good shape.

 

"I think (with) everyone full strength, it is exciting to see what we can do now," Principe said.

 

ENTRIES

 

Winning won't come easy. Two other teams -- Christian Brothers NJ and Downington West PA -- are ranked higher going into the weekend.

 

Christian Brothers Academy recently won the New Jersey Meet of Champions as senior Blaise Ferro was runner-up. At the same meet, CBA, Don Bosco Prep and Old Bridge were all separated by less than 20 points. 

 

But a team that could make its way to the top of the podium is Pennsylvania's Downington West. 

 

The Whippets won the Manhattan Invitational Eastern States Championship in October, defeating CBA, Liverpool (N.Y.), Fayetteville-Manlius (N.Y.) and La Salle. 

 

Led by brothers Jaxson and Josh Hoey, Downington West won Pennsylvania's Class 3A state meet with 57 points earlier this month, and now have a chance to make program history, winning its first regional title. 

 

Coming into Saturday with a chance to earn a spot at nationals -- the top two teams automatically advance -- it will be a fight to the finish.

 

In the girls' race, a team from the state of Pennsylvania could bring home the title for the fourth straight year. 

 

Pennsbury and Unionville know each other fairly well to say the least. At the state meet on Nov. 7, senior Olivia Sargent led Pennsbury to the team championship with an impressive 47 points as three runners placed in the top 10. Unionville finished runner-up with 72 points. 

 

Unionville comes into Saturday as the two-time defending champion. Pennsbury last won in 2012. 

 

New England champ La Salle Academy (RI) enters as one of the favorites to break the Pennsylvania streak. La Salle finished third last year and is led by senior Eliza Rego. New Hampshire's Coe-Brown, runner-up last fall, is coming off a second place finish at New Englands and also in a good position to contend for the title.



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