Hunter runs away with Foot Locker title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

SAN DIEGO -- Whether or not he was able to challenge the 30-year-old record, Drew Hunter wanted to make a statement on Saturday at the Foot Locker Cross Country Finals. 

He wanted to put down the type of performance that would elevate his name to the level of the legends who came before him at Balboa Park. 

And the senior from Loudoun Valley VA did that. He ran 14:55, which is the fastest time at the national finals since Edward Cheserek and Futsum Zeinasellassie pushed each other to 14:52 and 14:53 in 2011. 

Hunter won the race by 12 seconds, the widest margin since Lukas Verzbicas won by 15 seconds in the pouring rain in 2009. 

"It's all I could ask for honestly," Hunter said. "A year ago I wasn't pleased with my race and had all year to think about how I could redeem myself. There is no better way I could have gone out."

Hunter was not shy about putting himself out in front and he sped through the first 800 meters in 2:13 and the first mile in a torrid 4:31.6. By that point, he already had a seven-second lead on a chase pack headed by Phillip  Rocha. 

"I wanted to run the first mile hard," Hunter said. "If people were pushing me at two miles (the record) might have been within reach. I (wanted) to show that I could dominate the race. I had a ton of confidence in myself."

By two miles, Hunter was at 9:25.8 and leading by 16 seconds. He cruised a bit from there. 

"I definitely had a lot left in the tank," Hunter said. "I was just going out there and thinking about each move I was going to make. It didn't hit me until the last stretch that this is all I've wanted (all season) and it's a great way to end my senior year of cross country."

Rocha, the California Division I state champion from Arcadia, arrived at the starting line feeling fresh and focused after a difficult week. Rocha suffered a bout of food poisoning last Monday and felt too weak to run five miles at 8-minute pace for several days afterward. 

"I figured why sell myself short and said just go for it," Rocha said. "I felt back to normal. Doing my warmup I felt fresh."

Rocha said he jogged by himself out near Interstate 5 and and got himself ready. 

"I got myself isolated and figured out what I wanted to do and it came together physically and emotionally," he said. 

Rocha finished in 15:07.9. Ben Veatch of Carmel IN bounced back from a runner-up finish at NXN in Portland and placed a very strong third at Foot Locker in 15:09.6. 

Garek Bielaczyc of Salt Lake East, the Foot Locker West champion, was fourth in 15:14.7. Paul Roberts of Lyons CO (15:15.6), Andrew Jordan of Watkins Memorial OH (15:16.6), Conor Lundy of Fordham Prep NY (15:20.9), Jake Brophy of Central Bucks East PA (15:21.0), Seth Hirsch of Millard West NE (15:27.6) and Michael Vernau of Davis Sr CA (15:28.6) all finished in the top 10.