Foot Locker Northeast: Shelgren, Starliper lead NE qualifiers

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

BRONX -- Motivation to perform well wasn't too hard to find for Tristan Shelgren entering the Foot Locker Northeast Regional Championships. 

At the beginning of the cross country season, the St. John's Prep MA senior printed out a picture of the Foot Locker Cross Country symbol and put it on his door. He wrote under it: “This is what you do it for.”

A year after just missing the top 10, Shelgren's season of redemption came to fruition Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park. Shelgren won the Marty Lewis Boys Championship race in 15 minutes, 32.8 seconds. 

“Everything,” said Shelgren of what the day meant to him. “Just a culmination since freshman year running and really just going for it, and my goal this season was just to win All-States and definitely to qualify because I didn't qualify last year (for nationals).”

Shelgren, along with nine other boys, booked a ticket to San Diego for the national finals Dec. 9. The runner-up was senior Damien Dilcher of Brick Township, N.J. in 15:37. Dilcher had placed 31st a week eariler at the New Jersey Meet of Champions. Junior Lucas Aramburu of Brookline, Mass. finished third in 15:37.8.  

Unlike last year, Shelgren waited to make his move, which paid off for the University of North Carolina commit. 

“It was really just follow the leaders and keep in contact with them, because last year I led at the mile and it didn't go well,” Shelgren said. “And so really it was (just) hold, hold, hold, final mile and just go for it kind of.”

After finishing third at the Massachusetts All-State meet last week, the result Saturday was unexpected but welcomed by Aramburu.  

“Oh my God, it's one of the better days of my year so far,” he said with a smile. “I surprised myself. I think I surprised my coach and my family. It just goes to show that if I really put my head into it ... I can really be one of the top guys in the Northeast.”

With defending champion Alyssa Aldridge opting not to run, the girls championship race welcomed a new winner. So called 'new kid on the block,' sophomore Marlee Starliper of Northern PA, embraced the opportunity and covered the 5K layout at Van Cortlandt Park in 17:47.5. 

“I just wanted to try and focus on my own race, just run the only way I know how,” Starliper said.

It's been a breakout fall for Starliper, who posted impressive victories at the Carlisle Invitational and winning the Pennsylvania state title. Her time Saturday was more than a minute faster than last year, when she took 30th in 19:05.1. Starliper said she felt like she had a chance to win the race coming in.

“I mean, like I said, (I've been) trying to focus on dreaming big," Starliper said. 

The runner-up was Shoreham-Wading River NY's Katherine Lee (17:50). Lee made the switch from Nike Cross Regionals this fall for a different experience.

“It was definitely different from Nike, but it was just as much fun,” Lee said. “I had a great time today.”

Third-place finisher Jackie Gaughan of Exeter NH was able to bounce back after a disappointing race at New Englands in Maine. The University of Notre Dame commit ran 17:54.7 to book her second straight trip to nationals. Her time was an eight-second improvement from last year.

“I had the worst race of my life at New Englands and it was pretty crushing,” Gaughan said. “But I'm lucky to have a lot of people who told me I could do this. It was a tough two weeks of training just trying to get my confidence back, but I'm excited.”

Northeast Region

Boys

1. Tristan Shelgren (Boxford, Mass.) 15:32.8

2. Damien Dilcher (Brick, N.J.) 15:37.0

3. Lucas Aramburu (Brookline, Mass.) 15:37.8 

4. Dalton Hengst (York, Pa.) 15:39.2

5. Nathan Lawler (Pittsford, N.Y.) 15:40.7

6. Devin Hart (Point Pleasant, N.J.) 15:42.5

7. Drew Thompson (Trumbull, Ct.) 15:42.6

8. Rusty Kujdych (Feasterville-Trevose, Pa.) 15:51.3

9. Fahd Nasser (Jersey City, N.J.) 15:52.1

10. Mason Gatewood (Garden City, N.Y.) 15:54.8

Girls

1. Marlee Starliper (Wellsville, Pa.) 17:47.5

2. Katherine Lee (Wading River, N.Y.) 17:50.0

3. Jacqueline Gaughan (Exeter, N.H.) 17:54.7

4. Morgan McCormick (Wilton, Ct.) 18:10.7

5. Page Lester (Washington, D.C.) 18:12.7

6. Savannah Shaw (Pittsburgth, Pa.) 18:14.7

7. Abigail Green (Bethesda, Md.) 18:17.9

8. Eleanor Lawler (Wakefield, R.I.) 18:20.4

9. Abby Loveys (Mendham, N.J.) 18:23.8

10. Taryn Parks (Greencastle, Pa.) 18:25.6