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Fayetteville-Manlius returns to NXN with two teams - DyeStat

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DyeStat.com   Dec 3rd 2015, 5:08pm
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F-M returns to Portland for title defense

 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

 


 

A year after an historic sweep of the Nike Cross Nationals title, Manlius XC (Fayetteville-Manlius NY) coach Bill Aris is bringing both teams back to Portland for a title defense.

 

The girls are ranked No. 1 and if they hit at Glendoveer Golf Course it would be the ninth national championship in 10 years. The boys team did not qualify for its own state meet in New York, aced out at several turns by a strong Liverpool squad that has top-four potential.

 

F-M has endured a few setbacks this fall, but nothing severe enough to take this program off track.

 

Of course, the morning that Kaitlyn Neal was struck by a car was a scary situation and a close call.

 

Neal has bounced back from the incident and was sensational last Saturday while winning the NXN New York regional title at Bowdoin Park.

 

During the last week of October, Neal was out for a short morning shakeout run of 15 minutes near her home.

 

“She had the right of way in a cross walk and some guy came barreling around the corner,” said Aris in describing the accident. (Kaitlyn) bounced off the front of the car and was very fortunate to not get hurt any worse.”

 

The driver of the vehicle, Aris said, got out and asked if she was OK. Neal said that she was OK and the driver got back into the front seat and took off. Neal snapped a photo of the driver’s license plate with her cell phone and he was later cited.

 

Neal went to the hospital with bruises, but thankfully no broken bones or a concussion.

 

A week after leaving the hospital, Neal won the Section 3 girls race. A week after that she finished seventh at the New York state meet.

 

“She’s fine now,” Aris said after Neal’s latest victory.

 

Eighth grader Claire Walters, who ran an inspired New York state meet and won the Class A title, had an off day at the NXN New York regional. She was F-M’s seventh runner.

 

Aris said Walters had a side stitch and believes she will run better on Saturday in Portland.

 

“She jogged in to the finish (at NXN NY),” Aris said. “I’m not expecting that to be a regular occurrence. She’ll be fine.”

 

On a team with Neal, Walters, and NXN veterans Jenna Farrell, Sophia Ryan and Samantha Levy, plus outstanding sophomores Palmer Madsen and Rebecca Walters, there is some margin for error. The team can absorb one bad performance, maybe two.

 

For the boys, there is no such luxury. Aris has maintained all season that the boys team lacked the depth and overall firepower to reclaim the NXN title. And yet, the F-M boys are back. They placed second at the NXN NY regional without their top NXN finisher from 2014, Pete Ryan. And it took a little bit of good fortunate to beat a strong East Aurora team by two points for the automatic national berth.

 

Ryan can be a difference maker for the team, but he has also had an assortment of injuries. His status this weekend is uncertain, but he is making the trip, Aris said.

 

“I know that’s the $64,000 question, will he run, but I can’t answer that,” Aris said on Monday. “He was entered on the roster for regionals but we knew he wasn’t going to run (there). Bowdoin Park is rocky and has some sharp downhills and we weren’t going to risk it. (Pete) is invaluable as a leadership asset even if it risked us not making it.”

 

Whether Ryan runs or not is a decision that will be made closer to Saturday.

 

 

“He’s one of our seven (on the trip),” Aris said. “He’s entered.”



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