Girls Seeded Race
Last year Nevada Mareno (Leesville Road) had an intense battle with Weini Kelati (Heritage, VA) for the Footlocker South crown. Kelati broke Mareno over the last mile as she wen to win with Mareno taking second place. With Kelati out of high school eligibility, this leaves Mareno as the top returner. Before FL South last season, Mareno ran 10:01 in a 3200 at Dash for Doobie. This year Rebecca Story (Cak, TN) has run 9:59.85, meaning once again, we will have an intense battle between two girls up front. Mareno has not raced nearly as often this season, but her eyes have been solely set on winning at the national stage. Racing often early in the season last year caused her a lot of fatigue heading into the indoor season after running a lot more mileage than she is used to. She should be well rested and ready for her first real challenge of the cross country season. Mareno has run 17:15 this season, and Story has run 17:12.
Since her freshman season Sara Platek (Ragsdale) has been one of the best distance runners ever in North Carolina. She has struggled with injuries throughout her high school career, but has been injury free for over a year now. She has only lost one race this season, to Mareno at states, but she ran 17:44 to be well in front of 3rd place in a strong girls field. Just last weekend she won the Dash for Doobie in 10:36 leading the whole race. In her freshman season, Platek raced at NXN-SE where she took 11th. The last two postseason she's been recovering due to injury. Platek will be looking for the national birth that she very well deserves given her dominance on the cross country course over the last four years. Platek has been in fantastic shape many times over her four year career, but injury has really plagued her in testing how fast she can really run. With a full year of healthy training, Platek will finally be able to test her limits and see where she falls against national competition.
Isabel Zimmermann (Reagan) has had a huge season so far and is eyeing a top 10 finish this weekend as well. Last year Anna Vess (AC Reynolds) took the 10th place spot running 17:40. Zimmermann has run 18:03 this season and is certainly capable of dipping under 18 this weekend. She ran 10:48 for 3200 last weekend, at the same time last year Vess ran 10:42, so a top 10 spot is going to be in reach for Zimmermann as she looks to cap of a dream senior season.
Boys Seeded Race
Connor Lane (Cardinal Gibbons) had a break out season last year and put himself on the map at a national level. But as the postseason came along he came up injured, and tried to push through the best her could leading him to a 15:47 and 26th place finish at Footlocker South. Ever since that day, Lane had his sights set on qualifying for Footlocker South in 2016, and he has certainly put himself in a great position to do so. Just before FL South last season he ran a 9:15 taking 2nd at the Dash for Doobie, this year he beat down tons on NC studs to win in 9:05, breaking his PR from the track season by one second.
This season, Lane has equaled his PR of 14:59, and that could very well be shattered this weekend. He will go up against Waleed Suliman (VA, 6th in 2015), Reed Brown (TX, 4th in 2015), Eric Coston (LA, 11th in 2015) and Micah Pratt (VA, 9th in 2015). Last weekend Lane beat Pratt by 15 seconds at Dash for Doobie. Sam Worley (TX) is coming off two big finishes where he won NXN South and the Texas State Meet, and will come in as the favorite this weekend, but Lane knows he is capable of winning this race regardless of who shows up.
John Tatter (RJR) and Todd Holbrook (RJR) will also be in the mix for a top 10 spot. Last season it took 15:24 to make it into the top 10 and they have run just around that mark throughout the season. Both boys ran 9:21 last week at Dash for Doobie and it should be a fast last 400 meters that determines who goes on to Nationals and who doesn't this weekend.