Big Weekend for NC XC Runners

This weekend are two very large meets: the Foot Locker South Regional and the NTN Southeast Regional. One is right here in NC, and the other is in Hoover, Alabama.

Two NC teams decided to race at the first ever NTN Regional in Hoover. Green Hope and Broughton are headed down south in the hopes to shock other SE teams and qualify for NTN Nationals. Should one or both of the teams qualify, they will keep the NC streak alive, as Chapel Hill has attended the National meet the last 2 years.

Ryan Hill of Hickory looks to lead a very large NC contingent at this year's Foot Locker meet. He won the Regional last year and has hopes of repeating his victory. 

NTN Southeast Regional 

Raleigh Broughton began the season with a huge win at the Seahawk Invitational. Then they lost to Enloe a couple times. People on the famous message boards began to write them off for a state title, saying they had peaked already. Then they proved at states they were ready for the big one. Broughton won the state title easily and is now taking their successful season on the road, or to the air. Broughton will race in Hoover against some of the SE Region's best teams. They are aiming for a spot among the top 2, which would secure them a spot in Portland in early December.

Joining Broughton in Hoover is fellow Triangle area school, Green Hope, which is located in Cary, NC. Green Hope was 3rd pretty much all season in the NCRunners.com Coaches Poll, but looked to be closing the gap on the top 2 as the season progressed. At the 4A Mideast Regional, Green Hope knocked off Enloe and Broughton, for the victory. This gave them the edge headed into the state meet. Had it not been for one of their athletes bowing out of the meet, they may have pulled off another victory. Green Hope is headed down south with a lof of confidence, feeling they are one of the top teams in the state and region.

Foot Locker South Regional

North Carolina is bringing a small army to this year's FLS meet. The current entry list has 420 NC athletes, but I know there are more who aren't on the list. I don't know what the record is for the number of North Carolina athletes, but this has to rank up there.

Kimberly Spano of North Meck and Adrianne Soo of Durham Academy or two of the state's best. This past weekend both ran 3200m races, Kimberly in Charlotte and Adrianne in Durham. Kimberly ran the 6th fastest time in NC history, hitting 10:48. Adrianne ran 10:56 for the 12th fastest time in history. Neither ran alone, as Kimberly was paced by Mike Moran, a New Balance employee, and Adrianne ran in one of the boy's heats. 

This weekend they will be shooting for a spot in the top-10, which would qualify them for the National meet in San Diego. Joining them in the chase for a top spot will also be the 2A state champion, Heather Beichner of Cardinal Gibbons. Heather has had a very successful XC season and ran the fastest time of the day on the Tanglewood course during the NCHSAA championships. Heather typically doesn't like to get out fast which will make her attempt for the top 10 a tough one. Last year the top ladies were out in under 5:20, so it'll take a quick first mile to be in the mix.

Ryan Hill did qualify for the National meet in San Diego last year. He was back a bit at the 2-mile mark and then destroyed the last mile, especially the last 600, to win the meet in 14:46. Hill will have his work cut out for him this year as there are plenty of athletes who want his title. One of those is Colby Lowe, from Texas. Colby's kryptonite may be that he is racing a lot right now. States, NTN South Regional, Foot Locker South, NTN Nationals, and then he could end with Foot Locker Nationals. Those are some extroadinary races to be running in with no break.

Look for many NC athletes to do well in the races at Foot Locker, from the age group races (starting with 10 & under) to the Seeded races.