Stormin' Into 2008

New Season Kicks off with Pink and Blue Time Trial

PINK AND BLUE RESULTS Girls Individual | Team Boys Individual | Team Bearing the Flag -- MHS alumna Rebecca Doll and sophomore Christina Smith ran the team's new flag around the track as the time trial was wrapping up. Elders Rosemary Ramundo and Robin Smith stayed up until 3 a.m. finishing up the flag the night before the race. What a gem -- the flag AND the elders!!

Patience, patience....good gracious!

Call it irony, if you will, but the kickoff to the MHS cross country teams' 2008 season came about two hours later than expected Saturday, Aug. 23.

The brilliant lightning flashes that lit up the skies around the city caused a nearly two-hour delay to the squads' annual Running of the Pink and Blue time trial at Bishop Stadium.

The irony of the later start lies in two facts: First, the wait should serve the team well. A bit of patience is a good thing in terms of putting in the early-season hard work that leads to late-season success.

But the irony was also evident once the starting gun went off. While Mother Nature's storm shook Manhattan, the storm of MHS runners -- more than 60 strong -- is hoping to shake up the entire state.

The top 7 at Saturday's time trial will make up the early-season varsity teams. The next 7 boys, and the rest of the girls will run in junior varsity races. The early-season 'C' team for boys will include all those not on the varsity or JV squads.

Senior Marley Crusch led the way in the girls' race, winning in a time of 12:36 for two miles. She was followed by the girls team's signature the past two years -- the Big Pack Attack. Brooke Grieger (13:27), Brianna Heikenen (13:29), Abby Wilson (13:31), Emily Beach (13:32), Hannah Saville (13:53), and Anya Throne (14:14) rounded out the top 7.

The girls' 1-5 pack time was 56 seconds.

Junior Peter Ramundo topped the boys field, finishing in 10:50, followed closely by Graham Armstrong in second place at 10:56. The rest of the top 7, in order, were Zach Retta (11:02), Tyler Smith (11:17), Alonzo Cordova (11:24), Greg Doman (11:27) and Scott Nelson (11:40).

The boys' 1-5 pack time was 34 seconds.

In the team standings, the girls blue and pink teams tied with 28 points, but Amanda Ozarchuk's 10th place finish was the highest finish among non-scorers (6th runners), giving the blue team a narrow win. The boys' blue team beat the pink team, 25-31.

MHS kicks off the regular season in two weeks at the Manhattan Invitational, Sept. 6 at Warner Park.