XC Times

I'm a huge proponent of the fact that the actual times people run on courses for cross country mean almost nothing. In my rankings, the info is based mostly off who you beat and by how much you beat them. But I can not deny that seeing someone run a 15 low 5k time has an effect on me. So here are some of the fastest returning marks from the 2011 XC season:

1. Dan Jaskowak 15:24 Red, White and Blue
2. Luke Jones 15:31 Lackawanna
3. Max Norris 15:31 Viking Invitational
4. Dan Savage 15:32 Great American
5. Mac Emery 15:33 Viking Invitational
6. Conner Quinn 15:33 Viking Invitational
7. Tony Russell 15:43 District One
8. Francis Ferruzzi 15:45 District One
9. Chris Pastore 15:48 Great American
10. Curt Jewett 15:48 NTL Coaches
11. Brent Kennedy 15:51 Red, White and Blue
12. Connor Harriman 15:52 District One
13. Ean DiSilvio 15:56 Red, White and Blue
14. Tom Coyle 15:56 PCL Championships
15. Sam Williams 15:57 NTL Coahes
16. Kevin James 15:58 Coaches
17. Brendan Shearn 15:58 Northeast
18. Sam Haugh 15:58 District One
19. Austin Pondel 15:58 Big Red

And those are all the guys milesplit has listed under 16 minutes for 5k. What stands out is most of these times came in September. Meaning those courses are either fast as frick or short. Viking and Red, White and Blue stand out. Lehigh has clearly also produced some very fast times. It is a very fast course and the weather at districts co operated this year. Tom Coyle clearly has the most impressive mark on this list, his 15:56 PR came at the PCL Championships at Belmont. On this list, Emery, Russell, Norris, Ferruzzi, Pastore, James and Haugh all didn't snag medals at the state meet in 2011 despite having such fast PRs. Shearn sits with a 15:58 XC PR but a sub 15 5k PR on the track.

Missing from this list of XC fast times are guys like:
Ryan Smathers, Rico Galassi, Sam Aziz, Jack Macauley, Alec Kunzweiler, Vinny Todaro, Jack Huemmler, and Jeff Groh who are all top ranked guys coming in to the 2012 season.

Sam Haugh didn't even make it onto my rankings for this upcoming season. The same can be said for Kevin James. In Haugh's case it remains slightly uncertain whether Haugh will even be a top 3-5 guy for Henderson by season's end as they just have so much depth and he has to very healthy to compete at a top level and handle the mileage. Its up for debate just how high he will finish on the squad.

The good news is, in early September/late August we should have plenty to talk about as there will be fast times at Viking and Red, White and Blue which should spark some interesting conversation.

On August 31st, the Viking Invitational should include the likes of Conner Quinn, Max Norris, Mac Emery, Connor Harriman, James Zingarini, Ross Wilson, Chris Berry, Christian Kardish, Sam Webb and Joey Logue. Last year the Viking invite featured 7 runners under 16 minutes and 9 runners who ended up being in the top 50 at states including state medalists Hibbs (1st), Quinn (4th), Magaha (5th), Harriman (6th) and Israel (10th).

Across the state in the Red White and Blue Invitational, North Allegheny, Mt. Lebanon, Kiski and Quaker Valley will look to show off their team prowess and drop some fast times early.

Last year Dan Jaskowak had an incredible break out race at this meet, proving he was a legit force and riding the wave of momentum all the way to a near state championship in November. He will look to defend his title in 2012 against the likes of Brent Kennedy, Ean Disilvio, Hunter Johnston, Ethan Martin, Chris Culley, Luke Schott, Ryan and Alex Archer, Ethan Louis, Roy Hadfield, Jon Faye, Scott Seel, Matt Mcgoey, Cordon Luoco, Pat Miller and George Kelly. A lot of talent here in this race of WPIAL stand outs.

Jaskowak and Kennedy were top 10 guys in 2011 at states and Quaker Valley was the AA state championship squad in 2011. This race last year was littered with future medalists and arguably 3 of the top 6 teams in the state. 8 men were under the 16 minute barrier at this race last year.


Just one more thing I figured I'd throw down, here are the top 3200m returning times, names worth considering for this XC season (I started the guys who were not sub 16):
1. Emery 9:11
2. Jaskowak 9:14
3. Shearn 9:15
4. Macauley 9:15*
5. Harriman 9:18
6. Quinn 9:19
7. Galassi 9:19*
8. Aziz 9:21*
9. Ritz 9:22*
10. Berry 9:23*
11. Martin 9:24*
12. Williams 9:24
13. Jones 9:25
14. Groh 9:27*
15. Barchet 9:28*
16. Ferruzzi 9:28
17. Faye 9:28*
18. Corcoran 9:29*
19. Wistar 9:29*

Those are all the gents sub 9:30