USATF Cross Country Championships 2008

In an effort to honor the top track and field performers from Kentucky, KYtrackXC.com will have a weekly set of Athletes of the Week.  There will be Middle School, High School, and College awardees.  Former Kentucky High School Track and Field athletes currently running in college are eligible for the College award, even if he or she attends a school out-of-state.

Shippensburg freshman Neely Spence made her first USATF World team with her victory on Saturday, February 7th at the USATF Junior Cross Country Nationals in Maryland. A day later, Spence took the time to talk with PennTrackXC editor Don Rich about her race, about training simultaneously for track and cross country, and about her continuing growth from a top prep runner, to what she hopes is a successful career at the collegiate level and beyond.

Photo by Timothy O'Dowd, IrishRunner.com for MileSplit.us Neely Spence took the lead about half way through the race and didn't let it go to win the Girls Junior Race, while Footlocker runner-up Ashley Brasovan stayed in tow for second.   For the Boys Junior race, German-mania contiued as Mr. Fernandez took the tape with Chris Derrick in second.

Photo by Timothy O'Dowd, IrishRunner.com for MileSplit.us

The State of Kentucky will be well represented at the USA Cross Country Championships being held in Derwood, Maryland.

List of Virginians competing at the USA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, February 7th at the Agricultural Historical Farm Park in Derwood, Maryland. A total of three Foot Locker finalists from Virginia are competing in the race with current high school seniors Thomas Porter of Mountain View and Kyle Satterwhite of Western Albemarle as well as current college freshmen at Syracuse, Griff Graves (formerly of Abingdon High School). Also in the race are two AAA state indoor champions from last year in Atlee senior Ben Dejarnette and Villanova freshmen Joe Lorusso (formerly of Oakton High School). Graves ran well in last year's junior men 8K race with a top 10 finish, while Porter (pictured right by Margot Kelly) put himself on the national map with his third place finish at the Foot Locker Nationals in December. Race favorites include high school national record holder German Fernandez (now at Oklahoma State), who recently ran a 3:56 mile indoors and Chris Derrick (now at Stanford), who ran one of the fastest prep 5K times ever last spring at Arcadia, but Virginia could potentially have its first qualifier in years for the World Cross Country Championships with Porter leading the way. A much smaller representation from the Virginia girls in comparison for the junior women's 6K race with only Trinity's Barbara Strehler, Thomas Jefferson's Sarah Stites and Brentsville's Allison Bartels. The race will have plenty of national stars including two of the best from this fall's Foot Locker finals in Ashley Brasovan of Florida and Allie McLaughlin of Colorado as well as many of the top college freshmen across the country. Strehler (pictured left by John Herzog) is coming off an outstanding distance double last weekend at the St. Christopher's Invite in which she broke 11 minutes for the first time for 3200 meters at 10:58 and came back to win the 1600 in the  next day in a time of 5:06. Strehler was only a few places away from a Foot Locker Nationals berth in the fall with a 14th place finish in the seeded race at Foot Locker South. A big step up for Stites as only a high school freshmen to run with the older girls though she was one of the state's best young stars in cross country capped off with an All-American finish at the USATF National Junior Olympics held at Pole Green Park.   USA XC Championships - Junior Division Entry List  

DERWOOD, MD - Neely Spence of Pennsylvania lead the 6K race early, but around 4K she found she had some company.  Ashley Brasovan of Wellington High challenged her for the lead.  Spence was able to get away from her with a strong last mile to win in 20:43 to Ashley's 20:57. Complete Results Posted