Weekend Preview: Get Ready For Amazing Competition At The Manhattan Invitational


Manhattan Invitational 

Date: Saturday, October 14

The prestige of Manhattan is in full force here and there are a handful of storylines to be mindful of. First, there's the nation's No. 1-ranked girls athlete, Katelyn Tuohy, whose North Rockland team has opted for the C race. Tuohy has a chance here to break 14 minutes on this 4K course. Katherine Lee, another talent who's working her way up the state leaderboard, will also run in a letter race. In the Eastern States' girls race, Padua Academy (DE) senior Lydia Olivere is likely the favorite, while Fayetteville-Manlius (NY) High's Sophie Ryan, Natick (MA) High's Grace Connolly, and Bolles (FL) School's Caitlin Collier are also in the mix. In the team race, FM will finally show their cards nearly a month since their last race. 

In the boys Eastern States' field, McDonogh (MD) School's Dalton Hengst will look for his third-straight win and could touch a sub-12 minute performance here. He'll be challenged by Ithaca (NY) High's Silas Derfel and Pittsford-Mendon (NY) High's Nathan Lawler, as well as Bolles (FL) School's Charles Hicks and Neshaminy (PA) High's Rusty Kujdych, and Green Hope (NC) High's Peyton Barish. Barish and his No. 8 Green Hope squad will matchup with No. 11 Christian Brothers Academy (NJ) in what should prove to be a really electric race. 

MileStat Invitational

Date: Saturday, October 14

The top girls team in the state, Blacksburg, is entered along with four of the top six favorites in each classification on the boys side. Individually, the state's top female, Blacksburg's Kaitlynn Wolfe (17:31.40) will go head-to-head with South Lakes' Olivia Beckner (17:36.00). In the elite boys race, Grafton's Price Owens, ranked No. 16 nationally on the Flo50, is entered and will look to break 15 minutes for the first time this season. If that happens, it would mark the third-straight season in which an athlete dipped under 15 minutes on the Pole Green Park course in Mechanicsville. 

Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational

Date: Friday, October 13

The big matchup here will be between last year's winner, Syracuse's Justyn Knight, and outdoor NCAA 5K champion Grant Fisher -- Knight was third in outdoors. Boise State's Allie Ostrander will be racing on the women's side. This event will be LIVE on FloTrack to universal subscribers. 

Division I Pre-Nationals Invitational

Date: Saturday, October 14

Also LIVE on FloTrack, the Division I Pre-Nat Invitational will feature a fantastic battle of some of the nation's top college programs. The BYU men, ranked No. 2 by FloTrack, will take on Arkansas, Colorado, and Oregon. On the women's side, Oregon, Colorado, Michigan, and BYU will go at it. The expectations are fierce in a meet that could should a glimpse of NCAA title competition. Missouri's Karissa Schweizer, the returning NCAA cross country champion, will also be in demand here in the women's race.