Dec 10, 2011

Footlocker All-Americans Abbey Leonardi & Matt McClintock represent Maine with pride!!!

Abbey Leonardi of Kennebunk capped off her high school xc season with an impressive 4th place finish at the Footlocker National Chhampionship held in San Diego, CA on the famed Balboa Park course. Abbey was near the front the entire race, ran a personal best 17:35.3 over the 5k course. This was the 3rd time Abbey competed in the race, finishing 22nd in 2008 & 16th in 2010. The 4th place finish is the highest any girl from Maine has finished in 33 year history of the race. In the boys race Matt McClintock fared very well in his first taste of national competition as he nabbed the final All-American spot with his 15th place finish. Matt ran 15:31.3 over the 5k course, he becomes the 5th individual Maine athlete to earn All-American honors

Girls Race Recap from Milesplit Girls Results

Erin Finn (Midwest) took an early lead in the race setting a very brisk pace. Makena Morely (West), Grace Tinkey (South) and Karlie Garcia (West) led the follow pack for the first mile. Finn hit the mile at 5:10 with a strong lead heading into the super hill. Molly Seidel (Midwest) moved into 2nd place at the 1.5 mile mark closing the gap at the 2 mile. Finn crossed the 2 mile at 11:08 with Seidel in 2nd, Abby Leonardi (Northeast) in 3rd, Garcia in 4th and Tinkey in 5th. Seidel took the lead going up the super hill for the second time with Finn in 2nd and Garcia in 3rd and Leonardi in 4th. Finn took the lead back on the downhill with an incredible downhill sprint. With 400 to go Seidel found new energy and serged ahead sprinting to the finish with a time of 17:21.4. Finn took 2nd in 17:23.9 with Laura Leff (Northeast) in 3rd in 17:33.9 and Abbey Leonardi in 4th in 17:35.3. Karlie Garcia rounded out the top 5 in 17:35.6.

Post-Race Interview with Abbey Leonardi

Boys Race Recap from Milesplit Boys Results

CJ Albertson (West) took the lead crossing the 800 mark in 2:21. Edward Cheserek (Northeast), Futsom Zenasellassie (Midwest) and Darren Fahy (West) led the chase group. Albertson gapped the group by 30 meters at the mile with a 4:48 time. Cheserek and Zenasellassie made a move on the supper hill and took the lead form Albertson withThomas Graham (South) moving into 3rd. Fahy moved into 4th on the downill with Daniel Vertiz (South) in 5th. With the group coming together and crossing the halfway point at 7:20 it became anyones race. Cheserek and Zenasellassie pulled away from the group and was runing side by side with a mile and a quarter to go crossing the 2 mile at 9:50. The two runners continued to run shoulder to shoulder swapping the lead every few meters. Zenasellassie took the lead heading up the super hill with Cheserek responding and taking back the lead half way up the hill. On the downhill Zenasellassie tried to make a move but Cheserek responded quickly. The 2 runners were still battling for the top spot with 500 meters to go. At 150 meters Cheserek started his move and went into a full kick as Zenasellassie tried to follow. Cheserek crossed the finish line in 14:51.5 with Zenasellassie in 2nd with 14:52.1 Nathan Weitz (West) finished 3rd in 15:20.5. Jake Leingang (Midwest) finished in 4th in 15:21.2 and Daniel Vertiz rounded out the top 5 in 15:22.5

Post-Race Interview with Matt McClintock

Pre-Race Interview with Abbey Leonardi