Re: Cross Country 2009
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm
responding to united front's boys top 10
I see you are pretty much pulling results from last year's state meet and throwing in Pierce Murphy. I would definitely agree with your top 4. Barring injury, with the way Margarito Martinez and Pierce Murphy have allegedly been training (rumor is that they have been doing 70+miles a week) should be top contenders. Jordan (not Jodan) Thibodeau is coming off a great track season (2nd 800) and is still in great shape. His summer track times will attest to that, running as low as 4:24 for the 1500 against minimal competition. I don't have a lot of info on Esaki other than that he is still in good shape. I don't really know much about your others, however I do know Andrew Ellison is coming off a "weak" track season (2:10 800 pr) and unless he ran hard and got himself back to xc shape, he is not going to be at the same level as he was last year.
Also, don't eliminate Ryan Hobson (MPI) and Borys Pleskacz (IOL). Hobson had a great track season and has been training with Thibodeau much of the summer. Pleskacz had a great freshman year and a great sophomore xc campaign until he finished 3rd to last at states due to dehydration. He qualified for track states but didn't do as well as most expected and was certainly not in the form he was in before.
To runningfan
In regards to your "Big 3" comment, it should probably be "Big 2". Punahou should be weak again this year and not a title contender (well, relative to past years). Graduated 4/7 seniors, including 3 of the top 4. Definitely not recruiting, or at least they have a weak recruiting class for a few years for cross country if you honestly believe they recruit (who knows about football). Even Kamehameha probably doesn't recruit for cross country since they have a Hawaiian-only admission policy. Also Thibodeau didn't pick up distance running until last year, he was playing soccer. Or Iolani, since several of theirs are dual-sport, soccer first (initially). And with regards to your mainland comment, why wouldn't a mainland kid, who happens to have a passion for sports not WANT to go to the #1 prep athletic school according to SI, or an affordable, yet quality school, or a high level school, over a public school that is in desperate need of renovations and reform. If they've got the brains then they can get in. Private schools certainly don't recruit for cross country although I would care to bet they did for football and basketball and baseball. If you can name me an outstanding runner from a private school that you believe was recruited, please inform me.
I see you are pretty much pulling results from last year's state meet and throwing in Pierce Murphy. I would definitely agree with your top 4. Barring injury, with the way Margarito Martinez and Pierce Murphy have allegedly been training (rumor is that they have been doing 70+miles a week) should be top contenders. Jordan (not Jodan) Thibodeau is coming off a great track season (2nd 800) and is still in great shape. His summer track times will attest to that, running as low as 4:24 for the 1500 against minimal competition. I don't have a lot of info on Esaki other than that he is still in good shape. I don't really know much about your others, however I do know Andrew Ellison is coming off a "weak" track season (2:10 800 pr) and unless he ran hard and got himself back to xc shape, he is not going to be at the same level as he was last year.
Also, don't eliminate Ryan Hobson (MPI) and Borys Pleskacz (IOL). Hobson had a great track season and has been training with Thibodeau much of the summer. Pleskacz had a great freshman year and a great sophomore xc campaign until he finished 3rd to last at states due to dehydration. He qualified for track states but didn't do as well as most expected and was certainly not in the form he was in before.
To runningfan
In regards to your "Big 3" comment, it should probably be "Big 2". Punahou should be weak again this year and not a title contender (well, relative to past years). Graduated 4/7 seniors, including 3 of the top 4. Definitely not recruiting, or at least they have a weak recruiting class for a few years for cross country if you honestly believe they recruit (who knows about football). Even Kamehameha probably doesn't recruit for cross country since they have a Hawaiian-only admission policy. Also Thibodeau didn't pick up distance running until last year, he was playing soccer. Or Iolani, since several of theirs are dual-sport, soccer first (initially). And with regards to your mainland comment, why wouldn't a mainland kid, who happens to have a passion for sports not WANT to go to the #1 prep athletic school according to SI, or an affordable, yet quality school, or a high level school, over a public school that is in desperate need of renovations and reform. If they've got the brains then they can get in. Private schools certainly don't recruit for cross country although I would care to bet they did for football and basketball and baseball. If you can name me an outstanding runner from a private school that you believe was recruited, please inform me.