We Missed You at Hershey

Remember that time we used to talk about the independent league? 

Over the years the independent league has had some killer runners and teams but I can never tell how good they are because I never see them compete against the PIAA teams when both sides are peaking. 

So while we watch every other top flight runner in the state compete on the same course on the same day we anoint the champions and forget the independent league squads.

I think the feeling around the state now is clearly that NA is the best team in PA and Brophy is the top runner (both teams set records at Hershey, NA averaged a record 16:21, faster than our 3 national qualifying teams. More on this in a later post). But it wasn't that long ago when Malvern Prep and Jaxson Hoey held those honors. It wasn't that long ago when Sam Ritz was beating Andrew Marston (3rd at states) at Manhattan. But those guys haven't been mentioned once during all this state buzz. 

Now part of this is because the injury to Jaxson left some serious question marks in Malvern's line up. And it's not like a team with a killer top 4 and a questionable #5 is going to get talk. Especially if they have a super talented freshman.

That's right even without Jaxson this team is Henderson-esque and that means top 10 in the state of PA with potential for more. Jaxson is going to try to come back for Regionals, but it would be unfair to expect too much from him, even if he can return on time. But the possibility should have kept the intrigue around this team alive. Sure, I don't think they are going to nationals, but they certainly could compete with Stoga and O'Hara and that seems worth talking about.

Josh Hoey had a really good race at Independents. He looked like he was fading a bit at Paul Short, but keep in mind that's really the only time all year he hasn't been as good or better than teammate Billy McDevitt (who was a top 20 guy in the entire state before the postseason rolled around and we forgot about him). Smucker obviously wowed at districts and states, but I'm still a believer that Hoey is at the very least comparable. 

Wills and Doane have been running solid in the new 3-4 role. It's hard to speculate just how strong they would be at states, but they have been doing a nice job since Paul Short.

GFS gave this team a run for their money behind their impressive top 3 (putting 3 in the top 10 at leagues). They are lacking at 4-5 so this kinda makes them a slightly less impressive version of O'Hara. You know the third place team in the state. Nick Dahl peaked perfectly in June last year running 9:19y as a freshman. A freshman. I never thought I'd see a performance like that.

In case you haven't noticed, the peak period for GFS (and now likely Malven Prep) is regionals and nationals every year in cross and outdoors. They aren't concerned too much by an independent league title. And that focus on just accepting the season doesn't end until December pays big dividends (just ask Sami Aziz and the 2009 GFS team that both qualified for Nats at NXN). 

And of course there is Sam Ritz. He was a top flight guy earlier in the season then beat Marston in a very quick time at Manhattan (you know, the course where Footlocker is). He then crushed the Jaxson less Independent field and looked very good on the hills of Belmont.

Ritz has all the momentum and all the motivation going into regionals and he is one of our best hope for a national qualifier. 

Allgayer has been fantastic this season as well. He won the White race at Paul Short in 15:50 and he challenged Dan Green in an early season meet at Big Spring (the place where imaginary meet of champs is, probably smart of him to get some experience on the course). Alex Kim, just a soph from the Haverford School, has also been throwing down some impressive times in recent weeks. 

But no talk for any of these guys. Look around everywhere ... Not on penntrack, not on my blog, not on Forrest's.

And no one has been upset about it really because states was so exciting and it left us with a lot to talk about.

The only way to keep these teams relevant is to keep them racing the top guys (like indoors where we can see these guys battle the big names). Regionals will always have an asterix because the PIAA guys will always see States as the most important meet (and I think they are right in that respect honestly). 

So I guess we need a meet of champs. 

Keep an eye out for the independent league guys at Big Spring. 10 days Til MoC.

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