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Disaster Nearly Strikes

In the NA-FR-SH meet the emphasis for North Attleboro was on Sharon. You have to have a focus and that is the best opportunity for a win. Although Sharon had a better cumulative time at the Hockomock Jamboree, if scored as a dual meet it would have only been a one-point difference. So it is basically a toss-up. That doesn't mean that the meet against Franklin was conceeded. Just that focusing on Sharon was likely to bring out our best effort. The strategy was this.

Jenna - Let Emily Tran go. Run with Booth and Godfrey but by all means beat Sharon's #2.

Stephanie, Sara and Marrah - Focus on Sharon's #2 who will probably be Gnoc Pham. She is the senior captain and it is her last-ever home course race.

Katie and Katie. - Try to find Sharon's #4 and #5. You have to beat their #5 but #4 is even better!

DJ - Have fun!

The course is slightly different than my last time here. It's flat as alwats so it should be fast. The starting line is very close to a woods path. Within 30 yards it narrows to 6' wide and curves left. Looks tricky but the boys managed it in the first race. As they head off the line it looks like they'll all make it alright and then suddenly there is a loud bang to my left. Katie Noll's shoulder clips a metal sign but she keeps on going. She immedialely becomes my first concern.

Nearly a mile later is the next time you see them. Tram holds a lead (mile 6:12) while Jenna has hooked onto the backs of Booth and Godfrey (mile 6:20). The next group is a mix of Franklin runners and Pham with Steph, Sara and Marrah just a few ticks back. By the time I see Katie and Katie it is evident that Franklin will indeed win this meet (barring a sit-down strike) and most likely the special K's will beat Sharon's #5. The deciding patch will be how NA's middle three handle Sharon's Pham and Berlin.

After the second loop there are some dramatic and some subtle changes. Tram has extended her lead. The gap to #2 and #3 is a little larger than expected, then Booth and Banks emerge without Godfrey. When Godfrey appears it is definately not her day. But anyone who knows her (or watched her at the Jamboree) knows she'll be just that much tougher next race.

McNamara and Krasney have caught Pham and their mission is clear. But I also see thay Krasney has taken a spill. Her left shoulder and right knee have dirt stains. Later I find out that it actually happened just after they got into the woods at the start. After some jostling she was clipped by a shoe from behind her. After getting back up she sprinted back to her position with McNamara and settled in - out of breath early.

Again, the two Katie's have nearly assured themselves a spot between Sharon's 4th and 5th.

On the last lap, Tran leads easily. Booth and Banks come out of the woods together in a spot that usually would play into Banks hands. A week ago she entered the last 300M vs. Katie Meagher and ran off with a convincing win. This looked to be an incredible finish but Booth was just too strong over the last 300M. The message is out - don't sit and kick with Booth!

Next came mighty mite Siobhan Duffey (FR) (just over a minute behind Booth). SMAC was able to hold off a strong finishing Pham by six seconds (a reversal of positions would have created a tie that NA would have won on the tie-breaker). Three seconds later was Courtney Dacey and another three seconds before Krasney. Sharon brought in Berlin and Vlach just before Fry (NA) to make the meet close.

FINAL SCORES

NA-27  SH-29

FR-24  NA-33

1. Emily Tran (SH) 19:52

2. Lindsey Booth (FR) 20:28

3. Jenna Banks (NA) 20:37

4. Siobhan Duffey (FR) 21:30

5. Stephanie McNamara (NA) 21:40

6. Ngoc Pham (SH) 21:46

7. Courtney Dacey (FR) 21:49

8. Sara Krasney (NA) 21:52

9. Liz Fisher (FR) 21:58

10. Berlin (SH) 21:59

11. Katie Visano (FR) 22:11

12 : Vlach (SH) 22:17

13: Marrah Fry (NA) 22:31

14. Carolyn Sherlock (FR)

15. Meg Plant (FR)

22. Katie Czepiel (NA) 24:20

23. Katie Noll (NA) 24:48

39. Djerica Lamousnery (NA) 30:16

Total of 45 runners

Next week's trip to Borderland Park to take on OA and Foxboro will be interesting since NA has yet to see even one hill on any of the 5K meets.