Roger Roman threw a pasta party at his house the night before the Section III cross country championships. At one point during the evening, the Jordan-Elbridge coach had a conversation with sophomore Cody Stanton. The topic? Taking his running to the next level.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Cayuga Community College forward Tiffany Collinsworth looks to get a shot in over Herkimer's Colleen Getman during the second half of CCC's 66-55 loss at home on Tuesday evening.
Cayuga Community College forward Tiffany Collinsworth looks to get a shot in over Herkimer's Colleen Getman during the second half of CCC's 66-55 loss at home on Tuesday evening.
“We talked about his chances, and I told him he had an outside chance to make it (to the state championships),” Roman said. “He would have to run real well.”
He did.
Now, after finishing seventh at the Section III, Class B championships, he and senior Jeff Donohue (sixth) are on their way to Saturday's New York State Championships at Norwood-Norfolk High School of Section X as the first Jordan-Elbridge runners to advance to the state meet since 1999.
The pair of Eagles will be joined by Auburn's Scott Garrett, Moravia's Jason Phillips and Weedsport's Mike Greer and Alyssa O'Bryan
Despite a seven-year layoff from state competition, Roman said he doesn't expect pressure to be a problem for his runners.
“The pressure was to qualify,” Roman said. “This is just icing on the cake. It's a reward for a great season.
“I wish you could have seen them (at the sectional championships). They would have run through a wall; they were just so pumped and excited.”
Roman said the duo worked hard in the beginning of this week with tough practices Monday and Tuesday in an effort to maintain the peak they hit at sectionals before taking it easy on Wednesday and Thursday to rest up for race day.
Speaking of peaks, Phillips, a Moravia junior, may not have even hit his yet.
As a freshman, the speedster qualified for the state championships and finished 22nd in Class D. The following year it was ninth. For Phillips#, third trip to states, Blue Devils coach Jan Hunsinger sees a top-five finish as a very achievable goal.
“Hopefully he won't be too uptight about it or nervous; he's had experience with these big meets before,” Hunsinger said. “He knows he's going to have to run well if he expects to finish high.”
Running well hasn't been an issue for Phillips ) especially not lately.
He missed a Section IV Class D title by mere inches on Nov. 1. The junior crossed the finish line 0.6 seconds after winner Dan Young of Seton Catholic. The next closest competitor was nearly 30 seconds behind.
“He's got to be willing to push himself harder than he ever has before,” Hunsinger said. “There's a certain amount of pain that goes along with being a cross country runner. You just got to have a tolerance for it.”
Garrett, an Auburn senior, knows a thing or two about pain. After finishing one spot shy of qualifying for the state meet in 2006, Garrett suffered an injury during the spring 2007 season and was unable to complete the year. He rehabilitated himself all summer, and with the assistance of Maroons coach Greg Stowell, worked his way back to the top.
At the Section III championships, Garrett, who is being recruited to run at the Division I level, finished third in Class AA and sixth among all runners, securing himself a spot in the state championships.
Two other first-timers ) Weedsport's Greer and O'Bryan ) will also make the trip. Greer, a junior, finished sixth in Section III, Class D; O'Bryan crossed the line fourth.
Weedsport coach John Lawler said finishes as high as that in Section III should translate well at the state level. He said he has a goal of top 15 for Greer, and top 20 for O'Bryan The key is to stay relaxed.
“I don't want them to get too hyped about it,” Lawler said. “They just need to perform the way they have been. They're confident; they're not nervous.
“We're just trying to keep things as routine as possible.”
Either way, just qualifying to make the trip is accomplishment enough for the duo that will lead the Warriors next year.
“These kids ran all summer and worked diligently to make this happen,” Weedsport coach John Lawler said. “They've really earned this and I'm proud of them.”
On the road to states
Local runners competing in Saturday's state championships at Norwood-Norfolk High School (Section X)
Name School Class Finish Time
Scott Garrett Auburn AA Third 15:54.0
Jeff Donohue Jordan-Elbridge C Sixth 16:16.7
Cody Stanton Jordan-Elbridge C Seventh 16:26.7
Jason Phillips Moravia D Second 16:56.9
Mike Greer Weedsport D Sixth 17:01.2
Alyssa O'Bryan Weedsport D Fourth 20:24.2
He did.
Now, after finishing seventh at the Section III, Class B championships, he and senior Jeff Donohue (sixth) are on their way to Saturday's New York State Championships at Norwood-Norfolk High School of Section X as the first Jordan-Elbridge runners to advance to the state meet since 1999.
The pair of Eagles will be joined by Auburn's Scott Garrett, Moravia's Jason Phillips and Weedsport's Mike Greer and Alyssa O'Bryan
Despite a seven-year layoff from state competition, Roman said he doesn't expect pressure to be a problem for his runners.
“The pressure was to qualify,” Roman said. “This is just icing on the cake. It's a reward for a great season.
“I wish you could have seen them (at the sectional championships). They would have run through a wall; they were just so pumped and excited.”
Roman said the duo worked hard in the beginning of this week with tough practices Monday and Tuesday in an effort to maintain the peak they hit at sectionals before taking it easy on Wednesday and Thursday to rest up for race day.
Speaking of peaks, Phillips, a Moravia junior, may not have even hit his yet.
As a freshman, the speedster qualified for the state championships and finished 22nd in Class D. The following year it was ninth. For Phillips#, third trip to states, Blue Devils coach Jan Hunsinger sees a top-five finish as a very achievable goal.
“Hopefully he won't be too uptight about it or nervous; he's had experience with these big meets before,” Hunsinger said. “He knows he's going to have to run well if he expects to finish high.”
Running well hasn't been an issue for Phillips ) especially not lately.
He missed a Section IV Class D title by mere inches on Nov. 1. The junior crossed the finish line 0.6 seconds after winner Dan Young of Seton Catholic. The next closest competitor was nearly 30 seconds behind.
“He's got to be willing to push himself harder than he ever has before,” Hunsinger said. “There's a certain amount of pain that goes along with being a cross country runner. You just got to have a tolerance for it.”
Garrett, an Auburn senior, knows a thing or two about pain. After finishing one spot shy of qualifying for the state meet in 2006, Garrett suffered an injury during the spring 2007 season and was unable to complete the year. He rehabilitated himself all summer, and with the assistance of Maroons coach Greg Stowell, worked his way back to the top.
At the Section III championships, Garrett, who is being recruited to run at the Division I level, finished third in Class AA and sixth among all runners, securing himself a spot in the state championships.
Two other first-timers ) Weedsport's Greer and O'Bryan ) will also make the trip. Greer, a junior, finished sixth in Section III, Class D; O'Bryan crossed the line fourth.
Weedsport coach John Lawler said finishes as high as that in Section III should translate well at the state level. He said he has a goal of top 15 for Greer, and top 20 for O'Bryan The key is to stay relaxed.
“I don't want them to get too hyped about it,” Lawler said. “They just need to perform the way they have been. They're confident; they're not nervous.
“We're just trying to keep things as routine as possible.”
Either way, just qualifying to make the trip is accomplishment enough for the duo that will lead the Warriors next year.
“These kids ran all summer and worked diligently to make this happen,” Weedsport coach John Lawler said. “They've really earned this and I'm proud of them.”
On the road to states
Local runners competing in Saturday's state championships at Norwood-Norfolk High School (Section X)
Name School Class Finish Time
Scott Garrett Auburn AA Third 15:54.0
Jeff Donohue Jordan-Elbridge C Sixth 16:16.7
Cody Stanton Jordan-Elbridge C Seventh 16:26.7
Jason Phillips Moravia D Second 16:56.9
Mike Greer Weedsport D Sixth 17:01.2
Alyssa O'Bryan Weedsport D Fourth 20:24.2
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