“Around the course”
Mc Millan 1st R.I. girl in 17 yrs. to qualify for U.S. Foot Locker
By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
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29 Nov. – – Emma Mc Millan, the Barringon High junior who earlier this month won her third straight R.I. girls’ cross country title, Saturday moved into the national spotlight by placing third at the Foot Locker Northeast regional qualifying meet, thus earning a spot at the United States Foot Locker Championship Dec. 13 at Morley Field, Balboa Park in San Diego, California. The top 10 finishers in the girls’ and boys’ 3.1-miler at Van Cortlandt Park in New York made the national cut. Mc Millan’s time was 17:51.2.
Mc Millan becomes the first local female harrier in 17 years – and only the second R.I. girl in the event’s 35-year history – to make the national cut. Portsmouth High senior All-American Laura Turner qualified out of the Northeast region in 1997, finishing 13th in San Diego. (Turner qualified for San Diego the year before, as well.)
On Saturday, Mc Millan finished closely behind two nationally-ranked runners en route to her trip to San Diego. The race was won by Pennsylvania state champ Brianna Schwartz in 17:35.2. Hannah Debalsi, of Staples, Conn. (that state’s cross country titlist) placed third in 17:50.5. Finishing fourth behind Mc Millan was Madeliene Davison, of Pennsylvania, in 17:53.6.
Mc Millan, who was barely a month old when Turner competed at the ’97 Foot Locker event, ran a strong race along Van Cortlandt’s hilly, sometimes narrow route in chilly conditions Saturday afternoon. “It was exciting,’’ she said. “I was looking to get into the top ten; not any specific spot. “I was following the lead, running hard. I had no problem [with the course], and I like running in cold weather. I’m excited about the [San Diego] course’’, Mc Millan said. “It’s been a great year.’’
“She went out strong,’’ said Barrington cross country coach Annmarie Marino. “She went out in 5:26 [first mile], was in sixth and moved up to third.’’
Barrington freshman Grace Connolly was 29th overall at Van Cortlandt with a clocking of 19:03. Connolly placed fifth in the state this year. Lily Foulkes, a senior from Wheeler School in Providence, placed 33rd (19:10.)
Nike Northeast Team Championships
Photo by Lisa Carlisle
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At Wappingers Falls, N.Y. the No. 6-ranked La Salle boys’ team captured the regional team championship with 63 points; the girls’ squad placed third with 160 points. (The La Salle girls could still advance to the Nike Nationals as an at-large team. That determination, made by a committee, won’t be known until early next week.) For the Ram boys, D.J. Principe was the top finisher, placing eighth in 16:17. All-Stater Eliza Rego headed the Ram girls’ contingent over the finish line. Rego placed 11th in 19:11.
Ellie Lawler, South Kingstown’s fabulous freshman All-State harrier, placed fourth overall in the Nike Championship race with a time of 18:44. Lawler was not only the top Rhode Islander to finish, but the first freshman as well. She placed third at this year’s State Championship.
Course Notes: In 2005, the Foot Locker regional qualifiers went from accepting the top eight finishers in each gender’s race to the top 10 . . . Last year, Mc Millan was a furth-place finisher at the Nike Regionals, At the U.S. event in Portland, she finished 45th overall on a course different from that which will be run next month . . . The Nike National Championships will be held on Dec. 6 in Portland.