2015 Six Flags Wild Safari Inv Preview (Overall and by Varsity race)

By Meet Director Jim Schlentz

The Six Flags Wild Safari Inv enters year six. We changed the course in 2013 so we could include a stretch of the course along the Asian animals which means the course record holders are Steve Maine (Highland, NJ) 15:39 and Kelly Hayes (Pearl River, NY) 18:12. This year's race features teams from 6 states, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. More than half the teams are from out-of-state, as in the previous years, so everyone gets to race against teams they would normally not see. Remember, the fastest 7 boys and girls (The All-Six Flags Team) and the fastest boys and girls team get special awards in the park and then go to the fastest ride and cut the line. This year it is the Kingda Ka.

Both the boys and girls races have outstanding individuals. Many will compete in different races so we will see who gets pushed enough to run the top time of the day. On the boy's side, we have no returnees from last year's All-Six Flags team. The fight to make the All-Six Flags team will most likely come from the following: The fastest returnees from last year are Matt Cohane (Indian Hills, NJ) who ran 16:36 and Zack Csipkay (Colts Neck, NJ) who ran 16:40. Cohane ran 9:35.52 (3200) and Csipkay was 4:24.13 (1600) last spring. The other fastest track times from last spring were Jordan Brannan (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:27.39 (3200) and Conor McMenamin (Souderton, PA) 9:28.82 (3200). Others to watch: Aiden Smith (Massapequa, NY) 4:25.95/9:33.72 (1600/3200), Anthony Russo (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:41.13 (3200), Evan Pron (Monroe, NJ) 9:45.15 (3200), Jake Hardin (Phillipsburg, NJ) 9:46.00 (3200), Andrew Imbessi (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:46.47 (3200), Rick Sommer (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:47.90 (3200), Nick Velez (St Joe by the Sea, NY) 4:27.90 (1600) and Derek Barney (Indian Hills, NJ) who ran 16:08 his 1st XC meet this fall.

The fight for the fastest boys team average should be a good one with several good teams. Indian Hills was fastest last year and is strong again. They are ranked #20 NJ, Colts Neck, NJ has seven runners who have run under 10:00 in the 3200. They are ranked #7 NJ. Add Fox Lane, NY #13 Class A, Bronxville, NY #7 Class C, Goshen, NY #19 Class B.

The girls meet returns 2 of the All-Six Flags team from last year's meet. Vicky Martinez (Fox Lane, NY) had the fastest time of all runners at 18:27 and ran 4:41.99/10:16.63 for (1500/3000) and Kelly Shaffer (South Hunterdon, NJ) was 6th fastest at 19:09 and ran 5:09.62/11:25.50 (1600/3200) on the track. Others to watch for the All-Six Flags team (fastest 7 of the day): Anna Flynn (Ursuline, NY) 4:27.39/9:44.59 (1500/3000), Grace Dwyer (Hamilton North, NJ) 4:52.73/10:21.46 (1600/3200), won NJ MOC title in 3200, Julia Stevenson (Hackley, NY) 10:39.70 (3200), Alexsus Vuocolo (Toms River South, NJ) 4:59.96/11:03.12 (1600/3200), Paris Calcagnini (Convent of Sacred Heart, NY) 4:39.90 (1500), Megan Quimby (Lenape, NJ) 5:02.04/10:58.97 (1600/3200), Mary Borski (Pearl River, NY) 4:45.99/10:07.63 (1500/3000), Phoebe Clowser (North Penn, PA) 5:06.30/11:07.31 (1600/3200), Ally Schlosser (Parsippany, NJ) 5:05.95/11:09.79 (1600/3200), Lauren Diaz (Summit, NJ) 5:08.65/11:15.42 (1600/3200).

(add 20 secs to 1500 to make 1600 time and 42-43 secs to 3000 to make 3200)

For the girls, we have some great teams. Pearl River, NY won the fastest team average the last 2 years and they are back with a very deep team. They are ranked #5 in Class B NY. Toms River North, NJ is #12 All-Groups NJ and Summit is #17. North Penn, PA, Ursuline, NY (#14 Class B), Goshen, NY (#16 Class B) and Hackley, NY (#4 Class C) are others to watch.

As far as the race of the day, watch Girls Varsity B where arguably the three best girls at the meet will all be in the same race. Vicky Martinez (Fox Lane, NY), last year's fastest runner of the meet against Anna Flynn (Ursuline, NY) 4:27.39/9:44.59 (1500/3000) and Grace Dwyer (Hamilton North, NJ) 4:52.73/10:21.46 (1600/3200), who won NJ MOC title in the 3200. Will the course record go down??

We used Jim Lambert's Star Ledger NJ rankings, armory track NY rankings and Tully's pre-season rankings for NY and PA milesplit.

Let's look at each race and see who the top individual and teams are. The times next to the runners are either their best 2015 spring time or their personal best.

Varsity A

Boys: Conor McMenamin (Souderton, PA) 9:28.82, Aidan Smith (Massapequa, NY) 9:33.72 (3200), Evan Pron (Monroe, NJ) 9:45.15 (3200), Kevin Vanhorst (Massapequa, NY) 4:29.04 (1600), Mike Dowd (Williamstown, NJ) 9:55.40 (3200), Alex Pierce (McLean, VA) 9:59.14 (3200), Nathaniel Twining (Caesar Rodney, DE) 4:31.54 (1600).

Teams: Massapequa, NY

Girls: Phoebe Clowser (North Penn, PA) 5:06.30/11:07.31 (1600/3200), Madyson Reilly (Toms River North, NJ) 11:17.66 (3200), Olivia Dyer (North Penn, PA) 11:21.23 (3200), Kiera Nealon (Manalapan) 11:23.45 (3200), Amelia Eshraghi (North Penn, PA) 11:34.72 (3200), Taylor Rettig (Massapequa, NY) 10:42.30 (3000), Dierdra Lewin (Kellenberg, NY) 4:53.33 (1500), Ariana Gardizy (North Penn, PA) 5:15.87 (1600).

Teams: North Penn, PA; Toms River North, NJ (#12).

Varsity B

Boys: Jordan Brannan (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:27.39 (3200), Zack Csipkay (Colts Neck, NJ) 4:24.13 (1600), Anthony Russo (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:41.13 (3200), Jake Hardin (Phillipsburg, NJ) 9:46.00 (3200), Andrew Imbessi (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:46.47 (3200), Rick Sommer (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:47.90 (3200), Matt Arnold (Menchville, VA) 9:50.22, Kevin Berry (Colts Neck, NJ) 9:52.70.

Teams: Colts Neck, NJ (#8 NJ), Fox Lane, NY (#13 Class A)

Girls: Anna Flynn (Ursuline, NY) 4:27.39/9:44.59 (1500/3000), Grace Dwyer (Hamilton North) 4:52.73/10:21.46 (1600/3200), Vicky Martinez (Fox Lane, NY) 4:43.47/10:30.57 (1500/3000), Alexsus Vuocolo (Toms River South, NJ) 4:59.96/11:03.12 (1600/3200), Dayna Luma (Brick Memorial) 11:34.82 (3200), Hope Beyer (Brick Memorial) 5:12.20 (1600), Stephanie O'Horo (Colts Neck, NJ) 5:16.43 (1600), Kiera Tobia (Ursuline, NY) 4:57.24 (1500), Raeann Giannattasio (Colts Neck, NJ) 5:18.5 (1600), Samantha Swider (Brick Memorial) 11:53.77 (3200).

Teams: Ursuline, NY (#14 Class B), Brick Memorial, NJ

Varsity C

Boys: Matt Cohane (Indian Hills, NJ) 9:35.52 (3200), Derek Barney (Indian Hills, NJ) 16:08 5000 XC, Eric Schlosser (Parsippany, NJ) 9:57.16 (3200), Marcus Trenfield (Lawrenceville) 9:59.21 (3200), David Bacigalupi (Alexis Dupont, DE) 10:10.04.

Teams: Indian Hills, NJ (#20 NJ)

Girls: Ally Schlosser (Parsippany, NJ) 5:05.95/11:09.79 (1600/3200), Lauren Diaz (Summit, NJ) 5:08.65/11:15.42 (1600/3200), Alison Curly (Summit, NJ) 5:13.14/11:14.49 (1600/3200), Mary Kate Drennan (McKee, NY) 5:00.08 (1500), Alexandra Harris (Ramapo, NJ) 11:55.93 (3200).

Teams: Goshen, NY (#16 Class B); Summit, NJ (#17)

Varsity D

Boys: Nick Velez (St Joe by the Sea, NY) 4:27..90 (1600), Hussein Elmeshad (Leonia, NJ) 9:54.05 (3200), Nick Kaczorowski (Ramsey, NJ) 9:56.04 (3200)

Teams: ??

Girls: Mary Borkoski (Pearl River, NY) 4:45.99/10:07.63 (1500/3000), Erin Hollenbaugh (Kent Place, NJ) 5:10.60/11:26.30 (1600/3200), Kristin Siegle (Buena, NJ) 11:54.88 (3200), Madisen Patanella (Mt St Mary, NJ) 11:57.97 (3200), Lily Flood (Ramsey, NJ) 11:59.80 (3200)

Teams: Pearl River, NY (#5 Class B)

Varsity E

Boys: Patrick Walsh (Perth Amboy, NJ) 9:52.61, Sean Ryan (Bronxville, NY) 4:30.27 (1600), Bobby Tuzio (St Rose, NJ) 9:55.65 (3200)

Teams: Bronxville, NY (#7 Class C)

Girls: Julia Stevenson (Hackley, NY) 10:39.70 (3200), Paris Calcagnini (Convent/Sacred Heart, NY) 4:39.90 (1500), Olivia Curran (Hackley, NY) 10:52.54 (3000), Phoebe Ward (Dobbs Ferry, NY) 11:18.35 (3000), Nicole SanFilippo (St John Villa, NY) 11:19.46 (3000)

Teams: Hackley, NY (#4 Class C)