The wait is Over. Welcome to the Ladies' Edition of ``Slanders and Speculations: Assorted Writings and Prognostications regarding CIS cross country competion, by Jeff Barr and Rob Kitz (Being two gentlemen of much learnedness and CIS Experience)``. We hope that you will find the following edifying.
First Instalment: Early Season Eagerness
1.Q: What is the only 2009 CIS team more dominant then the Gryphon men?
A: The Gryphon Women.
Don’t you hate when you get asked a question on an exam, and to you the answer is pretty simple, but then the professor asks you to “explain” why? In this case, the explanation is pretty simple. 2007 CIS XC CHAMP Carson is back after a 3rd in 2008. Follow that up with Gen Lalonde who is fresh off of a trip to world cross-country, Courtney Laurie (9:43, 16:29) and 3-time All-Canadian Rachael Cliff. Now, the lynch-pin for any cross-country team is the fifth, and Guelph has about a dozen girls who can fill that role. Pick any one of Vahie, Frost, Frost, McIver, Mildren, or Furtado, all of whom are 4:3something 1500 runners or past National team members. Is this a good enough explanation?
2. McMaster: Here is a young team that made a giant leap last year led by OUA women’s coach of the year Rory Sneyd. All-Canadians Pearo and Wyman are back as is OUA All-Star Anderson. These three form a very strong front-end that will be backed up very well by Giovannetti and newcomers Coates and Giles, who are both top 15 OFSAA XC recruits. Mac seems to be turning into a distance-powerhouse, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. The trails and greenspace along with the fantastic new indoor facility provide amazing traning locations for any promising distance runner. The hard-nosed steeltown work ethic is something that any Mac runner will develop over their undergrad and serves them well out on the XC course.
3. Calgary Dinos: The only team to break up the OUA domination last fall, the DINOS are back with major losses on the front-end, but a group that on paper appears to be ready to tackle the CANWEST once more. Leading the way will be near-miss All-Canadian Querrenguesser, 4:37 1500 runner McQueen, and Stenning (4:37, 9:47). This is one of the strongest top 3’s in the CIS and they backed up with former All-Canadian McNicoll and a group of capable youngsters. Like the men, this is a team that brings their A-game on the right day so I say watch out Coach Ross and Coach Sneyd, Lamont’s girls will be charging in the last 1000m in K-town!
4. Toronto: Back are the formidable top 3 of Brown, Jewett, and McClure. All three were first-team All-Canadians in 2008 and made up the best 1-2-3 punch in the country. RR has brought in a solid transfer in Elonnai Hickok from the US; however, I hesitate to put this team in the top 3 because of the most important piece of the puzzle: number 5. I’m told that Van Veghal recruited hard in the off-season and this team has picked up some strong depth for that 5-spot, but rumours don’t mean squat. In the words of Jerry McGuire, show me the money! The battle for silver and bronze is going to be intense. For now, the Blues are 4th, but the jump to silver will be come down to pure guts baby!!
5. Victoria: The Vikes lose the leadership and experience of Marilyn Arsenault, and that’s a tough blow, but it’s a good program with enough solid runners to easily be within the top 10. Rookie Laura Estey is coming to Victoria after qualifying for World Cross last year, and she should make an impact down the road. It remains to be seen how she handles to transition to university running. Claire Jean will be looking to improve on last year’s 30th place finish, and should be able to do so if she can avoid falling down any manholes (or, if she does fall down a manhole, she should be able to improve on last year’s finish in a teenage mutant ninja turtles – type situation) (Super powers, I mean). Roske, Skinner, and Moran will provide competent support for the all-important 3-4-5 positions. Like the men’s team race, after the first four there appears to be 5 or 6 teams battling for the 5th spot. I think it’s a rule that UVic has to be ranked in the top 5 in the pre-season poll so, for now, Vikes in 5th.
6. St F X: Led by Monika Preibischova (4th at CIs in ’07, though only 22nd last year), the X-Women, like so many teams, will stand or fall based on their depth. After a Bronze medal in 2007, this team slipped to 9th last year, with their 5th runner coming in 94th. Now they’re losing their top finisher from last year, two-time All Canadian Gina Stewart, and they can even less afford high finishes from their 4th and 5th runners. They had a good pack running together at their home meet this weekend, and if the X-Women can work together through the season they can show up at CI’s with a solid squad, but this team doesn’t have the star power to carry a scorer outside of the top 50. These ladies will also have to be wary of the corrupting influence of heart-throb transfer / workout stud John Corbit.
7. Windsor: The Lancers program is too good for this team to be outside of the top ten. This squad features lots of decent runners but no standouts. Their top finishers from last year are finished. Raeleen Hunter and Dayna Pidhoresky will be looking to lead the team, neither one of them a sure thing top finisher, but I’m told that they’re both gearing up for big seasons. They’ve got a slew of new recruits bringing in new energy and pushing everyone forward, and lots of veteran mid-packers on the squad. If a couple of the veterans can step it up and have some big races, and the rookies can hold things together through the season, the Lancers will be strong come November.
8. UWO: A strong 5th last year for Vigars’ squad, however there are some big losses in ’09. Gone are Fox, Van Veen, and Guiliani and according to the UWO pre-season intersquad, this team hasn’t shored up the losses as well as one would hope. 1-2 will likely be Mockler and Convery (17th and 19th, respectively, in Quebec) with rookies Knox, Desjardins, and Cummings filling in the later scorers. Expect to see some older athletes move into these top five positions as the season wears on as the rookies’ inexperience starts to tax them. On paper, it will be a surprise if this team fights its way into the top tier come November.
9. McGill: What will Barrett pull out in 2009? They lose Brittany Therien and Christina Lobasso, but Myrand is back and they’ve also returned Puel, Beatty, Pontoreau-Bazinet, and Lajeunesse whom all have CIS experience. This team has been the dominant female team in the Q for the last 20 years and after a down year last year, appears to be ready to bring some glory back to campus. The conference should be a tight affair again in 2009 for the team title as Laval should be strong as will be a vastly-improved Concordia. The winner of the conference will lock into number 9 in the CIS, and given the history of the Martlets, we are going with them in the pre-season polls.
10. Da Pandas: To start, I must say there is no better person to consult with on CIS xc then Harry Moore. Thanks for bailing us out Mr. Moore. Da Pandas are back from 12th in ’08 and ready to crack the top 10. Led by recent World U23 Tri bronze medalist Paula Findlay (2-time All-Canadian) and Snatcheson, this team appears to have a solid 1-2 punch. Beyound this, they are relying on some fast 4x800m runners. But, one must keep in mind, that the previously-referred to mid-distance, half-tight wearing nancy boys (er.. girls) can get through a 5km a heck of a lot easier than the 10km. Therefore, we feel some expectation can be placed on the 4x8 runners that Alberta seems to be relying on this fall. The Vikes, Lancers, and Mustangs of the world better be looking over their shoulder’s for some Green and Gold in the last 500m on Nov. 14th, don’t say we didn’t warn you!
11. Queen’s: What is the price of a much-needed indoor track in Kingston? Apparently more than $250 million. Luckily, those things aren’t useful during cross-country as coach Bolton loves the tempo. No track needed in this visionaries’ training plan. The loss of Sexton (5th in 07) hurts this squad in a big way however the loss might just be made up for with the addition of Matt Hulse’s sister, Stephanie. A two-time top 10 OFSAA XC athlete who is a true cross-country stallion. Another pick-up is a transfer from UVic named Tricia who runs 37 minutes for 10km. Larocque (OUA All Star in 07 and 08) and Miller provide viable options in the 3 and 4 spots. The depth on this squad is good (about 15 girls who can run near 20 minutes for 5km) and gives them a fighting chance at moving into the top 10.
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