FALL PREVIEW: Boys Cross Country

Venerable Kellenberg cross country coach Kevin Buckley offered up his preseason boys rankings.

1. St. Anthony’s: Plethora of distance runners return (Sather, Walshak, Cherkis, Murphy, et al); will their slogan be “Yes, We Can,” as the Friars look to return to the halcyon days of the Carter administration.

2. Chaminade: We all know that the Flyers (Dayton U. is the hometown of the Wright Bros.) were decimated by graduation; however, Carreiro’s charges are like Mao Zedong’s Red Army in Korea (they’re numerous and relentless); Kiley leads.

3. Farrell: Many pundits have the Lions at #1, but must rebound from the debacle of last year’s XC Cities; “Alex Orlando & Dawn” will be knocking at the ceiling for the top spot.

4. Fordham Prep: Three quality returners led by the elder Jennings; if Febles can convert all the 800 meter speed to the 2 1/2 distance, the Rams can conceivably win it all.

5. Kellenberg: Better than others think; a resurgent Posch + Cook (16th last year in Cities)+ an underappreciated Nicoletti will make the State Meet (I say as a team, you say as individuals).

6. Bishop Ford: The last set of twins still standing, the Gilhuley’s lead the Falcons; back scorers are a problem for all teams from #5 down.

7. Iona Prep: Terrific one-two punch of Halpin/Shephard; Jan Mitchell will have to be at his best to bring along others; the Gaels are rated this low due to the school’s connection to the Mara family; I now must pay $5000 each for my 2 season tickets to the Football Giants for my PSL (Personal Seat License); I have had these tickets since 1963 and my wife’s father served with Wellington Mara on the USS Randolph in the Pacific during WW II (along with Soupy Sales); this is the only remaining forum in which I can complain.

8. Holy Trinity: Muller’s Titans have a nice returning core group that performed so well in 2007 XC Cities; maybe.

9. St. Joseph by the Sea: Buoyed by last year’s very strong Soph squad, the Vikings will look to improve on this rating.

10. St. Peter: James Cannon is certainly a top contender, but can last year’s Frosh Champs help enough; Eagles can be a real wild card.

11. Xavier: Two fine returnees in Mirand and Elie-Vieux, but Dormer needs a lot more.