A new U.S. record in the girl's weight throw and a stellar DMR between two NTN top-five teams went down at the Brown Invitational Friday, while over in Michigan a handful of great performances occurred.  See those results and others this week, as the last competitions of 2007 took place.Girls Top Performances- Victoria Flowers (RI) sets US Record with 61' .75" WT- Caitlin Lane (NY) wins big mile race in 4:57.08- Leslie Aririguzo (MI) wins tight battle in 60HH in 8.78- Burnt-Hills (NY) Beats Saratoga Springs (NY) with 12:05.94 in DMRBoys Top Performances- Isaiah Ward (MI) wins 800m race in 1:56.00- Motor City Track Club (MI) runs 7:56.22 in 4x800m relay- Steve Crouse (NY) leaps 47' 8.5" in triple jump

Hempstead’s Lipsey outkicks Brianna Welch of North Shore By Christopher Hunt     Charlene Lipsey isn’t seasoned enough to walk into the 800 meters with an intricate gameplan. She didn’t enter the invitational 800 meters with splits in her head, knowing how fast she wanted to run each lap. The Hempstead junior didn’t map out any surges and certainly didn’t have a finishing time in mind.FULL STORY HERE photo by wingedfootfotos.com 

Here come the start of the big meets in Pennsylvania and New York. The Christmas City Relays (PA) kicks it off at Lehigh on Thursday, along with the Marine Corps Holiday Classic (NY) at the historic Armory Track. Friday sees the all-day Burdette Classic (PA). MileSplit will provide on-site coverage at both Marine Corps and Burdette.

With the holiday season in full swing and high schoolers around the nation being let out on a two week break, few meets took place across the U.S. this weekend.  However, a few meets and a few performances are definitely worth noting.  In our weekly weekend wrap-up, see who started their season on a high note.

Holy Names runs 19:16.5 4x1500m relay, US#2 All TimeBY Christopher Hunt      It was right there – about as long as it would have taken for her to take her next deep breath.  But Jordan White sat crumbled on the track with tears in her eyes, her team barely two tenths of a second away from a national record (after the conversion from a hand time). FULL ARTICLE HERE

Seven athletes already verbally commit to Stanford next fallDespite the NCAA dropping the early decision option for high school athletes prior to the 2007-2008 school year, the top distance runners are committing themselves to their future college in large numbers.  National editor Scott Bush takes a closer look at the recruiting process and where the stars of the sport plan to attend next fall.

Micah was a 17-year old student-athlete at Northwest Cabarrus High School. He was known as an artist, a runner, a musician, and a great friend. Micah died November 22nd at the UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill of a rare blood-clotting disorder.

Stephanie Forman (AR) winning the girls elite competition(Photo by Becca Gillespy)The best prep pole vaulters in the south took to the pits at Forney High School this past weekend to see who is performing best early this season at the Club Altius Season's Greeter.  The results did not disappoint as Jack Whitt (OK) won the elite boys competition in 16-6, while Stephanie Forman (AR) won the elite girls section with a vault of 13-0.

Senior sets PA mark at Bishop Loughlin GamesBy Christopher Hunt    People were still filing in, not completely ready to submit their full attention.  And as they settled themselves, Chanelle Price gave people a reason to say to anyone who came later, “Man, you missed it.” The Olympic hopeful and Easton Area (Pa.) senior crushed the meet record in the 1,000 meters and topped the Pennsylvania state record at the Bishop Loughlin Games today at the Armory.FULL ARTICLE HERE photo by Tim Fulton

12 US #1's for the Girls 9 US #1's for the Boys photos by www.wingedfootfotos.com MEET COVERAGE Girls Story - By Christopher Hunt Boys Story - By Christopher Hunt GIRLS VIDEOS - 1000m -1 Mile - 4x200 - 4X400 BOYS VIDEOS - 55HH - 4X200 - Brian McGovern Interview

Shade Weygandt (TX) leads the girls field this weekend(Photo by Becca Gillespy)Many of the nation's top pole vaulters, including top returning girl Shade Weygandt (Mansfield, TX), face off this weekend at the third annual Club Altius Season's Greeter in Texas.  This early season test pits numerous U.S. ranked vaulters together in an early season match-up.

South Carolina senior Luke Lovelace (above) competed in his second consecutive Foot Locker National competition last Saturday.  Lovelace finished thirty-fourth overall and capped his high school cross country career with his best season yet.  See what Lovelace says about the exciting weekend and all its happenings.

The final MileSplit Foot Locker National Power Rankings are here.  With Foot Locker Nationals taking place last weekend, the top athletes in the nation had a chance to go head to head and prove just who is best.  Ending number one on our Power Rankings are Foot Locker champions Ashley Brasovan and Mike Fout (above, photo by John Herzog).

Brasovan & Fout Win!!!  The results are in and the champions are...Ashley Brasovan of Florida and Mike Fout of Indiana!!!  Brasovan used a strong third mile to beat out defending champions Jordan Hasay (CA) and Kathy Kroeger (TN).  In the boys race Fout survived a blazing opening mile to pull away in the third mile in grand fashion.  The Foot Locker National Championships definitely inspired! (Photos by John Herzog)Race Results: Boys / GirlsBoys Summary: Underdog Fout Wins Boys RaceGirls Summary: The Florida Mighty Mite Brasovan Wins Girls RaceRace Videos: Girls Championship / Boys Championship FL Champs Post Race Interviews: Ashley Brasovan - Part 1 / Ashley Brasovan - Part II / Mike Fout Interview / Coach Butler (Brasovan's Coach)Boys Post Race Interviews: Chris Derrick (IL) / German Fernandez (CA) / Colby Lowe (TX) / Donn Cabral (CT) / Kevin Havel (IL) / Luke Puskedra (UT) / Brandon Jarrett (NJ) / Rob Finnerty (MN) / Mark Dennin (PA) / Luke Lovelace (SC) / Brian Leung (NJ) / Bobby Nicolls (CO) / Chris Aldrich (PA) / Vince McNally (PA) / Jason Witt (VA) / Patrick Campbell (NC) / Ryan Hill (NC) / Stephen Clark (UT) / Miles Unterreiner (WA) / Rory Tunningley (TX)Girls Post Race Interviews: Kathy Kroeger (TN) /  Jordan Hasay (CA) / Neely Spence (PA) / Claire Durkin (OH) / Emily Lipari (NY) / Emily Jones (MA) / Kauren Tarver (CA) / Chelsea Ley (NJ) / Brittany Koziara (FL) / Kacey Gibson (PA) / Chelsey Sveinsson (TX)  / Aurora Scott (VA) / Carly Seymour (PA) / Cory McGee (MS) /  Lauren Smith (TX) / Kathleen Lautzenheiser (VA) / Emilie Amaro (FL) / Brittany Koziara (FL) / Kayla Hale (FL) / Brasovan, Koziara, Amaro, Hale (FL)Foot Locker Photos: Race Photos by John Herzog. Don Rich and Scott Bush / Friday's Course PreviewFoot Locker Videos: MileSplit Foot Locker Video Page (All Videos) Footlockercc.com Race Coverage: Click HerePre Race Interviews:  German Fernandez (CA) / Course Preview / Aurora Scott (VA)  / Brian Leung & Brandon Jarrett (NJ) / Bobby Nicolls (CO) / Kevin Williams (CO) / Jordan Hasay (CA) / Chris Derrick (IL) / Michael Hammond & Jason Witt (VA) / Aurora Scott's Parents (VA)Foot Locker is staying the course... to write and relive running history Foot Locker Finalist Capsules: Northeast / South / Midwest / WestFoot Locker Top 15 Predictions by Brandon Miles: Boys / Girls

Mike Fout (IN) racing to the finish, winning the boys title(Photo by John Herzog)Running as a true underdog despite winning Foot Locker Midwest, Indiana's Michael Fout ran an incredibly smart race to win the Foot Locker Nationals Boys Race. As the race pushed on minute by minute Fout put himself in position to win, finally opening a slight lead before the second run up the big hill.  A strong field pushed the pace early, with the top finishers getting up front.  At the end though it was the strong kick of Fout's earning the victory.

Florida's Ashley Brasovan winning the girls title(Photo by John Herzog)A quick early pace broke up the girls race very early with a group of five chasing pre-race favorite Jordan Hasay.  With a mile left to go the top athletes started catching Hasay with the smallest of athletes, 4' 11" Ashley Brasovan making the biggest move to challenge for the win.  In the final 600 meters the Florida star proved her toughness to knock out the rest of the field and cruise away to victory.

Boys Foot Locker ResultsFull Boys Results*Official Results Courtesy of Footlocker*1. Michael Fout 14:502. Christopher Derrick 14:573. German Fernandez 15:094. Colby Lowe 15:125. Luke Puskedra 15:156. Brandon Jarrett 15:167. Kevin Havel 15:188. Donn Cabral 15:199.  Rob Finnerty 15:2110. Maverick Darling 15:23 Girls Foot Locker ResultsFull Girls Results*Official Results Courtesy of Footlocker*1. Ashley Brasovan 17:202. Kathy Kroeger 17:283. Jordan Hasay 17:314. Neely Spence 17:355. Claire Durkin 17:446. Emily Lipari 17:467. Aurora Scott 17:468. Katie Flood 17:479. Carly Seymour 17:4810. Lauren Tarver  17:53 

 There was no magic to the creation of the first, and still only true national championship in high school sports. But over the years, the meet has created a bit of magic on its own – from launching professional running careers, to introducing future couples, to creating one of the more exclusive clubs in sports – that of the Foot Locker Finalist.The MileSplit Network's Don Rich sat down with Foot Locker VP of Brand Marketing, Jeanine Zocks, for an interview on the past, present, and future of Foot Locker Nationals. Read on for more...

  If one were to ask the question of who was the only Virginia high school runner to win the boys title in a Foot Locker/Kinney Nationals, many would be stumped to come up with the correct answer of 1981 Kinney Nationals champion Charles Alexander of St. Christopher's School in Richmond. In the third ever Kinney Nationals held in Orlando, Alexander would win by four seconds in 14:51 by outkicking Californian Harold Kuphaldt.MileStat.com's Brandon Miles was able to catch up with the 1981 national champion while out in San Diego this week for the 29th annual event. Yes, it has been 26 years since Virginia had an individual boys champion. 

 Claire Durkin (OH) won the FL Midwest girls race by 41 secondsPack running will be the key to success if the Midwest hopes to win the team races Saturday at Foot Locker Nationals.  At the Midwest Regional packs reigned supreme in both races if you look at the results.  The boys have a dominant top four with a lot of experience after them to fill the rest of the scoring gaps, while the girls have a mix of newcomers and experience that should make their team very strong.

Photo by Scott BushTop 15 girls predictions for Foot Locker Nationals by Brandon Miles of MileSplit US. There are two past Foot Locker Nationals champions in the field coming off strong regional wins in 2005 champ Jordan Hasay from California and 2006 champ Kathy Kroeger from Tennessee. History will be working against both though for a second national title. Hasay would become the first runner to win a second title with a year of separation between two wins. Meanwhile, Kroeger will be attempting to break the curse of the four previous underclassmen national champions before her who failed to repeat the following year and gave way to a new champion. Best bets to become the new champion appear to be are Midwest Region winner Claire Durkin of Ohio (pictured above), Northeast Region winner Neely Spence of Pennsylvania, and last year's national runner-up Aurora Scott of Virginia.

All of our videos from this weekend.

  Brandon Miles of MileSplit US is confident to predict for this weekend's Foot Locker Nationals that the weather will play a role in how runners from different geographic regions of the country will fair at Balboa Park with rain (80% chance on Friday, 40% chance on Saturday) and cooler temperatures expected for this weekend.By breaking 15 minutes in his Midwest Regional victory in Kenosha, Mike Fout joined pretty good company to make him the slight individual favorite according to Miles. A group of runners who more than often end up as Foot Locker Nationals champions, which has been the case in recent years with the likes of Dathan Ritzenhein, Chris Solinsky, and Matthew Witherow. Solinsky and Witherow would have enjoyed being able to run in Saturday's forecasted weather than the typically warm Southern Cal that they ran through onto theirnational titles.

The pack during the first mile of the FL West boys race The strength of the West once again lies in how well their pack runs.  Both the boys and girls squads have front runners with a chance to win the individual title.  German Fernandez and Jorday Hasay enters as pre-race favorites, while Luke Puskedra is also a pre-race favorite on the boys side.  The boys side however has no athletes competing with past Foot Locker Nationals experience.

Kathy Kroeger (TN) leads the Girls Seeded race at FL SouthThe strength of the South region this season lies in it's depth.  The South girls have at least six athletes who have a shot to finish in the top eight, led by five Foot Locker returnees.  The South boys return numerous individuals from last year's squad and are looking to harness that experience for a big performance this year. 

 FLNE Girls race winner Neely Spence (PA)The best of the best in Northeast came together at Van Cortland Park two weeks ago at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional.  The top ten boys and the top ten girls each qualified for Foot Locker Nationals this coming weekend in San Diego.  See who qualified and what they have accomplished.

Brasovan & Fout Win!!!  The results are in and the champions are...Ashley Brasovan of Florida and Mike Fout of Indiana!!!  Brasovan used a strong third mile to beat out defending champions Jordan Hasay (CA) and Kathy Kroeger (TN).  In the boys race Fout survived a blazing opening mile to pull away in the third mile in grand fashion.  The Foot Locker National Championships definitely inspired! (Photos by John Herzog)Race Results: Boys / GirlsBoys Summary: Underdog Fout Wins Boys RaceGirls Summary: The Florida Mighty Mite Brasovan Wins Girls RaceRace Videos: Girls Championship / Boys Championship FL Champs Post Race Interviews: Ashley Brasovan - Part 1 / Ashley Brasovan - Part II / Mike Fout Interview / Coach Butler (Brasovan's Coach)Boys Post Race Interviews: Chris Derrick (IL) / German Fernandez (CA) / Colby Lowe (TX) / Donn Cabral (CT) / Kevin Havel (IL) / Luke Puskedra (UT) / Brandon Jarrett (NJ) / Rob Finnerty (MN) / Mark Dennin (PA) / Luke Lovelace (SC) / Brian Leung (NJ) / Bobby Nicolls (CO) / Chris Aldrich (PA) / Vince McNally (PA) / Jason Witt (VA) / Patrick Campbell (NC) / Ryan Hill (NC) / Stephen Clark (UT) / Miles Unterreiner (WA) / Rory Tunningley (TX)Girls Post Race Interviews: Kathy Kroeger (TN) /  Jordan Hasay (CA) / Neely Spence (PA) / Claire Durkin (OH) / Emily Lipari (NY) / Emily Jones (MA) / Kauren Tarver (CA) / Chelsea Ley (NJ) / Brittany Koziara (FL) / Kacey Gibson (PA) / Chelsey Sveinsson (TX) / Aurora Scott (VA) / Carly Seymour (PA) / Cory McGee (MS) /  Lauren Smith (TX) / Kathleen Lautzenheiser (VA) / Emilie Amaro (FL)Foot Locker Photos: Race Photos by John Herzog. Don Rich and Scott Bush / Friday's Course PreviewFoot Locker Videos: MileSplit Foot Locker Video Page (All Videos) Footlockercc.com Race Coverage: Click HerePre Race Interviews:  German Fernandez (CA) / Course Preview / Aurora Scott (VA)  / Brian Leung & Brandon Jarrett (NJ) / Bobby Nicolls (CO) / Kevin Williams (CO) / Jordan Hasay (CA) / Chris Derrick (IL) / Michael Hammond & Jason Witt (VA) / Aurora Scott's Parents (VA)Foot Locker is staying the course... to write and relive running history Foot Locker Finalist Capsules: Northeast / South / Midwest / WestFoot Locker Top 15 Predictions by Brandon Miles: Boys / Girls

Neuqua Valley wins the boys NTN title(Photo by Tyrone Hoskins)The FINAL installment of the MileSplit National Team Power Rankings are set.  With Nike Team Nationals taking place last weekend, the best of the best received a chance to see how they faired against one another.  US #1 Neuqua Valley, IL (boys) and US #1 Fayetteville-Manlius, NY (girls) won their respective races and finish sitting a top this year's final ranking.

Jordan Hasay leads the way on the girls sideWith the fields finally set for the Foot Locker National Championships this coming weekend, the MileSplit Foot Locker National Power Rankings has very little movement this week.  California athletes top the rankings with German Fernandez and Jordan Hasay leading the way.

 German Fernandez (CA) sprints to the finish  Despite a race day decision to change the course, the favorites at the Foot Locker West Regional all qualified for FLN next weekend in San Diego.  Jordan Hasay (CA) earned herself the third regional title of her fantastic career, finishing in 17:17.  German Fernandez (CA) won the boys race with a powerful last 600m to finish in 14:53.Foot Locker West Photo AlbumGirls FL West Qualifiers: Jordan Hasay (CA) 17:17, Laurynne Chetelat (CA), Jessica Tonn (AZ), Kauren Tarver (CA), Meghan Marvin (CA), Nadya Bishton (AZ), Taylor Wallace (OR), Nastia Bishton (AZ), Sarah Sumpter (CA) and Nicole Nielsen (ID).Boys FL West Qualifiers: German Fernandez (CA) 14:53, Luke Puskedra (UT), Stephen Clark (UT), James Attarian (CA), Miles Unterreiner (WA), Jim Walmsley (AZ), Chris Schwartz (CA), Brett Walters (CA), Riley Sullivan (CA) and Jonathan Lafler (WA).

Manlius (NY) dominating early(Photo by Tyrone Hoskins - Available at RecCentral.net)Naperville (Neuqua Valley, IL) won the boys race over Los Alamos (NM) in the closest of battles, winning the title by two points.  Manlius (Fayetteville-Manlius, NY) dominated the girls race as expected, scoring an 88 points win.  Our MileSplit NTN Team brings you extensive coverage of the weekend's events.  Keep checking back throughout the weekend as we continue to add more videos, photos and articles.Results:  Complete Results from all races Race Summaries: NTN: The Test of Teamwork (Girls Summary) / NTN Boys Round-Up (Boys Summary)NTN Videos: NTN Video Page (All Videos) / Madeline Morgan (Girl's Ind. Winner) / Chris Derrick (Boy's Ind. Winner) / Colby Lowe / Martin Keino / Championship Boys Race / Championship Girls Race / Open Boys Race / Open Girls RaceNTN Photos: Friday Course Preview / Brandon Miles Gallery / Tyrone Hoskins Gallery - Available at RecCentral.netArticles: Madeline Morgan Wins '07 NTN / NTN Race Preview / Mountain Brook (AL) Girls Preview / North Central (WA) Boys Preview