National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

This is the 10th Fall 2013 edition of our NSAF weekly feature on nationalscholastic.org: the Emerging Elites of the Week.  The New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor meets have become known for the ever-expanding and improving competition in the divisions of the same name.  Similarly, the NSAF seeks to give weekly recognition to track and field and cross-country athletes reaching new and exciting competitive levels with their recent performances. This week we honor two impressive and surprising new champions from last weekend's action.

Photos by Cheryl Treworgy (Lyle at GACC), Keith Realander (both Hopper photos) and from Coach Dennis Dobbs (Lyle family photo from state).

Male – Trevor Hopper, Ridgefield HS Class of 2014, Ridgefield CT

1st, 15:08.5, New England Championships 5k, Derryfield Park, Manchester NH

A distance runner’s self-discovery, learning that he or she can push greater and greater limits in training and racing, and achieve things previously thought impossible, can be a beautiful thing.  Ridgefield (Conn.) senior Trevor Hopper really began that journey of discovery as his junior winter track season yielded an end result of a 15:17.34 5k at New Balance Nationals Indoor this past March.  His buildup outdoors saw him run as part of school records of 10:18.60 for the DMR and 7:49.97 for 4x800 at the Loucks Games, then 3,200 bests of 9:21.12 and 9:07.70 at the State Open and New Englands.  Finally, at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, he blasted a 14:50.03 5,000 for 10th to wrap up a great campaign.

So Hopper and his teammates had a lot of confidence coming into the fall.  Ridgefield would go on to win Class LL and State Open titles, but it would take Hopper a little longer to truly develop his individual championship moxie.  First came a runnerup finish in the LL race, 12 seconds back of Christian Alvarado in first; then another 2nd at the State Open, but just a lean behind his rival.  Finally last Saturday in Manchester, Hopper put together and executed a winning race plan.  The result: A game-changing 15:08.5 New Englands victory that nearly got Ridgefield a team title, too.

A few comments from Trevor:

On what he took away from tough losses at his Class LL and State Open meets, leading up to New Englands:  I learned that I really cannot take the lead and expect to do well.  Staying back throughout the race, but within striking distance, is a smarter plan for me.  So I worked very closely with my team and my coach Bryan Kovalsky the last few weeks, trying to learn and build off of each race, so I wouldn’t make the same mistakes as before. 

On how the New Englands unfolded, given his new approach:  It was a very fun and different experience, especially running with so many of my fellow Connecticut athletes.  I liked seeing them do well in this race, too. 
I tried to start out slower than the faster guys, but not slow enough to get caught up in the back.  I did not want to get boxed in.  So I settled in, keeping that position until the 2nd mile, where I could gradually pick off runners as we went up the steep hills.  I did not try to take the hills too fast; even going at snail pace in the steepest parts, since I knew red-lining them would only tire me out. 
After that, I just focused on staying behind the two lead runners.  It wasn’t until the last 100-meter straightaway that I used my kick to pass Alex Ostberg and Josef Holt-Andrews, who both ran strong races.

On Ridgefield’s drive to the State Open title and coming so close at New Englands:  It started in the summer, with my Captain’s practices and then summer camp.  The team was very motivated from the start and we stayed strong the whole season, with our minds set on the championship races.  New runners, like Will Bordash and Austin Gilbert, was a blessing to us and we were so focused and confident in our abilities to win as a team.  That mindset has not stopped.
It was definitely disappointing being so close to winning the New England title.  But taking the good with the bad, we still had the best season in Ridgefield XC history with the first State Open title.  I am proud of my team for working their butts off for this accomplishment.

On his big track PRs last winter and spring, and building into his senior year:  I really worked hard to do well in the outdoor championship season after indoor nationals.  I just stayed focused on what I could do, individually as well as for my relay team, as we pushed each other to be at our best. We helped each other stay strong for NBNO, and our coach really pushed us so that we could be in shape against some of the best runners in the nation.
Breaking 15:00 in the 5k and getting those other PRs made me extremely excited for what I could accomplish my senior year, and the potential for beating my PRs again next track season. I realize that I can’t slack off if I want to be on the same level as other elites like Christian Alvarado, or those who raced extremely well at NBNO.  So I went out every day, either on my own or with my teammates, without taking any breaks over the summer to improve my conditioning … I must thank my family for dealing with that so well.

On what his NBN experiences were like and how they helped him progress as a runner:  NBNO was amazing!  Just stepping out on the track gave me a big adrenaline rush and I could not wait to run.  Racing alongside some of the best runners in the country allowed me to gain the confidence that I can run with those who are insanely good.  Doing well at Nationals has inspired me to commit to running long term and at a nationally ranked program in college.  Last month, I committed to University of Virginia.

On his continued post-season plans:  We are doing NXN Northeast, and I am very excited to see how we’ll do and if we can make it to Portland; that will be one hell of an experience.  We are all very determined to shake off the possibility of lazing around, to instead work hard in the next few weeks going into regionals.  I know that if we race at our potential, we will go far as a team.

Female – Veronica Lyle, Hewitt-Trussville HS Class of 2014, Trussville AL

1st, 18:06.40, AHSAA Alabama 6A State Champs 5k, Oakville Indian Mounds Park AL

A state championship was hardly on the mind of Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.) senior Veronica Lyle when she started the 2013 XC season.  As a junior, she was 29th in the 6A championships and had a PR of 20:07.  She didn’t really have big goals for this fall beyond breaking 20.  On the other hand, she had stepped up her training and her focus.  You see, Lyle had been a pretty quick study in long sprints and middle distances.  As a freshman in 2011, she had run 57.45 and 2:14.33, the latter getting her 3rd at state.  Those PRs, however, didn’t improve in 2012.  Then in 2013, she added the 1,600 to her repertoire, hitting 5:07.85, but her 400 and 800 bests stayed about the same.  She knew something had to change.

Hence, she put more emphasis on her fall training and racing.  Lyle didn’t get under 20 right away, but in her 2nd and 3rd invites she shocked herself and everyone else with PRs of 19:26.40 (Chickasaw Trails) and 18:52.36 (Scottsboro).  A few weeks later, she ran a very competitive 5th in the Great American CC Festival Seeded race, then lowered her PR again a week later to 18:22.80.  Suddenly, she was a top contender for that 6A state title.

Last weekend, a well-executed race plan yielded the best possible result, an 18:06.40 victory and that elusive championship she hadn’t been able to capture on the track, while racking up the 2nds and 3rds in 800s.  Suddenly, Lyle is a runner with confidence from the 400 to the 5k and with seemingly limitless possibilities.

A few comments from Veronica:

On how the state meet race went strategically and what the aftermath has been like:  Going into state, I knew the top girls were going to go out fast, so I was focused on staying in the race and settling in right behind. I wanted to let them pull me through the race.
About halfway, Jessica Molloy started pulling away and I knew I had to go with her if I wanted to stay in the race.  Since I have more of a sprinting background than them, I knew I just had to hang in for the kick.  With 500 meters left, I knew I had a really good chance of winning and then I just held nothing back and let my body go.
It was the best day of my life.  I had finally won a state championship, something I've been striving for ever since I was a freshman.  This week (since) has been amazing.  My community has been so congratulating and has made me feel like I am a superstar!  I have been on cloud nine!

On whether she’d have believed it if someone had told her a year ago, when she was still running 20-21:00, that she’d be a future state XC champ:  Definitely not!  I still can't believe it now!  It took a few days for it to sink in.  I really stepped it up this year though in my training.  I never really focused on cross country until this year, so it makes me wonder what I actually could have done in the past years if I’d focused on it.

On what she thought when she first broke 20:00, then 19:00 this season:  When I ran my 19:26, and saw how much time I dropped, it was the best feeling ever.  I just wanted to keep having that feeling and dropping time became like a high to me.  I just wanted to keep dropping more and more time and if I want something bad enough, I will most likely do it.
When I broke 19:00 it was amazing!  My only goal going into this year was to break 20 and when I broke 19, I couldn't believe it!

On what she took away from her Great American experience:  I had gone two weekends without racing, so I was a little nervous, but I still was planning on breaking 19 again and reaffirming to myself I could do it!  When my time was only 19:16, I was a little upset.  My coach reassured me, however, that it was only setting me up for our next race – which was a much flatter course.  Sure enough, it did and I ended up getting a new PR.

On whether she feels she’s now becoming a longer distance runner, or if she still plans to race middle distance on the track:  Distance still isn't my favorite, but I’m embracing the fact I better get used to it, since I will have to do it in college and I better learn to like it!  !  One of the reasons I wanted to focus on cross this year is that I felt like if I did well, it would inevitably set me up for a good track season.
For track, I am still very determined for the 800 and 1600 to be my main races.  I would love to run some more 400s, too!  They are so fun to run!  Not so sure about moving up to 3200, though I still feel I could drop A LOT of time in the 800 and 1600.  I think it’s about time I did!  The speed has always been there and now I’m going into track with a state XC championship.  I know I will have the confidence and my training will get me there, if I keep the right mindset!

On whether she plans to run in the post-season:  I am thinking about running Foot Locker South!  I'm waiting for more details from my coach, so we will see!  I’d love to get a chance to break 18 before the season is over!

On her experiences running Emerging Elite races at NBN indoor and outdoor as a sophomore in 2012:  They were such good experiences!  They were both PRs for the season in indoor and outdoor! I'm planning on going to NBNI this year and hopefully I will have a time that will put me in the championship race for the 800 or even the 1600.

On her hobbies outside of track and XC:  I love doing pageants, but running takes up so much time I haven't been able to do one in awhile.  However, I am competing in Miss Alabama Teen USA this coming weekend and I'm very excited for that!  And as soon as I get done with this interview, I am going to get my nails done for it!