By Donna Dye

The Cross Country season comes to a close with the Footlocker Championship this year in Balboa Park, San Diego California. Getting to the finals means qualifying in a regional meet by being one of the first eight finishers. Runners compete in the South, MidWest, West and Northeast regionals. In a field of good and seasoned runners, that is no easy task.

The Northeast Regional is run on one of the most difficult courses in cross country, Van Cortlandt Park on the edge of New York City. Saturday, was a cloudy and cool to cold day. The championship races are held in the middle of several races run during the day; family, friends, classmates and fans line the sidelines cheering for sometimes one and sometimes all. Parents pace on the sidelines, engaged sometimes in nervous chatter and even grandparents get in on the nerves game. And then when it's all over, kids smile or cry while parents celebrate or comfort. It's all in a day on the road to Footlocker Finals.

Now onto the Meet!

The Scene

A delegation from Dove NH