Third A Year Ago, Harvard Commit Gavenas Solved The Puzzle Of Winning Foot Locker With A Tremendous Move On The Hill At Foot Locker
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
SAN DIEGO -- Tamrat Gavenas made a promise to himself after finishing third in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships a year ago.
Gavenas, of Andover, Mass. and a senior at the prestigious Andover Phillips Academy, was determined to come back to San Diego and win the title on his third try.
"I promised myself this summer I'd do whatever it takes," he said.
The route was not smooth. Plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation under the heel, flared midway through the fall.
"Middle of the season I was having some questions and thoughts creeping in. I was a little scared," he said. "What shape am I going to be in?"
With his foot taped and the pain level manageable, Gavenas made good on his promise. He mastered the ascent of the hill on the second loop around Morley Field at Balboa Park and gained the separation he needed to win the Foot Locker title in a time of 15:23.9.
Juan Gonzalez, the Midwest regional champion from Fremont, Neb., was second after trying to chase after Gavenas in the final 300, in 15:27.4.
Jack Graffeo from Westford, Mass. caught Sam Quagliaroli in the final 30 meters to grab third place in 15:34.5. Quagliaroli, of Fishers, Ind., was fourth.
Keegan Smith, who made it to Foot Locker (it was called Eastbay then) as a freshman in 2021, ran well enough to place fifth in 15:41.6.
Gavenas, who competes in the New England Private School Athletic Council (NEPSAC), announced that he will be attending Harvard, where he will attempt to fill the shoes of departed two-time NCAA champion Graham Blanks.
Because he competes in the NEPSAC, Gavenas' results in small dual private school dual meets are sometimes a bit obscure. But he did compete in the Manchester Invitational in September and broke the course record at Derryfield Park. And the fourth place finisher in that meet, Matthew Giardina from Bishop Guertin NH, was seventh on Saturday at Balboa Park.
All along, Gavenas' primary goal was returning to San Diego and putting his best effort together in the national meet.
He knew, after two previous trips, that the race is often won by handing the steep uphill climb on the second ascent that peaks at Upas Street.
"Jorge (Torres) told me, coach (Patrick Rielly) me, and I have seen the previous race videos over the years," Gavenas said. "People were making moves. Kole Mathison. Drew Griffith made his move on the second hill (last year). That's my chance. I just need to execute it."
Ready more - https://footlockercrosscountry.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=14&do=news&news_id=670580
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Place Grade Name Time School
1 12 Tamrat Gavenas 15:23.9 Phillips Academy Andover
2 12 Juan Gonzalez 15:27.4 Fremont HS
3 12 Jack Graffeo 15:34.5 Westford Academy
4 12 Sam Quagliaroli 15:35.0 Fishers HS
5 12 Keegan Smith 15:41.6 Knoxville Catholic HS
6 12 Ben Crane 15:42.4 New Trier HS
7 12 Matthew Giardina 15:44.1 Bishop Guertin HS
8 12 Vincent Recupero 15:44.6 Bishop Blanchet HS
9 11 Sean Fries 15:45.2 Minnetonka HS
10 11 Philip Cupial 15:46.8 Downers Grove North HS
11 10 Yohanes Van Meerten 15:47.3 Flagstaff HS
12 12 Trey Caldwell 15:47.9 De La Salle HS
13 12 Soheib Dissa 15:48.0 Newtown HS
14 12 Corbin Coombs 15:50.2 Organ Mountain HS
15 12 Robert Mechura 15:50.2 Roseville Area HS
16 12 Noah Bontrager 15:51.2 Westview Jr-Sr HS
17 12 Tristan Yoder 15:51.4 Broadway HS
18 12 Max Douglass 15:52.6 Corona del Mar HS
19 12 Jackson Hogsed 15:53.1 Lambert HS
20 11 Asher Oates 15:57.4 Independence HS
21 12 Benjamin Anderson 15:59.3 Mountain Vista
22 12 Salvador Wirth 15:59.8 Annandale HS
23 12 Tyler Daillak 16:00.2 Paso Robles HS
24 12 Owen Kelley 16:01.7 Bentonville HS
25 12 Jack Bowen 16:04.2 McCallie School
26 12 Kade Brownell 16:04.8 Mt. Spokane HS
27 12 Van Furman 16:07.1 Tri-Valley Central School
28 12 Josiah Tostenson 16:07.7 Crater HS
29 12 Liam Bauschke 16:12.1 Mishawaka HS
30 11 Conor Lott 16:18.4 Clovis North HS
31 12 Vinay Raman 16:21.7 Hershey HS
32 11 Nathan Lee 16:21.9 Brunswick School
33 11 Malachi Burnett 16:22.0 Creekview HS
34 10 Rowan Carr 16:26.9 Penncrest HS
35 12 Aydon Stefanopoulos 16:30.4 Los Gatos HS
36 11 Silas Gartner 16:31.2 Falmouth HS
37 11 Matt Gosling 16:32.9 Council Rock HS
38 12 Riku Sugie 16:41.2 Thomas Nelson HS
39 12 Parker Adams 16:47.7 The Bolles School
40 12 Matthew Shelly 16:54.1 Bentonville HS
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