4th October 2008	NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE - NEWCASTLE
	The North Staffs season started off for the second year in a row at twisty-turny Lyme Valley, and it is always interesting to get a first glimpse of the winter's contenders. Yet again hosts Newcastle AC did an excellent job with the course and the racing was exciting from the off.  In the U11 Girls Sarah Griffiths ran the perfect tactical race to win as she began the difficult task of defending her U11 title. With Monica Organisciak and Megan Cogan also running well inside the top 10, Stoke AC took the first team win of the day too. All the other girls performed well and I hope they enjoyed it enough to keep going the whole season and win the title. At U13 level, Lucy Holt was a debutant in the North Staffs League and she showed that she will be a force to reckon with as the season progresses. With Melissa Harding, Mariad Nolan and Lydia Beech also performing well the team picked up 2nd place in the team standings. Jessica Griffiths was our sole competitor in the U15 girls but she showed her usual grit and determination to record a good performance. Likewise Heather Holt was our only representative in the Senior Woman's event, and the talented Stoke AC junior showed that she is making a good recovery from injury as she finished 11th overall and 2nd junior. The boys' races are always tough in this league, not least because George Cooper's City of Stoke squad are so competitive. In the U11s Joel Mann showed with an excellent 3rd place on his debut, that once his endurance improves he will threaten for honours. With Charlie Cooke and Robroy Gregory also running well the U11s also picked up the team award.  This was a feat repeated by the U13s in even more startling fashion. The surprise package in this race was Korey Hallet-Blanch as he sprinted away from team mates, and possibly pre-race favourites, Macauley Snutch and Lindon Evans in the closing stages. Korey improved more than anyone over the closing stages of the track season and showed that he has continued his progress here. Macauley and Lindon may be a little disappointed but they have another year to go in this age-group, and there are 3 more races to go in any case! At U15 level Dave Sheldon showed that he is definitely on his way back with a strong 3rd place in a very competitive field for a North Staffs League. It is not often that Dave beats middle distance track specialist Tom Guy, but I am sure this will be a season of competitive races between endurance and speed (not that either of these lads really lack the other capability). Very close behind on this occasion Alex Brecker continued his steady improvement, and with a bit more concentration may be even closer next time as will Jamie Krzowski, again only a few seconds behind. These lads also dominated the team standings. Mike Harding has got much stronger this summer and it really showed here with a superb 2nd in the U17 men's race. Always in contention at the front, former Staffordshire U13 champion Mike looks as if he will really make his mark again if he can stay injury and illness free. Joe Broome also ran brilliantly on the 2nd lap to take 4th place and with Liam Hendricken running consistently in the top 10 this was the 4th City of Stoke boy's team to take a team win on the other day. Unfortunately for the younger lads the next race at Parkhall conflicts with the National Road Relays the next day. It will be interesting to see who does both. City of Stoke AC men showed once again that they are not quite ready to lie down and die with a strong team performance based on experienced campaigners, some nifty new recruits, and youngsters who have stayed with the club!. We still have a couple of other really good guys to get out, and if we can all run well at the same time, the team title is not totally out of reach. A steady start saw a big group of about 10 athletes stroll round the first two laps, with no one really wanting to make the pace until Staffs Moorlands' Alex Derricott put the boot in emphatically just before the bell to run away from all his rivals. However Royal Marine and International ultra runner Brian Cole showed that his strength really is returning now as he finished very powerfully in 2nd place. Brian had intended to use the race as a training run for the World Cup 100k in early November, and in fact ran from Barlaston to the race first, and then back again afterwards!  In 5th place new recruit Seb Duffy ran a great race on his North Staffs debut and will obviously figure in the overall title places once he has fully settled. Close behind Seb, Steve Bazell ran strongly a week after his half marathon debut, and will be looking to go better in future races with fresher legs. Finishing just 1 second away from a top 10 finish I was pleased just to be running this race after injury at Uttoxeter 3 weeks ago, and really needed to blow away a few cobwebs. I finished top M45 but still more to come I hope!  Not far behind me, Keele University student Dan Castro was also making his debut for the club. Dan was training with us last year but did not race due to injury, and it was great to see some indication of what he is capable of. 6th counter was U20 Josh Berrisford, in his first senior cross country race, who ran steadily as instructed. and can now use the experience to push on a few more places each time out. Close behind Josh, new recruit Dave Lee and another U20 Rob Cook also ran very consistently, and it could be any one of these who makes the counters next time out. Amazingly Stoke AC got in two more finishers, and it was great to see Chris Williams back after a long absence, and Richard Barrington yet again completed our better than expected turn-out.  John Danahay Full results on the North Staffs Cross Country League Website: www.nsccl.co.uk Great photos courtesy of Brian Dale U11 Girls Team 1st - 16 points 1. Sarah Griffiths 7. Monica Organisiack 8. Megan Cogan 10. Lydia Whiston 11. Olivia Barnett 12. Elizabeth Beech 20. Laura Cogan   U13 Girls - Team 2nd - 24 points 3. Lucy Holt 9. Melissa Harding 12. Mariad Nolan 13. Lydia Beech U15 Girls 11. Jessica Griffiths Senior. Junior and Vet Women 11. Heather Holt U11 Boys - Team 1st - 19 points  1. Joel Mann 5. Charlie Cooke 11. Robroy Gregory 21. Ethan Wymess U13 Boys - Team 1st - 8 points  1. Korey Hallet-Blanch 3. Macauley Snutch 4. Lindon Evans 12. Nick Stoddard 16. Connor Bradbury 22. Joe Caine 26. Callum Griffiths 33. George Steventon U15 Boys - Team 1st - 13 points 3. Dave Sheldon 4. Tom Guy 6. Alex Brecker 7. Jamie Krzowski 9. Kieren Lee 11. Sam Botham U17 Men - Team 1st - 15 points 2. Michael Harding 4. Joe Broome 9. Liam Hendricken 14. Ryan Salisbury Jun, Sen & Vet Men - Team 2nd - 87 pts  2. Brian Cole 5. Seb Duffy 6. Steve Bazell 11. John Danahay (M45) 16. Dan Castro 47. Josh Berrisford (U20) 49. Dave Lee 58. Rob Cook (U20) 76. Chris Williams 155. Richard Barrington (M60) 7.41 8.03 8.08 8.23 8.25 8.33 9.11 7.03 7.44 7.51 7.53 15.36 21.19 7.11 7.17 7.50 9.08 12.54 12.59 13.02 13.46 14.16 14.36 15.05 17.45 15.38 15.53 16.00 16.06 16.45 17.47 18.04 19.08 19.49 20.28 34.53 35.04 35.20 36.14 36.51 40.24 40.31 41.20 42.41 48.47