Aisling Cuffe

Aisling Cuffe, the junior at Cornwall Central H.S., defended her national Junior championship on Saturday in the girls’ 5,000 meters and won the race by 25 seconds, but she may not be eligible to run in the World Juniors meet for the United States later this summer.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Her teammates gathered around with a large piece of paper and a sly grin. She sat surrounded by reporters, dazed and still a bit confused at what just happened until she turned to recognize them.

MIDDLETOWN – Ryan Brennan kept looking over his shoulder. It didn’t matter how fast the Monroe-Woodbury junior ran. He knew Newburgh’s Randy Patterson was coming. “He makes a living out of walking people down,” Brennan said. “I couldn’t believe I hadn't seen him yet.”

WHITE PLAINS – Over the course of two years and many head-to-head races, Roslyn’s Emily Lipari and Aisling Cuffe of Cornwall have become good friends, although it’s been a one-sided friendship. At least on the track.

She didn’t want to celebrate early. A couple times already, she brushed the high jump a couple times earlier and she watched those bars shake until they dropped.

Jen Clayton doesn’t excite easily. She expects more from herself than anyone else would put on the Suffern senior’s shoulders. So for her, what’s “good” is never good enough.

Three of country’s top milers have accepted invitations to race in the high school mile at the Millrose Games Jan. 29, including Roslyn’s Emily Lipari. Race directors also gave automatic bids to Anthony Kostelac of Ablemarle (Va.) and last year’s runner-up Cory McGee of Pass Christian (Miss.). Lipari ran the fastest mile time in the country last indoor season in 4:47.44.

Cornwall coach Dave Feuer said he couldn’t’ ask anything more of Aisling Cuffe. She kept herself in the race. She chased the biggest names in high school distance running and fought until her tank hit “E.”

The first of the two national high school cross country championship races were held this past weekend in Portland, Oregon with the Nike Cross Nationals. The boys' race certainly featured many of the nation's best battling it out to the wire, while the girls' race was missing the unofficial "Big 3" in Megan Goethals (MI), Chelsey Sveinsson (TX), and Aisling Cuffe (NY) but stellar depth was found in both races as Foot Locker finalists, All-Americans, and state champions were found deep into the field.  

  Photo courtesy John Olson, SCRUNNERS                                                    

  Photo by PFFlyer                  

  Photo courtesy: John Olson, South Carolina Runner's  

Photo by Don Rich

NEW YORK – Outside of the construction and some changes to the course, not much changed at the Manhattan Invitational. At least not much in the girls Eastern States championships.

The second edition of the Milesplit Sweet 16 Individual National Rankings features new faces and familiar names  

Cornwall junior Aisling Cuffe ran the 2nd fastest time ever last week at Bowdoin Park. ONly Nicole Blood ran faster back in 2004. So what did Cuffe do this week for an encore? She ran the 2nd fastest time ever at Paul Short in PA, missing Aisling Ryan's record from 2004 by 2 seconds.