Kinney/FootLocker Boy's Champions: Where are they now?

96-97 champ Abdirizak Mohammed works at Fenway Park as one of those guys that walks around selling peanuts. Honestly thats what i've heard from very reliable sources.

More recently he ran the 2002 USA Fall XC Nationals (last Saturday). Here is how he did:

157 122 Bryan Dameworth 31 734 West Valley Track Cl 35:54 5:46

Very tough conditions out there.

Dathan Ritzenhein is a sophomore at University of Colorado, having placed in the top 4 in NCAA CC & indoor and outdoor 5k his freshman year. He was also 1st or 2nd in each of the corresponding Big 12 races, 24th in World Cross 12k and ran 13:27.77 for a 5k PR. He missed the 02 CC season with injury, but hopes to run well this winter and beyond.

Oh, wait, you knew all that.

Well, someone's gotta add his name! :)

1991 champ Corey Ihmels is XC/distance coach at Iowa State.

I have heard that Jorge Torres has done well Colorado University also. Didn't he run ok at the NCAA meet this year.

It will also be interesting to look down the list from each year and see who has exceeded their so-called pedigree and who has disappeared ... not just the winners, but down the list.

Looking at the 98 list, consider how well the top 8 have done in the last four years:

1 15:16.4 JORGE TORRES 12 MW

2 15:23.8 LOUIS LUCHINI 12 NE

3 15:27.7 ADAM TENFORDE 12 W

4 15:32.4 JASON HARTMANN 12 MW

5 15:36.4 JOSHUA ROHATINSKY 11 W

6 15:40.1 EDWARDO TORRES 12 MW

7 15:46.1 IAN DOBSON 11 W

8 15:46.6 DATHAN RITZENHEIN 10 MW

You could say all eight have excelled in college. Even Rohatinsky, currently on his mission, ran 29:07 before leaving. While it's still "soon" since that race, I'll bet few top eights have been this good straight through.

If you were picky, you could say Tenforde underachieved at first, but he's been pretty good since last spring. Hartmann has been a little up and down, but his best races have been very good.

There are a good number of boys' champs who went on to great "adult" careers, including Matt Giusto (1983), Reuben Reina (1985), Marc Davis (1986), and Bob Kennedy (1987). Matt Downin (1994) is in the midst of one now and hopefully, if he bounces back from injury, so is Adam Goucher (1993). Louis Quintana (199) posted on here earlier this year that he's now an assistant coach at Arizona State.

Scott Fry the 1984 Kinney winner is an assistant coach at Tiffin University in Ohio.

http://www.tiffin.edu/departments/athletics/track.and.field/coach.htm

Torres is not only the only 4-time qualifier, but also improved each of his four years (13 - 5 - 2 - 1) ... and did the same at NCAAs! (40+? - 3 - 2 - 1).

(His freshman year in college was only underachieving year)

Brent Steiner, I believe was the first Champ, went on to have a great college career at Kansas. Was always in the hunt in Cross Country, finishing 3rd behind Hacker and Ondieki. I heard he later had a decent career as a biathalon or triathalon racer?

I've witnessed Mr. Mohammed parking cars at Fenway, not selling peanuts (although he could do that too), but I think he is back running somewhere

I heard that Kennedy guy turned out kinda good, too.

Didn't he play "Data" on Star Trek: The Next Generation?

From what I hear, Brian Grosso (1988) is now living in the San Diego area and working in management for a food services company. Apparently, he is into racing mountain bikes now.

Past champs80s: Reina was an Olympian (13:24), as was Marc Davis (8:14 steeple), Matt Guisto (sub 13:20) and Bob Kennedy (12:58).1990: Louie Quintana. Ran 3:40 and 13:53. Was 3 time XC All American and ran several very notable races while at Villanova.1991: Ihmels. Ran sub 4:00 and was several time All Americn at Iowa State.1992: Brendan Heffernan: got laid on his recruiting trip to Notre Dame, but instead went to Georgetown and never made NCAAs (in track). Ran around 14:10 but never anywhere close to the potential he showed in HS.1993: Goucher. Olympian. 13:11. Nuff said.1994: Matt Downin. Finished twice in the top 4 at NCAA Cross Country and ran 13:401995: Azindali: Ran 13:53 but never did too much other than that. Maybe All American in XC once or twice.1996/1997: Mohammud. Already been talked about on the board.1998: Jorge. 13:27 and an NCAA XC Title1999/2000. 13:27 and top 4 at NCAA XC in freshman campaign.

BillCarr wrote:

I've witnessed Mr. Mohammed parking cars at Fenway, not selling peanuts (although he could do that too), but I think he is back running somewhere

80- Jay Marden ... went to Cal? ran as fast as 28-flat ... don't know aobut now.

81 - Charles Alexander???

82 - Eric Reynolds (also 8:44.0) ... went to Cal or UCLA? didn't progress much if at all; injuries?

Steiner was actually 7th at the NCAA CC meet while attending Kansas...(if memory serves me correctly)...I talked to Brent last year in Kansas City and he lives in Arizona and is working for the bike company that sponsored him during his biathlon days...

here are some more people

Nick Larosa, top runner in new york state during early 90's ran footlocker 1994 went to virgina tech, then disappeared.

Yeah Reynolds went to UCLA but was injured alot.

http://www.cs.uml.edu/~phoffman/nats/gods1/reynolds.htm