Showdown

It's ridiculously early Wednesday morning and a thick fog muffles every sound in the dark street including the slapping of running shoes against asphalt as I perform the ritual of my morning run. I have heard that the early fog is supposed to burn off by the afternoon, revealing another fine fall day. I think about today's meet against Wellesley, and it occurs to me that, like the weather, today will begin with vague shapes and indistinct impressions, and will end in bright certainty.

Newton North vs. Wellesley. Two defending state champion teams (Wellesley girls, Newton North boys) and one defending state champion individual (Jess Barton). And none of that makes any difference or counts for a thing once the race is underway. It is a certified showdown, with many questions to be answered. By the way, forget about Walpole -- they are the hosts but have no hope of winning today against either one of the BSC's powerhouse programs.

So what to watch for in today's races? I've thought a lot about this meet over the past two months, and here's what I think are the key issues for each of the teams

1. The top spot

Has Jess Barton recovered from last week's illness and sub-par performance at the Bay State Invite? If so, she wins over Wellesley's Brielle Chabot, and that's a battle the Tigers have to win to have a chance. A similar issue applies to the boys race, where David Polgar must overcome his recent knee problems and assert himself as the best runner in the BSC. As with the girls race, if North can't win the top spot, they can't win the meet.

2. Doug Brecher must stay on course

Literally and figuratively, Doug Brecher must stay on course today and finish first or second. He must avoid beoming over-stimulated by nerves and hype in school today; he must not insult the other teams on the starting line; he must keep his head during the race and not take a wrong turn; he must not let small obstacles or minor annoyances distract him from the main objective.

3. The youth movement must come through

Carolyn Ranti showed that she is a force to be reckoned with by winning the Bay State freshman race. Today she won't be able to run away from the field. Instead, she and Haleigh Smith must run an intelligent and purposeful race from the first strides across the field, to the final strides on the track. These two must break up Wellesley's depth, and then hope another of the freshmen, or Szeman can break into Wellesley's top seven.

4. Let's get down to business

In all honesty, the North boys have been coasting through their meets so far. There have been moments when the potential has been evident, most recently when Seb Putzeys and Ben Chebot ran so well against Norwood, but the team as a whole has not shown what it is made of. Yet. Noah Jampol needs to run with confidence, remembering all those 2:20 halves he did with Doug a couple of weeks ago. Seb and Ben will have a chance to show that they are varsity runners to be reckoned with. Alex Polizzotti needs to have himself a RACE, and not just another run. Peter Sun and Charlie Krasnow need to run with measured efficiency in the early stages of the race, and with fury and commitment at the end. This meet is the true beginning of the forging of the identity of the 2005 team.

5. The mind of the enemy

How will Wellesley run their races? Three years ago, both of Wellesley's teams ran with impetuous lack of caution, taking early leads and fading badly. Both Wellesley teams are more mature and have learned how to race. How will the girls team handle Barton? How will the boys team handle Polgar and Brecher? Will they pursue a suicidal pace, or lie back in wait? Will they run as a team or as a bunch of individuals?

6. The track finish

It is more than probable that at least one of the races will be decided in the final sprint around the Walpole HS track. Someone will outkick someone else and that will be the difference in the meet. Who will have more guts and determination when it comes down to those final few hundred yards?