Countdown to X-C: Jack Salisbury, La Salle Academy

<p> Countdown to 2014 cross-country series.</p>

COUNTDOWN TO X-C

The cross-country season officially started this week with the first official practice on Monday. During the next week, MileSplit Ri will feature the top boys and girls to watch this season in its Countdown to X-C series. The potential is there for some sizzling times on the trails. Just five runners have graduated from last year's top 14 finishers for both the boys and girls. 

RUNNERS TO WATCH

Jack Salisbury, junior, La Salle Academy

Jack is the top returning runner from last year’s state championship and should be labeled as one of the favorites to win this year’s individual crown. The Ram standout was a runner-up to Hendricken’s Colin Tierney at the 2013 states with a time of 15:44.25. He improved slightly on that clocking  at the New England Championships where he placed seventh overall with a personal best of 15:43.90.

The La Salle runner knows what it takes to win on the biggest of stages. He was one of the key reasons the Rams were able to capture the indoor state meet with victories in the 1,500-meter run and the 1,000m. He also copped the 1,500m and was second in the 800m at the outdoor states.

Jack has the luxury of training with a talented bunch of harriers that this year could run away with the team crown at the championship meet in November and also place high at the Nike Northeast Regionals. With the graduation of Tierney, look for Jack to take charge in most of the bigger invitational meets as well as the class and state championships. That’s a strategy that Jack often does and one that often works for the soon-to-be junior.

During the outdoor season last year, Jack had personal bests of 4:12.97 for the 1,600m and 8:45.30 for the 3K. Those times alone should equate to a time that’s considerably lower than his best for 5K last year. With the level of gifted runners coming back this year, a time in the low 15-minute range might be needed to win the states. Jack has potential to do that.

Jack's profile

<p> Countdown to 2014 cross-country season.</p>