The Buckley Rankings 2001
For the 3rd year online, Kevin Buckley's once "underground" CHSAA Boys rankings appear on armorytrack.com.  All opinions expressed herein are in the spirit of good fun.  Rankings
Pre-Season - sep23 - sep30 - oct7 - oct14 - Oct21 - Oct28 - Nov4

The Buckley Rankings - November 4
City Champs Edition

If the final results were done ON PAPER, this would be the outcome (factoring in each runner's best time, conversions for other courses, illnesses, suspensions, injuries, defections, transfers from Ethiopia and anything else that comes into my mind in a byzantine calculation that is not computerized).

1. Chaminade (44), 2. Kellenberg Memorial (70), 3. St.Anthony's (102), 4. St.Peter's (190), 5. Regis (205), 6. Xavier (223), 7. Moore Catholic (229), 8. Xavierian (268), 9. Fordham Prep 276, 10. Archbishop Molloy (310)

Of course, however, the 2.5 miles is not run ON PAPER, but at Van Cortland Park. Here, then, are my predictions (gambling odds in parentheses):

1. Kellenberg Memorial (3-1)...WHAT?...am I really going to pick against my own team when the chips are down?; I can always blame Estrella if we lose; Firebirds have a "puncher's chance;" we're ready and the 3-1 odds are an inviting proposition.
2. Chaminade (1-2)...The "Yankees" of Cross-Country; the logical selection and the prohibitive favorite; even Mariano loses once in a decade
3. St. Anthony's (8-1)...don't count out of the top spot; love the 2.5 distance and the Van Cortlandt foliage; good value
4. St. Peter's (35-1)...Denis and Kenny have them coming on; it's been said that Van Cortlandt is a half-milers course 
5. Regis (50-1)...Johnny wants to go to Wappingers Falls; he, and the team, will 
6. Moore Catholic...top two right there, but others will need big step up to make States
7. Xavier...tough break for the Bruins; without top gun they are in trouble; with top gun, they finish 4th; Dormer needs to psyche his team for effort of their lives; we're rooting, but not betting
8. Fordham Prep...tough season; sometimes things don't just fall into place
9. Xaverian...can finish as high as 6th; just don't see them breaking the State barrier
10.Archbishop Molloy...the end of a long campaign for the Stanners

 

The Buckley Rankings - October 28

1. Chaminade...brought their "A Game" to the
Sectionals in defeating Kellenberg & St.Anthony's by
a 31-40-56 tally; 3-5 favorite for Breeders' Cup
Cities
2. Kellenberg Memorial...performed well, but came up
short vs. Flyers; 0 for 3 vs. Flyers; is 4th time a
charm ?; Naughton cruises to victory 16:38
3. St. Anthony's...seem to have an aversion for 3.1
on their home course; petered out in last mile; don't
count them out yet
4. Regis...1st Sectional Championship; eke a
tiebraker win over St. Peter's; nice picture of squad and Coach
Johnny
5. St. Peter's...a threat for State Qualifier at
Cities; rounding to true form
6. Xavier...with Redden they win New York Section;
the big show is less than two weeks away
7. Moore Catholic...finish one-two as individuals,
but still not enough help; I've been harping on this
all year
8. Xaverian...nice victory in BQ, albeit in weak
section
9. Fordham Prep...still trying to get all the pieces
together; you never know
10. Archbishop Molloy...finished well behind the
Clippers; have probably run out of time
11. St. Joseph by the Sea...keep running the same
plebeian times
12. Bishop Ford...have stepped it up each week, but
fail to be a solid threat
13. Monsignor McClancy...a disappointment in BQ after
recent good run
14. LaSalle...need a 5th scorer to emerge from the
back loop; are dead meet in a race the size of the
Cities
15. Mt.St.Michael...edge out the Terriers for dubious
distinction of 15th spot

 

The Buckley Rankings: Week of October 21

1. Chaminade...stay on top, despite what State Rankings say, until beaten head to head (they haven't been yet)
2. Kellenberg Memorial...quality 6th to monster team from Haddonfield at Easterns; Naughton 12:58 & Hyland 13:23 have top CHSAA times at VCP
3. St. Anthony's...lying low for big NSCHSAA shoot-out Sunday at Sunken Meadow
4. Xavier...5th in "B" Easterns; two quality performances
5. Moore Catholic...7th in Varsity I at Brown Invitational (can Marty organize and run his own meet?) 
6. Xaverian...10th in "B" Easterns; showed guts entering this division; got two excellent performances as a result
7. Regis...moderate effort for 2nd in Easterns "C"
8. Fordham Prep...when are we going to see all seven runners on the line ( I'll take even seeing four of them)
9. Archbishop Molloy...continue their slow ascent from the abyss for 3rd in Easterns "C"
10. St. Joseph by the Sea...lost continent of Atlantis (Staten Island)
11. St. Peter's...what were they doing the the Championship race at Easterns?; took a major pounding in the race and the rankings
12. Monsignor McClancy...waiting in the wings
13. Bishop Ford...6th in Easterns "C" wasn't much
14. St. Francis Prep...3rd in Easterns "D" breaks into the leader (trailer) board; goodbye Lenny
15. LaSalle...squeak by Mount to re-enter the fifteen

 

Week Ending 10/14 - Technological backslide sees Buckley unable to navigate email this week.  Don't worry, he'll be back like the Yanks (take 'em over Seattle in 6).

 

Week Ending 10/7/01 - Note: this week's version does not reflect results from Clinton Invite, which are still MIA

1. Chaminade...not so close 2nd to Manchester, NH at St. Anthony's invite; devastating performance by JV; plenty of depth
2. St. Anthony's...2nd again to Arlington; nothing wrong with that effort
3. Kellenberg Memorial...took the weekend off for Columbus Day festivities (more practice)
4. Moore Catholic...victorious at Clove Lake in preview of Staten Island Champs; Biggs & Finnegan run one-two; but, the island is weak this year?
5. Xavier...fine top two in 5th place finish to Arlington/St. Anthony's
6. Regis...3rd in Small Schools at St. Anthony's, but did not look that good
7. St. Peter's...2nd to Moore, but no runner got within an area code of the Maverick's top two
8. Fordham Prep...resurfaced by winning the "Brewster Bear" Invite; is this like being the smartest girl in Bensonhurst?
9. Xaverian...5th in A-II at Grout; better five man average than other New Yorkers
10. St. Joseph by the Sea...did not have to leave the island to place a distant 3rd
11. Mt.St.Michael...still getting into shape
12. Iona Prep...crack the magical fifteen with 5th place in A-I at Grout
13. Archbishop Molloy...stop the bleeding
14. St. John the Baptist...did not show much at Sunken Meadow
15. La Salle

 

Newsflash!!!!  We wish to report that this week's edition of the Buckley Rankings marks the very first successfully sent email by one Kevin Buckley.  Welcome to the nineties, coach!!

Week Ending September 30September 30

1. Chaminade -resting on their laurels; but #'s 2 & 3 got a little closer
2. St. Anthony's  - bested Kellenberg in dual meet (26-30); solid 2nd to Arlington at Bowdoin Park
3. Kellenberg Memorial  - rebounded with 1st place at Bowdoin over Horace Greeley and  Cornwall; fastest 5 man average at meet
4. Xavier - OK effort at McQuaid; steady improvement
5. Moore Catholic - needs to regroup or will drop down further
6. Regis - nice 2nd in Class race at McQuaid; no blown save by Italian Johnny
7. St. Peter's - still looking for improvement; a late season threat?
8. St. Joseph Sea - two quality scorers; others are getting there
9. Fordham Prep - lurking somewhere between here and Rochester
10.MT. St. Michael runners getting in shape 
11.Xavierian - need more guys in the 14:00's
12.St. John the Baptist - when are they going to show the necessary five scorers?
13.Archbishop Molloy - major disappointment
14.LaSalle - top three fine, but looking to draft or trade for additional scorers (check waiver wire)
15.Monsignor Farrell - hanging on for dear life

 

Week Ending September 23
1 Chaminade Reloaded from last year; solid 2nd to Shen at Guilderland
2 Kellenberg Reality Check at Guilderland?; raced better than appeared
3 St. Anthony's Easily handled suspect field (in suspect times) at Sunken Meadow
4 Moore Catholic Biggs wins Junior race at VCP, only to lose to computer-generated Chris Smith in results
5 Xavier Nothing great at VCP, but seems to show a greater number of enthusiastic bodies than everybody else
6 St. Peter's Less than scintillating at Somers, but potential threat
7 Regis Solid core group
8 Molloy Not a great beginning at Regis
9 Fordham Prep Lying low for debut...U of Oregon program?
10 St. John the Needs five scorers
11 Farrell Even after viewing Saturday results, can't get barometer on these 5 teams, 
12 Xaverian
13 St. Joe sea
14 Mt. St. Michael
15 Iona Prep

 

Pre-Season Rankings
1 Chaminade Defending Varsity & JV champs; enough said
2 Kellenberg #3 last year; look for better as class of 2003 won CHSAA soph title
3 St. Anthony's Big loss in Millioen and Hopkins, can talented soph group aid returnees?
4 Moore Catholic Small team with big heart and three quality
5 Fordham Prep Gerry takes over for George; "Gerry's kids" came back in shape
6 St. Peter's Excellent outdoor relay; can they cross country?
7 Molloy Keep failing to run to potential; still dangerous
8 Regis Won
9 Xavier Dormer decimated by graduation
10 Farrell  Cuffe in same boat as Dormer; man overboard
11 Xaverian McCartney has always touted this junior class
12 St. Joe Sea 2 solid performers; need more to advance (not the Staten Island Advance (OUCH!))
13 St. John Baptist Program headed in right direction; killer top man
14 Mount another gaggle of half milers
15 Iona Prep need to reverse precipitous decline


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