Here are some of the reasons that show why Phyllis Blanchard was chosen as the 2002 runner of the year.
Blanchard was the dominant runner in almost ever race she ran in this year. She began the year with a huge win over Robinson, Conley & Handel at the Rancho Cotate Invitational and ended the regular season with the best place and time at the state meet, fourth division I (18:18).
In between those two races she won three other Invitationals including the prestigious Stanford division I race. She added a fourth major win at the North Coast Section Championships, the only Empire runner to win a section.
Her only head-to-head loses to Empire runners were to Robinson and Leland at league and a tri meet to Robinson. The only other blemish on her record was running a slower time than Handel, Conley & Robinson at NCS, but they were in division II which none of them won while Blanchard won her division I race.
(by Cameron Potter)
Here are the actual won lose records.
Head-to-head
Blanchard 2-2 Robinson Robinson 1-1 Leland
Blanchard 4-1 Leland Robinson 4-2 Handel
Blanchard 3-0 Handel Robinson 4-2 Conley
Blanchard 4-0 Conley Leland 2-0 Handel
Leland 3-0 Conley
Handel 12-2 Conley
Head-to-head
plus time comparisons verses others for State, NCS, Stanford & Viking Opener
Blanchard 5-3 Robinson Robinson 2-3 Leland
Blanchard 4-1 Leland Robinson 4-2 Handel
Blanchard 5-1 Handel Robinson 4-3 Conley
Blanchard 6-1 Conley Leland 2-2 Handel
Leland 3-2 Conley
Handel 12-2 Conley
MAJOR WINS
Blanchard
NCS D-I Championships
Santa Clarita Invitational
Stanford D-I Invitational
Cow Chip Invitational
Rancho Cotate Invitational
plus five tri-meets
Robinson
North Bay League Finals
Cal Poly Invitational
Viking Opener F/S
plus three tri-meets
Leland
Clovis Invitational
plus three tri-meets
Handel
two tri-meets
2002 Season Records of top five State D-I D-II Blanchard 4th-18:18 Conley 9th-18:23 Handel 14th-18:31 Leland 12th-18:34 Robinson 21st-18:43 NCS D-I D-II Handel 2nd-17:48 K. Conley 3rd-18:06 Robinson 4th-18:20 Blanchard 1st-18:21 LeSieur 5th-18:28 E. Conley 8th-18:41 Leland 2nd-18:45 NBL Finals Robinson 17:44 Leland 17:47 Blanchard 17:56 Handel 18:26 Conley 18:40 10/30 League Meets Blanchard 1st Vs Ursuline Leland 15:55 Robinson 16:49 Sweaney 19:29 Handel 19:30 Sorentino 19:31 Walsh 19:34 Conley 19:35 Mt. Sac Invitational Handel 8th-18:13 Conley 19th-18:32 10/23 League Meets Blanchard 16:06 Shibata 17:44 Mullin 17:45 Leland 17:48 Robinson 17:39 Handel 17:47 Conley 17:59 Mariner Invitational Handel 2nd Cal Poly Invitational Robinson 1st 10/16 League Meets Robinson 17:43 Blanchard 18:09 Leland 19:53 Handle 20:35 Sweaney 21:29 Blake 21:47 Conley 21:47 Santa Clarita Invitational Blanchard 1st Clovis Invitational Leland 1st Serra Crystal Springs Invitational Handel 5th Conley 6th 10/9 League Meets Blanchard 15:51 Handel 16:34 Conley 16:45 Leland 1st vs Ursuline & Santa Rosa Stanford Invitational D-I D-II Blanchard 1-18:01 Robinson 6-18:11 Handel 8-18:15 Conley 14-18:39 9/25 Meets Blanchard 1st vs. Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor Robinson 1st vs. Petaluma, Casa Grande Handel 18:23 Hendricks 19:06 Conley 19:07 Cow Chip Invitational Blanchard 1st Iolani Invitational Handel 4th-20:37 Hendricks 13th-21:17 E. Conley 26th-21:34 K. Conley 41st-21:50 9/18 Meets Blanchard 18:16 Robinson 19:10 Handel 17:54 Hendricks 18:04 Conley 18:14 Viking Opener Sr/Jr So/Fr Blanchard 3rd-11:38 Leland 4th-11:47 Conley 5th-11:56 Robinson 1st-11:57 Rancho Cotate Invitational Blanchard 15:49 Robinson 16:26 Conley 16:43 Handel 16:48