Hasay wins second national cross-country title

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Jordan Hasay overcame a huge deficit to win her second Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, beating a field that included three past champions.

The senior from Mission College Prep in Arroyo Grande, Calif., came from behind in the final 200 meters to pass Allie McLaughlin and defending champion Ashley Brasovan and win the 5-kilometer race in 17 minutes, 22 seconds. She also took the title as a freshman in 2005.

Solomon Haile ran away with the boys' race, winning in 15:15, 7 seconds faster than Trevor Dunbar of Kodiak (Alaska) High and 11 ahead of Thomas Porter of Mountain View High in Fredericksburg, Va.

Haile, from Sherwood High in Silver Spring, Md., was near the front for much of the race and pulled away near the end. The Ethiopian-born senior finished his season undefeated.

"It's a great way to end the season," he said. "I thought I would get more competition, but it was easier than I thought it would be."

McLaughlin, a senior from Air Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., went out fast, running alone much of the race and leading by up to 10 seconds.

"We thought (McLaughlin) might go out fast," Hasay said. "I was surprised that we didn't catch her sooner, but she stayed strong. I was tired at one point, but I knew I had a good finish and I had to use it."

Brasovan, of Wellington (Fla.) High, passed McLaughlin with around 450 meters to go and appeared to be in control until Hasay got a second wind and blew past her down the stretch.

Brasovan finished in 17:25 and Megan Goethals of Rochester (Mich.) High was third in 17:30. McLaughlin was fifth in 17:34.

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