What To Expect From Sydney Masciarelli In Year 2 Of XC

Sep 12, 2019

For as much success as Sydney Masciarelli had in cross country a year ago, there might be one thing changing in 2019.

She may have lost her training partner.

That's what happens when hope turns into promise and promise turns into ridiculous talent. In having a perfect season in 2018, the Marianapolis Preparatory (CT) junior, MileSplit50 No. 2 athlete and reigning Foot Locker Nationals champion gave a little more inspiration to her brother, Salvatore Masciarelli, who ran nearly identical to his sister a year ago, both in races and in training.

More than a few people believe Sal, who owns a PR of 16:59.00 for 5K, has more in him this year.

"I think he, as a junior having a couple years experience running now and seeing Sydney have success last year, is more confident and was more motivated to train harder," Golden Knights coach Emily Gaudet said.

So Sydney's training might change in some ways--Sal might finally drop her on faster aerobic work-- and yet the goals remain the same. The rising junior opens her season September 21 at the Canterbury Invitational and has her eyes set on winning races and defending her Foot Locker Nationals title.

"It's kind of like, 'If it's not broke don't fix it,'" Gaudet said of the overall picture this November.

Right now, Masciarelli seems to be returning to Foot Locker.

"We'll see how the season goes. I'm sort of the coach that's not inclined to have her race two nationals; I think that's kind of excessive. But if she can do it and wants to, we can do it. We won't decide until much later."

"In terms of her mentality, I think she's more confident," Gaudet said. "It's her second season and not her first. She knows the meets. She knows the courses. She knows what to expect of herself. That's the biggest change."

About the only mark Masciarelli didn't accomplish in XC last year was breaking 17 minutes for 5K. She raced the distance competitively outside of her private school system just five times, including a fourth-place finish at the Mayors Cup in Boston when she passed Shalane Flanagan's under-18 record in 17:04.00.

Masciarelli was on the cusp of doing it at Foot Locker Nationals, though narrowly missed, finishing in 17:00.30, which netted her the eighth-fastest effort all-time on the course. Melody Fairchild holds a course record of 16:39.20, which she set in 1990 when the race was the Kinney Cross Country Championships.

But Masciarelli did accomplish that same feat on the track, hitting 16:16.20 on the clock. In doing so, she won two more national titles at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, claiming wins in the 5K and 2-mile.

Gaudet didn't lay out any major invitational additions this season. She said she she contacted directors for major meets in the New England area, New York and New Jersey, but that "because we're a private school, they won't let us compete."

So seeing Sydney go toe-to-toe with a national contender like Katelyn Tuohy over the regular season might be out of the picture.

It didn't matter a year ago, anyway.

And based on training thus far in 2019, Gaudet sees progress in her young starlet. She said Masciarelli has added mileage and is in "the mid to low 40s this season."

One huge difference-maker this fall? She's more certain of her ability.

"In terms of her mentality, I think she's more confident," Gaudet said. "It's her second season and not her first. She knows the meets. She knows the courses. She knows what to expect of herself. That's the biggest change."

Masciarelli also told a local paper recently that she may be considering dropping basketball in the winter to focus on running all together. It was basketball, in fact, that took precedent in recent years, with talks of Division I programs being interested in the hard-working 5-foot-10 guard.

But maybe the love of running is pulling away.

"I think cross-country is my best bet," Masciarelli told the Norwich Bulletin recently. "I love it a lot more (than basketball). It's something I can picture myself doing in the future."