Ley and Hall to compete at Foot Locker national cross-country meet

Chelsea Ley hopes to make the most of her last race.

Ley, a senior for Kingsway, will run cross-country for the last time as a high school athlete at the Foot Locker Nationals Saturday in San Diego.

Haddonfield senior Marielle Hall also will compete in the race in Balboa Park.

Ley, who competed in the event as a sophomore and junior, has high hopes for the final high school cross country race of her illustrious career.

"I really want to finish in the top five," Ley said. "This is my last cross country race for high school. I really hope to do well."

Ley and Hall qualified for Saturday's race by finishing in the top 10 at the Foot Locker Northeast Regionals on Nov. 28 at Sunken Meadow Park on Long Island. Ley was third in 18 minutes, 33 seconds, while Hall was fifth in 18:36.

"I'm looking forward to the competition," Hall said. "It's going to be exciting to compete against so many good runners."

Hall said this was her first visit to California.

"It's going to be a new experience," Hall said. "I'm really fortunate to have this kind of opportunity through running. I want to do well but mostly I want to make the most of the opportunity."

Ley said she was wide-eyed in San Diego as a sophomore and a lot more focused last year. Ley was 18th in 2007 in 18:04 and eighth last year in 17:49.

"My first year out there the whole experience was overwhelming," Ley said. "Last year, I just felt a lot more comfortable. I'm hoping I feel even better this year and run my best race."