The Syracuse cross country team heads into its season debut at Central Connecticut State tomorrow without its top runner.

John Bitok, first among SU finishers at last year’s Big East Championships, won’t run competitively until later this month because he’s training on a different schedule than the rest of the Orangemen, coach Jay Hartshorn said.

Bitok also might not run in the Orange Classic at SU on Sept. 21, Hartshorn said.

This weekend’s Blue Devil Invitational will give the team a chance to evaluate its lineup and develop a long-term strategy.

‘It’s a stepping stone to where we want to be for our teams,’ said Hartshorn, whose 35-runner roster features 12 freshmen.

And as those freshmen prepare to conquer the men’s 8K and women’s 6K courses — more strenuous than the traditional high school 5K races — Hartshorn will look to returning runners to carry her teams.

Sophomores Tim Scarpinato, the men’s No. 2 runner, and Leah Folmsbee and senior Zelma Jackson, who compete for the women’s No. 1 spot, should lead the SU pack.

Both teams return every runner from last year’s team. The women’s roster now includes 18 runners, three times as many as last season.

“Personal player improvement is what we’re looking for,’ said Hartshorn, whose teams will make their first appearances at the Blue Devil Invitational.

The meet is also SU’s first opportunity to run against several Big East conference foes. The conference is stronger this year than in the past, Hartshorn said.

Indeed, the preseason NCAA coaches’ poll ranks four of Syracuse’s Big East opponents — Villanova, Georgetown, Providence and Notre Dame — among its top 25.

The Orange Classic, SU’s only home meet of the season, will take place at Drumlins Country Club, near South Campus. This year’s schedule will also take the team to Cornell, Maryland, Gardner Webb (N.C.), the Big East Championships in Boston and the NCAA regionals in the Bronx.

And with a daunting schedule ahead, Hartshorn is counting on a quick start from her young team.

Published on September 5, 2002 at 12:00 pm