BEST OF THE WEEK: Cain makes promising pro debut
Mary Cain is still at Bronxville HS in New York, with seemingly every intention to complete her senior year as a student. As an athlete, her status as a new professional – after the incredible 2013 when she made the IAAF World Championship 1500 final and broke HS records at seven indoor and outdoor distances – has those who chronicle the sport in some disagreement as to how to categorize her. She is still eligible to compete in NSAF meets, like New Balance Indoor (NBNI) and Outdoor (NBNO) Nationals and is ranked on our (Jim Spier’s) top 5 lists. Of course she is not eligible to compete at Bronxville by NFHS standards and Track and Field News has said since she is a pro, her current performances will no longer be considered for lists and records. Web sites like DyeStat.com and Milesplit.com, however, still rank her on their lists.
It’s doubtful much of this mattered to Cain as she started her first campaign with the Oregon Project last weekend at the Gotham Cup. Running what was described as a “workout,” she looked pretty impressive racing near the bottom of her range at 500 meters – where she was 2nd to veteran Jamaican sprinter Sophia Smellie (a 52.38 400 runner) with a 1:12.43 that ranks US#1 and #7 all-time – then negative splitting a US#1 2:08.51 800. Her coach, Alberto Salazar, talked with the media about her progress in improving her form, where a great deal of time and effort has been spent. In terms of her times and efforts, she looked like someone who would soon be ready to race the pros again – at least as well as last year, if not better.
Hall, Ries and Watt make noise in Colorado
Colorado has a healthy group of top national class stars who, when they compete in the winter, are typically found in USATF, club and open meets at collegiate facilities there. One of the state’s top standouts – 2012 NBNI 60H champ and 2013 World Youth 100H silver medalist Dior Hall – debuted Jan. 4 at the USATF-Colorado All-Comers I meet (U. of Colorado’s Balch Fieldhouse in Boulder) and was credited with a 8.2 hand clocking at 60H when the timer missed the start. But last weekend at the Air Force All-Comers meet (Cadet Fieldhouse), there were no timing issues and Hall zipped to a US#1 8.27 – just .10 off her 8.17 PR that ranks #2 all-time. There seems little doubt she’ll eventually get the HSR and will be favored to reclaim the NBNI crown.
Meanwhile, at the Fort Collins TC All-Comers meet (Balch Fieldhouse), World Youth medalist and Denver East senior Chyna Ries (competing for Denver Speed) – whose long, long list of long jump credentials includes two Simplot titles, victories at New Balance Boise Indoor and Great Southwest, and a 20-5.75 career best – leapt into the fray for 2014 with a US#1 20-1. She also ran a 7.54 60 dash, good for US#5 behind another effort by a top star – a US#1 7.49 by Speed T&F’s Alleandra Watt (Pine Creek, Boulder, junior). Watt also won the 300 in a US#6 39.82.
Dunbar, Warren beat barriers at the Boo
There are certain barriers in prep field events that, year and year out, when bettered immediately stamp the barrier-breaker as a national championship contender. Two of those for boys, indoors, are seven feet in the high jump and 50 feet in the triple jump – and they don’t often come this early in the season. Last week, Virginia fans witnessed the achievement of both standards in successive meets at the same facility.
At last Thursday’s second “Conference 1/9” meet at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Steven Dunbar (Tallwood, senior) got his HJ campaign off to a terrific start with a nation-leading 7-1 clearance. That beat the 7-0.25 in/out PR that earned Dunbar his runner-up finish at NBNO last June. The next night, again at the Boo, it was John Warren’s turn. The Prince George senior, whose family had relocated from Leavenworth KS, nailed a huge US#1 50-9.25 TJ – exceeded only in/out in his career by a wind-aided 50-10-.25 at Kansas 5A state last May. Warren won the Caribbean Scholastic Invite (CSI) last spring and then was 3rd in the NBNO triple. That was all after a 10th at NBNI in March, a placing he’ll likely look to improve dramatically in two months.
Holloway, Moore continue virtual battle
Who will end up this winter with the nation’s best times at 55 hurdles (and 60H, too) and who will be the best combined hurdler/jumper? Soph Grant Holloway (Grassfield, Chesapeake, VA) had been hot all winter, with a soph class record-tying 7.32 55H back in mid-December and a triple in the Jan. 3-4 Southeastern Invite that included a 7.39, a then-US#1 6-10 high jump and a 34.43 300. Then last weekend at the Suffolk Stars Invite (Boo Williams Sportsplex, Hampton VA), he focused mainly on the hurdles, where he lowered that soph record to a US#1 7.28 on Friday night.
But what about Isaiah Moore? Same weekend, next day, the Cummings (Burlington, NC) senior matched Holloway with a 7.28 of his own in the Durham Striders Invite (UNC’s Smith Field House, Chapel Hill), improving his one-time HSL of 7.37, and jacked up his indoor long jump PR – which had stood more than a year – to a US#2 23-11.5. That means the two star athletes share the lead in one event, and are each US#2 in another. One can only hope they match up soon, hopefully at NBNI, if not before.
Killer range for VA’s Hagen
Kenneth Hagen (Blacksburg, VA senior) had already proven he had a wicked combination of endurance and speed. But what’s he’s doing now is beginning to elevate him among the better wide-ranging talents. At last weekend’s Liberty Flames Invite (Lynchburg), he put together a freaky good two-day triple. Friday, he took a strong 1,600 from fine distance runners like Andrew Goldman (Herndon) and Louis Colson (Thomas Edison), running a PR 4:19.90. Saturday, he rolled to a 2:33.42 victory in the 1,000 (his PR is a US#4 2:30.46), then less than an hour later, blazed a US#4 1:05.91 winner in the 500.
But the 500 and 1,600 hardly represent the limits of Hagen’s range. Last spring, he ran as fast as 23.75 and 50.47 for 200 and 400. He was a big cog on numerous relays for Coach James Demarco’s squad and his main individual event – not surprisingly – is the 800, where he hit 1:52.98 for a best and 1:53.27 for 5th in his section (14th overall) at NBNO. Then in the fall, he was good enough in XC to place 7th (3rd man) for Blacksburg’s 3A state champs. He took 44th in the Great American ROC and 37th at NXN Southeast. He’s reportedly transitioning to more of an 800/1600 runner this year and it will be fascinating to follow his journey.
Zallows fire up Ohio action
The indoor season in Ohio, administered by the state’s coaches association (OATCCC) doesn’t really get going until mid-January. During last weekend’s rollout, so to speak, the nation was introduced an athlete who it appears will be a major force in the short hurdles this winter, as well as the sprints and all hurdles races in the spring. Chad Zallow (John F. Kennedy, Warren, OH junior) at the Jerome Fields Open (Akron) Saturday, ripped a 7.98 60H prelim, then smoked a US#1 7.84 in the final – leaping past more established stars like Marlon Humphrey and Isaiah Moore on the national list. He added to that with a 22.06 200 on the Akron oversized oval.
The next day, many of those beyond Ohio and not as familiar with the scene might have done a double take when they saw the Zallow name again at the first Youngstown State series stop on the circuit, with a US#9 6.91 60 and a 22.58 200. But wait, that was Chad’s senior brother Carl with those smoking performances. Carl sticks to the sprints, where last spring he was the state D3 champ in the 100. Chad likes both sprints and hurdles, but obviously prefers the latter, where he was 110H/300H state champ and 2nd in the AAU JO 400H. He was best at 300H, where his 36.87 makes him the nation’s #3 returnee – but last weekend makes it clear his speed has improved, too.
National list assault at Texas A&M
The great wealth and breadth of talented prep tracksters in Texas have just a few opportunities indoors in their home state to show what they’ve got. The first major such opportunity now comes at Texas A&M, where the relatively new facility hosts its early January Invite. Typically, among other events, the lists in the 60, 200, 400 and 60 hurdles get some wholesale revisions – and this year was no exception.
The girls achieved best, hitting a pair of new national leaders to top things off: In the 200, Danyel White (Cedar Hill, soph) rolled a 24.44 prelim Friday, then settled for a 24.55 win on Saturday. At twice the distance, Jarra Owens (Fort Bend, senior) spotted out-of-stater Briyanna Desrosiers (North Lawndale Charter, Chicago, senior) a US#1 55.50 Friday (while she ran 56.49), then overtook it with a 55.19 winner Saturday. But the depth impressed at least as much. In the 200, seven girls ran under 25.20 and took seven of the top 15 on the national list. In the 400, it was five under 57.50 and five of the top 10. Meanwhile, at 60H, Alexis Duncan (DeSoto soph) ripped a US#2 8.51 for a big win and four girls ran 8.85 or better, taking four of the top eight. In the flat 60, it was I’Shunique Hamilton (Cedar Hill soph) with a US#3 7.53, leading five under 7.70 and in the top 15.
Not far behind were the boys. The 200 was best, with nine at 22.35 or better (top 15). Devante Lacy (Klein Oak, senior) had the best prelim at US#2 21.95, but was DQ’d in the final as Darius Mitchell (Killeen Harker Heights, senior) edged Malik Wilson (Brenham, senior), US#4 21.99 to #5 22.00. Four ran under 7.00 in the 60, with a US#6 6.87 from out-of-stater Chris Lewis (Lakeside, LA senior) taking the win. Four hurdlers went under 8.25, with Isaiah Johnson (Bryan Rudder, senior) prevailing in US#7 8.12.
Northport’s distance depth
We knew Northport (NY) had a deep distance crew, but how many times have you seen someone do what they did last Saturday? At the Molloy Stanner Games at the NYC Armory, senior Tim McGowan, junior Mike Brannigan and Tim’s twin, Jack McGowan, took 1-2-3 in the 3,200 for the with times of 9:17.96, 9:17.99 and 9:21.06. Now sure, there have been distance programs that have put together faster trios or are even deeper at that distance, but such a collective performance in this still-early season fixture was emphatic. 4 x 3,200 relay, anyone?
Brannigan’s talents garnered significant attention during the late fall as he captured the NXN Northeast race and the national media learned of his tremendous athletic and personal development while living with autism. His team made it to Portland, where they were a solid 11th. The week before, he won the Hispanic Games mile in 4:17.04. Meanwhile, Tim McGowan actually has a 3,200 best of 8:59.81 from state last year, and it’s clear that the group not only can go faster, but could put together a fine 4x1 Mile, too.
More of last week's best ...
BOYS SPRINTS
The most dynamic event of the week in this category was the 500, where two ran faster than the previous US#1 and four of the best five performances of the season to date were achieved. The 500s at the Montgomery Invite (PG Sportsplex, Landover, MD) are almost always strong, and 2014 was no exception as Marcelle Preston (Largo, Upper Marlboro, MD senior) edged Justin Marsh (Howard, Ellicott City, MD senior), 1:05.15 to 1:05.24 – the nation’s best two times so far. Then there was the above-mentioned 1:05.77 by Kenneth Hagen, who was challenged by the US#5 1:06.17 by Daniel Johnsen (South Lakes, Reston, VA senior). And if that wasn’t enough, Chase Heiner (Centreville, Clifton, VA senior) captured the Suffolk Stars Invite with US#7 1:06.26.
The 600 saw a pair of performances right around 1:21, with Jake Burcham (Half Hollow Hills East, Dix Hills NY senior) dominating the Stanner 600 with US #3 1:20.84 and Zachery Emrich (North Kingstown, RI senior) ruled the Rhody Classic (Kingston) with US#4 1:21.01. Emrich was the New England champ last winter in the event and both ran NBNI and/or NBNO 800s last year. Top flight 400 action over the weekend, however, was limited outside of the Texas A&M action.
The big 300 performance of the weekend came at Stanner, where Anton Porter (Mount St. Michael, Bronx, NY senior) smoked a 34.33 prelim and a US#3 34.27 final. He’s also still US#6 in the 200 despite an onslaught of good marks in that event, mainly from (again) Texas A&M. There were two other marks in the low 22s last week – both on oversize tracks – the Chad Zallow 22.06 (above) and a 22.01 (6th vs. collegians/elites) at the Air Force meet from Jai’Shawn Thompson (Fountain-Fort Carson, CO, senior).
In the 60, there was one mark faster than the Chris Lewis winner at College Station. Michael Wells (Cleveland NJROTC, St. Louis, MO senior) blasted a PR US#4 6.85 in the first Big River Running series meet at U. of Missouri’s Hearnes Field House. He emerged with Class 2 state titles in the 100 and 200 last spring, then placed 3rd and 4th in the same at Great Southwest. The top 55s of the week came from Jahmaal Daniel (Terry Sanford, Fayetteville, NC senior) and Darryl Haraway (DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville MD junior). Daniel, who is already US#2 at 60m (6.81), dashed a 6.35 at the Durham Striders meet that earned him the same position at the shorter distance. Haraway, #3 at 60m, dashed a US#7 6.40 to take the Montgomery 55.
GIRLS SPRINTS
For the first time this winter, the 7-second barrier was surpassed in the girls’ 55 meters. Shania Collins (Huntingtown, MD senior) captured significant attention with a terrific PR double at Montgomery, her 6.95 55 taking the national lead and 39.12 300 moving to US#2. The latter saw her beat standout Toni Brown (Milford Mill, Gwynn Oak, MD senior) 39.86 and Simone Glenn (Bullis, Potomac, MD senior) 39.96. The other sub-7 was clocked by super soph Carminique Hackney (Cary, NC) with a 6.99 to take the Durham Striders meet.
Otherwise, the top sprint performances from 60 to 400 were mostly achieved in the previously mentioned Texas A&M and Colorado meets. But in the 500, Ellison Grove (Battlefield, Haymarket, VA senior) dropped a spot on the list to US#3 after Mary Cain’s HSL, but improved her time with a 1:15.44 to rule the Liberty Flames meet. The Montgomery 500 wasn’t as fast, but very close as London Freeland (Dunbar, Washington, DC senior) 1:16.43 nipped Sharon Dorsey (Western Tech, Catonsville, MD senior) 1:16.45 and Sidney Hayes (McDonogh, Owings Mill, MD senior) 1:16.74.
Rhode Island girls ran well at 600, with Abigail Livingston (Barrington, senior) setting a meet record US#3 1:34.87 at the Dartmouth Relays and Maddy Berkson (Classical, Providence, senior) running away at Rhody in US#5 1:35.52.
BOYS and GIRLS HURDLES
There were some more strong performances behind Grant Holloway and Isaiah Moore (see above) during their respective list-leading 55H victories. Charles Graham (Phoebus, Hampton, VA senior) hurdled to a US#3 7.38 for 2nd at the Suffolk meet trailing Holloway, while Damian Silver (Nash Central, Rocky Mount, NC senior) =US#4 7.51, Marcus Krah (Hillside, Durham, NC soph) US#6 7.52, and Emmanuel Jackson (Sanderson, Raleigh, NC junior) US#9 7.55 chased Moore in the Striders meet. Another notable 55H race came at Dartmouth, where Jay Hebert (Ticonderoga, NY senior) outran Jordan Samuels (Boston College, MA senior), =US#4 7.51 to US#11 7.58.
In the boys’ 60H, the Chad Zallow list-leader and Texas A&M action has been mentioned, but the finish beyond Zallow showed Ohio’s depth as Rameses Owens (Shaker Heights, senior) 8.08 and Matthew Bernadowski (Elizabeth Forward, senior) 8.09 zipped to US#5 and #6. And in a prelim at Akron, multis standout Steele Wasik qualified 3rd with US#7 8.12 (then bypassed the final). Wasik is the #2 returnee in the decathlon and competed in the NBNI pentathlon last March, too.
The top of the girls’ 55H list was relatively unchanged, save for the 8.12 victory for Jacklyn Howell (Southeast Raleigh, NC senior) in the Striders meet, moving her up a notch to US#5. The 60H list was revised by Hall and the Texas A&M girls, with the exception being a US#6 8.83 by Emily Lelis (Springdale, PA senior) at the Youngstown OH meet.
BOYS DISTANCES
While the Texas A&M meet is known primarily for its quality in the sprints and hurdles, a few of the better Lone Star State distance runners compete on occasion to start their seasons as well. This year’s prime example was Austen Dalquist (Keller, senior), who impressed with a US#6 4:17.81 mile / US#9 9:25.90 2-mile double, easily winning both. US#1 miler Gabe Montague (Newton North, senior), with his 4:15.82 best, continued his string of fast times with a 4:17.43 in a Bay State Conference meet – the week’s best effort.
Sean Kelly (Chaminade, NY senior) and Jack Salisbury (La Salle, RI soph) didn’t break 4:20, but fared well in competitive miles as Kelly won the Stanner race in US#10 4:20.27 and Salisbury was the top U.S. prep at Dartmouth, .04 behind Canadian Charles Cooper with his US#8 4:20.06. And though his mark ranks below several milers when converted, Luke Gavigan prefaced big things to come with the season’s fastest 1,600: a 4:18.8h at a Section 1 league meet.
In the 3,200, beyond the Northport standouts there was another sub-9:20 by a New Yorker as Aidan Tooker (Saratoga Springs, soph) won the Southern Tier Invite (Cornell’s Barton Hall) in 9:19.76. In the less-frequently contested 3k, Dominic Deluca (Dallas, PA senior) ran 8:44.63 at the Lebanon Valley College Invite for a US#3.
At 800 and 1k, the best marks came from New Yorkers at Dartmouth: Jake Johnson (Colonie, soph) clocked a 1:56.58 winner in the shorter race for a US#6, while Mickey Burke (Rush-Henrietta, senior) rolled to a US#6 2:30.58 triumph in the 5-lapper.
GIRLS DISTANCES
There were no new sub-5 milers last week, but new leaders at 1,500 and 1,600, Maddie Berkson (Classical, RI senior) and Caroline Alcorta (Springfield, VA senior) doubled the number of events which they pace so far this year. In the 1,500, Berkson ran a 4:40.8h in a dual meet, close to the equivalent of her US#2 4:59.07 mile; she also paces the country at 3k. Similarly, US#3 miler Laura Leff (West Genesee, NY senior) clocked a US#2 4:42.44 1,500. At 1,600, Alcorta notched a 4:57.61 at the Suffolk meet to add to her 3,200 #1; the 1,600 converts to about US#4 including the milers.
Five girls have run 2:57 or faster for 1k now after Leah Triller (Holy Names, NY senior) and Jazmine Fray (Kellenberg Memorial, NY junior) did it last weekend. Triller clocked US#4 2:57.36 to win Dartmouth, while Fray triumphed in the Stanner race at US#5 2:57.59. After Mary Cain, the best 800 came from Jessica Harris (Mount De Sales, MD senior), who won Montgomery at 2:14.14.
Stanner had a good 3k, as well, with busy Bella Burda (Arlington, NY junior) – US#1 in the mile already – victorious in US#2 9:55.85. Three more performances stood out at various distances: a US#6 5:02.05 mile at a JDL All-Comers meet (Winston-Salem, NC) by NBN veteran Ryen Frazier (Ravenscroft, NC junior), kicking off her season; a US#4 10:46.313,200 by Stephanie Jenks (Linn-Mar, IA soph) at the Big River meet; and an unlooked-for 10:01.05 3k by unheralded Kyandra Chandler (Nettleton, AR junior) in the Saluki Open (SIU, Carbondale, IL).
BOYS JUMPS
Steven Dunbar didn’t have the only outstanding high jump last weekend; he just led the increase in jumpers at 6-10 or better from one to four. In addition to previous US leader Grant Holloway (6-10), Landon Bartel (Southern Boone County, MO senior) boomed a lifetime best US#2 6-10.75 at Big River and John Seals (West Springfield, VA senior) notched a PR 6-10 at Suffolk to tie Holloway now at US#3. There are now 15 who’ve done 6-8 or better.
In the pole vault, US#1 Noah Gilfillan (Corsicana, TX senior) couldn’t match his 17-1 best at Texas A&M, but still won impressively with 16-3.25, while Jacob Wooten (Tomball, TX senior) was barely short of his previous standard in 2nd at 15-11.25. The weekend’s new 16-footers for the season came from the Striders meet, where Harry Glasser came up from Florida (Bolles, senior) to hit 16-0, and at the Texas PV Roundup (Joshua HS) – where Barrett Poth (Klein Oak, TX senior) also hit 16-0. Seven have now cleared that barrier in 2013-14.
The previously mentioned efforts of John Warren (triple jump) and Isaiah Moore (long jump) where easily the best horizontals of the week. No one else beat 23 in the long jump, while a US#6 47-6.25 by Devon Willis (Schalmont, NY senior) at the Southern Tier meet was the best new entry to the list in the triple.
GIRLS JUMPS
The nation’s top returning vaulter, Desiree Freier (Justin Northwest, TX senior), put some distance between herself and the rest of the country with a 13-6 clearance at the TX Roundup. That matches her 2013 indoor PR and is 3” short of her outdoor best. She was a World Youth finalist last summer. A good battle at Texas A&M saw Meagan Gray (Hays Buda, TX junior and Nicole Summersett (Austin Westlake, TX junior) both hit US#5 12-8.25, with Gray winning on misses. Also, at the Striders meet, prodigal frosh Carson Dingler (First Presbyterian Day, Macon GA) improved her PR to 12-6 in getting the victory.
The other Texas A&M jumps were solid, too, particularly Asa Garcia (Texas City, TX junior) US#4 39-3 triple jump and Samiyah Samuels (Cypress Springs, TX soph) US#7 18-10.75 long jump. US#1 TJ’er McKyla Brooks (Frontier, NY junior) didn’t beat her best, but swept the horizontals at Dartmouth with 18-0.75 and 38-9.25. The week’s best high jump was a US#2 5-8 by Crystal Jones (Colonial Forge, VA junior) at the Liberty meet.
BOYS and GIRLS THROWS
The girls’ shot list behind runaway national leader Raven Saunders improved, with nine now at 44 feet or better. Lena Giger (Highland, IL senior) elevated to US#2 in her seasonal debut with a big 48-7.5 at the Big River meet. At the Air Force meet, Mariah Walker (Sand Creek, CO senior) notched a big PR to start off with 45-11.75, making it to US#4. In the boys’ shot put, Felipe Valencia (La Joya Palmview, TX senior) added three feet to his outdoor best from last year with a 63-6 at Texas A&M, good for US#2. With Rashad Manning (Riverdale Baptish, MD junior) improving to 61-4.75 in his Montgomery victory and Luke Lewis (Hickory, PA senior) debuting at Youngstown with a big 61-3.25 PR, we have five now over 61 feet for the season.
In the girls indoor weight, Gabby Figueroa (Austintown Fitch, OH senior) started her campaign with a US#2 57-7 at Youngstown. Earlier, Leia Mistowski (Narragansett, RI senior) notched a big US#4 54-10.5 PR in a dual meet. Outdoors, Kamryn Brinson (Marist, GA soph) improved her US#2 to 56-9.25. For the boys, indoor US leader Adam Kelly (Barrington, RI junior) didn’t PR, but had a nice win at Dartmouth with 71-5. Joe Ellis (Eastlake, WA senior) became the third this winter behind Kelly to get in the 67s with a 67-1.5. Outdoors, Kamryn Brinson’s brother Kenneth improved to 72-2.25 to move into a US#2 spot.
BOYS and GIRLS RELAYS
The Friday night medleys at Dartmouth usually at least come close to new national leaders. The girls distance medley set a new HSL as the powerhouse at La Salle (RI) went 12:18.44 for the win. Cambridge Rindge and Latin (MA) did the same in the girls sprint medley at 4:14.87, but that mark was beaten twice over the rest of the weekend, with Wilbur Cross (CT) hitting 4:13.24 at the SCC Coaches Invite (New Haven) Saturday and Dracut (MA) clocking 4:12.52 Sunday at the MSTCA Div. 3 State Relays (Reggie Lewis) – anchored by 2:10 performer Karina Shepard.
In the other girls’ relays, Milford Mill (MD) moved atop the 4x400 list with a 3:57.23 winner at Montgomery. Parkland NC’s 1:41.80 at the Liberty meet was US#2 and excellent on a flat track.
On the boys’ side, there were new entries in the US#2-#5 spots on the 4x400 list, starting with a US#2 3:21.52 by Arlington Martin, competing as Running Warriors at the Texas A&M meet (clubs only). Knightdale (NC) had a strong 3:21.74 on the flat track at UNC in the Striders meet, while the Stanner meet featured a good 1-2 between Old Bridge (NJ) at 3:22.10 and Newburgh (NY) 3:22.59.