NCRunners Elite Invite Recap (NSAF Select Meet): Saunders hits mighty 53-8.25 SP!

by Steve Underwood

The NCRunners Elite Invite is an NSAF Select Meet! Jim Spier on-site. Photo by Jeff George, NCRunners.com

NCRunners.com Coverage | JDL Track Site


HIGHLIGHTS

6 US#1s, including Raven Saunders shot put shocker!
  • US#1 53-8.25 G-SP by Raven Saunders (Burke, Charleston, S.C., sr), #4 all-time, improving her PR by more than 10 feet.  The monster put came on her 2nd throw during a series that also included a 50-5 on her final attempt and four fouls.  Three of the fouls were right sector fouls over 52 feet.  Coached by Herbert Johnson at Burke, Saunders started employing the spin technique last May.  Far back in 2nd but still with a US#5 PR of 43-1 was Alycia Springs (Mallard Creek, Charlotte, soph).
  • US#1 6.70 Invitational B-60 by Trentavis Friday (Cherryville, sr.), #18 all-time, beating a good US#2 6.81 by Jahmaal Daniel (Terry Sanford, Fayetteville, sr.) (previous US#1) as five ran 7.04 or better.  It was the first-ever indoor race for Friday, whose stunning breakthroughs last spring included a 10.37 100 for 2nd at Golden South.
  • US#1 8.68 Invitational G-60H by Jackyn Howell (Southeast Raleigh, sr), forging a solid .22 margin on the field.
  • US#1 3:57.59 G-4x400 by Parkland, prevailing over defending champ Wakefield 4:02.87. Parkland's splits were: 60.0, 58.8, 60.8, 58.0.
  • US#1 3:22.22 B-4x400 by defending champ Knightdale, winning a great battle over Southeast Raleigh US#2 3:22.88 (previous US#1). Knightdale's splits were: Marcell Johnson 52.0, Henry Kiedy 49.4, Corey Aikens 51.1, Marquavious Johnson 49.1.
  • US#1 1:06.29 B-500 by Bryce Ailshie (Dobyns Bennett, Kingsport, TN, jr.), topping Justin Marsh (Howard, Ellicott City, MD, sr.) 1:06.59.
Triple for Moore, double for Ellington! Lots more top 5s!
  • 23-6.5 B-LJ / 7.47 B-55H / 8.09 B-60H triple for Isaiah Moore (Cummings).  While he couldn’t top his seasonal bests in any of the three events, he still produced marks that no one (60H) or just one other person (55H, LJ) has beaten this winter.  He also was 4th in the HJ at 6-2.
  • US#2 49.17 B-400 by Marquavious Johnson (Knightdale, sr.), with runner-up Jamaree Murray (Southeast Raleigh) 49.45 and Saadiq Sweezer (Eastern Alamance, sr.) 49.82 also under 50.
  • US#2 57.29 G-400 by Layla White (Cary, sr), nipping Tamani Wilson (Maclay, Tallahassee, FL, soph) US#3 57.37 and 500 winner Tatiyana Caffey (Miller Grove, Lithonia, GA, jr.) US#4 58.06.
  • US#3 2:59.43 G-1000 / US#1 4:59.79 G-Mile double for Malia Ellington (Davidson, sr.).  She dominated the 1000 by more than 10 seconds, then won a closer race over Blake Dodge (West Carteret, Morehead City, sr.) US#2 5:02.41.
  • US#4 1:16.18 G-500 by Tatiyana Caffey (Miller Grove, Lithonia, GA, jr.), dominating the field.
  • US#4 7.70 Invitational G-60 by Charminique Hackney (Cary, soph), just beating favored 55 winner Ama-Selina Tchume (Wakefield, Raleigh, sr.) US#5 7.73.
  • US#4 4:24.90 B-1600 by Wyatt Maxey (Providence, Charlotte, sr.), overtaking Carson Ellersby (Leesville Road, Raleigh, sr.) 4:26.11.
  • US#5 37-3 G-TJ by Kaytlyn Gill (Charlotte Christian, sr), edging #7 37-2 by Mikaela Seibert (Cuthbertson, Waxhaw, jr)
  • US#5 11:01.47 G-3200 by Bianca Bishop (Providence, Charlotte, sr.), winning by nearly a minute.
  • US#5 46-1.25 B-Triple Jump by Mekhi McGuyver (Asheville, jr.), winning by nearly two feet.
  • 35.34 B-300 for Justin Marsh (Howard, Ellicott City, MD, sr.), just off his previous US#3 35.21 best, after earlier getting nipped in the 500.
  • US#6 8.26 G-55H by Kayla Moore (Cummings, frosh), nipping Ariel Davis US#7 8.27.

Our Partners