National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

The NSAF was on-site Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015 at the LSU Classic indoor track meet at the newly renovated Carl Maddox Field House in Baton Rouge, La.  A monster record vault by one of the sport’s true, young phenoms and more than half-a-dozen victories from a visiting Florida powerhouse led a great day of action!

Facebook page (videos, etc.) | LIVE RESULTS (Delta Timing) | LSU home meet page (variety of other details)

Top national highlights

• US#4 and Freshman Class National Record 16-1 boy’s pole vault by Mondo Duplantis (Lafayette, LA), just over a foot higher than the 15-0 by Cole Courtois (Westgate).  Duplantis cleared 16-1 (4.90m) on his 3rd try after clinching the win with a first-attempt clearance at 15-6 – just a half-inch at that point under the 2013 frosh class record of 15-6.5.  Duplantis tried three times at 16-4.75 (5 meters even).  At the end of the meet, he won the meet’s Most Outstanding Boys’ In-State Field award.
• US#2 5-8 girls’ high jump by Aisha Nelson (Hallendale, FL), winning by five inches and tying the Field House Composite record.  She was honored with the meet’s Most Outstanding Girls’ Out-of-State Field award.
• US#4 38-10 triple jump, 8.87 60m hurdles girls’ jump/hurdles double by 2014 U.S. Youth Olympian Kimani Rushing (Hallandale, FL junior).  She also ran the 2nd leg on the winning 4x200.  In the triple jump, Rushing won by more than two feet over Zaria Tillman (Hattiesburg, MS).  In the 60H, Autym Scales (San Antonio Blazers) took the runner-up spot with 9.12.
• US#4 8.09 boys’ 60m hurdles by Damion Thomas (Trinity Elite/Northeast, Oakland Park, FL soph), triumphing by a clear .12 over Antwuan Musgrove (Hallandale).
• US#5 7.64 girls’ 60m dash for U.S. Youth Olympian Janie O’Connor (Zachary, LA junior), forging a solid .08 margin over Tevis Thomas (San Antonio Blazers).

More top performances, doublers and award-winners

• 1:31.60 boys’ 4x200m and 3:33.37 4x400m relay double by Hallendale, FL – both with the team of Antwuan Musgrove, Christian Pete, Oliver Alexandre and Raymond Crittenden.  They won the 4x2 from the 2nd-fastest heat, after Edna Karr, LA took the “fast” heat in 1:33.98 (Sparta TC rose up for 2nd with a 1:33.87 in the 4th-fastest heat).  In the 4x4, it was the fastest section that they ruled (over Edna Karr 3:34.79), then watched the GA Mustangs come closest in H5 with 3:33.91.
• 4:29.76 boys’ 1600m, 1:59.42 800m run double for Devyn Keith (John Curtis, LA).  He started the difficult back-to-back event double by beating Pierce Hill (Catholic Baton Rouge, LA) at 4:32.48, then taking the shorter race about 45 minutes later with Sean Washington (New Iberia, LA) and Shamar Tucker (Pearl, MS) following at 2:00.27 and 2:00.34.  Keith won the meet’s Most Outstanding Boys’ In-State Track award.
• 49.53 boys’ 400m dash by Oliver Alexandre (Hallandale, FL senior), prevailing by more than two seconds in the fastest heat over Terry Brown (Round Rock) at 51.67.  Xavier Brown (Southern Lab, LA) ran 51.31 to win the 2nd-fastest heat and get 2nd overall.  Alexandre also had legs on the winning 4x200 and 4x400 relays and took the meet’s Most Outstanding Boys’ Out-of-State Track award.
• 57.44 girls’ 400m dash by Kayla Heard (Young Achievers/Stanton Prep FL senior), dominating the fastest heat by more than two seconds.  Alexis Jones (Spartan Elite) won the 2nd heat in 58.54 and was 2nd overall.  Heard won the meet’s Most Outstanding Girls’ Out-of-State Track award.
• 5:09.12 girls’ 1600m run by Gabrielle Jennings (First Baptist, LA junior), winning by more than 17 seconds over Kate Mattox (Starkville, MS).  Jennings won the meet’s Most Outstanding Girls’ In-State Track award.
• 40-3 girls’ shot put by Kristian Jackson (Zachary, LA frosh), taking it by nearly two feet over Rhea Thompson (St. Louis) at 38-5.  Jackson earned the meet’s Most Outstanding Girls’ In-State Field award.
• 6.99 boys’ 60m dash from Edward Davis (Edna Karr, LA senior), nipping Antwuan Musgrove (Hallandale, FL), Jawan Nobles (Sparta TC) and Tyson Spears (Titan Track Elite) at 7.03, 7.04 and 7.06.
• 4:02.74 girls’ 4x400m relay by the Trinity Elite (Northeast HS, Ft. Lauderdale, FL) team of Kayla Woulard, Jeyland Valentin, Casly Israel and Chenelle Ricketts to win the fast heat by more than five seconds over Hallendale, FL (4:08.21).
• 1:43.94 girls’ 4x200m relay by the Hallendale, FL team of Lamisha Simmons, Kimani Rushing, Chanel Freeman and Deriel Green, finishing more than 2.5 seconds ahead of the San Antonio Blazers in the fastest heat.  Both the Blazers and H2 winner Zachary, LA were timed in 1:46.55 (1:46.542).
• 56-0 boys’ shot put from Nigel Despinasse (Catholic Baton Rouge, LA junior), nearly six feet further than anyone else.
• 22-6 boys’ long jump by Jaykree Ramsey (Hattiesburg, MS), winning on his first jump and holding off Christopher McBride (GA Mustangs) and his final 22-5.5 effort.  Ramsey was also 3rd in the triple jump and claimed the meet’s Most Outstanding Boys’ Out-of-State Field award.
• 11-6 girls’ pole vault by Kimberly Rushford (DeRidder, LA junior), winning by five inches over three others.  Rushford missed three tries at 12-2, a half-inch over her PR.
• 9:43.93 boys’ 3,200m run by Zach Capello (Ascension Catholic, LA senior), using a ferocious kick in the final 100 to overtake Jeffrey Kelley (Catholic BR, LA) at 9:43.98.
• 2:21.59 girls’ 800m run by Chelsey Jones (Mandeville, LA), more than three seconds ahead of Maddie Fulmer (South Walton).
• 8:13.34 boys’ 4x800m relay by the Catholic Baton Rouge, LA team of Brandt Green, Michael Comeaux, Michael Hubbell and Pierce Hill, winning by more than seven seconds over the GA Mustangs’ 8:20.77.
• 45-5.25 boys’ triple jump by Christian Miller (Northside, LA), winning by more than a foot over Jerome Wynn (Fair Park) at 44-4.75.

Other winners

• B-HJ: 6-4 from Damon Guidry (Crowley), an inch higher than Darryl Anderson (Zachary).
• G-3,200: 11:42.34 by Ellen Feringa (St. Scholastica, LA), 8+ seconds ahead of second.
• G-LJ: 16-10.5 by Zaria Hillman (Hattiesburg MS), with two others finishing within two inches.
• G-4x800: 10:26.64 for Starkville, MS, winning by more than 20 seconds.