NSAF On-Site at 37th Simplot Games (Select Meet): Championship Preview

by Steve Underwood

National soph class record-setter LaurenRain Williams, U.S. throws leaders Willie Morrison and Sabrina Gaitan, Youth Olympic triple jumper Chinne Okoronkwo, veteran long distance stars Elijah Armstrong and Makena Morley, and international standouts like Amelia Mazza-Downey are among the leading entries for the 37th Simplot Games, taking place at Idaho State’s Holt Arena in Pocatello this weekend.


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Top Storylines

Williams focusing on the girls’ 60 this time

As much as fans might pine to see the new 200-meter sophomore class national record-holder and current US#1 in the 1-lap battle, LaurenRain Williams (Lakewood, CA soph) is listed individually only in the 60-meter dash.  That race should be a great one, though.  Williams is currently US#6 with a 7.52 best this year and the field also includes US#5 (7.50) Shayna Yon (FK Elite/Cherokee Trail, CO senior); 55-meter US#2 (6.94) Zaria Francis (Spartan Track/Rio Mesa, CA junior), who won the California state indoor earlier this week; Ngozi Musa (Seattle Speed/Holy Names, WA senior), 5th here last year and with a 7.59 best; and several others who are potentially in the 7.5-7.6 range.  It could be the highest-caliber sprint race of the weekend.

Armstrong, Thomet set to clash in boys’ 3,200

Is this the year local standout Elijah Armstrong (Indian Track/Pocatello, ID senior) tops the medal stand in the 3,200?  In his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, he finished 2nd each time, running faster each time, but trailing superlative efforts by Dallin Farnsworth, Ben Saarel (meet record 9:00.62) and Cerake Geberkidane (9:01.13).  Now a senior, Armstrong is better than ever, having gotten down to 8:55.92 for 3,200 and 4:09.04 for 1,600 last spring, then this past fall winning Foot Locker West and taking 3rd in the Finals.  He has a 9:14.09 2M from his opener in Boise a few weeks ago, the fastest for the full deuce this year.  Once again, however, there will be a tough out-of-state foe to test him.  This time it’s Levi Thomet, the Kodiak, AK senior who’s been chasing Trevor Dunbar’s records in Alaska.  Armstrong has consistently beaten Thomet in several meetings, however, but the latter cannot be discounted with a 9:00.68 3,200 PR.

Morley sisters will be tested in girls’ distances

Whether you a big fan of the distances at Simplot and in this region of the country, or simply a serious follower of girls’ prep distance running nationally, Makena Morley has long been what you could call a “household name.”  Coming into the stretch run of her epic career for Bigfork HS in Montana, Morley is the defending champ in the 3,200 here, was the NBNO runner-up in the 2M last June and of course is a 4-time Foot Locker Finalist – including grabbing the 3rd-place spot this past December.  But younger sister Bryn – top seed in the 1,600 – has now also emerged and beginning her own epic career.  Bryn ran 4:26.34 for 1,500 at USATF Juniors last July, then battled Makena for state supremacy all fall in XC. 
But if the Morleys hope to sweep, they will have to overcome some extremely tough competition.  A 6-athlete contingent from Australia includes youth sensation Amelia Mazza-Downie, who clocked a remarkable 9:14.13 for 3,000 in November.  She could be a medal contender at this summer’s World Youth Champs.  And Bryn’s competition will include Lucy Biles (Herriman, UT senior) – who has run 4:49 for 1,600 and won the Arcadia Invite mile last spring – and four others who are clearly sub-5:00 talents.

Youth Olympian Okoronkwo hopes to top podium in girls’ horizontals

Chinne Okoronkwo (Flying AJs/Mountlake Terrace, WA junior) knows what it’s like to be oh-so-close without topping the podium at Simplot.  The past two years she has finished 2nd in the triple jump here – first with a 39-5.5 as a freshman behind senior star Sasha Wallace in 2013, then with a 39-8.25 last year, less than an inch behind Marisa Kwiatkowski (another senior).  But Okoronkwo, one of the standouts in the NSAF’s Project Triple Jump, has come a long way since last February.  During the 2014 outdoor season, she went 41 feet or further in four meets, including a 41-3.75 legal PR and a windy 41-6.5 that won the Youth Olympic Trials and earned her a berth on Team USA for last August’s YO Games in China.  So this weekend, Okoronkwo – with a US#2 40-4.75 so far this winter – is the top seed in the triple jump and the long jump as well.  In the latter, Okoronkwo had wind-aided performances of 19-11.75 and 19-6.25 last year, and a legal 18-11.25.
Tara Davis (Plyometric Fusion TC/Agoura Hills, CA soph), however, could post a formidable barrier to Okoronkwo’s hoped-for sweep.  Davis is coming off a state-meet double earlier this week where she went 19-4.5 (longer than Okoronkwo this year) and 40-2.  Davis also has a wind-legal 19-9.5 from last year when she was 3rd at outdoor state.  Also watch for Okoronkwo’s Project teammates, Saudia James-Heard (Curtis, WA soph; also a Flying AJ’s teammate) and Allyson Weiss (East Ridge, MN soph), as contenders in the TJ.

T1D throws stars from Georgia back again, hope to rule weights

As has been the case for many years, Coach Mike Judge’s weight/hammer/everything throwing corps from Georgia will invade Holt Arena looking to dominate Thursday’s weight (and perhaps the shot).  They’re likely to do so, but there will be great competition from elsewhere, as well.  In the girls’ weight, that “competition” includes defending champ Haley Showalter (Valor Christian, CO senior), who threw 59-0 in 2014 to beat T1D’s Kamryn Brinson (Marist, GA junior).  Brinson returns, too, but she’s joined by US#1 teammate Sabrina Gaitan (Sprayberry, GA junior).  Gaitan wasn’t here last year, but has a 59-7 best this winter – plus 60-7 outdoors.  She and Showalter had a great rivalry in the hammer last spring and summer, splitting four meets with Gaitan winning NBNO and Showalter having the nation’s longest throw of the y ear.
In the boys’ weight, T1D brings in a “big three” of Seth Whitener (North Paulding, GA senior), Kenneth Brinson (Marist, GA senior) and Isaiah Rogers (Campbell, GA junior).  Brinson threw 77-7.25 outdoors in November (US#2 overall) and will be making his indoor debut this winter (he also wrestles), while Whitener has hit 71-11 indoors and 73-6.25 out.  Rogers was the only one of the three here last year, taking 5th.  The competition?  Tyler Merkley (Los Osos, CA senior) hit a PR 69-8 in winning the California indoor title Monday and was a Youth Olympian in the discus last summer.

Rising stars matched up in girls’ 800

If it seems right now that there’s an abundance of rising stars right now nationally in the girls’ long sprints and middle distances, well, there’s no doubt about that.  Witness, for example, the national 600-meter record this week by sophomore Kamryn McIntosh, or the recent US#1 2:47.27 victory by sophomore Sammy Watson in the big Armory 1,000 meters.  But that talent isn’t limited to the Empire State.  Here at Simplot, we’ll get to see a great clash between Kaley Ciluffo (Pleasant Valley, IA senior) and Sophie Cantine (Speed Unlimited/Lakeside, WA soph).  Ciluffo ran the 1,600 here last year, finishing outside the top 10, but went on to run 2:07.08 for 800 (3rd at USA Juniors) and has a US#6 2:50.99 1,000 so far this winter.  Cantine ran a 2:47.64 1k last winter and 2:50.25 so far in 2015 (both on an oversize track) and brings in a 2:10.11 800 PR.  If either or both should falter, the field has much more talent in the 2:15-range or potentially better.

Morrison looking to boost boys’ shot PR

Willie Morrison (Leavenworth, KS senior) got his season off to a very big start in December and early January, hitting nation-leading PRs of 64-1 and 66-4 in his first two meets.  That 66-4, from January 9, still stands as the US#1 six weeks later.  Morrison has had four meets since, winning all four with marks from 61-9 to 63-10.5.  How badly would he like to improve this weekend, on the biggest stage he’ll have before NBNI in mid-March?  The field will include three others in the 57- to 60-foot range, including the aforementioned (see weight segment above) Kenneth Brinson and Isaiah Rogers from Throw 1 Deep, plus Andre James (Herriman, UT junior) – the Utah champion who’s hit 59-2.25 this winter and was 2nd here in 2014 with 57-7.25.
 

More event favorites to watch
  • Boys’ 60m dash – The field figures to have at least three key contenders in the 6.8-6.9 range.  From Colorado there’s Miguel Molas (Irwin Charter senior), who’s at US#4 6.83 (with a 6.85 backup) and Trenton Stringari (Canon City senior) with a US#10 6.88 best.  Then from New York’s powerful Newburgh Elite program there’s Zack Warden, one of the Empire State’s top dash men with a 6.42 55m best.  Also watch for Chad Artist (Logan, UT senior), 4th here last year at 7.00 and with a 6.96 PR.
  • Boys’ 200m dashDamion Marshall (Flight 951), a senior with the powerful Great Oak, CA program, has a 21.29 best from last year and has earned the #1 seed.  But returnee Brandon Hasson (New Image TC/Carson CA senior), 3rd last year at 22.11, has done 21.67 outdoors and will be a force in the event.  State 5A champ Bryce Kirby (Mountain View senior) will carry the flag for the Idaho, with a 21.51 outdoor PR from last year and a 22.01 so far this winter at Boise.  Others in the mid-high 21s include the previously mentioned Chad Artist at 21.66 and Marquise Cooper (Grayson, GA senior) with a 21.68 best.
  • Girls’ 200m dash – Without Williams, there are four others with mid-low 24-second credentials.  Zaria Francis, mentioned above as a key contender in the 60, ran 24.30 last year and is top-seeded.  Carly Lester (Rocky Mountain, CO senior) at 24.49 and Lyndsay Lopes (Clovis West, CA senior) at 24.52 also figure to contend.  Also look for Williams’ Oaks Christian teammate, Miah Webb, who ran 25.14 at Boise a few weeks ago.
  • Boys 400m dash – This event has a special “Invitational” status here and Cooper, mentioned above in the 200, is a key player with a 47.81 best from last summer and a 49.74 so far indoors this winter.  But the guy to beat is probably Mar’Yea Harris (Blazin Bruins/Long Beach Poly, CA senior), who blasted a 47.11 last May for 2nd in the California Southern Section Masters final before having a rough outing at state.  At least four others look to have 48-second creds or better, including Carlos Salcido (Rock Springs, WY senior), last year’s Wyoming 4A champ with a 47.97 PR; and Aaron Ragin (Legacy, CO senior), who ran 48.14 last year and was 2nd at Great Southwest Indoor last week.
  • Girls’ 400m dashVictoria Tachinski (Stride Ahead Tough Track) is the favorite here – a well-traveled Canadian youth standout from Winnipeg, Manitoba who ran 55.42 indoors at NBNI last March and has a 54.51 outdoor best.  There are two other sub-55 talents and more under 56 that could contend.  Reonna Collier (ISC International/Vacaville, CA soph), best known for the spectacular US#1 40.90 and US#2 58.55 300H and 400H times she ran last year, won the Boise meet and has a 54.87 best.  Damajahnee Birch (FK Elite/Denver East, CO senior) ran 54.97 last year.
  • Boys’ 800m run – The overwhelming favorite is another Canadian from Winnipeg’s Stride Ahead Tough Track, Shane Dillon – who, interestingly, has had some of his best performances at NBN meets.  He won the Emerging Elite 800 indoors at 1:53.44, then hit his 1:50.44 PR in taking 6th in the Championship division outdoors.  Several others are in the 1:55-56 range, including a key cog on the US#2 4x800 crew from Davis UT, Logan MacKay – who has a recent 1:55.59 best.
  • Boys’ 1,600m run – Two of the top contenders in the boys’ 1,600 are more used to racing 1,500 meters, but look for them to make a successful adjustment.  Reilly Bloomer (South Eugene, OR senior) was a 3:54.73 performer last spring – in a state that contests that event at the championship level – while Canadian standout Ryan Smeeton from Calgary, Alberta has clocked 3:56.61 this past August.  On the other hand, there’s also Josh Collins (Wasatch, UT senior), who has a 4:14.47 best from 2014 and is coming off a breakthrough XC season where he was the Utah 4A and NXN Southwest champ and then 11th at Foot Locker Finals.  Also watch for Hunter Davila (Kelly Walsh, UT senior) – 4th in the Simplot 3,200 last year – at 4:15.47 (full mile) and Josh Ward from the great Davis UT program at 4:19.86 (full mile).
  • Boys’ 60m hurdlesJustin Collins (New Image TC/Carson, CA senior) was 3rd here last year and is coming off a 7.56 55m hurdles victory at the California state meet Monday, earning a favorite’s role.  Ryan Younggreen (Holy Family, CO senior) struggled here last year after coming in at 8.23, but he’s had a consistent 2015 with a 8.07 PR and should contend, too.  Also watch for Joseph Anderson (Upland, CA soph), who ripped 14.02w and 14.22 last spring as a frosh outdoors; and Aidan Kirwan (Branham, CA senior), who was 2nd behind Collins Monday.
  • Girls’ 60m hurdles – Many of prep girls’ history’s best-ever 60H marks have come here, including Jackie Coward’s 2008 meet-record and HSR 8.16 and last year’s 8.20 by Dior Hall – who would later break Coward’s HSR at NBNI.  No one this year has those kind of credential’s but it’s still a very good, deep field.  It includes Jaela Williams (Gardena Core/Serra Gardena, CA senior), 3rd here last year at 8.70; Emily Sloan (Angel Flight/Rock Canyon, CO frosh), a super frosh at US#4 8.57; the above-mentioned Carly Lester, US#7 at 8.61 and 7th here last year; and Jasmyne Graham (Eleanor Roosevelt, CA senior), a 13.60w/13.66 performer at 100H last year.
  • Boys’ High Jump – A trio of leapers in the 6-9 range are the top contenders in this event.  Darius Carbin (Cardinal TC/Mt. Pleasant, CA junior) was 8th here last year with 6-3, but he’s improved six inches and he was 2nd at the California indoor state Monday at 6-8.  Austin Campbell (Regis Jesuit, CO junior) and Chandler Swaney (Desert Hills, UT senior) have similar creds.
  • Girls’ High JumpBritten Duerden (Morgan, UT senior) is definitely the girl to beat.  She is the reigning Great Southwest (outdoor) champ, has a 5-10 PR and has gone US#3 5-9 so far this winter.  Five others are at 5-8 or better, including Celeste Mucci and Freya Langston – part of the 6-athlete Maribyrnong club team from Australia.  Also, Carlie Queen (Summit Christian, MO soph) and Ashlyn Hare (Rampart, CO senior) were 4th and 5th here last year and have PRs of 5-7.75 and 5-8, respectively. 
  • Boys’ Pole Vault – Last year it took just 14-6 to win the Simplot pole vault, but that should change this year with Andrew Barlow in the house.  The Monarch, CO senior was the 5A outdoor champ last year at 16-0 and 3rd at Great Southwest.  He’s hit 15-2 this winter so far.  Chase Smith (Helena, MT senior), on the other hand, was just a 14-6 guy last spring and has reached 15-5 already this winter, winning the UW Invite last weekend.
  • Girls’ Pole Vault – The three girls who are 12-footers or better in the field are all from the Raise the Bar club in Nevada.  They are led by long-time age-group star Makayla Linebarger, now a Reed NV soph, who cleared 13-0 last summer and stands at 12-10 so far this winter. 
  • Boys’ Long JumpGreg Vann (Rio Mesa, CA senior) was a 21/22-foot long jumper at the start of last year and became a 24-6 performer by season’s end, winning the state’s Southern Section D2 Finals and Master’s meets before taking 4th at state.  He could be the best in the Golden State this year and is the big fave here.  He comes off a 23-0 victory in the state indoor meet last Monday.  The field’s next best are Canadian Hendric Tronsson from Calgary and Kurt Felicitas (Mt. Pleasant, CA senior) – both 23-2 performers.
  • Boys’ Triple Jump – A pair of 47-plus hop-step-and-jumpers lead the field here.  One is the previously mentioned Felicitas (long jump), who could get near the top of the podium in both horizontals.  His 47-5 PR won him the Central Coast Section finals last year in CA.  Drew Xandrine-Anderson (Stuart Hall, CA senior) won the state’s North Coast Section ‘A’ champs last year at 47-6.5 and needs to back it up.  They have a big gap on the field.
  • Girls’ Shot Put – Throw 1 Deep’s Noelle Parker (Whitewater, GA senior) is perhaps even better at the shot than the weight, with a 46-3.5 best from last year and 45-2.5 this year – making her the favorite.  Megan Dulaney (Rodriguez, CA senior) with a 45-10.5 PR and Amarissa Hawker (Herriman, UT senior), with a new 44-7.5 best, are two more to watch.
  • Boys' Relays – With a lot of mixed-school club teams competing, it’s hard to handicap the relays here, but one team you can bet on is Newburgh Elite (Newburgh HS, New York) in the 4x200.  They’ve been tearing it up at the Armory and the Northeast in general all winter and lead the nation at 1:27.64.  That’s just .04 off Eastern Carolina’s 2009 meet record.  New Image TC and Flight 951 (Great Oak, CA) promises 1:27-type marks, too, so it could be red hot.  Newburgh and New Image TC also bear watching in the 4x4 as teams look to go sub-3:20.  Also keep an eye on the Blazin’ Bruins (Long Beach Poly, CA), which also has sub-3:20 talent.  In the 4x800, Davis Track (Davis, UT HS) is the heavy favorite, already standing at US#3 7:49.59 from their Boise win. The sprint medley leaders should also include Newburgh and Flight 951, as well as Spartan TC.
  • Girls’ Relays – Again, with a lot of mixed-school club teams competing, it’s hard to handicap the relays here, but the top two 4x200 contenders look to be Academy of Speed and the Ft. Collins TC, while ISC International looks like the best bet to get a serious sub-4:00 in the 4x400.  ISC is also one of the top seeds in the 4x800, but Davis Track features the Davis, UT high school team which has a 9:28.02 to its credit this season.  In the Sprint Medley, Gardena Core (Serra Gardnea, CA) will look for a time around 4:00-flat, while some others are around 4:10.

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