A Banner Year
I thought it might be a good idea to send out a 'mid-season' report as to how the season has been going for our sport at the high school level. Unlike some of the professional sports we have no All-Star break so this piece will bring you sort of up-to-date as to how t&f is doing. I'll try and make comparisons, show who has moved to the All-Time list, set a national, class and/or age record and make a prediction as to who will be the Outdoor AOY. This latter is an attempt to correct an incorrect assumption we Easterners hold dear, most of the AOY's are from California. Going back to 1998, the Golden West state has had 1 (one) outdoor AOY, Tommy Skipper, a solid choice. On the girls side that's pretty true. From 2008 back thru 1994 no less than eleven (12) golden girls have taken AOY honors. And, we might add, virtually all were well-deserved. Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson, Lashinda Demus, Angela Williams, Joanna Hayes, Suzy Powell, Kim Mortensen and Jordan Hasay, one could build a fairly good squad out of that group! Strangely, only thrice, going back to 1994, did both AOY's come from California, 2008, Fernandez and Hasay (2008), Skipper and Felix (2003) and Obea Moore and Mortensen (1994.) No other state has earned that distinction. Why did I go back to 1994? That was the year the California girls string began. Amy Acuff took AOY honors in 1993. It should be noted that some states are holding their state meets as this piece is being written. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana finish early so the fast kids can get started on spring football.
Who'll win it for 2009? Well, before making that prediction, let's go over what's happened this far in 2009.
THE SPRINTS (100, 200, 400) — We'll first look at where the current leaders stand as to their All-Time (AT) rankings. Now be aware, this list will be dominated by warm weather states, California, Texas and Florida. But be aware, in many years someone from the Midwest and/or New England comes to life when their weather gets warm.
BOYS — The USL, KENNETH GILSTRAP is from Georgia at 10.39. Not even close to the AT list. The #20-AT is 10.30. In 2008 Jeff Demps clocked a 10.01 at the OT's so nothing of note for the 100m. For 200m, TAVARIS TATE, Mississippi, leads, 20.89. #29-AT stands at 20.68 so Tate has a shot at that list as does the #2 kid, FUQUAWN GREENE, 21.20, NC. Could be interesting. Texan Roy Martin, 20.13 is atop this list. The 400m was headed by a Floridian, QUINCEY McDUFFIE at 46.02 but Tate's 45.71
#21-AT, takes over. #1-AT is 44.69, Darrell Robinson, WA, 44.69. If the top 4-5 kids come to Greensboro for the NIKE OUTDOOR NATIONALS, we will see the winner come in around 45.5 or so. I don't see anyone out there with sub-45 capability. Top Ten? Maybe, #10-AT — 45.27, Obea Moore, 1996.
GIRLS — CHALONDA GOODMAN, GA is the USL, 11.30 as well as over the 200m distance, 23.32. She's got a shot at the record but it's faint at best. Angela Williams' 11.11 is our best ever although Goodman's 11.30 ranks her T#13-AT. She's not close in the long sprint, a list dominated by Allyson Felix, 22.11a. The 400m AT list is headed by Sanya Richards, 50.69. To date, junior EBONY EUTSEY's 52.42 is far and away the US best and it gets her the T#29-AT. How far up will the young Floridian advance? Call me in June and I'll let you know.
THE MIDDLE DISTANCES (800, 1500, Mile) — The 1500m is included since it's what will be run at the international meets over the summer. No female 800m runner has ever broken the 2:00 barrier with the late Kim Gallagher's 2:00.07 the best. That statement won't hold true much longer. Last year, Chanelle Price came close, 2:01.61. Right now, NY'er CHARLENE LIPSEY leads the nation, 2:05.83, not quite good enough to make the AT list. Moving up to 1500m, JORDAN HASAY just came in with a splendid 4:16.80, good but not as good as the 4:14.50 she clocked last year at the OT's. That's the high school record (hsr.) It's a good bet she'll lower that mark substantially. Oddly, her mile time is rather pedestrian with a best of 4:40.77, #13-AT. A Texas soph, CHELSEY SVEINSSON, made the AT list, #30 — 4:43.51. Right now her 4:46.75 is the USL with Hasay's 4:48.25 just back.
THE DISTANCES (3000, 2 mile, 5000) — In 1975 Lynn Bjorklund posted a 9:08.6 and, for now, that appears safe. The aforementioned Hasay has a best of 9:19.6, #11-AT. From all reports, the young Californian gets better as the race gets longer. But can she get under 9:10? Doubtful. Not for lack of talent! More for lack of competition. Hasay is in a class by herself. Remember, when the records by Decker, Gallagher, Plummer, Liquori, etc. were set, virtually EVERY great high school distance record was set in Open competition, something that today's athletes due to National Federation rule changes, cannot do. IF Hasay could run in several Open competitions I think she'd have a shot at a sub-9:10 but running alone, extremely doubtful. Same for the two mile. Unfortunately, almost every state contests the 3200m and a conversion must be used to estimate a two mile time. It's only when the athletes get to the NON meet, they run a full two miles. Now here's where Hasay will take over another hsr. Kim Mortensen's 9:48.59 is the record but Hasay's 9:52.13 ranks #2-AT and you can bet the barn she'll run close to 9:45 or better this spring. Is there anyone who can give this kid a race? NO. Well, maybe. Sveinsson has already run 10:16.11 and she's basically untested. Can she run with Hasay? I think so. But will they get a chance to go head to head at this distance? Doubtful, BUT… Sveinsson appears to be dominant in the 1500/mile. For competitions sake will she challenge Hasay in Greensboro? 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished' albeit highly unlikely. Thus, we move to the 5000m distance. VERY SOFT mark! Caitlin Chock ran 15:52.88 and holds the unofficial hsr. But the event is rarely run and the opportunities for top quality kids to basically nil. IF, Hasay/Sveinsson finds a race, look for this mark to be substantially lowered.
THE BOYS — This MAY be the awakening of GREAT distance running within the United States! There is so much talent, more than ever. The big question, will the college coaches who inherit this plethora of talent know what to do with it? Regrettably, probably not. Why not? That's material for another article. Suffice it to say, I've been coaching and administering track meets for close to sixty years. Coaching at the collegiate level has always been more about recruiting than coaching. Enough said, for now. Imagine a high school team running the 4x800mR in 7:31.60! That's four high school kids averaging a shade under 1:52…and THEY DIDN'T WIN! Yes, MORRIS HILLS, Rockaway, NJ ran this absolutely sensational time and finished second. I can't bring myself to use the word "lost." Rather, they didn't win. That honor went to four guys from ALBLEMARLE, Charlottesville, VA. This quartet clocked 7:30.67. For the sake of posterity they are GARRETT BRADLEY, 1:55.43; LUKE NOBLE, 1:55.34; ZACH VHROVAC, 1:50.57; ANTHONY KOSTELAC, 1:49.33. Simply astounding. But so is the performance of the runners-up, consider — VINCE CHIUSANO, 1:55.22; LUCAS CLYNE, 1:52.17; SEAN POHORENCE, 1:53.56; LIAM TANSEY, 1:50.65! In one race you have three kids running 1:50.65 OR BETTER! Ooops, make that four as TOM MALLON, Central Bucks South, PA came in at 1:49.79. This performance reminds me of the great US 4x400mR Junior team in Athens, 1986. They ran 3:01.90. After the race, Chip Rish exulted, 'This team can represent the US in the next Olympics and probably win!' (I paraphrased what he said but this is close.) Believe it or not, not one of those four was still running in 1988! What does the future hold for these kids? Something else, Kostelac commented, "…this is very early in our preparation…" implying there's more to be had. In speaking to me after the race, coach Buzz Male answered, "Probably somewhere around 7:28 or so." (ED.NOTE: I realize this should have been under the relays section but it has such an incredible impact upon the 800m, I included it here.)
But this account isn't all we have to offer for the 800m MAC FLEET is the USL, 1:50.31 followed closely by DREW BUTLER, 1:50.83. Right now there are 6 kids under 1:51 and it's only midseason! To make the Top Ten AT will take 1:47.90. The question is not "WHO? But rather HOW MANY?
If the 800m is good so is the Mile, maybe better. Right now there are four athletes under 4:10 lead by NY'er CHRIS STOGSDILL, 4:07.93. Also in the mix, Alaskan TREVOR DUNBAR, 4:10.78 at the famed Anchorage Invitational. How good is he? The track season up there lasts about six hours and 54 minutes! His biggest problem will be getting into the fast section at the NIKE meet. He'll probably need a sub-4:10. Where can he get it? Put a bet on the Great Southwest, one of the nation's best post-season competitions. 4:10.78 - pretty good, huh? That's not even close to making the AT list! But, as Kostelac stated, "…it's early in our preparation…" Of course, Alan Webb's 3:53.43 is the nations finest ever. But remember, he ran that in an Open race where he lost to, among others, Hicham El Guerrouj, the World record holder at the time. Make no mistake; running against those far better than you does nothing more than bring out the very best you have to offer. Sad that today's athletes are deprived of such a chance. Thus, at season's midpoint, the future for the mile looks very good. By the way, the Midwest is starting to come on, DANNY NEFF just had a fine 1:53.1 — 4:12.2 double with a 4:09.86 pb. He'll bear watching.
But two names stand head and shoulders above the nation's two milers as well as the 5000m distance. SOLOMON HAILE and NIN winner LUKAS VERZBICKAS. About 3:48pm, Haile, currently a Marylander, set a hsr of 14:22.88 smashing the old mark, 14:29.28 set back in 1984 by Brad Hudson. When I heard the time I was speechless. Those who know me will dispute that but…I was. About 8:14pm, a spindly blond moved effortlessly around the Reggie Lewis Center track in Boston en route to a 14:18.42. This was my introduction to Verzbicas. Believe it or not, when I first saw him in the race, he was running so smoothly, I thought he'd been lapped. Today, the USL in the two mile is junior ERIC OLSON, another Californian, at 8:55.19. How fast can Verzbickas go? In Boston, he passed the two mile mark in 9:04! And still had 1.1 miles to go! And Haile can certainly run with him. The AT mark was set at the NON meet last year by German Hernandez, 8:34.40. It will take sub 8:49 to make the AT list and today there are about six athletes who appear to have a shot. The aforementioned Dunbar has a 14:33.96 to his credit. Can he offer meaningful competition to Haile and Verzbickas? We'll see.
THE HURDLES, thus far, have been owned by the best indoor hurdler of all-time , WAYNE DAVIS. He holds all the indoor marks but may be vulnerable outdoors. His 2008 best, 13.68 won't scare the big boys lead by Texan CAMERON LaCOUR. He's already gone 13.48 BUT his season is almost over due to spring football taking precedence over everything and when he's done, he'll have to hang around for almost a month prior to the NIKE OUTDOOR NATIONALS. Will he get bored? Stale? Sloppy? Let's hope not. Davis has run 13.69 BUT his season is just starting and he has a lot of quality meets ahead. Thus far, those are the only two under 13.70. LaCour has made the AT list coming in at T17. The AT leader? Remember a kid named Renaldo Nehemiah? His 12.9y is a full .36 over #2At, Arthur Blake. Extremely doubtful if either, nor anyone else, will challenge.
The 400mH, (isn't it a shame so many states refuse to run the real event, the 400mH. Why don't they? The thinking prevalent at the time the event was introduced was the distance might prove harmful to the young men and women. The last time that thinking prevailed was prior to the 1928 Olympics and the race in question was the 800m. Will we never learn?) Sorry for the digression. There are six (6) athletes who have run under 50 for the event. All have moved on to the collegiate ranks. The nation's top returnee, REGGIE WYATT has a best of 50.10, pretty far off the AT best, Kenneth Ferguson's 49.38. Of course, Wyatt, a tremendously talented young man, must labor with the 300mH thus vastly delaying his progress. He won't get a chance to run the 400mH until the NIKE meet and then at the USATF Junior Champs. Watch out for an Ohioan, JORDAN RISPRESS. He easily won the Penn Relays title, 51.89, over 2 seconds ahead of the runner-up. It was a lousy day in Philadelphia making his effort a little more impressive. His 2008 best, 53.08, indicates a huge improvement, the question, how far can he go?
THE GIRLS AT leader at the 100mH is Candy Young, 12.95. Can anyone challenge? An emphatic NO! The top returnee, Texan DONIQUE FLEMING, 13.58 last spring and today's USL is junior KORI CARTER, 13.67; neither can come close to Top Ten, 13.25. South Carolina's JASMINE STOWERS hasn't surfaced yet, 13.72w and her PB is 13.67. Weak year for the short hurdles. The 400mH doesn't look any better. In 1984 Leslie Maxie sped 55.20 and only LaShinda Demus has come close, 55.76, 2001. Today's crop shows junior KORI CARTER, the Arcadia winner, at 41.09, T#21-AT.but a mere 60.22 over 400mH. Perhaps another junior, TURQUOISE THOMPSON might break through. She's the returning USL, 57.67 with 60.40 at Penn (5th.) Consider, Maxie won the inaugural indoor champs, 1984, over 400m in 55.21. Outdoors, her 53.07 ranked her #4-US but she rarely ran the open 400 concentrating on the 300mH and 400mH throughout the season. To break her record it will take someone with low 52 400m speed who is also a good hurdler. Anyone this year? Fagedabawtit!
CAN ANYONE STOP ELEANOR ROOSEVELT? They currently are the USL's in the 4x100mR, (45.24); 4x200mR, (1:36.55); and the 4x400mR (3:40.68.) They are chasing the last GREAT relay powerhouse, Long Beach Poly. They are the nation's AT best as follows; 44.50, 1:33.87 and 3:35.49. Can ER surpass them? Look for some greatness in Greensboro!
The 4x800mR is another Roosevelt record, 8:43.12, almost EIGHT (8) seconds faster than the #2 squad, Boys & Girls, 8:50.41. LB Poly is the current USL, 9:01.89. Then we have a mystery team, THOMPSON VALLEY, Loveland, CO. They're #2-US, 9:04.94. Strangely, nothing from the East. Garden City's 9:11.90 finishing 4th behind three Jamaican teams is pretty sad. The DMR looks better with Delaware's TATNALL 11:49.37 at Penn and USL DANA HILLS, CA 11:47.39 being respectable but far from threatening. #1-AT? Warwick Valley, NY, 11:31.81, 2008 is safe.
Due to the "thinking out of the box" by NIKE organizers, the 'true' SMR, also known as the 800mR (100-100-200-400) has become popular enough to have spread too many meets. The event has been run before, many of the AT performances are from the 1980's but it was never the major event it is today. #1-AT, Long Beach Poly, 1:38.73, 2003, the only sub-1:40 ever. Today, the USL is Arcadia champ RANCHO VERDE, 1:45.08. But this event doesn't take off until June. It will get better. The Mile Medley (200-200-400-800) is an old stand by with the AT best set back in 2007 by…who else? ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, 3:51.90. To hit AT honors, a team must go under 4:00, to date the two Long Beach powers, Texas Relays winner POLY and Arcadia champ WILSON head the rankings, 4:01.37 — 4:02.31. Any AT contenders out there? Well, the two just mentioned but look for a host of others come NIKE time. Many teams have a good 400m runner as well as an 800m kid, but neither are great. So, they make up a relay that's quite good. Of course, some teams also have superb 400 and 800 runners (see Southern Regional, NIN meet) and they choose to forego individual honors and go for relay wins. These two events will not show greatness until the NON meet.
THE BOYS meet the same general conditions so I won't be redundant and repeat them. (Isn't that a redundancy right there?) Right now the 4x100mR and the 4x200mR are headed by hot weather squads, MILLER GROVE, GA and DE SOTO, TX, 40.71 and 1:24.76. But Texas will vastly improve as they move into their state qualifiers. Only two teams have ever gotten under 40.00, both Texans. To make the AT list requires a sub 40.35 race. Will we see one? I think so. Sub 40.00? Let's hope so. In 4x200mR action, we must look once again to Texas. (ED: NOTE: There's a good reason, besides the weather, Texas rules the relays. At the state meet relays points count DOUBLE! Win the 100m, get 10 points; win the 4x1, get 20 points.) What will we see from NEW BERN? They ruled the roost indoors and, with the return of FUQUAWN GREENE, are looking for record times. For them, the 4x100mR is not an option but the 4x200mR could see them challenge Wyatt's 1:23.31. Incidentally, that 1998 Wyatt team is easily the best in history, owning both the 4x1 and 4x2 marks, 39.76 and 1:23.31. Now I know New Bern! Outdoors they have several major goals but their #1? The 4x400mR. They are the current USL, 3:12.82 with NO competition. Can they get Hawthorne, CA 1985 mark of 3:07.40? Believe me, they'll get close. The Carolinians set a new indoor mark, 3:13.06 and are quite capable of going under 3:10. Their main problem is their incredible diversity. Indoors they were the USL's in the 4x2 (ED. NOTE: NB's time followed by the #1-AT mark -1:27.02 — 1:26.09; 3:13.06 — 3:13.06; and the Mile Medley, 3:26.28 — 3:24.69 (all indoor marks.) They want national records in all three events! That proved too great a stretch indoors. Will they make the same mistake for the outdoor season? Let's hope the weather holds up and they can spread their record attempts over several weeks and not come into NIKE needing too much from too few. Incidentally, the Medley record, 3:21.1, Berkeley, 1981.
The DMR record is also a terrific story and shows how the NSSF's creation of what is now the NIKE OUTDOOR NATIONALS has influenced the sport. In 2001 ALAN WEBB's South Lakes, VA team primed for greatness. And they wanted to set a DMR mark that would last forever. In Webb they had the major ingredient, a sub-4:00 miler (3:59.86i) along with a superb 1200m leg, RICHARD SMITH, 1:52.17. They got their record, 9:49.78. Jim Spier and I, then co-Meet Directors, were ecstatic as we felt we'd seen a mark for the ages. Littler did we know that a team from AUBURN, WA was planning their entire outdoor season for the DMR at NIKE? And they had a pretty good anchor, CHRIS LUKEZIC along with ADAM VOGT, 1:51.99. Going into the final leg, the mile, they were AHEAD of South Lake's 2003 time! Lukezic ran a great race…but not quite great enough. Their 9:50.98 was #2-AT (still is) and they were disappointed! We were stunned. Today's teams are quite good with DANA HILLS' 10:01.50 leading the country. Can they get close to 9:50? No.
That sums up the season thus far. At least for the running end of things. I'll get the Field Events out to you shortly along with the "MB Picks for the Post-Season." Please let me know if you have any comments on what I've written, fmbyrnes@aol.com. Thanks.
