National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

by Mike Byrnes

Code: An "A after a performance means it was done at Altitude; an "F" indicates a Flat track; a "B", a banked track and an "O", an oversized facility. A "C" indicates a "converted time" usually from the 55m to a 60m version. An asterisk refers to a 2007 performance. USL refers to the United States Leader while #2-US, etc indicates the athlete"s national rank

In years past, the fields, Boys and Girls, have usually been pretty even in quality, both extremely high. However, this year there is a marked distinction as the Girls appear to have more depth as well as quality as their counterparts. BUT, remember, this could change tomorrow. This is being written 02/29/08.

THE SPRINTS: (60-200-400) USL BRITANY LONG, East Point, GA, 6.85 will

be tested by BREANNA HUBBARD, Jonesboro, GA, 6.90, #2-US, KASEY RODGERS, Elk Grove, CA, 6.92, #3-US and OGECHI NWANERI, Chatham, NJ, 6.93, #4-US. . (Ed. Note: Bear in mind, .01 is about 5-6 inches so the difference between 6.85 and 6.93 is not more than a foot or so. Whoever gets the better start will go home with the ring symbolic of being the NIKE INDOOR NATIONAL champion.) DOMINIQUE BOOKER, Montclair, NJ, 24.21b, #2-US heads the field but not by much. BRITTANY LONG, 24.23f and BREANNA HUBBARD, 24.30f both have visions of rings on their fingers . There are five others at 24.46 or better . Look for a great race here. In the long sprint, the nation"s #1 returnee, MESHAWN GRAHAM, Toledo, OH leads the field. Her 52.21* is just a few tenths off Denean Howard"s soph mark of 51.70 (1980.) She will be challenged by IJEOMA IHEOMA, Holland, PA, 54.54f and soph BRIANNA NELSON, Greenville, SC, USL 54.71f-o.

THE MIDDLE DISTANCES: 800m and One Mile - LOADED! LOADED! TASHA STANLEY, Greenbelt, MD, 2:11.34, #2-US will have her hands full with two awesome underclasswomen, soph EMILY MENGES, Garden City, NY, 2:11.80 and two frosh SHANEIKA PINNICK, Aurora, IL, 2:12.23 and CHELSEY SVEINSSON, Dallas, TX, 2:52.92f heads the US at that distance on a flat track and has 2:13.34f - to back it up. The Mile field is headed by Millrose and BIG (Boston Inv Games) champion JILLIAN SMITH, Manahawkin, NJ, 4:48.83 (BIG) and 4:50.87. BUT, in neither race did she face two excellent Southern gals + one very good NY"er, MADELINE MORGAN, Mountain Brook, AL, 4:52.70, HANNAH DAVIDSON, Saratoga, NY, 4:55.05 and VIRGINIA HINE, White Stn, TN, 4:55.73. Davidson is a proven winner and has a knack of rising to the occasion. The famed "MB Sleeper" is another out of the Eleanor Roosevelt powerhouse, DOMINIQUE LOCKHART, Greenbelt, MD, IF she"s healthy.

THE DISTANCES: Two Mile and 5000m: Who"s #1? You pick. Here"s the field, USL KATHLEEN McCAFFERTY, Summit NJ, 10:32.73, DAVIDSON, Saratoga, NY, 10:36.58*, STEPHANIE MORGAN, Barnesville, OH, 10:44.60c EMILY INFELD, 10:45.79c. Another "MB Sleeper", fast emerging KAYLA HAYLE, 9:59.87f (3000.) which converts to a 10:34.00. As I said, you pickum!

60mH: She holds the Nat"l Frosh and Soph records and soph JASMINE STOWERS, Pendleton, SC gets better with every race, every season. Her 8.38 recent effort took down the soph mark while the old frosh mark, 8.70a was obliterated by Stower"s 8.51 last year. BUT, as great as Stowers is, defending champion JACKIE COWARD, Knoxville, TN is better. Sorry, Jasmine but she is. Coward is the USL in both the 55mH, 7.73 and the 60mH, 8.16a with Stowers at 7.85. Those two, the two best in this country, will battle it out for the gold. In all fairness, the rest of the field, although impressive, is probably running for the bronze. BUT, Gail Devers was on her way to a gold medal at the Olympics…and fell…So watch for one of the finest allaround athletes ever, RYAN KRAIS, Fairview Village, PA who comes in with a 55mH mark of 7.96 a mere..11 behind Stowers, less than a yard. It should be noted that both of the new records set by Stowers were held by Coward. Look for these two for the 2012 Olympic Games.

THE RELAYS: Too difficult to predict since many teams pool their best kids and makeup a relay. But five teams stand out, BLAZIN" RAIDERS, (read ELEANOR ROOSEVELT) , these kids merely lead the US in the 4x4 (3:45.00), 4x8 (8:59.00) and the two medleys, DMR (11:42.00) and SMR (3:59.00!!! That"s VIRTUALLY EVERY RELAY in the meet ! Even more unusual, they are the defending champions in four of the seven relay events! ( Ed. Note: I"ve been around this sport for over 50 yrs and have never seen a team this dominate. Not even Obea Moore"s great Muir HS bunch.) Great races can be expected with USL SARATOGA ( 11:48.88) , MOUNTAIN BROOK (9:08.00 - 11:56.00) and BLAZIN" RAIDERS, USL"s, 8:59.37b leading the way. GARDEN CITY ( 9:10.63) and MIDLOTHIAN, VA clocked 9:16.08f and will challenge. The 4x200 is lead by LANDSTOWN, VA, 1:41.87f set while winning the VA title. I saw that race and there was plenty of contact and these kids can run faster. CAMDEN, NJ is always good as their 1:42.21f, #2-US shows. They"ve also posted a 1:41.19 when they won the Eastern States meet. (Ed. Note: Most of the times ending in .00 are projected times.)

THE FIELD EVENTS:

HIGH JUMP: VICTORIA LUCAS, Midland, TX, USL-6"01; ARIEL ROBERT, Ann Arbor, 5-09; MEGAN GLISAR, Seargent Bluff, IA, 5-08.75 and a bevy of jumpers at 5-08.

POLE VAULT: I thought the HJ was awesome, and it is, but look at the PV! Merely the TOP FOUR kids in the USofA!. USL and defending champion, RACHEL LAURENT, Houma, LA, 13-09.25; #2, SHADE WEYGANDT, Mansfield, TX, 13-8, runnerup to Laurent in 2007; #3; STEPHANIE FOREMAN, Norman, AR, 13-02; and ABBY SCHAFFER, Easton, PA, 13-00.25. Four athletes, four states. That"s why it"s the NIKE INDOOR NATIONALS. (ps- the next FOURTEEN kids are all 12-0 or better with five at 12-06! As of now, the best field in the meet.

LONG JUMP: A "weak" event, merely the #3-#4-#5-#6 - US in AUDRA FRIMPONG, Canfield, OH, 19-06.5, JACINDA DAVIS, Durham, NC, 19-06.25, BRITTANY PORTER, Decatur, GA, 19-5.25 and CIARRA BREWER, Union City, CA, 19-03.75. The #20 entrant in the NIKE INDOOR NATIONALS long jump is at 18-06! Think about that, a mere 12.25 between #1 and #20, WHAT A GREAT FIELD!

TRIPLE JUMP: ERIN BROOKS, Baltimore, MD, 40-05.5, #2-US tops the field. Close behind are four kids between 39-06 and 39-03, ERMESHA FAIR, Chesapeake, VA, 39-06, JASIA RICHARDSON, Richmond, VA, MICHELLE NEWMAN, Middle River, MD, 39-05 and long jumjper CIARRA BREWER, 39-03 followed by RADIANE BASDEN, Grs"boro, NC, 39-02, and SHERICE WALKER, Burlington, NC, 39-01.5. Just one more superb field in a meet where almost EVERY field is a superb field! That"s what makes the NIKE INDOOR NATIONALS the TRUE unofficial National Championship competition. (Ed. Note: There can be no "official" National Championship" since the phrase has been copyrighted by the national High School governing body and it cannot be used by anyone else.)

SHOT PUT: In yet ANOTHER event, the top athletes will be at NIKE. USL BECKY O"BRIEN, Cumberland Ctr, ME, 50-11 leads 2007 runnerup KAREN SHUMP, Media, PA, 50-07.5. These two have the top five throws in the US this indoor season.

THE WEIGHT THROW: VICTORIA FLOWERS, Providence, RI, USL and new national record holder, 62-0 should walk (throw?) away with the gold . Frosh KATIE KRAYCHIR, Twentynine Palms, CA, #3-US, 57-3 will improve. Look for the "thrower of the future", soph KAREN HENNING,Kings Park, NY, 56-11.

THE PENTATHLON: All these entrants must project their potential scores, so no points will be listed. But one must project the great, and I mean "great" RYAN KRAIS, Norristown, PA as the solid favorite. JESSICA LEBRECK, ME, SHAKEIA PINNICK, Aurora, IL, JESSICA FLAX, Pearland, TX, HANNAH CARSON, Phoenix, AZ and REBECCA NEVILLE, Merrillville, IN lead the entry list ahead of six others. Interestingly, the top ten competitors hail from ten different states.

THE RACE WALK: One more USL will be at NIKE, LEAH BULETTI, East Moriches, NY, 7:29.84 with #2-US OLIVIA LAPHAM, Penfield, NY, 7:55.80 with more to come.

THE 5000M RUN: The finest runner in Connecticut, ANNA SHIELDS, Harwinton, CT has opted to move up to this distance. Indoors she ranked #2-US over 1000m but her coach told me when I recruited her for the NB 1000m race, "She can"t compete due to our (CT) regionals. She"s the state cross country champion and a much better long distance prospect. From Kentucky comes MARY GRACE PELLEGRINI, Louisville, who will offer more than a little competition for Shields.

PLEASE NOTE: Several names have been omitted due to my inability to confirm performances. The NSSF does not publish efforts that cannot be verified. Thus, there will be some additions as we progress. ANY AND ALL MISTAKES ARE MINE. SHOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO PROVIDE VERIFIABLE IMPROVEMENTS ON PERFORMANCES LISTED HEREIN, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT fmbyrnes@aol.com.