ESPNHS Track & XC

Press Release

NEW YORK CITY (May 16, 2012)—Josh Lampron and Ben Malone, who own the two fastest 1500-meter times in the nation so far this season, are among 16 top high school athletes added to the fields for the adidas Dream 100 and adidas Dream Mile at the adidas Grand Prix on June 9, organizers have announced.

Also headlining the roster are Ajee Wilson, the 2011 World Youth Champion at 800 meters, and freshman sensation Alexa Efraimson, the first freshman ever invited to a Dream event.

The Dream 100 and Dream Mile are again destined to be among the most hotly contested events at the adidas Grand Prix on June 9. In its eighth year as one of the premier track-and-field events in the world, the adidas Grand Prix, at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island, will feature dozens of Olympic medalists and World Champions, including Yohan Blake, the reigning 100-meter World Champion, and David Rudisha, the 800-meter World Record-holder, who will be making his U.S. debut. The event will again be the sixth stop on the international Samsung Diamond League circuit and is part of the Visa Championships Series. Tickets are now available at adidasgrandprix.com or by calling 1-877-849-8722.

Lampron, a senior from Mansfield, Mass., last weekend ran 3:45.74 for 1500 meters at a meet in Boston, among the top-20 high school times in U.S. history and the fastest in the nation since 2009. The 2011 national champion in the mile, Lampron is a three-time state champion and will attend Villanova University in the fall.

Malone, a junior from Hillsdale, N.J., is the 2012 National Indoor Champion at 800 meters and holds U.S. high school indoor records for a junior at 800 meters (1:49.94) and 1000 meters (2:23.56). On Monday, he ran the #2 time in the U.S. at 1500 meters, 3:49.84.

A senior from Neptune, N.J., Wilson is one of the top high school athletes in New Jersey history. Currently ranked #2 in the nation at 800 meters, she finished the 2012 indoor season ranked #1 at both 600 and 800 meters. A qualifier for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, Wilson will attend Florida State University.

Efraimson, of Camas, Wash., has run 4:23.41 for 1500 meters already this season to rank #4 on the U.S. list, and her time of 2:08.92 for 800 meters is #7. She finished 14th at cross country nationals last fall.

Also accepting invitations to the Boys’ Dream Mile are Jacob Burcham, a junior from Ona, W. Va.; who finished seventh at 1500 meters in the 2011 World Youth Championships in 3:46.55, the fastest time by a U.S. prep last year; Brannon Kidder, a senior from Lancaster, Ohio, a four-time state track champion ranked #4 in the U.S. at 1600 meters who is headed to Penn State University; Craig Nowak, a senior from Cypress, Tex., who is a five-time 5A state champion, ranks #2 at 1600 meters and #3 at 3200 meters, and will attend Oklahoma State University; and Craig Engels, a senior from Pfafftown, N.C., ranked in the top 10 at the mile (#3), 1500 meters (#4), and 3200 meters (#10). Engels was the 2012 Penn Relays Mile Champion in front of Burcham, the runner-up, and Malone, who placed third. He will attend North Carolina State University.

Joining Wilson and Efraimson in the Girls’ Dream Mile will be Haley Pierce, a senior from Wilmington, Del., the 15-time State Champion ranked #3 at 3200 meters and #4 at 1600 meters who will attend Georgetown University; Angel Piccirillo, a senior from Homer Center, Penn., who is a two-time state Gatorade Cross-Country Athlete of the Year, a seven-time State Champion, ranks #2 in the mile and will attend Villanova University; Amy-Eloise Neale, a junior from Snohomish, Wash., six-time Washington 3A State Champion ranked #4 in the mile and #6 at 1500 meters; and Paige Rice, a sophomore from St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, Ore., the 6A Oregon Cross Country State Champion ranked #4 in the U.S. at 1500 meters.

Burcham, Wilson, Pierce, Piccirillo and Neale are all making return Dream Mile appearances.

Joining the field of the adidas Boys’ Dream 100 are Raymond Bozmans of Fort Collins, Colo., a senior ranked #3 in the U.S. at 100 meters and #5 at 200 meters who is the 2012 Arcadia Invite Champion and will attend Texas Christian University on a football scholarship; and Khalfani Muhammad of Sherman Oaks, Calif., a junior who is the 2012 Mt. SAC champion at both 100 and 200 meters and 2011 state runner-up in both distances.

Added to the adidas Girls’ Dream 100 are Kali Davis-White of Lauderdale Lake, Fla., a junior ranked #4 in the U.S. and 2012 Florida State 4A runner-up at both 100 and 200 meters to the previously announced Shayla Sanders; and Destinee Gause of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a senior who is the 2012 National Indoor Champion at 200 meters and is ranked #5 at 100 meters. The 2011 Ohio State Champion at 100 and 200 meters, she will attend the University of Florida.

Fields for the Dream Mile and Dream 100 are being drawn from the winners of three qualifying meets in the adidas Golden Stripes series, as well as from at-large bids. The first meet, the adidas Meet of Champions, was held on March 24, followed by the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kan., April 19-21. Next up is the Golden South Classic in Orlando, Fla., on May 26. In addition to the opportunity to compete in a world-class international track event, athletes in the Dream Mile and Dream 100 will also have the chance to receive coaching from mile legend Jim Ryun.

All of the latest news, photos and additional information on the event can be found at adidasgrandprix.com, the event’s pages on Facebook at facebook.com/adidasGrandPrix and on Twitter at twitter.com/adidasGrandPrix. When tweeting, use #agpny. For even more coverage on the Dream Mile and Dream 100, visit adidasgoldenstripes.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Hunninghake, Global Athletics & Marketing
media@globalathletics.com
917.972.3656

DYESTAT ELITES

Josh Lampron of Mansfield, Mass. ran 3:45.74 for 1,500 meters Saturday night in the New Balance Boston Twilight Series at Bentley College.

Lampron competed unattached and placed sixth in a race with older runners. His time is a US#1 for 2012 by more than five seconds and it also moves him to No. 18 all-time in the event. He ran 3:50s on three occasions last spring and was the New Balance Nationals Outdoor mile champ in 4:05.99, but relative to 2012 the performance seemed to come out of the blue: His previous races this spring included a 9:43 two-mile and a 4:24 mile.

Meanwhile, Cayla Hatton from Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., also competed unattached and placed fourth in 4:18.65. That is US#2 this spring and No. 14 all-time. Hatton has raced sparingly and independent of her high school and also has US#1 times this spring in the 10,000 and 5,000.

According to Track and Field News, those performances rank Lampron No. 3 all-time in Massachusetts behind Jonathon Riley (3:43.18) and Victor Gras (3:45.19). Hatton moves ahead of Ari Lambie to No. 2 behind Olympic bronze medalist Lynn Jennings (4:18.06).

DyeStat Elites | Meet's Live Results Page


For the second time in three weeks, a small group of elite preps put up some super marks against collegiate and open competition at Princeton, New Jersey.

Two of them were victorious during Friday night’s Larry Ellis Invite. Phillips Academy (Andover, Mass.) senior Cayla Hatton won the fastest of four sections of the 5,000 meters, clocking a US#1 16:14.99 that moved her to #7 all time. In the 800, Neptune (Neptune, N.J.) senior Ajee’ Wilson claimed the fastest section in a US#1 2:05.28. And in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, North Shore (Glen Head, N.Y.) senior Brianna Nerud placed sixth with a 10:27.61.

Hatton’s performance was the latest in a stunning string of long-distance races since she came back this year from injury. Taking the non-traditional route of competing beyond the high school level, she most recently (three weeks ago) had clocked a 33:17.28 for (a mixed) 10,000 meters at the Tufts Snowflake Invite, history’s #2 prep performance. She earlier had great races in the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix prep mile (second to Haley Pierce) and the USATF cross-country championships (Senior race; 13th place).

Though Wilson competes for a major state association public school, she has also raced much of the indoor and outdoor seasons against elites. After ending her junior year last summer with a World Youth title at 800, she battled the pros in three major indoor invites with her greatest success coming at the Millrose Games where her 2:04.13 placed fourth and moved her to #2 all-time. However, she also defended her New Balance Nationals Indoor 800 title. Two weeks ago here at Princeton, in the Sam Howell Invite (also college/open), she ran a then-US#1 4:28.59 for 1,500.

Nerud also raced in the Howell meet two weeks ago as she continues to shoot for the Olympic Trials ‘B’ standard. There, she ran US#1 10:24.95 for fifth place – and history’s #2 prep time – and hoped to improve Friday night. Still, she beat 33 older runners in the race. Nerud also competes a busy schedule for North Shore in individual events and relays, and is coming off a summer where she ran the #2 time ever for the 2K steeple (6:29.56) at the World Youth Champs. This spring, with the current USR-holder Maddie Meyers (her World Youth teammate) still competing, she has the US#1 mark in the shorter race over barriers as well (6:49.30).

Cayla Hatton didn’t know she was going to run the mixed-gender 10,000 meters on Saturday in the Snowflake Classic at Tufts University until three days before the race. She’d never run that distance before, so she and her coach made a conservative guess and marked “37 minutes” for her entry time.

For twenty-five laps through the chilly, damp air in Somerville, Mass., the senior from Phillips Academy (Andover, Mass.) maintained contact with a group of male runners and crossed the finish line in 33:17.28 – second fastest in U.S. prep history.

In just over half an hour, Hatton became one of the most intriguing runners in the country.

“I honestly had no expectation in terms of time,” she said. “I was running (the race) because I wanted to try out a 10K. Since I’d been injured for so long, I had no idea what distance would be my best. I wanted to try everything from the 800 to the 10K.”

Hatton has resurfaced as a major talent after two years of injury and physical therapy wiped out her sophomore and junior seasons. As an eighth grader, she won the USATF Youth Outdoor title in the 3,000 meters and as a high school freshman ran 4:38.30 for 1500.

In the fall of her sophomore year (2009), Hatton was playing for the Phillips Academy soccer team when she began to notice pain and inflammation in her right glute. She played through it and tried to heal the injury with some rest.

“The first track meet I did (in 2010) was a 3,000 and it hurt again,” she said. The injury cut short her sophomore season and then an injury to her left hip kept her out of the 2011 track season.

Hatton said that her doctor told her there was a structural problem, that she had “retroverted cups” in her hip joint. The doctor adviser her that running would only lead to more pain and injury.

That news took Hatton to a new low.

“I went through all the phases of mourning,” she said. “I remember being so upset, so angry at (the doctor). I was in denial. But I also think the whole experience made me realize how much I love running. Before, it was soccer, and running was just a hobby. When (running) was taken away I realized how much I missed it.”

Entering the ‘torture chamber’

Hatton and her parents sought out a second opinion from a physical therapist who saw something else: Imbalances and weaknesses in her muscles causing problems with her running mechanics, leading to the injuries.

Hatton began daily physical therapy sessions to build up the strength in her quads.

“The exercises are easy, but mentally it’s very hard to do them because they are so repetitive, these boring exercises you do every day,” she said. “There was this sign on the door that said ‘Torture Chamber,’ but when I look back now it was so worth it.”

By last summer, Hatton was running pain free. On Sept. 5, she ran the Stratton Faxon New Haven 5K road race and covered the distance in 17:24. In a race with more than 3,200 runners, she was 17th overall and was the first female to finish (by more than two minutes).

“That was a big moment for me, because I hadn’t been in a race for so long,” she said.

Hatton began running with the Andover Phillips cross country team, but her physical therapy sessions made it difficult to stay in sync with the team’s schedule. It quickly became apparent that she would be better off training independently.

Hatton considered entering the Nike Northeast regional meet, but then had second thoughts.

“All fall I went by feel,” she said. “My goal was to stay healthy.”

Hatton works with Boston Running Center coach Joe McConkey. Over the winter, her mother drove up from Connecticut and made the two-hour drive to pick her daughter up from the private boarding school and take her to Boston for indoor workouts with her coach.

On Feb. 4, Hatton entered the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston. She went head-to-head with some of the nation’s elite runners, pushing out to a big early lead and then finished second in 4:51.37. (She was passed late by Delaware’s Haley Pierce).

A week later, Hatton arrived in St. Louis, Mo. and entered the open women’s 8,000-meter race at the USATF Cross Country Championships. She placed a respectable 13th overall as the youngest athlete in the field, running 28:26.

Why not run the junior race instead?

“Well, I wanted to have some really strong competition and I wanted to have the experience of racing Molly Huddle and Sara Hall,” Hatton said. “It was not even about winning, but I just wanted that experience of running with these women. Someday I’d like to be like them.”

Preparing for Stanford

Until last Saturday, the 8K was the longest race Hatton had ever attempted. She runs 50-60 miles a week under the supervision of McConkey, and does long runs of 13-15 miles.

“She’s been doing freshman Division I-type training,” said McConkey. “She does most of her training by herself; she’s doing the long stuff on her own.”

It is also preparing her for the leap to college training. Hatton has signed with Stanford and will join one of the country's top programs in the fall. (Andover Phillips Academy, founded in 1778, routinely sends graduates to Harvard, Yale and other top-tier universities).

Hatton had it in mind to find a 5,000 meters and try to chase the B qualifying standard for the Olympic Trials when the opportunity for the 10K popped up.

The 10,000 meters is not a common distance at the high school level, but it is the longest contested race on the track at the Olympic Games. Top high school talents in the U.S. normally don’t even attempt it until they reach college.

The national record prep record, held by North Carolina’s Mary Shea since 1979, is 32:52.5. In the 33 years since then, no one has run it faster than Hatton – though the all-time list behind her includes prep legends like Cathy Schiro, Lesley Welch, Erin Davis, and Melody Fairchild. She also earned the Olympic Trials B standard, meaning there is a chance she could compete at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. against the best women in the country.

Hatton split nearly identical 16:38s back-to-back.

“I know my first lap was 82 (seconds) and maybe two other (82s) were sprinkled in,” she said. “I found myself dropping down to 79, and felt good, so I decided to go with it. I think (my coach) thought I was making a big mistake.”

McConkey was wondering if running faster-than-prescribed laps near the start would come back and haunt Hatton later on, but by the fourth mile she was still running smoothly.

“We certainly had seen hints of what’s possible, but we’ve not catered her training specifically to the 10K,” he said. “(The 10K) was such an unknown thing for us because she’s still running on the strength she gained from cross country.”

Incidentally, as Hatton lined up on the starting line with a group of small-college men and women, she didn’t know anybody in the race. And it was obvious that no one knew her, either.

“It was funny,” she said. “The starter said at the beginning, ‘You (women) stay together for me so the lap counting is easy.’” She had no idea how fast she would go, but she knew she wasn’t going to hang back to make life easier for the lap-counter.

Over the course of 25 laps, Hatton passed every woman in the race at least five times. She managed to stay on the lead lap with the men to the very end.

Hatton said her successful debut at 10K won’t change the way she views her running, or her goals.

“I can’t wait to run shorter distances again, though I have no idea how I’ll do at them,” she said. “I’d say my goal in the 5K is (Trials B standard) 15:50.”

After two years of disappointment and the fear that she would never run competitively again, Hatton is still processing her 25-lap breakthrough at the Snowflake Invitational.

"It's still sinking in," she said.

NBNI Index


NEW YORK – Dior Hall had run a slew of fast times and even won some big races. But during Sunday’s finals in the 60-meter hurdles, the sophomore from Denver, Colo. took it to the next level.

Hall blitzed U.S. Junior and World Youth champ Trinity Wilson and the rest of the New Balance Nationals Indoor field, running 8.19 seconds for No. 2 all-time and another new sophomore class record. It was arguably the most impressive performance of the final session of the three-day affair at The Armory.

Three weekends earlier, in Pocatello, Idaho, Dior ran 8.30 in the prelims of the Simplot Games and then hit the last hurdle the next day as Wilson sped off with the victory and a then-US#1 8.23. Then, on Feb. 26 in Seattle, Wash., Hall lowered her time to 8.28 and bettered Wilson’s class record and won the race. But Wilson was elsewhere.

It all came together in New York. First she ran 8.25, fastest overall in the semifinal round. In the final, Hall got a huge advantage on Wilson at the start and the Californian – who last lost to a prep in 2010 – could never catch up. After the championship race, Hall found her mom – Yolanda Johnson, a former all-time hurdling great – and shared an emotional moment with her.

“I was excited,” Hall said. “I was crying with my mom. I feel like I’m on the right track and (now) it’s on to the outdoor season.”

Before the curtain closed on the indoor season, many of the country’s top athletes took a final stab at leaving their mark on it before moving on to outdoors.

In the boys 400, the highly anticipated showdown with trio Aldrich Bailey (Texas), Najee Glass (N.J.) and Arman Hall (Fla.) lost some of its sizzle when Hall didn’t run fast enough in the prelims to make the fastest section of the finals. So the big show turned into a rematch of the Brooks PR meet – with a nearly identical result.

Bailey got into the lead by the end of the stagger, but Glass was right behind him. Bailey left a seam open on the inside and Glass pressed through it to take the lead. Bailey went wide on the final straightaway to try and win – and was a little short. It was Glass clocking 46.57 and Bailey right there in 46.59.

“I forced myself in,” Glass said. “It was not a big gap. I had to be aggressive.”

Bailey certainly wasn’t expecting the pass on the inside and wasn’t even sure it was legal. “When Najee passed on the inside, I was like ‘What’s going on?’” he said. “I lost my form when he did that.”

Bailey recovered in time to win the 200 meters in a meet record 21.07 seconds, but it didn’t quite make up for the second straight loss to Glass (the difference in Seattle was .01 seconds).

For Edward Cheserek, the final day of NBNI provided an opportunity to pursue individual titles after anchoring two relays wins for St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.).

It started with the two-mile, but Cheserek ran even splits on the way to 8:50.53 – a great time by anyone else’s standards, but seven seconds slower than he’d already run in this winter.

It was about 75 minutes that Cheserek took to the track again for the mile, but the race did not turn into the four-event coronation that he may have imagined. At the front, Jacob Burcham (Ona, W.V.) went after Cheserek, trying to surge his way to the lead. Each time, Cheserek responded and rebuffed him.

Laying in the weeds, right behind them, Brad Nye of Kaysville, Utah was watching and waiting. “With 400 to go, I was still in the race,” he said. “I said ‘I’m right here. This is perfect.’”

Nye moved off the final curve, ran past Burcham and Cheserek and took it through the tape in 4:08.67. The Foot Locker champ and 5,000-meter U.S. record-holder was next in 4:09.07 and Burcham was third in 4:10.82. Nye also had a performance at Simplot that set the stage for nationals, except in his case it was a 1,600 victory so dominant – an easy-looking 4:12.39 at high altitude – that many believed he could improve significantly.

Nye was almost stunned by his achievement and quick to be humble. He had watched each of Cheserek’s previous three races and noticed that he was being pushed – or pushing himself – in all of them.

“Wow, he is such a stud,” Nye said. “His whole attitude, his ability, I have nothing but respect for the guy. It was a great opportunity to run with him.”

Two of the other big matchups came in the 800-meter races.

Ben Malone of Pascack Valley, N.J. kicked late and ran a junior class national record and No. 2 all-time 1:49.94 to beat a field that included Zavon Watkins (N.Y.) and Ned Willig (Pa.), who were second and third, respectively. It concluded an amazing undercover campaign for Malone, who is also US#1 at 1,000 meters and has shown great range from 600 to cross-country.

Ajee Wilson and Mary Cain had a rare chance to go head-to-head, and get to know one another. The senior from Neptune, N.J. and the sophomore from Bronxville, N.Y. don’t live far apart, but they really didn’t know each other. Cain approached Wilson in the bathroom and asked if she’d like to warm-up together.

“She’s run 2:02 (for 800), so I just wanted to go out and do my best,” Cain said. “I tried to go after her that last 150. Why not? But that last 100 it was hard to find that other gear.”

Wilson had her eye on Cain all along and was wary of getting into a kicking contest with her. “I wasn’t asleep on (Cain),” she said. “I knew I needed to save something for the last 150.”

Leading off the field events, it was hard to top Avana Story of Woodward Academy (Georgia), already the national leader in the girls weight throw. She hit a two-foot personal best 63-1.5 to move to No. 2 all-time behind her former Throw1Deep Club teammate Shelby Ashe.

“After my third throw of 60 (feet), it was time to go all-out,” Story said. “I’ve been waiting for that 19 meters to come up all season.”

Ashe, who took the year off from entering college in order to train for the Olympics, continues to work out with Story and her teammates. “She’s like my big sister,” Story said of Ashe. “She told me I could do it.”

In the boys weight throw, Rudy Winkler of Averill Park, N.Y. had the four longest throws of the competition – all of them over 24 meters (78-8) – and hit the first 80-foot throw of the year for the winner, 80-11.75 (#8 all-time).

Carla Forbes of Newtonville, Mass. won a horizontal jump title for the third year in a row. The junior won the triple in 2010 and the long jump last year. On Saturday, she was fifth in the long jump with a respectable 19-7.

In the triple jump, Forbes improved to 42-5.25 for a 19-inch season’s best. It was good for No. 10 all-time. “I was kind of angry,” she said of her morning after the long jump. “I said ‘You know what, I’m going to win something this weekend.’ I had to focus on a new day.”

Ariah Graham of Wakefield, N.C. went 3-for-3 in her events. She anchored Wakefield (N.C.) to victories in the 4x200 and 4x400, and also won the individual title in the 400 with 53.95, fourth-fastest in the nation this season.

Wakefield’s 4x200 relay turned in a meet record 1:36.35, also #2 all-time. The 4x400 ran a US#1 3:43.01, good for #8 all-time.

Robert Rhodes anchored the boys of Boys and Girls (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to a relay win for the second straight day. After an emotionally draining 4x800 win on Saturday, Rhodes recovered in time to help his team take the 4x400 decisively, in 3:16.78.

Coverage of the 2012 New England Indoor Championships
Friday, March 2, 2012 -- Reggie Lewis Center, Boston MA
LINKS: Jack Prior Photos: BOYS | GIRLS
Full Results | DyeStat Elites | Meet Site


HIGHLIGHTS

• G-300/600/4x400: Scorching triple for Hillhouse CT sr Precious Holmes, with US#3 38.22 (#12 all-time), US#2 1:30.79 (#11 all-time), and anchoring winning 4x400 effort (3:56.84).
• G-4x800/Mile: The LaSalle RI girls roar into the US#3 spot with a 9:07.28, as six run 9:31 or better. Then anchor Molly Keating comes back with a 4:54.57 victory.
• B-4x800/2-Mile: Already US#5 at 7:50.25, Chariho RI and star Mike Marsella flex their muscles with a 7:51.22 triumph, winning by five seconds over Acton-Boxborough MA’s 7:56.78. Then Marsella bounces back to a 9:16.76 victory.
• G-1k: Classical RI soph Madeleine Berkson didn’t quite make the fast heat; though she’d run 2:12 for 800, she didn’t have a sub-3:00 1k to her credit. But in the 2nd of 3 sections, she blazes a US#7 2:50.11, thought to be the 3rd best ever by a soph nationally. The fast heat sees NW Catholic CT jr Sarah Gillespie lead 3 at 2:55 or better with US#8 2:51.31, but has to settle for 2nd overall.
• G-55H: Brockton MA sr Vanessa Clerveaux took the title and snips another .01 off her PR with a US#5 7.97.
• G-HJ: US#2 leaper Dakota Dailey-Harris (5-10), the LaSalle RI sr, nets the 5-9 victory.
• B-600: Somerville MA sr Andre Rolim, already US#4 1:19.94, settles for 1:20.80 to beat SMSA CT sr Aaeron Sykes (US#10 1:21.00) and Greenwich CT sr Marcus Motill (#11 1:21.08).
• B-1k: Staples CT jr Henry Wynne prevails in US#8 2:28.30, as 9 run 2:32 or faster.
• B-HJ: Somerset MA soph Adam Couitt impresses with 6-9 victory.
• B-SP: Newton North MA sr Swardick Mayanja upholds the favorite’s role with 59-3.5 triumph.
• B-4x200: Chelmsford MA gets their 2nd sub-1:30 with a winning 1:29.83.
• G-4x200: US#5 Hope RI wins easily with a 1:41.88, just over a second off their best.
• G-55: South Burlington VT sr Mollie Gribbin starts double attempt with 7.11 victory, but is 2nd by just over an inch in the LJ.

NG Indoor GP Meet Index



Although they were competing in races that unfolded quite differently, Haley Pierce and Craig Engels both used strong final kicks to collect junior mile victories at Saturday’s New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

For Pierce – the highly decorated Tatnall (Wilmington, Del.) senior who won the Penn Relays 3k last spring and the Great American XC Festival last fall – it was a matter of waiting patiently and hopefully in front of a strung-out group of followers until mid-race leader Cayla Hatton finally faded and she could pass her with 200 meters remaining to win with a US#2 4:48.59. On the other hand, Engels – a late-blooming, fast rising senior from Ronald Reagan (Pfafftown, N.C.) – was part of a big lead pack that produced 3-4 lead changes before his own decisive move with 300 left resulted in a US#3 4:13.70 triumph.

The miles highlighted five events that included preps during the otherwise professional USATF affair before a packed house. Neptune (Neptune, N.J.) senior 800 megastar Ajee Wilson battled the pros for the second straight week in her specialty and while she placed 6th out of six runners, she improved her US#1 to 2:07.37, just over a second off her indoor PR that also led the nation last winter.

Then the meet featured two prep relays that were packaged as regional battles between New York and New England, with five schools from each area invited to compete as a team and be scored – cross-country style – against the other. The girls 4x400 saw the Villabears TC (St. John Villa, Staten Island, N.Y.) roll to a 3:57.88 win, but the two regions of squads fight to an 18-18 tie (four squads scored). The boys 4x800, however, saw New York not only feature the winning quartet of Firebird TC (Kellenberg, Uniondale, N.Y.) in 7:55.67, but pull away to the overall team win.

Girls Mile: Pierce’s Patience

It looked like there would be at least four serious contenders for the girls title and, for quite a while, those named contenders – Pierce, Cosby (Midlothian, Va.) senior Megan Moye, Friends Academy (Locust Valley, N.Y.) senior Kelsey Margey and Ravenscroft (Raleigh, N.C.) junior Wesley Frazier – pushed lap after lap in single file. However, another girl who few knew about coming in – the aforementioned Hatton – was 30-40 meters ahead of them, first pushing, then hanging on.

That scenario evolved because no one wanted to really take charge during a very pedestrian first lap (38+ seconds) and Hatton, a Phillips Academy Andover (Andover, Mass) senior, decided she wanted none of that. “I was really surprised it went out that slow,” she said. “I wanted to get out of the pack and run my race.”

Hatton, whose her 1500 PR is 4:38, shot out from the group over the next circuit, hitting just over 34 seconds for a 72 first quarter split. She gained three seconds on Pierce and the rest and there was no turning back after that. “I probably overcompensated a little bit,” she admitted.

The move was dramatic enough and, not knowing Hatton, the other contenders settled for a steady push that would maintain a reasonable distance and inch back toward the surprise leader. “I knew we started out slow and needed to pick it up,” said Pierce. “I thought she would come back and I was able to stay confident.”

Hatton passed halfway at 2:23, with an even faster 400, and slowing a tad through three-quarters at 3:37. It still wasn’t clear she was catchable, but finally with 300 to go she really started having to go to her arms and her form began to tighten. Pierce picked up momentum and – having pulled away somewhat from Moye, Margey and Frazier – passed Hatton just before the bell. Her last 200 meters was 33.35. Hatton would have enough left to hold on to second in 4:51.37, while Frazier’s trademark kick (33.14) enabled her to snare Moye and Margey before the tape for 3rd in 4:52.18.

It was a fine win for Pierce, even if not quite the resounding stunner her Penn Relays 3k triumph was last April. But what his concerning the Georgetown signee the most is getting and staying healthy for national championships and other big races ahead. “The last few weeks have been the best I’ve felt since this started,” Pierce said, referring to a nagging foot injury she’s been battling since last summer. “The doctor I have now has really helped.” She had taken a couple of weeks off after leading Tatnall to 3rd at NXN in December with her individual runner-up finish (“more of a mental break than anything”), but was still was experiencing some pain until taking a new direction.

Pierce seems at least as interested in helping her squad to relay victories as any individual glory. “We really want it now,” she said with determination upon being reminded of last spring at NBON, when her struggles helped prevent Tatnall from going after a title in the 4x1 Mile. If she stays healthy, an opportunity for such a feat is just five weeks away at NBIN.




Boys Mile: Engels Arrives

Among a field of milers light on championship or major invitational experience, it took someone zeroed in on and confident in a winning strategy. In the junior boys mile Saturday, Craig Engels was that guy.

Though the pace was reasonable enough – 65-2:09 for the first half - the field was toiling along, rudderless, until the sixth lap. Then 2011 junior mile runner-up Chaminade (Mineola, N.Y.) senior Thomas Awad – the only runner in the field who had really raced at this level before – made his bid. “I wanted to make one big move,” he would say afterward. “It worked at Stanner.”

Indeed, Awad had run 4:15.67 at Stanner, which was the best coming in of the field. The contenders and pretenders began to separate, with Piscataway (Piscataway, N.J.) senior Tim Ball, Cary Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) senior Thomas Graham, and Engels giving serious chase. Marshfield (Marshfield, Mass.) senior Joel Hubbard, with a recent 4:13 DMR 1600 leg to his name and who fronted the field early with Ball, faded back.

Awad kept pushing and towed the chase trio past the three-quarter mark in 3:12. But halfway through the penultimate lap, Engels struck. The other contenders lifted and began to sprint, too, but no one could match Engels’ 29.99 7th lap. Awad didn’t have another gear and neither did the others as the Ronald Reagan senior maintained on the last circuit. The one who was able to do something was Hubbard, who was able to dig down and rally from 6th to 2nd, closing in 29.28. Awad was also passed by Graham and Ball dropped to 6th.

So it was Engels 4:13.70, Hubbard 4:14.35, Graham 4:14.75, Awad 4:14.85, Hubbard’s teammate Kevin Thomas 4:15.15, and Ball 4:15.34.

Said Awad afterward, “I kept pushing (after his big move with 600 left), but Craig made a big counter-move.”

Engels, meanwhile, had the look of someone dazzled by what he may have imagined to be a far-fetched plan having come true. Not that Engels didn’t have a great chance to win, but until you do it the first time on the big stage, you don’t necessarily know it’s possible. “I didn’t expect to run this fast,” he said. “The pace felt fairly hard, but I love kicking.

Engels said a 2:32 1k as part of a season-opening double, which was “not all out,” gave him a lot of confidence. After that, it was following the plan. “Coach (Chris Catton) told me to get in position with 600 to go and make my move during the lap after that. That’s what I did … It was all Coach Catton.”

While Engels is now in the elite group with a great chance to win an indoor championship, he’s most concerned with races closer to home. “I want to try and break the state 1600 record and help our team win state.”

Coverage of the 2012 New Balance Boston Indoor Grand Prix
Sat., Feb. 4, 2012 - Reggie Lewis Center, Boston MA
LINKS: Meet's Own Page | LIVE RESULTS
PHOTO GALLERY: Haley Pierce, Craig Engels rally to win miles
PHOTO GALLERY: St. John Villa girls, Kellenburg boys take relay trophies back to New York
Finishing Kicks Win for Pierce, Engels - Story by SteveU

Watch the meet on ESPN2: Sun, Feb. 5, 2:00-4:00 PM

HIGHLIGHTS

• Girls Jr Mile: Tatnall DE sr Haley Pierce took over with one lap to go for a US#2 4:48.59 victory, overtaking surprising leader Cayla Hatton (Phillips Acad. MA sr). Hatton had exploded into the lead after a slow first 200 and held it until the last lap, finishing 2nd in US#7 4:51.37. Ravenscroft NC jr Wesley Frazier kicked past two others for 3rd in US#8 4:52.18.
• Boys Jr Mile: Ronald Reagan NC sr Craig Engels snatched the lead with 300 left and held on to win in US#3 4:13.70, with Marshfield MA sr Joel Hubbard kicking in the final 50 to 2nd in US#4 4:14.35. He was followed by Cary Acad. NC sr Thomas Graham US#6 4:14.75 and 2011 runner-up Chaminade NY sr Thomas Awad US#7 4:14.85.
• Elite Women's 800: Neptune NJ sr Ajee Wilson improved her US#1 to 2:07.37 in taking 6th against the pros.
• Girls 4x400: The Villa Bears TC (St. John Villa NY) won in a runaway with 3:57.88. They came in ranked US#6 with 3:55.81. The team score between the New York and New England teams was tied at 18 (XC-style scoring).
• Boys 4x800: 5 teams broke 8:00, but at the front it was Firebird TC (Kellenberg NY) nipping Titan TC, 7:55.67 to 7:55.86. New York scored 18 to New England's 24 and won overall, 36-42.

==============================

MILE PREVIEWS

Girls Mile: Don’t be surprised if the US#1 for this event goes down by the end of the night even though national leader Samantha Nadel (4:46.11) isn’t in the race. The top four contenders in this 12-girl field are an intriguing mix of girls running their first major individual race of the season vs. active participants in the busy East Coast circuit:

• Ravenscroft NC jr Wesley Frazier: Having had more than her share of ups and downs, Frazier will be perhaps the most intriguing to watch here. Similar to 2010-11, Frazier has come off a disappointing XC season with promising track results. Last spring, those promising track results evolved all the way to an amazing triple at New Balance Outdoor, where she won the 5k and mile, and was 3rd with a PR in the 2M. Then this past November, she missed making what would have been her 3rd straight Foot Locker Finals. In January, however, she’s hit 1600s of 5:00.07 and 4:54.60 with little competition, showing she might be getting back to top form.
• Tatnall DE sr Haley Pierce: The last time Frazier and Pierce met on the track, Frazier was winning the NBON 5k while pre-race fave Pierce was struggling home 7th. This past fall, while she had some ups and downs, Pierce finished the campaign off with a sterling 2nd at NXN Finals. This winter has been light so far, with the highlight being a 4:48 DMR carry and 9:40.46 3k at Yale. She has a 4:41.19 1600 PR outdoors.
• Cosby VA sr Megan Moye: After running a 4:48.21 1600 outdoors as a junior and then making FL Finals last fall, Moye has continued to progress indoors, blazing a 4:49.36 mile in taking 2nd behind Laura Leff at the New Balance Games (qualifying for Millrose), then ripping a US#5 2:49.76 1k at Virginia Tech last weekend. Don’t be surprised if she takes a few more seconds off her PR here and contends for the win.
• Friends Acad. NY sr Kelsey Margey: With her Millrose Trials victory, Margey stands US#4 with a 4:49.03 and should be right in the mix. She owns the best mile PR in the field with her 4:43.91 outdoors from 2010. Already she’s running better than she was last winter, so don’t be shocked if she emerges in the front of this fine group.

If you’re looking for a darkhorse in the field, consider Northwest Catholic CT sr Sarah Gillespie, who has “only” run 4:59.06 for a mile this winter, but hit 4:49.89 for 1600 last spring. Pierce’s Tatnall teammate Reagan Anderson is another to watch with sub-4:50 potential.

Boys Mile: A great opportunity presents itself for someone to rise up and get their first major invitational mile victory. Here are four who could be that someone:

• Ronald Reagan NC sr Craig Engels: The fast-rising former soccer player started out his season with a 2:32.04/4:19.24 1k/1600 double two weeks ago. Last spring his 1600 best was 4:15.28, then in the fall he was 20th at Foot Locker South after taking 3rd at 4A state. In a 3200 track race in November before FL South, he ran 9:02.
• Chaminade NY sr Thomas Awad: The top returnee from either mile here last year, Awad was a surprising 2nd in the 2011 race. The Molloy Stanner winner at US#7 4:15.67, he also owns a Hispanic Games 2M win at US#2 9:10.97. He was “only” 5th at the US Open, but could bounce back here.
• Marshfield MA sr Joel Hubbard: A Foot Locker Finalist last fall, Hubbard has a 4:14.52 1600 best from last spring. His indoor has been low-key so far, but he did have a 4:13 1600 leg on his team’s winning DMR at Yale. Would love to give the host state a victory.
• Piscataway NJ sr Tim Ball: Outside of FL champ Ed Cheserek, Ball was the man last fall in Jersey, winning the Meet of Champs and also having a great race at Eastern States. He’s taken a nice slow start to indoors, debuting with 4:18.60 and 9:36.97 for 16/32 last weekend.

===========================
PREP START LISTS (updated 2/4)
Note: Neptune NJ sr Ajee Wilson is in the elite 800.

GIRLS' JUNIOR MILE
1 FRAZIER WESLEY USA
2 GILLESPIE SARAH USA
3 ANDERSON REAGAN USA
4 KEATING MOLLY USA
5 MOYE MEGAN USA
6 CROWE MARIKA USA
7 GRANGER MADISON USA
8 MARGEY KELSEY USA
9 PIERCE HALEY USA
10 HATTON CAYLA USA
11 BLACKMAN CAMILLE USA
12 GOMPERS ANNIKA USA

BOYS' JUNIOR MILE
1 HUBBARD JOEL USA
2 THOMAS KEVIN USA
3 ROBERTSON STEPHEN USA
4 TARANTO DAVID USA
5 O'DONNELL MICHAEL USA
6 AWAD TOM USA
7 ENGELS CRAIG USA
8 LENNON DAN USA
9 GRAHAM THOMAS USA
10 BALL TIM USA
11 MADDEN THOMAS USA
12 ALLEN CHRIS USA

GIRLS' 4x400M RELAY
1 VILLA BEARS TC
2 SOUTH SHORE TC
3 MARL LOUIS TC
4 MANSFIELD TC
5 ST. A'S TC
6 AB TC
7 SJB ELITE TC
8 WEYMOUTH YOUTH TC
9 STANNERS TC
10 STATEN ISLAND GATORS TC

BOYS' 4X800M RELAY
1 FIREBIRD TC
2 LOWELL TC
3 SJB ELITE TC
4 TITANS TC
5 KNIGHTS TC
6 ST. JOHN'S TC
7 ST. A'S TC
8 ACTON BOXBORO TC
9 FIDELIS TC
10 BROOKLINE TC
11 BRONX RAMS TC
12 WARRIOR TC

ELITE START LISTS

LANE/POS ATHLETE NAT.
MEN'S 400 METERS
1 DUTCH JOHNNY USA
2 TINSLEY MICHAEL USA
3 HENRY TABARIE ISV
4 QUOW RENNY TRI
5 JAMES KIRANI GRN
6 SCOTT JOSH USA

MEN'S MILE
1 BOYLAN-PETT LIAM USA
2 NOVAK ROBERT USA
3 MILNE TAYLOR CAN
4 LEGESSE HENOK ETH
5 O'LIONAIRD CIARAN IRL
6 BREWER JAMES GBR
7 BROWN RUSSELL USA
8 RUPP GALEN USA
9 FARAH MO GBR
10 SCHERER MATTHEW USA

MEN'S 3000 METERS
1 DRAPER MARK GBR
2 TYNER JUSTIN USA
3 BRUCE BEN USA
4 HEATH GARRETT USA
5 GEBRHIWET HAGOS ETH
6 NDIKU CALEB KEN
7 LEVINS CAM CAN
8 BADDELEY ANDY GBR
9 KIPLAGAT SILAS KEN
10 CENTROWITZ MATTHEW USA
11 GEBREMESKEL DEJEN ETH
12 LAGAT HARON KEN

MEN'S 60 HURDLES
1 BERGER DOMINIC USA
2 OSAGHAE OMO USA
3 AKINS TY USA
4 OLIVER DAVID USA
5 MERRITT ARIES USA
6 WILSON RYAN USA
7 PORTER JEFF USA
8 FOURIE LEHANN RSA

MEN'S SHOT PUT
1 CHANG MING-HUANG TPE
2 MARTIN CORY USA
3 NELSON ADAM USA

WOMEN'S 60 METERS
1 MADISON TIANNA USA
2 BAILEY ALEEN JAM
3 ASUMNU GLORIA NGR
4 WILLIAMS LAURYN USA
5 AHOURE MURIELLE IVC
6 SOLOMON SHALONDA USA
7 BROOKINS LAKYA USA
8 ANDERSON ALEXANDRIA USA

WOMEN'S 300 METERS
3 DORR FAWN USA
4 CHANEY JASMIN USA
5 KNIGHT BIANCA USA
6 TROTTER DEEDEE USA

WOMEN'S 800 METERS
1 MOORE ERICA USA
2 SIFUENTES NICOLE CAN
3 WILSON AJEE USA
4 MAGISO FANTU ETH
5 VESSEY MAGGIE USA
6A THOMAS LATAVIA USA
6B CHARNIGO STEPHANIE USA

WOMEN'S 1000 METERS
1 INFELD MAGGIE USA
2 THOMAS CHARLENE GBR
3 PIERCE ANNA USA
4 WRIGHT PHOEBE USA
5 UCENY MORGAN USA
6 CHARNIGO STEPHANIE USA

WOMEN'S 3000M
1 HILALI SIHAM MAR
2 GEBRESLASE GOTYTOM ETH
3 WRIGHT MEGAN CAN
4 HALL SARA USA
5 LAKHOUAD BTISSAM MAR
6 MALOY LIZ USA
7 ROWBURY SHANNON USA
8 DEFAR MESERET ETH
9 SIMPSON JENNY USA
10 HYMAN MARDREA JAM

WOMEN'S 2 MILE
1 HIGGINSON ASHLEY USA
2 MUNCAN MARINA SRB
3 GARCIA STEPHANIE USA
4 KOONS FRANCES USA
5 KOINI ATHENA GRE
6 ARESON JACKIE USA
7 DICRESCENZO DELILAH USA
8 BIZZARRI ANGELA USA
9 DIBABA TIRUNESH ETH
10 BECKWITH MOLLY USA

WOMEN'S POLE VAULT
1 KEPPLER JANICE USA
2 SCHWARTZ JILLIAN ISR
3 JANSON LACY USA
4 HOLLIDAY BECKY USA
5 HUTSON KYLIE USA
6 SUHR JENN USA

MEN'S MASTERS MILE
1 BOTTOMLEY PETE USA
2 CAKOUROS JASON USA
3 FISHMAN JAYME USA
4 FITZPATRICK TOM USA
5 KERN CHARLIE USA
6 KOCHANOWICZ RON USA
7 LEMME KENT USA
8 O'NIEL KEVEN USA
9 SIMPSON CHRIS USA
10 SPAULDING ANDY USA
11 WASIOLEK BART USA

YOUTH RELAY
1 ATTLEBORO Y JAGUARS
2 BOSTON UNITED
3 CAMBRIDGE JETS
4 HERNANDEZ SCHOOL - BOSTON
5 PROVIDENCE COBRAS
6 WALTHAM TC

Coverage of HS events at the U.S. Open
Sat., Jan. 28, 2012 - Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Broadcast: Sun., Jan. 29, 7pm-9pm ET, ESPN2
LINKS: Boys Mile Video
John Nepolitan Photos: Girls Mile | Boys Mile | Women's 800 & Relays |
Full Results | DyeStat Elite
Meet's Own Site | LIVE RESULTS

HIGHLIGHTS

• G-Mile: North Shore NY sr Samantha Nadel dominated in 4:47.66, beating teammate Brianna Nerud (4:54.65) by seven seconds. Nadel's time is the fastest ever for a high school girl on the MSG track. She went out in 71-2:25.9 for the first two quarters, building a 5-second lead, then closed in 68 to get the record.
• B-Mile: Liverpool NY sr Zavon Watkins kept his hot streak going, following up a big NB Games win last week with a 4:19.86 triumph here, edging the Massachusetts duo of Pembroke sr Wesley Gallagher (4:20.01) and Peabody sr Nick Christensen (4:20.23). The race had a painfully slow start, going out in 69 before picking up to 2:13.9 at halfway. Watkins took the lead with 2 laps to go and held off his challengers. Last quarter was 61+.
• Elite 800: Neptune NJ sr Ajee Wilson took 2nd in 2:09.09, beating 2 of 3 elite/open competitors and losing only to 1:59-runner Fantu Magiso of Ethiopia (2:07.54). Wilson sat in last place (through 400 in 63) until the final lap, when she kicked to 2nd.
• G-4x400: St. John Villa NY took the CHSAA event in 4:02.08, leading wire-to-wire and fending off a late run by St. Anthony's NY (4:03.05).
• B-4x800: Kellenberg NY topped their CHSAA rivals in 8:07.40, taking the lead on the final lap to win a see-saw race.

=================================

PREVIEW

This USATF professional and Olympic-level meet, now THE meet at the venerated Madison Square Garden, has four high-school events – plus Neptune (Neptune, N.J.) senior megastar Ajee Wilson racing the pros in the elite 800.

ELITE 800: Wilson has not raced a hard 800 (or mile) this winter, but does have US#1 marks in the 600 (1:30.36) and 1k (2:48.31) to her credit. Of course, last summer she was the World Youth champ outdoors at 800 in a US#2 2:02.64, #6 all-time, and was also US#1 at 800 last winter with her winning 2:06.17 at New Balance Indoor Nationals. She has run on this 160-yard track more than once, including a 3rd in the Millrose HS Girls mile last year. Just two other runners are listed in the race, but they’ll be tough: Canadian Jessica Smith (2:01.54 best) and Ethiopian Fantu Magiso (1:59.17 best).

GIRLS MILE: The big favorite will be North Shore (Glen Head, N.Y.) senior Samantha Nadel, who is not only US#1 in the mile this winter with her 4:46.11 PR (#13 all-time), but is familiar with the Madison Square Garden track, thanks to her Millrose Games victory here last winter. Nadel’s North Shore teammate Brianna Nerud also returns to the Garden after taking 7th at Millrose in 2011. She has run a 4:58.45 this season, but also clocked 4:53.25 last winter and 4:28.50 in the 1500 last spring, in addition to being the #2 all-time 2k steeplechaser.

Based on this winter’s times, Nadel would seem to have a sizable edge on the rest of the field, with only Pennsbury (Fairless Hills, Pa.) junior Sara Sargent and Bernards (Bernardsville, NJ) senior Dana Giordano having broken 5:00 this winter – and barely at that. But things look potentially a lot tighter when you look at career bests – like 4:51.64 1600 for Sargent – or bests at other distances. A 2:12 800 by Classical (Providence, R.I.) soph Madeleine Berkson shows she’s a good candidate for well under 5:00; so does a 9:52.25 3k by Saratoga Springs (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) junior Keelin Hollowood – who broke 5:00 earlier in her career.

Girls Entries (with most relevant PRs)
Emily Waligurski (Onteora HS/Onteora, NY) – 4:57.52 1M, 4:33.51 1500
Brianna Nerud (North Shore HS/Glen Head, NY) – 4:58.45 1M, 4:28.50 1500
Samantha Nadel (North Shore HS/Glen Head, NY) – 4:46.11 1M, 4:25.59 1500
Sarah Jane Underwood (West Potomac HS/Alexandria, VA) - 2:55.97 1k, 5:04.87 1600
Dana Giordano (Bernards HS/Bernardsville, NJ) – 4:57.25 1600, 10:28.23 2M
Sara Sargent (Pennsbury HS/Fairless Hills, PA) – 4:51.64 1600, 9:39.26 3k
Taylor Driscoll (Saratoga Springs HS/Saratoga Springs, NY) – 5:03.76 1M, 2:59.00 1k
Keelin Hollowood (Saratoga Spr. HS/Saratoga Spr., NY) – 4:56.27 1M, 4:33.02 1500, 9:52.25 3k
Marissa Ruskan (Bridgewater-Raritan HS/Bridgewater, NJ) – 4:57.41 1600,
Madeleine Berkson (Classical HS/Providence, RI) – 5:04.74 1M, 4:43.62 1500

BOYS MILE: When you’ve got someone running like Edward Cheserek has been this winter, any national-class distance race without him seems somewhat lacking. But the US Open field has the next two fastest milers of 2012 and 5 of the top 10 overall – pretty darn good. One of this winter’s biggest surprises is Peabody (Peabody, Mass.) senior Nick Christensen, whose US#2 4:12.56 PR came against open runners in the Boston U. Mini-Meet #3 on Dec. 31 and that makes him the top seed.

The biggest and arguably the most talented name in the field, though, is Liverpool (Liverpool, N.Y.) senior Zavon Watkins – who won the New Balance Games mile last weekend in 4:14.52. Watkins is best known at 800, where he’s the 2011 NB Indoor Nationals champ and a 1:49.70 performer outdoors. Also, only Watkins has raced the mile on this track before (7th, 2011 Millrose).

Six others in the field have broken 4:20. Chaminade (Mineola, N.Y.) senior Thomas Awad has run 4:15.67 this winter, 4:12.86 1600 last spring, and 9:10.97 for 2M. He and Chesnut Hill Acad. (Philadelphia, Pa.) senior Dustin Wilson (9:02 3200 PR from 2010) have the best long-distance chops in the field. On the other end, Shaker (Latham, N.Y.) senior Christian Delago – whose teammate Mike Libruk is also in the race – has hit 4:16.00 in 2012 and sped 2:28.86 for 1k last winter.

Boys Entries (with most relevant PRs)
Nick Christensen (Peabody HS/Peabody, MA) – 4:12.56 1M
Wesley Gallagher (Pembroke HS/Pembroke, MA) – 4:18.28i 1M
Tom Awad (Chaminade HS/Mineola, NY) – 4:15.67i 1M, 4:12.86 1600, 9:10.97 2M
Zavon Watkins (Liverpool HS/Liverpool, NY) – 4:14.52i 1M, 4:11.13 1600, 1:49.70 800
Christian Delago (Shaker HS/Latham, NY) – 4:16.00i 1M, 2:28.86 1k
Mike Libruk (Shaker HS/Latham, NY) – 4:19.63 1600
Dustin Wilson (Chestnut Hill HS/Philadelphia, PA) – 4:17.79i 1M, 9:02.85 3200
Konrad Surkont (Stuyvesant HS/New York, NY) – 4:16.31i 1M
Zach Cammer (Walt Whitman HS/Huntington Station, NY) – 4:21.40i 1M
Chris Cogliano (Bishop Guertin HS/Nashua, NH) – 4:25.40i 1M

CHSAA Girls 4x400m Relay - The strong favorite should be St. John Villa off their US#4 3:55.81 2012 best. No other school in the field has broken 4:00 this winter.

Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood, NY)
The Mary Louis Academy (Jamaica Estates, NY)
Notre Dame (Staten Island, NY)
St. Anthony's (South Huntington, NY)
St. John the Baptist (West Islip, NY)
St. John Villa (Staten Island, NY)

CHSAA Boys’ 4x800m Relay – The best mark coming in is from Kellenberg at US#7 7:59.10. They were 4th in the 4x8 on this track last winter. The 1-2 schools from that race – St. John The Baptist and St. Anthony’s – are also entered.

Fordham Prep (Bronx, NY)
Kellenberg (Uniondale, NY)
Monsignor Farrell (Staten Island, NY)
St. Anthony's (South Huntington, NY)
St. John the Baptist (West Islip, NY)
Xavier (New York, NY)

=========================

Schedule
The list of events below is subject to change.
TIME

6:58 USATF Club Sprint Medley 1
7:06 USATF Club Sprint Medley 2
7:15 CHSAA HS Girls' 4 X 400m
7:20 Men's High Jump
7:25 Girls' Invitational High School Mile
7:35 Boys' Invitational High School Mile
7:45 Harris Women's 800m
7:52 CHSAA HS Boys' 4 x800m
8:05 Women's 500y
8:15 Chase Women's Mile
8:20 Women's Pole Vault
8:25 Men's 600y
8:35 Visa Men's Mile
8:45 Visa Men's Shot Put
9:25 Visa Women's 50m hurdles
9:35 Harris Men's 50m hurdles
9:45 Harris Women's 50m dash
9:55 Chase Men's 50m dash

Scroll down for More to Watch, and Top Indoor and Outdoor Returnees
Previous Previews: Boys Jumps | Next: Boys Sprints

After competing for the U.S. in France last summer and attending an elite triple jumping clinic in the Bahamas, Carla Forbes is bringing a new perspective to her budding track and field career.

The Newton North (Newtonville, Mass.) junior is already one of the top high school jumpers in the nation, based on a sophomore season in which she went 42-1.50 in the triple jump (at the World Youth Trials). Forbes has also gone 19-5.5 in the long jump and demonstrated versatility in sprint events as well. She made a big impact from the start at Newton North, winning the triple jump at Nike Indoor Nationals as a freshman in 2010, the long jump at New Balance Indoor Nationals in 2011, and several state titles indoors and out.

“Her work ethic is second to none,” Newton North coach Joe Tranchita said. “Sometimes you have to chase her out of practice. She’s a coach’s dream.”

The above-mentioned versatility of Forbes is a common theme among 2012’s top returning girls jumpers. You can’t be much more versatile than Kell (Marietta, Ga.) junior Kendell Williams, who is probably best known as a heptathlete, but has 6-0 high jump hops and has long-jumped 19-8.75. When it comes to combining both horizontal jumps and the high jump, Monroe (Albany, Ga.) senior Mimieux Land may be the country’s best. And, like Forbes, Plano East (Plano, Texas) senior Jennifer Madu and Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.) senior Jasmine Todd are devastating in combining sprints and both horizontal jumps.

Project Triple Jump a boon to Forbes

With all of the competition this year will bring, getting off to a great start doesn’t hurt and that’s what Forbes has done. A little more than a week after taking part in the Project Triple Jump clinic, sponsored by NSSF, she broke her indoor PR in the triple jump, going a US#1 40-10.

“I like the challenge of the triple jump,” she said. “It’s a challenging event (to master) and it’s a lot of work. The reward when you get there is definitely great.”

Forbes pours herself into her work. She not only accepted the invitation to be part of Project Triple Jump, she also wrote blog posts to give the outside world a sense for what was going on.

In the Bahamas, she had the opportunity to see new training techniques and listen to renowned Bahamian coach Peter Pratt.

“It’s definitely raising expectations, just to be able to say you’ve worked with (Coach Pratt),” Forbes said. “I definitely think there’s a higher expectation because you’ve put yourself on the radar. It’s an extra thing to push you.”

She added that her trip to the Bahamas served to reinforce that she was doing many of the right things in training. “Some of what they taught was an emphasis on things I was already doing.”

But Forbes also came back home with a clearer idea about how to approach competition. “The big thing that helped me down there were lessons on centering and taking control of each jump,” she said. “I’m definitely learning that, how to focus on myself and not to have a cloudy mind.”

And she also has a better understanding of where she is in relation to the top athletes in the country, if not the world.

“Being stuck up north sometimes you get a one-dimensional view,” Forbes said. “When you go to something like (World Youth Games or Project Triple Jump) you get the overall view of what people can really do. It definitely broadens my view of track.”

MORE TO WATCH

KENDELL WILLIAMS, Kell (Marietta, Ga.), 2013
Even if she wasn’t a top national-class hurdler and heptathlete, Williams deserves mention here just for her jumping … with her current US#1 5-10.75 HJ, she has already exceeded her 2011 indoor best of 5-9.25 from the NBIN pentathlon … was extremely consistent in HJ outdoors last year, with 6-0 best that makes her top US returnee … her overall LJ PR came indoors last winter at Kentucky Invite; her 19-8.75 there makes her top indoor returnee (went 19-7.5 outdoors) … often gets her best LJ and HJ marks in multis.

MADDIE MORROW, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 2012
Last year, Morrow divided New Balance nationals HJ titles with now-graduated Ohio rival Taylor Burke, taking 2nd at NBIN and 1st at NBON … her current US#2 of 5-10 gives her more than a dozen clearances over that mark in her career … was knocking at door of 6 feet last year both indoors and outdoors as she hit 5-11 marks to win indoor state and in taking 2nd at outdoor state (behind Burke’s US#1) … has committed to Duke.

RACHAL PROTEAU, West Albany (Albany, Ore.), 2013
Proteau had a stunning late-season surge last spring as a sophomore to move into the national HJ elite … by late May her PR was just 5-7, which she leapt to win 5A state … went up to 5-9 in taking BorderDuel, but it was her unlooked-for US#5 5-10.75 for 2nd at USATF Juniors that really opened eyes … she earned Pan-Am Junior ticket, where she was 5th … came back at end of July for USATF JOs Intermediate Girls title … is #3 returnee outdoors.

DerRENAE FREEMAN, West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), 2012
Freeman made her mark at end of Fla. outdoor season as she went 19-10. 5 (nwi) in LJ at region meet, then a legal then-US#1 20-0.75 to win 4A state … wound up the season US#3 and is top returnee … later won Golden South (19-4, nwi), but had disappointing World Youth Trials (6th) … came back in the summer for AAU Club Nats title … improved almost a foot during junior season from 19-1 PR as soph … also a 12.08/24.60 sprinter (both nwi).

JASMINE TODD, Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), 2012
Has been a major jumping/sprinting force for national powerhouse Chandler her entire career … #2 returnee in TJ outdoors with her 41-5 (+1.3w) from Chandler Rotary last spring and #5 LJ returnee with 19-8.75 best … won both at D1 state, AZ Meet of Champs and LJ at Nike Track Nationals … tripled the 60, LJ and TJ at Great Southwest Indoor last year … LJ PR came in 2010 state meet with 19-11; she also won GSW outdoor LJ that year (19-9w).

JENNIFER MADU, Plano East (Plano, Texas), 2012
Like Kendell Williams, Madu will get extensive mention in sprints/hurdles, as well as here … in TJ, she was 2nd at World Youth Trials with US#6 41-3 (#3 returnee) to make Team USA in 2 events (also 100, where she’d win gold) … was US#1 in TJ in 2010 with 42-0.75 to win Great Southwest … LJ PRs are 19-4nwi and 19-2 legal … TJ win and LJ 2nd were part of quadruple attempt at 5A state last year … strong start to indoor already, including US#5 39-6.75 at Arkansas.

MIMIEUX LAND, Monroe (Albany, Ga.), 2012
Land is an impressive do-it-all jumper with (legal) PRs of 5-8.75 HJ, 19-6.25 LJ (#8 returnee) and 40-4 TJ (#7 returnee); no one else combines the three quite so well … won Golden West with TJ PR last spring … has won all 3 events at 3A state two years running … at World Youth Trials, she was 2nd in HJ and LJ, but not named to Team USA … won Golden South HJ and TJ, and 3rd in LJ … also took USATF JOs (YW) in HJ … has committed to Florida.

JESSIE JOHNSON, Argyle (Argyle, Texas), 2012
Johnson had her best jump early last spring, a 13-3 in March that would stand up for US#6 for the year and makes her the top returnee for 2012 … in early January this year, she matched her 2nd best meet ever at 13-0 to own the current US#1 … won her second straight 3A state title last spring with 12-9 … she has committed to Auburn.

SYDNEY WHITE, East Forsyth (Kernersville, N.C.), 2012
With her US#7 13-1.25 PR, White placed 8th at the World Youth Championships last summer and is the #2 US returnee … has gotten off strong in 2012 already with 12-8 victory at the Reno PV Summit … great consistency in big meets last year, including runner-up finishes behind Morgan LeLeux at both NBIN and NBON … her 12-10.25 indoor PR at NBIN made her US#6 and she is #2 returnee there, as well, this time behind Megan Clark … her 12-3.5 soph best in 2010 earned her USATF JOs title in Intermediate Girls.

DANIELLE WILLIAMS, Eaglecrest (Centennial, Colo.), 2012
Not too many athletes become TJ specialists in HS, but Williams is about as close to that as you can get … does some sprinting and long jumping, but TJ by far her best event … very fast start to 2012 with 40-10 PR at Colo. School of Mines Open to tie US#1, one of 3 meets over 40 already for her … 40-4.25 outdoor PR at 5A state last year, but lost by an inch … won Great Southwest with 39-10 leap … 2nd at USATF JOs (Young Women) with 39-8.5 … 2nd at Simplot last winter at 38-8.5.

MEGAN CLARK, Columbus (Columbus, Ga.), 2012
After an outstanding 2011 at James O’Neill HS in NY, Clark is now in Georgia after a move dictated by family military obligations … her US#4 13-0 PR indoors at Eastern States in 2011 makes her #1 returnee and she has a 12-4 best (7th PV Summit) so far this winter … her best outdoors last spring was 12-8 at the Ahern Classic and she’s #7 returnee there … she was also 3rd at WY Trials and 7th at NBON in spring, after a 4th at NBIN … took state titles both indoors and out in 2011.

NATION'S TOP RETURNEES
OUTDOOR EVENTS - Scroll down for indoor lists

High Jump
National Record: 6-4, Amy Acuff, Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas), 1993, and Toni
Young, Del City (Del City, Okla.), 2009
2011 Best: 6-1.25, Taylor Burke, Medina (Medina, Ohio), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 6-0, Kendell Williams, Kell (Marietta, Ga.), 2013
2. 5-11, Maddie Morrow, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 2012
3. 5-10.75, Rachel Proteau, West Albany (Albany, Ore.), 2013
4. 5-10, Taylor Twedt, Westfork (Sheffield, Iowa), 2012
4. 5-10, Kiara Wright, Clear Lake (Houston, Texas), 2012
4. 5-10, Emily Godwin, Buckhann Upshur (Buckhannon, W.Va.), 2013
4. 5-10, Sara Henry, Somerset (Somerset, Wis.), 2012
4. 5-10, Audrey Ketcham, Wenatchee (Wenatchee, Wash.), 2012
4. 5-10, Ashlee Moore, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 2014
4. 5-10, Julisa Tindall, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.), 2013

Long Jump
National Record: 22-3, Kathy McMillan, Hoke County (Raeford, N.C.), 1976
2011 Best: 20-4.25, Jenna Prandini, Clovis (Clovis, Calif.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 20-0.75, DerRenae Freeman, West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), 2012
2. 19-11, Robin Reynolds, Jackson (Miami, Fla.), 2012
3. 19-10.75, Ashlie Curenton, Silverado (Mission Viejo, Calif.), 2012
4. 19-10.25, Kyla Walker, White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), 2012
5. 19-8.75, Jasmine Todd, Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), 2012
6. 19-7.5, Kendell Williams, Kell (Marietta, Ga.), 2013
7. 19-6.5, Clariwin Dameus, Santaluces (Lantana, Fla.), 2012
8. 19-6.25, Aliyah Harmon, Rich Central (Olympia Fields, Ill.), 2013
8. 19-6.25, Mimieux Land, Monroe (Albany, Ga.), 2012
10. 19-6, Alexis Faulknor, Junipero Serra (Gardena, Calif.), 2012

Wind-aided/NWI additions
1. 20-0.5, Kira Moreland, Los Osos (Ontario, Calif.), 2012
2. 19-10.75, Anna Robinson, DeSoto (DeSoto, Texas), 2013
3. 19-9.5, Chyna Ries, Washington (Denver, Colo.), 2014
4. 19-9, Chantavia Johnson, Molina (Dallas, Texas), 2012
5. 19-6.25, Sidney Conley, Fayetteville (Fayetteville, Ark.), 2012

Triple Jump
National Record: 44-11.75, Brittany Daniels, West (Tracy, Calif.), 2004
2011 Best: 43-2.5, Ciarra Brewer, James Logan (Union City, Calif.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 42-1.5, Carla Forbes, Newton North (Newtonville, Ma.), 2013
2. 41-5, Jasmine Todd, Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), 2012
3. 41-3, Jennifer Madu, Plano East (Plano, Texas), 2012
4. 40-6, Cydney Leath, Mt. Pleasant (San Jose, Calif.), 2012
5. 40-4.25, Danielle Williams, Eaglecrest (Centennial, Colo.), 2012
5. 40-4.25, Rachel Toliver, St. Mary’s Acad. (Berkeley, Calif.), 2013
7. 40-4, Mimieux Land, Monroe (Albany, Ga.), 2012
8. 40-3.5, Brianna Richardson, Rockwell-Heath (Heath, Texas), 2012
9. 40-3.25, Jessica Caldwell, McDonogh (Owings Mill, Md.), 2012
10. 39-11.5, Molly Gribbin, South Burlington (S. Burlington, Vt.), 2012

Wind-aided/NWI additions
1. 41-3.5, Melodee Riley, Riverhead (Riverhead, N.Y.), 2012
2. 41-2.75, Richardson
3. 40-9.5, Gribbin
4. 40-8.75, Sasha Wallace, Holy Names (Oakland, Calif.), 2013
5. 40-5, Imani Wright, Liberty-Eylau (Texarkana, Texas), 2013
6. 40-4.5, Adefunke Sonaike, Montgomery (Skillman, N.J.), 2012
7. 40-3.25, Simone Charley, Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), 2013
8. 40-2.25, Nataliyah Friar, E.E. Holt (Wentzville, Mo.), 2013
9. 40-0.75, Alyssa Kelly, Blue Valley West (Overland Park, Kan.), 2012
10. 40-0.5, Ashley Ivey, Washington County (Sandersville, Ga.), 2012

Pole Vault
National Record: 14-2.75, Morgann Leleux, Catholic (New Iberia, La.), 2011
2011 Best: 14-2.75, Morgann Leleux, Catholic (New Iberia, La.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 13-3, Jessie Johnson, Argyle (Argyle, Texas), 2012
2. 13-1.25, Sydney White, East Forsyth (Kernersville, N.C.), 2012
3. 13-0, McKenzie Johnson, Clairemont (San Diego, Calif.), 2012
4. 12-9.75, Victoria Rische, Foothill (Santa Ana, Calif.), 2012
5. 12-9, Alyssa Applebee, Seneca (Seneca, Ill.), 2012
5. 12-9, Cimran Virdi, Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, Calif.), 2012
7. 12-8, Megan Clark, Columbus (Columbus, Ga.), 2012
8. 12-7.5, Hannah Acton, Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.), 2012
9. 12-7.25, Katie Rancourt, East Kentwood (Kentwood, Mich.), 2012
10. 12-7, Alex Flucke, Ashwaubenon (Green Bay, Wis.), 2013
10. 12-7, Chanel Krause, St. Paul Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.), 2013

NATION'S TOP RETURNEES (and current leaders)
INDOOR EVENTS

High Jump
National Record: 6-3, Lisa Berhagen, Wood River (Hailey, Id.), 1984
2011 Best: 5-11, Maddie Morrow, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 2012
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 5-11, Maddie Morrow, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 2012
2. 5-9.25, Kendell Williams, Kell (Marietta, Ga.), 2013
3. 5-8, Taylor Morgan, Upper Dublin (Ft. Washington, Pa.), 2012
3. 5-8, Lexy Boschee, Glacier (Glacier, Mont.), 2012
7 tied at 5-7
**Current 2012 Leaders
1. 5-10.75, Williams
2. 5-10, Morrow

Long Jump
National Record: 21-7.5, Carol Lewis, Willingboro (Willingboro, N.J.), 1981
2011 Best: 20-1, Keilah Tyson, Western Branch (Chesapeake, Va.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 19-8.75, Kendell Williams, Kell (Marietta, Ga.), 2013
2. 19-5.5, Carla Forbes, Newton North (Newtonville, Ma.), 2013
3. 19-2.5, Jordan Matthews, Abington (Abington, Pa.), 2012
3. 19-2.5, Sarah Bowens, Suffern (Suffern, N.Y.), 2012
5. 19-2, Shannen Rose-Forde, Dominion Christian (Marietta, Ga.), 2012
**Current 2012 Leader
1. 20-0.25, Shakeela Saunders, Nansemond River (Suffolk, Va.), 2012

Triple Jump
National Record: 44-6.75, Ke'Nyia Richardson, Holy Names (Oakland, Calif.), 2007
2011 Best: 42-3.5, Ciarra Brewer, James Logan (Union City, Calif.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 40-8, Jessica Caldwell, McDonogh (Owings Mill, Md.), 2012
2. 40-5.25, Sasha Wallace, Holy Names (Oakland, Calif.), 2013
3. 39-10.5, Jennifer Madu, Plano East (Plano, Texas), 2012
4. 39-8.5, Jasmine Todd, Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), 2012
5. 39-7.25, Brianna Richardson, Rockwell-Heath (Heath, Texas), 2012
5. 39-7.25, Iana Amsterdam, Newark Tech (Newark, N.J.), 2013
**Current 2012 Leaders
1. 40-10, Carla Forbes, Newton North (Newtonville, Ma.), 2013
1. 40-10, Danielle Williams, Eaglecrest (Centennial, Colo.), 2012

Pole Vault
National Record: 14-2.5, Tori Anthony, Castilleja (Palo Alto, Calif.), 2007
2011 Best: 13-8.25, Morgann Leleux, Catholic (New Iberia, La.), 2011
2011 season best, name, school, class
1. 13-0, Megan Clark, Columbus (Columbus, Ga.), 2012
2. 12-10.25, Sydney White, East Forsyth (Kernersville, N.C.), 2012
3. 12-7, Jessie Johnson, Argyle (Argyle, Texas), 2012
3. 12-7, Larisa Debich, Hempfield (Landisville, Pa.), 2012
4. 12-6, Sydney Clute, Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 2012
**Current 2012 Leaders
1. 13-0, Johnson

Coverage of the 43rd Dartmouth Relays
Fri.-Sun., Jan. 6-8, 2012 (preps Fri.-Sat.)
Leverone Fieldhouse, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH
LINKS: Meet home page | DyeStat Elites | Full Results
DOUG AUSTIN PHOTOS: Boys | Girls

HIGHLIGHTS

• Newton North MA jr Carla Forbes won the LJ in US#3 19-4, then the TJ in US#1 40-10.
• Hillhouse CT jr Precious Holmes blasted a US#2 55.80 400 Saturday after helping her 1600 SMR squad to a US#1 4:07.11 Friday
• Pembroke MA sr Joe Vercollone rolled to a US#1 2:30.51 for 1k.
• Colonie NY sr Giancarlo Sainato not only tied US#1 with his 1:21.67 600, but beat the other US#1 Somerville MA jr Andre Rolim (1:22.53) in the process.
• Waterville ME jr Bethanie Brown took the 2M in a US#1 10:48.35.
• LaSalle RI sr Molly Keating anchored her team’s US#2 12:12.44 DMR Friday, then on Saturday won the mile in 5:03.85 and added a leg on her team’s winning US#5 9:38.69 4x800
• Bishop Hendricken RI sr Reuben Horace won the WT in US#2 69-3.5
• Bishop Guertin NH soph Molly McCabe ran a US#2 2:16.01 800.
• Colonie NY sr Kyle Plante took the girls 300 in US#3 39.54.
• Salem NH sr Jerickson Fedrick zipped to a winning US#3 6.39 55 dash
• Marshfield MA boys combined for a US#3 10:26.42 DMR, topping Pembroke MA’s US#5 10:29.61.
• Pembroke MA sr Wesley Gallagher edged Methuen MA jr Mike O’Donnell in the mile, 4:23.45 to 4:23.58, while Wakefield MA sr Stephen Robertson took the 2M in US#4 9:23.35.
• Lebanon NH sr Mike Cyphers won the PV at 15-0.
• Canadian athletes from Quebec won the boys 400 (Alex Tourigny-Plante 49.90), boys 800 (Mathieu Sturkenboom 1:56.35), boys 55H (Gabriel Slythe-Léveillé 7.58), and girls 55 dash (Clemence Paiement 7.06)

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Two-time Foot Locker finalist Catarina Rocha of Peabody (Peabody, Mass.) was unaware that both of her parents ran in the national championship event until just over a year ago.

Rocha, a junior who finished seventh on Dec. 10 at San Diego’s Balboa Park, said she had never heard of the Foot Locker meet until she came out for the cross country team at the start of the 2010 season.

As it turns out, she has a special place in the history of the meet. Rocha is the first child of two previous finalists to quality for the championship.

“I didn’t even know,” she said. “(My parents) don’t make a big deal out of it.”

The family’s history with the meet extends all the way back to the first Kinney Cross Country Championship in 1979. Catarina’s uncle, Fernando Braz, ran in the inaugural race and was 15th.

Three years later, Jose Rocha (he goes by Joe now), competed in the 1982 race in Orlando. He also placed 15th.

And two years after that, in 1984, Gina Braz, Fernando’s little sister, ran in San Diego, where she finished 21st.

Fernando, Joe and Gina all left their mark at Boston College as well. Joe Rocha and Fernando Braz still hold down the Nos. 1 and 2 all-time performances in the 10,000 meters in BC history. Gina was a standout on the BC cross country team.

It was in college, running for the Eagles, where Gina met Joe. She was a freshman and he was a junior. Their common past as Kinney national finalists would have been part of their earliest conversations.

“We talked about it a little bit,” Gina said. “We probably talked about our experiences (at the meet), but they were at different sites.”

Joe said his memories of the 1982 race have faded over the years.

“The only think I remember is spending the day at Disney World and being tired before the race,” he said.

Gina and Joe continued to run after their marriage. Joe qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials in the 10,000 but was injured before he got the starting line. Gina qualified for the Olympic marathon trials in 2004 but got hurt during the race and didn’t finish.

Braz-Rocha coaching connection


Fernando and Joe coach together in Peabody. Fernando is the boys track and field coach for the indoor and outdoors seasons. Joe is the head cross country coach and has the girls during indoor and outdoor track.

So it would only be natural that in this environment Catarina would be groomed for running success, right?

Well, not necessarily. Catarina grew up playing soccer (although she did run cross country in middle school) and when she entered Peabody as a freshman she turned out for soccer and made the varsity lineup.

“As she was growing up we never pushed her in any direction,” Gina said. “Our hope is that she would find something she was passionate about. She was in soccer and that’s what we supported her in.”

Gina played basketball in middle school, too. But at Peabody she decided to try indoor track and she fell in love with it.

Still, in the summer before her sophomore year, Catarina’s parents figured that she was going to return to soccer. They were surprised when she signed up to join her father’s cross country team.

“She never said that she wanted to be a runner, but she had a little bit of success her freshman year running the mile,” Joe said. “We had invested so much time and money into soccer that, as a parent, we were like ‘Are you sure you want to do that?’”

Catarina was firm in her decision to pursue running and she hasn’t looked back since. As a sophomore she won the Division I state meet and placed second in the all-state meet.

Her father wanted to take a few boys to the Foot Locker regional meet and Catarina asked if she could go too. She tagged along – and placed eighth to earn a trip to San Diego.

“We were really surprised that she qualified,” Gina said.

Catarina was still brand new to high school cross country. She finished 31st.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I went for the experience. It was kind of cool to watch everyone else.”

As a junior, Catarina took her training a bit more seriously and brought her 5,000-meter times down.

Moving up at Foot Locker

At San Diego, she had a handle on what to expect. She planned to stay in the top 15 for as long as she could. She held her ground in the chase pack – behind eventual 1-2 Molly Seidel and Erin Finn – and moved up from ninth to seventh in the last final 400 meters. She improved on her 2010 performance at Balboa Park by 56 seconds.

It was the best result in family history. And she could potentially come back for another crack at it in 2012.

“We play things down a little,” Gina said of the family’s history with the meet.

Catarina has been the one asking the questions, prying information from her parents about their experiences. She has never seen photos or videos of her parents’ races at the Kinney championships.

“I wasn’t at the level (Catarina) was at,” Gina said. “I was 21st. I was overwhelmed with the competition there. But I was also far more nervous watching Catarina than I was running it.”

Those who watch Catarina run say that her form is reminiscent of her father. But her racing instincts, and her kick, come from her mother.

“I am very proud of her as a dad and very proud as a coach,” Joe said. “I knew she was ripe to run in the 17:30s. At the regional she ran conservative and was just trying to (qualify). One of her strengths is that she knows what she wants to do. She rises to the competition even though it is still very new to her.”

Running, and the Foot Locker (Kinney) Finals, are in her blood.

“It’s kind of cool knowing your dad and mom and uncle did it,” Catarina said. “And now me. I’m part of that history now.”

The family legacy may not end with Catarina. She has two younger brothers as well as cousins (children of Fernando and another uncle, Helder) who are on their way up as well.

Edward Cheserek touched down in San Diego late Tuesday, arriving early with St. Benedict’s Prep School coach Marty Hannon in order to prepare for Saturday’s Foot Locker finals.

Cheserek’s 2011 cross country season has been nothing short of spectacular. The junior from Kenya’s Rift Valley is in his second year as a student in the U.S. – and this fall has broken seven course records in seven races.

If Cheserek goes 8-for-8 and breaks Reuben Reina’s 1985 Balboa Park record of 14:36 the achievement will surely go down as one of the greatest in prep cross country history. So far this season, Cheserek’s closest race was a 24.9-second win in the Foot Locker Northeast regional.

The clock, and each course, served as motivation when competition was absent.

“I try to keep myself motivated all the time,” Cheserek said. “Last year, I had lots of competition. This year there is not as much.”

On Saturday, Cheserek knows there will be competition. He will race Futsum Zeinasellassie of North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), the Nike Cross Nationals champion, for the first time.

“For me, in my mind, I would like to win and get the course record,” Cheserek said. “But Futsum is a great runner, so it will not be easy.”

Season in review

The groundwork for Cheserek’s course records assault began over a summer that included highs and lows. He strengthened his friendship with the Rosa twins, Jim and Joe, and went on training runs with them at New Jersey’s famed Holmdel Park. He also
attended the Nike Elite camp in Oregon, getting a chance to socialize and make friends with some of the top runners in the country. And he continues to become more sophisticated with his approach to training. He bumped his mileage up to about 55 per week.

But the summer also held bad news and heartbreak. Cheserek’s father died in Kenya. He made a trip home to be with his family, but the visit was short – just three days.

“It was a very difficult time for me,” he said.

Back at school in Newark, N.J., Cheserek poured his energy into his training – and began one of the most impressive cross country campaigns ever.

Sept. 24, Garret Mountain Reservation (N.J.): After bypassing an early-season meet, Cheserek opened his season by running on familiar ground at the Passaic Coaches Invitational. Garret Mountain is not far from Newark and he has done training runs there occasionally. From the starting gun, he took off and left the field behind, hitting the first mile in a scorching 4:25.

“I knew when I came through two miles in 9:25, I could get (the record),” he said. “With 800 meters to go, I sprinted.”

Final time: 14:53, the first under 15 minutes on the layout.

Oct. 1, Holmdel Park (N.J.): Holmdel Park is hallowed ground in the state of New Jersey because it is the site of not only the Shore Coaches Invitational, but also the Meet of Champions. It is the ultimate measuring stick for high school cross country in the Garden State and has been for many years.

Cheserek had never raced at Holmdel before, but he was certainly aware of his friend Joe Rosa’s 2009 record of 14:56.

“This course is really tough,” Cheserek said. “I wanted to see what I can do on it.”

He peeled three seconds off Rosa’s time, running 14:53.

As Cheserek met to answer questions from Star-Ledger newspaper reporter Jim Lambert, “there were 100 kids around the interview,” Hannon said.

Lambert reported that Cheserek went through the challenging uphill first mile in 5:01, six seconds ahead of Rosa’s record pace.

“He was signing autographs and was very happy with his performance,” the St. Benedict’s coach said. “He was also cognizant of Joe Rosa and the time he spent with him over the summer. So I think he had some mixed feelings about breaking a friend’s record.”

Oct. 9, Van Cortlandt Park (N.Y.): The Manhattan Invitational, held on one of the most historic courses in the U.S., arrived on an unusual day – much to Cheserek’s liking. With temperatures in the mid 80s, he tore out after the first sub-12 minute time in history on the 2.5-mile course.

Cheserek accomplished the feat, running 11:55.4 to win the Eastern States championship by nearly 26 seconds. Again he bettered a Joe Rosa record, this time by more than eight seconds. At the 2010 meet, one of Cheserek’s first in the U.S., he had finished second to Jim Rosa.

“He knew the course a little bit better this year,” Hannon said. “Having broken (the record) at Holmdel, I think he had a lot of confidence. He got out well, had some people with him through the woods and then poured it on at the end.”

Said Cheserek: “That course is hard. There are more hills. But you can sprint at the end of it.”

Oct. 15, Goddard State Park (R.I.): Traveling outside of the New York City metro area for the first time, Cheserek made a return to the Brown Invitational, where he had missed the course record (15:00.5, Cory Thorne in 2004) by three-tenths of a second in 2010.

Conditions were far from perfect.

“We went up Friday and jogged (the course). It had rained heavily and we were concerned there would be mud puddles. It was in much better shape by the time of the race,” Hannon said.

Meet organizers put hay down over the soggiest points on the course to help with footing. But it was quickly apparent that the wet track wouldn’t slow down Cheserek.

“The Brown Invitational was the most shocking (record) to me, to be honest,” Hannon said. “We thought he might get it by five or 10 seconds – but he broke it by 25 seconds.”

Cheserek finished in 14:34.6.

“I didn’t think I was going fast like that because it was a muddy course,” he said. Yet once again, he knew by the two-mile mark that he had the record. He won the race by nearly 47 seconds over fellow Foot Locker finalist Joel Hubbard of Massachusetts.

Oct. 28, Brookdale Park (N.J.): Flat and fast like a road race, Cheserek let it rip –hammering out a first mile in 4:28 and a second mile in 4:48 – on the way to 14:20.0 at the Essex County Championships.

He knocked 22 seconds off his own course record from 2010 and lowered it to a realm where it may be untouchable by anybody else. He won by 44 seconds – over another Foot Locker finalist Blake Udland of New Jersey – and produced one of the fastest prep 5K times anywhere.

After the race, he complained of a bothersome twinge in his hamstring, which caused him to hold back a bit.

“He’s got a lot of speed,” Hannon said. “When he first came to us we thought he was probably more of a 10K guy.”

Last spring’s 4:03 mile on the track, a sophomore class record, suggested otherwise.

Nov.5, Warinanco Park (N.J.): In 2010, Cheserek beat a 22-year-old course record by 10 seconds. Coming back to the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference championships, and running all alone yet again, he kept the record streak alive, but just barely.

Cheserek ran 4:50 for the first mile and 4:40 for the second and completed the 5,250-meter course in 15:18.2 –three-tenths of a second ahead of his 2010 time. Warinanco isn’t his favorite place to run, he said, because stretches of the course are paved. He prefers softer surfaces.

Nov. 26, Sunken Meadow State Park (N.Y.): On the north shore of Long Island, a rested and ready Cheserek intended, first and foremost, to qualify for the Foot Locker Finals.

But the course record dangled like a carrot and Cheserek couldn’t resist trying to keep his streak alive. John Gregorek, who would go on to represent the U.S. at two Olympic Games, held the record of 15:32.3 since 1977. Cheserek said he did not give an all-out effort, but merely wanted to qualify for the trip to San Diego. He finished in 15:20.5.

Hannon had instructed him to go conservatively for the first mile, a strategy designed to ensure a win but not necessarily a record.

“I told him after the first mile, if you feel good, then you can take off,” the coach said.

Cheserek listened to his coach, and went through the mile in 4:52.

“It was exciting to get the record, but it wasn’t really my best (effort). I was aiming only to qualify,” he said.

Is an eighth course record in the cards?

Hannon said he tries to keep a lid on expectations that rise so high, but this fall they have been difficult to contain.

“I think we all feed off other people’s expectations sometimes,” he said. “But I don’t like that stuff. I tell everybody I talk to that it’s not a given (he’s) going to win Foot Locker. Everyone goes to the starting line even.”

The number to keep in mind on Saturday is 14:36 – a standard that has been on the books since Reina, a Texan, led nine runners under 15 minutes 26 years ago.

As if coming up with a reasonable system for ranking high school cross country teams wasn't a thank-less enough job, we've asked Rob Monroe to explain the shifting sands of his weekly FAB50 rankings.

Out of a weekend that included three NXN regional meets and the enormous California state meet, here is what he has to say:

Boys Rankings
In New York, preseason favorite Shaker continued a late-season climb by avenging a state meet loss to Rush-Henrietta and also knocking off favored Fayetteville-Manlius for their first NXN-New York title. St. Anthony’s also improved upon their Federations race to finish third, beating three of the teams that beat them on this same course a week earlier. Shaker’s victory moved them up 11 spots from US#20 to US#9, St. Anthony’s improvement vaulted it back into the rankings at US#35 after a couple of weeks on the Fab50 bubble, and Monsignor Farrell entered the rankings for the first time with a close fifth place finish earning a US#39 ranking. Runner-up Fayetteville-Manlius and third-place Rush Henrietta dropped four spots to #10 and #15, and sixth place finisher Arlington moved up one spot to US#40.

At the same course as the New York meet, the Northeast meet saw a talented Pembroke MA crew finally break through and punch its ticket to Portland for the second year in a row with a runner-up finish to US#1 Christian Brothers NJ. After finishing second at the Massachusetts All-State meet, Pembroke shined with strong front running power and finished eight spots ahead of All-State D2 champion Bishop Feehan. That vaulted Pembroke up to US#21. Meanwhile, CBA showed again why they were the preseason No. 1, running the second-best cumulative time in Bowdoin Park history (to my knowledge) behind only the 2004 team from Fayetteville-Manlius. CBA also sported a lethal 22-second spread from 1 to 5. Westfield NJ, third at the New Jersey Meet of Champions, moved up a spot to finish as the second team from New Jersey and a mere seven points behind Pembroke. That improvement is reflected in a 12-spot climb to US#22. Bishop Hendricken RI returns to the national rankings after a two-week hiatus by finishing fourth, a performance that yielded them a US#42 ranking. Fifth-place Don Bosco NJ fell 21 spots to US#43.

The Southeast race saw the Florida 3A Champions from Belen Jesuit take the race with a course record team average of 15:38. The undefeated Magis continue to show they are a force to be reckoned with and were rewarded by moving up 10 spots to US#8. Runner-up Brentwood TN also moves up to US#32, an improvement of 15 spots, while Brookwood GA and Lexington SC fell out of the rankings by finishing a distant third and a shorthanded 11th.

California’s State Championships provided slight upsets in both genders. In the boys race, Trabuco Hills returns to their previous US#11 spot as they avenged their fourth-place CIF-Southern Section finish with a D1 State Championship. The top six teams were all from the Southern Section, and aside from Trabuco Hills, they all finished in the same order as they had at the CIF-SS Finals: Arcadia, Rancho Cucamonga, Great Oak, El Toro, and Dana Hills. However, the gaps between these teams was wider this time and that resulted in teams falling back a few spots in the rankings. The Southern Section dominated other races as well, with Golden Valley and Loyola claiming the top two spots in the D2 race over San Diego powers Ramona and La Costa Canyon as well as SJS champion Del Campo. Palos Verdes and St. John Bosco knocked off CIF-NCS powers Piner and Camplindo.

Girls Rankings
At Bowdoin Park, Saratoga showed how drastic a difference two weeks can make. A full minute 1-5 gap shrunk to a mere 19 seconds as Kinetic finished behind US#1 Fayetteville-Manlius and gave the Stotans their closest race since 2006, 43-57. North Shore finished third with 87 points but also showed it is one of the best teams in the nation by averaging 19:09.0 on the challenging course. Saratoga moved up to US#2 and North Shore to US#4, while Canandaigua moved up from the Fab50 bubble to US#37 on the heels of a fourth-place finish.

The Northeast regional championship saw an upset on the girls side as Hamilton-Wenham, second at the Massachusetts D2 All-State, won the event by 55 points over New England champion Champlain Valley. The surprises didn’t stop there. Weston MA, the D2 All-State third place team, finished third in the regional meet and D2 All-State Champions and pre-race favorite Bishop Feehan was eighth. The bigger story might be the teams that were missing from the field, though. Pennsylvania 3A Champion Pennsbury was the top-ranked team in the region at US#8 but opted not to compete, as did New Jersey MOC Champion Rumson-Fairhaven and Pennsylvania 3A Runner-up Unionville PA. Of the teams that did race, only Hamilton-Wenham ran well in comparison to the top New York teams and are the only squad to make the top 50.

Tatnall DE won the Southeast region with their best team time at WakeMed. Assumption KY finished second in the race, while Midlothian VA finished a mere three points behind in third. Tatnall and Midlothian essentially stayed the same in the national rankings. Midlothian remained at US#27 and Tatnall slid one spot to US#3 because of Saratoga’s race impressive race in New York. Assumption moved up six spots to US#20 behind their performance, while Green Hope dropped 19 spots to US#31 by placing fourth.

Saugus CA showed why it was so highly rated in the preseason, winning their sixth straight state title and avenging a 60-69 loss to Simi Valley at the Southern Section finals. The victory moves Saugus into the Top 5 for the first time this season. La Costa Canyon finished second as their previously tight pack spread out a bit with a 43-second gap between the 4-5 runners. Simi Valley fell to fourth behind two teams they beat a week earlier because one of their scorers was DQ’d. Third-place Redondo Union and fifth-place Woodbridge ran their best races of the season to make the biggest moves of all the Division 2 teams. Redondo moved up eight spots to US#11 and Woodbridge 21 spots to US#26. The Division 1 race showcased Southern Section dominance with six of the top seven teams, including the top three: San Clemente, Vista Murrieta and Marina. The Division 3 race saw the Southern Section’s Palos Verdes run its best race of the year to claim the state title over strong competitors from Northern California.

Before the celebration had died down at Wappinger Falls, N.Y., Steve Sawyer was dialing the police department back home in Northeastern Massachusetts.

Sawyer is the long-time coach at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School, which won the NXN Northeast Region meet on Saturday.

“All I do is call the police station and they say ‘What can we do?’” Sawyer explains. “I taught mathematics in town for years and years and most of those guys know me.”

Sawyer was calling in a favor. When the charter bus ferrying the team back home approached Hamilton and Wenham – there was a surprise waiting: Two police cars and three fire engines lined up to escort the bus and lead a parade through both towns.

“It caught (the girls) completely by surprise,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer has been the track coach at the high school since 1969 and the cross country coach since 1979. On Thursday he’ll fly to Oregon with his team for the meet experience of a lifetime.

“I’ve never been (to Oregon) but I can find it on a map,” Sawyer said.

Making it to NXN is a high point for the program and a feel-good moment for the Hamilton-Wenham community. And it is also testimony to the way H-W bounced back from a crushing loss.

In the summer of 2008, a Dartmouth-bound Hamilton-Wenham grad named Gabe Pacione was killed in an auto accident. The loss hit the towns hard. Pacione was not only well-loved, he was one of the two best runners Sawyer ever coached.

Three years later, Pacione’s memory continues to inspire a drive for excellence in the cross country program. Gabe’s younger sister, Claire, is a junior on the team that will race in the national championship on Saturday at Portland Meadows.

“They are definitely living with it,” Sawyer said. “(Gabe’s) legacy is with us and it’s something that will never be repeated. A lot of the kids base their training and attitude on it. He’s an inspiration to all of our kids. They all know about Gabe.”

A day-after-Thanksgiving race, Gabe’s Run, draws runners from all over New England to Hamilton-Wenham’s home course at Patton Park for a 5K. The money raised by the event funds two college scholarships.

Pacione’s untimely death still resonates and serves as a call to make the most out of every day.

“I think it created another focus for us,” Sawyer said. “Gabe was all about running and relationships. He took care of kids, he related to kids.”

Hamilton-Wenham, aka Hamilton XC Club, won’t forget him when they take the starting line.

A year after placing ninth in their first NXN Northeast regional appearance at Bowdoin Park, the H-W girls "attacked with confidence," Sawyer said. The team's top finisher placed 27th but all five scorers arrived within 32 seconds to win the regional championship -- and earn a phone call to the police department.