Simplot Games: Cerake 9:01 3200, Scarvelis 53-8.25 Shot, Jackson 24+ LJ, Cantrell 60/200 double

Simplot Games
MileSplit Staff

The Simplot Games, arguably the best indoor track & field for high school athletes in the West annually, get underway on Thursday and lasts through the weekend at Idaho State University's Holt Arena in Pocatello.

MileSplit will be on-site with photo coverage of the meet all three days of action from H. Michael Roberts.

 

More on 2014 Simplot Games:

Saturday Highlights

  • Stamatia Scarvelis (CA) launched a US #4 all-time mark of 53'8.25" in the girls shot put. Scarvelis has already thrown some impressive outdoor marks in all-comers meets in the last month and the performance in Idaho indicates even bigger performances to come from her when the outdoor season really gets going back home in California. 
  • Gabrielle Cantrell (CA) had a huge Saturday in Pocatello in winning the girls 200 meter dash in a US #1 clocking (top 20 all-time) at 23.77 along with a US top 10 clocking of 7.50 in the 60 meter dash.
  • While Cain and Efraimson rolled as expected with historic times at the Millrose Games, Sarah Feeny from Ogden High School in Utah ran a US #3 time of 4:46.97 in the girls 1600 meter run at Simplot Games.
  • Colorado state champion distance runner Cerake Geberkidane showed that he had another gear and level of running after posting a 9:15 time in Thursday's 3200 prelims as he decisively defeated in the finals the previous #1 and #2 ranked runners in the country at the 3200/2 mile distance in Elijah Armstrong (2nd, 9:10), and Connor Mantz (3rd, 9:12) with a new US #1 time of 9:01.13 in the 3200.
  • Adore Jackson (CA) leaped a US #2 mark of 24'1.25" in the long jump in Pocatello. Jackson, a senior at Serra (Junipero) High School in California, is one of the nation's top returning long jumpers after leaping 25 feet last spring.
  • US 60 meter hurdles leader Dior Hall (CO) breezed through the finals with a 8.20 performance. Hall is still chasing the national indoor record of 8.16 in the 60 meter hurdles with several times this season just off that record time. She is due to break the record before the season is over.
  • Carly Smiedala (MT) had a big breakthrough victory in the 800 in a time of 2:13.24 to edge out Taylor Cox (UT), who finished second in 2:13.74.
  • Makena Morley (MT), the fastest qualifier from the prelims of the 3200, was the runaway winner in the finals with a 10:34.03 victory.

Friday Highlights

  • Dior Hall (Co) was clearly the class of the field in the girls 60 hurdles prelims as she won her heat effortlessly and over 5 tenths of a second faster than the next fastest finals qualifier with a 8.30 clocking.
  • Madeline Price (CA) was the fastest qualifier in the girls 400 (56.92) and 200 (25.10) prelims
  • 5 girls were under 2:20 in the 800 prelims with Taylor Cox (2:18.01) from Utah, Riley Cooney (2:18.03) from Colorado, and Jennifer Cellis (2:18.10) from Colorado all running nearly identical times in their heat wins. 
  • Gabrielle Cantrell from San Leandro High School in California will be looking to hold off two national caliber talents in the finals of the 60 meter dash between Ky Westbrook (AZ) and Chyna Ries (CO), who both ran identical times of 7.70 in the prelims after Cantrell was the fastest qualifier by a tenth of a second at 7.60 on Friday. 
  • Bayron Manuel (CA) posted a swift US #10 time of 8.07 in the prelims of the boys 60 meter hurdles and will attempt to press for a sub 8 second time in tomorrow's finals. 

Thursday Highlights

Haley Showalter (CO) - US #2 59'0" Weight Throw

 

US #2 ranked Daniel Haugh (GA) wins boys weight throw with mark of 74'2.75"

 

  • Haley Showalter (CO) was able to best the top throwers from the Throw 1 Deep track club from the Southeast in the weight throw with a winning mark of 59 feet even to put her a few inches ahead of Kamryn Brinson (GA), who with a mark of 58'8.75" set a national sophomore class record in her runner-up finish. Meanwhile, Showalter now moves to a US #2 ranking in the event after her performance at the Simplot Games to leap frog Brinson and fellow Georgia thrower Kelli Thomas.
  • After running a sub 4:20 1600 at altitude last week as his indoor season opener, Cerake Geberkidane (CO) was impressive in running away with heat 1 of 2 in the boys 3200 meter run by 13 seconds and ahead of current US leader Elijah Armstrong (2nd, 9:28.12) of Idaho with a US #11 time of 9:15.39 for Geberkidane. Connor Mantz (UT), US #2 ranked at 3200/2 mile distance, won the other heat in a time of 9:27 as the second fastest qualifier for the finals.
  • Makena Morley did not need to run as fast as she did in the 3200 prelims, but she was still running a comfortable pace for her ahead of the field by 22 seconds as the top qualifier for the 3200 finals with a 11:02.57 performance on Thursday. The three-time Foot Locker finalist and junior at Bigfork High School in Montana has a personal best of 10:30 at 3200 meters (2013 Arcadia Invite) and will look to run well under 11 minutes in the finals. 
  • US leader at 800 meters indoors, Ricky Faure (WV) will look to move up the national rankings list in the finals of the 1600 meter this weekend after being the fastest qualifier in Thursday's prelims with a time of 4:22.65 to win his heat by 7 seconds. The Wyoming state champion Faure has run as fast as 4:13 for 1600 meters from last spring at the Arcadia Invite. Faure should a battle in the finals from Andrew Brewer, a Utah state champion at the distance with a 4:13 best as well. Brewer was the second fastest qualifier in the prelims with a 4:24 victory in his heat.
  • US #2 ranked Daniel Haugh of St. Piux X High School and Throw 1 Deep club from Georgia in the boys weight throw was a couple feet off his season best mark, but his performance of 74'2.75" still placed him 4 1/2 feet ahead of his nearest competitor in Pocatello to claim another major victory in the event and improve upon his second place finish from last year's Simplot Games. 
  • Colorado 1600 meter state champ Tabor Scholl could be setting herself up for her first sub 5 minute race after running the fastest time in the 1600 prelims on day 1 with a 5:04.15 performance. Scholl has a personal best of 5:00.31 and has already beaten her fastest time from last year as a junior indoor and outdoor with her prelim performance at the Simplot Games. Idaho state champ Sam McKinnon is only a few days removed from a sub 5 minute race and trip to Boston in the New Balance Grand Prix, but was recovered enough to run the second fastest time in the prelims winning her heat in 5:06.

 

Girls Elite Performances

Boys Elite Performances