Dingler nearly vaults her age, Niceville boys not so nice to competition in Mobile

Mobile Challenge of Champions
MileSplit Staff

Photos by Tim Loreman

Carson Dingler, a freshmen at First Presbyterian Day in Georgia, is getting close to pole vaulting her age of 14 years old in height. Singler won the girls pole vault at Mobile Challenge of Champions in Alabama with a personal best and US #8 clearance of 13 feet. Dingler seems to prime to challenge the high school freshmen class as well as 14 year old age group national record in the event, which was set at 13'3" in 2012 by current Santa Margarita Catholic (CA) junior Kaitlyn Merritt.

Another freshmen was also a leading star of the meet in Rockdale County (GA) ninth grader Candace Hill, who earned meet MVP honors by virtue of winning the invitational 100 and 200 meter dash races in new personal best times of 11.69 in the 100 and 23.81 in the 200. Both times were wind legal with the 200 time ranking her US #5 in the event. Hill was the USATF Junior Olympics age group national champion last summer for the youth girls division in the 100 and third in the finals of the 200 meter dash at USATF JO's, but is still making a quick transition to success at the high school level. 

On Saturday at the Mobile Challenge of Champions, if it came down to a kick with yourself and a runner from Niceville High School of Florida in a boys' race, it was a high probability that you were going to lose that battle. In the 4x800 meter relay, Niceville was locked up with the New Jersey squad Ridgewood High School until the final stretch before Niceville anchor Nichols Morken pulled away for a US top 5 time of 7:55. Later in the day, Morken found himself in a similar situation in the mile run with William Mulloy of St. Xavier High School (Louisville, Kentucky). He found the higher gear again to win with a time of 4:20.53 over Mulloy (2nd, 4:21.21). Neither the 4x800 or mile times were season bests for the Niceville boys or Morken, who ran much quicker at the FSU Relays the week prior, but quality wins nonetheless. Morken's teammate Thomas Howell made it a trifecta of wins for the Niceville program in the two mile run as he pulled out the victory in a 9:20.36 thriller over John Curtis (LA) sophomore Devyn Keith (2nd, 9:20.68).

Every distance race for the boys had a dramatic and close finish with the 800 being no exception.  Two of the nation's top seven times were produced as a result of the wire-to-wire fight for two laps between Jeramey Hampton of North Gwinett (GA) and Jack Wilkes of Airline (LA). Wilkes made a move coming off the last turn that seemed to give him the advantage needed to take the win, but Hampton said not so fast over the final strides and was able to claim first in a US #3 time of 1:51.93. Wilkes had to settle for second with a US #7 performance of 1:52.15. The hotly contested race ultimately paid off for both running big PR's by nearly 2 seconds for each.

The boys 100 meter dash was a photo finish between Jaalen Jones of Thompson (AL) and Travis Johnson of Prattville (AL). Jones (10.55) got the better of Johnson (10.56)  this weekend by a slight lean, but these two will see each other often down the line in the championship season for the state of Alabama to likely venture into the 10.4 range soon enough. Johnson came back in the 200 meter dash to even the score with a 21.60 clocking for first place, while Jones was 3rd in the 200 in a time of 21.71. 

The McEachern girls were the class of the meet in the sprint relays with their squads rolling to fast times of 47.20 in the 4x100 meter relay and US #11 3:49.37 in the 4x400 meter relay. Two of their relay legs also had strong individual races with Cierra Dunston winning the girls 400 in 55.08 and Makenzie Dunmore taking runner-up in the girls 200 in 24.18.

Shanel Burr of North Cobb (GA) dipped under 14 seconds in the 100 hurdles with a US #10 clocking of 13.92 in Mobile, but in a wind-aided race (2.6 reading). Burr will be facing better competition next weekend at the Taco Bell Classic with current US leader Jasmine Quinn of South Carolina and indoor 55 meter hurdles national leader Chantel Ray of Virginia.

​The distance races saw two girls under 11 minutes in the girls 2 mile with Kate Mattox of Starkville as the 10:56 winner over Rebecca Buteau of Madison Central (10:57) in a battle for supremacy in the state of Mississippi, while First Baptist Christian (LA) sophomore Gabrielle Jennings flirted with her first sub 5 minute as she was able to pull away from mid-distance specialist Veronica Lyle of Hewitt-Trussville (2nd, 5:03) with a new PR at 5:00.45. Lyle earned two second place finishes in Mobile with a time of 2:14 in the 800 as Lauren Jackson of Dunwoody (GA) ran just off her personal best from the 2013 New Balance Outdoor Nationals with a 2:12.98 season best victory on Saturday.

Shelly Spires of St. Paul's Episcopal (LA) was a double winner in the jumps as she leaped 18'6.25" in the long jump, while clearing a US #12 height of 5'9" in the high jump. Another top field event performer from the state of Louisiana in javelin thrower Kristen Clark of Ruston High School, threw over 140 feet for her third straight major meet to kick off her 2014 outdoor season with a throw at a distance of 141'1".

 

Mobile Challenge of Champions (AL) 

On-Site Coverage

Georgia's 2 Fab Female Frosh Rule at Mobile Challenge of Champions

Georgia was very well represented at the Mobile Challenge of Champions as a pair of Fabulous Frosh including Carson Dingler of First Presbyterian Day School (Macon) and Candace Hill from Rockdale County made their presence on the National scene with their outstanding performances. Overall 23 MileSplit National Silver Elite standards were met!  

Several AL#1s from Mobile Challenge of Champions

The Mobile Challenge of Champions proved to be the annual performance powerhouse it is typically known as.  Several huge marks by Alabama athletes have this meet at the top of the leaderboards in several events.

Girls Preview: Mobile Challenge of Champions

The Mobile Challenge of Champions is an annual event showcasing some of the best athletes around the county.  With 10 states being represented, there will be no lack of competition on Saturday.

Videos

Invitational Girls 2 Mile Invitational Girls 100 Hurdles Sean Collins - 16ft attempt 1 Invitational Girls 100
Invitational Boys 300 Hurdles Invitational Girls 300 Hurdles Invitational Girls 4 x 400 Invitational Boys 4 x 400
Invitational Boys 2 Mile Invitational Girls Mile Invitational Boys Mile Invitational Boys 800
Invitational Girls 800 Invitational Boys 400 Invitational Girls 400 Invitational Girls 4 x 400
Fri Girls 3200 heat 1 Fri Boys 3200 heat 1 Fri Girls 4x100 heat 1 Fri Girls 4x100 heat 2
Fri Girls 4x100 heat 3 Fri Girls 4x100 heat 4 Fri Boys 4x100 heat 1 Fri Boys 4x100 heat 2
Fri Boys 4x100 heat 3 Fri Boys 4x100 heat 4 Fri Girls 1600 heat 1 Fri Girls 1600 heat 2
Fri Boys 1600 heat 1 Fri Boys 1600 heat 2 Fri Boys 1600 heat 3

Girls Highlights

Boys Highlights