All Sammy Watson wanted to do was compete.
She entered the Armory Track Invitational with the US #3 2:13.45 800m mark, but with a 1k personal record of 2:56.15 - relatively pedestrian compared to the Girls Invitational 1k field at the prestigious event.
Instead, the Rush-Heinrietta, NY sophomore shocked herself by pulling away from the field in the final 250 meters to win in 2:47.27. The time ranks US #6 All-Time and narrowly edges Mary Cain's New York State Record and National Sophomore Class Record of 2:47.29.
Ersula Farrow of Oak Park, Mich. ran US #2 2:48.39 and Kamryn McIntosh of Suffern, NY finished in US #3 2:49.96. A total of 11 girls broke three minutes in the event.
Varsity Girls 1000 Meter Run
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Name Yr Team Time Pts
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1 Sammy Watson Henrietta 2:47.27 10
2 Ersula Farrow Oak Park 2:48.39 8
3 Kamryn Mcintosh Suffern 2:49.96 6
4 Kaley Ciluffo Bettendorf 2:50.99 5
5 Gabrielle Wilkinson Wynnewood 2:51.21 4
6 Anna Flynn New Rochelle 2:51.81 3
7 Catherine Pagano Allendale 2:52.04 2
8 Kaitlin Ryan Bronxville 2:54.88 1
9 Jazmine Fray Unindale 2:55.34
10 Samantha Anderson Aberdeen 2:55.37
11 Samantha Coletti Whitman 2:55.66
12 Erinn Stenman-Fahey Canterbury 2:58.85
13 Weini Kelati Leesburg 3:09.48
The Boys 1k featured a slew of Millrose Games qualifiers, but it was James Burke of Port Jefferson, NY who proved that his US #1 2:26.75 was no fluke. The senior ran the exact same time to win in the Armory, as former No. 1 Sam Ritz finished second in a new US #2 2:27.28 and P.J. Garmond ran US #3 2:27.45. Eight boys broke 2:29.
Varsity Boys 1000 Meter Run
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Name Yr Team Time Pts
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1 James Burke Port Jefferson 2:26.75 10
2 Sam Ritz Philadelphia 2:27.28 8
3 Pj Garmon Billerica 2:27.45 6
4 James Asselmeyer Lagrangeville 2:27.58 5
5 Jeremy Spiezo Greenwich 2:27.76 4
6 Conor Lundy Bronx 2:28.43 3
7 Mike Brannigan Northport 2:28.47 2
8 Andrew Hunter Lpurcellville 2:28.95 1
9 Jacob Johnson Albany 2:29.31
10 Luke Gavigan Orangeburg 2:30.32
11 Joe Dragon Sussex 2:30.77
12 Benito Muniz Carmel 2:33.58
Burke will double back at his county championship on Saturday morning, as he will go for his school record in the 2-Mile of 9:23.
The Invitational 4x400m relays were red-hot as both girls and boys busted through with new US #1s by large margins. The Cardozo girls ran four seconds faster than their previous nation leader to bust out a smooth 3:43.81, although it was not easy as Oak Park made the trip from Michigan worth it with a US #2 3:44.62 mark. In third place, Western Branch (VA) set a new Virginia State Record of 3:45.06.
Varsity Girls 4x400 Meter Relay
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Team Time Pts
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1 Benjamin Cardozo 3:43.81 10
2 Oak Park 3:44.62 8
3 Western Branch 3:45.06 6
4 Union Catholic 3:49.62 5
5 Medger Evers 3:52.80 4
6 Paul Robeson 4:01.67 3
The Cheltenham (PA) boys had an easier run, blasting a new US #1 of 3:18.41 to win the Boys Invitational section by more than two full seconds. The top five teams in the race took over the top five spots on the national leaderboard.
Varsity Boys 4x400 Meter Relay
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Team Time Pts
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1 Cheltenham 3:18.41 10
2 Western Branch 3:20.59 8
3 Amsterdam 3:20.66 6
4 Union Catholic 3:20.92 5
5 Clara Barton 3:21.11 4
6 Boys And Girls 3:32.94 3Armory Track Invitational meet page
