Day 2 Results & Recap from New Balance Nationals Indoor

2015 New Balance Nationals Indoor
Johanna Gretschel

National High School Records:

  • Girls 1 Mile Racewalk, Ashleigh Resch, Beavercreek (OH), 7:00.33
  • Girls 4x55m Shuttle Hurdle Relay, Western Branch (VA), 31.22
  • Boys Pole Vault, Deakin Volz, Bloomington South (IN), 17-11.25
  • Girls 1,600m Sprint Medley Relay, Rush-Henrietta (NY), 3:52.68
  • Boys 1,600m Sprint Medley Relay, Dunbar (OH), 3:24.16


Deakin Volz takes back Pole Vault High School National Record in 16-11.25, one of five national standards to fall on Day 2

By Stephen Mazzone

Back in early February, Deakin Volz (Bloomington South, IN) held the national record in the pole vault only to see it taken away just six hours later by Paulo Benavides (El Paso Franklin, TX).

At the New Balance Nationals Saturday afternoon, Volz returned the favor.

During an expected heated battle, the Bloomington star was the lone survivor at the end by clearing a national record of 17 feet, 11.25 inches. Volz defeated Benavides, who placed second at 17-8. Finishing third was another Texan, Brandon Bray (China Spring), with a height of 17-3.

Volz's winning vault eclipsed the old mark of 17-10, set by Benavides at the Cherry & Silver All-Comers Meet on Feb. 7. He admitted he couldn't wait to head down to the New Balance Armory to face his talented competitors.

"I was just really excited, honestly," Volz said. "Ever since I woke up this morning I have just been waiting to pole vault. I just have been really excited since I fell out of bed. It's just a really exciting time."

After Bray was eliminated with his final height, Benavides appeared to gain an advantage when he cleared 17-5 on his first attempt and Volz needed two tries to advance. But Volz turned the tide in his direction when Benavides took two takes to make the next height of 17-7 and he was able to do it on his initial attempt.

With the crowd clapping in unison, Volz made his last chance his best. Part of the motivation for the record was certainly increased a few levels after he saw his brief NR of 17-10.5 from his win at last month's Indiana Track Club High School Open wiped away with Benavides' record leap.

"Ever since that night all you ever think about his setting a new PR," Volz said. "Paulo jumped one centimeter higher than me so ever since then I have been trying to take that record back."

The pole vault was one of five national records held during Day 2 of competition.

Fueled by a sensational 800-meter anchor leg from senior Brian Bell, Dunbar (OH) etched its name in the books for the Sprint Medley with a time of 3 minutes, 24.16 seconds, breaking an 18-year-old mark set by John Muir (CA) in 1997.

The Ohio-based school defeated second-place Cheltenham (PA), which was timed in 3:25.32 (US #2).

"Our coach told us we could do, that we actually had a chance," Bell said. "We had to go out with a bang. We had to go out with a bang, man. I knew we could compete."

While his remaining three team members ran solid legs, it was Bell that made it happen. Matched up against 1:50 half-miler John Lewis, he got the baton trailing by two seconds. Never losing focus of the front-running Lewis, he was able to overtake him with about 40 meters remaining.

Bell, who had a final split of 1:49.46, was coming off a state meet where he anchored a winning 4x800 relay squad and then came back shortly after to capture an individual title in his specialty.

"I ran 1:52 on our 4x8 team and came back 30 minutes later and ran 1:53," Bell said. "Coach told me he knew I could go 1:50. I don't know what my split was today but he knew I could catch him."

Senior teammates Terryon Willis and Juan Scott averaged just over 22 seconds for their 200m legs and senior Javanta Brown was timed in 50.02 for his 400m split.

A U.S. mark was also set in the girls' SMR where Rush Henrietta beat fellow NY squad Suffern with a winning time of 3:52.68. Suffern finished at 3:54.48. Rush Henrietta's Sammy Watson, the national sophomore record-holder for 1,000m, ran a final 800m split of 2:06.78 to hold off a gallant effort by Suffern's Kamryn McIntosh. The national 600m record-holder was clocked at 2:07.83.

The Western Branch (VA) foursome of senior Milan Parks, senior Jewel Smith, sophomore Faith Ross and senior Funlayo Oluwole set a national record in the girls' 55m shuttle hurdle relay with a time of 31.22. In the boys' race, the Andover (MA) quartet of senior Sean Caverty, sophomore Justin Mantrana, senior Sebastian Silveira and Andrew Matteuci's won with time of 29.51, a school record and an all-time best by a Mass. school.

Ashleigh Resch (Beavercreek, OH) also broke a national mark with a time of 7:00.33 in the girls' one-mile race walk. Cameron Haught (Yellow Springs, OH) was first in the boys' race at 6:36.30.

Kate Hall (Lake Region, ME) had a more than five-inch personal best with a meet record of 20-11.25 (US #1) in the girls' long jump. Courtney Corrin of Harvard Westlake (CA) was second at 20-7. Winning the boys' crown was top-seed Ja' Mari Ward (Cahokia, IL) with a nation best of 25-7.25, a half inch further than his previous best of 25-6.75 from his win at the Great Southwest Classic last April.

La Salle Academy (RI) pulled off a first at the NBNI with both its boys' and girls' teams winning the 4x1 Mile Relay. In the girls' race, the top-seeded Rams defeated second-place Corning (NY) by 14 seconds with a time of 20:26.13.

The Rams were in fifth place after the first two legs, but moved into first for good on a smart leg by senior Sheridan Wilbur, who gradually reeled in Corning with a strong 5:02 mile. Wilbur built a few-second gap by the time she handed the baton to recent New England champion Eliza Rego.

Rego, who ran a PB of 4:52 at the New England meet, made a victory elementary, covering her first 800m at 2:26 and finishing with a solid 4:58 leg.

La Salle distance coach Kelly Martin was particularly impressed with Wilbur's leg.

"She saw first place. She saw where she was and she slowly, slowly reeled them in," Martin said. "She handed off the baton and went from fifth place to first place. Not matter what the time says, it's the gutsiest race I have ever seen."

Wilbur welcomed the challenge of running the key leg.

"We weren't sure if I was going to run the second or third leg until I told my coach I wanted to be the hunter and hunt them down," she said. "I just tried to stay relaxed and not go out in a crazy time and slowly work my way up. It worked out pretty well."

Less than 10 minutes after the girls, La Salle boys were on the track. With all four runners capable of running 4:17 or faster, a victory (and possibly) a national record were well within reach.

The Rams fell short of a NR, but still earned the school's first national title by thwarting off an intense battle with Davis (UT) to win at 17:11.44, a time that ranks third all-time in the U.S. Davis, which would later bring him gold in the 4x800m, settled for second at 17:11.87.

Senior Dan Paiva did his job at leadoff by putting La Salle near the front in second with a mid-4:20 leg. With 4:08 miler Jack Salisbury at anchor, second and third legs, Matt Bouthillette (4:17) and sophomore D.J. Principe (4:19), got the junior standout in position to go for the win. Behind by about a second on the exchange, Salisbury held off a brilliant anchor from Davis's Josh Ward to spur his team to the victory. Both runners were timed in 4:13. For Ward, it was a five-second best.

"I wasn't feeling too good but was feeling good enough," Salisbury said. "They put me in a good position to take the win. It was either win or bust. With them putting me in good position, I knew I could deliver."

In the 4x800m relays, the boys' and girls' races produced nation No. 1 times. Thanks to strong legs from its third and fourth runners, the Western Branch (VA) girls earned the win with a fast 9:02.27 clocking. Leesville (NC), which had a 2:07.6 leg from Nevada Mareno, placed second at 9:03.63.

Running the third leg, Western Branch's Faith Ross, who won her state's 500m crown just five days' earlier, made it possible for the big victory with a 2:10 for her split. Amber Thomas, a 1,000m state titlist, finished with a 2:08 at anchor to seal the deal.

After a near victory in the 4x1 mile, the same foursome of Stokton Smith, Cotter Blanchard, Josh Ward and Logan McKay of Davis combined for a winning time of 7:42.19 in the boys' 4x800m to edge pre-race favorite and runner-up Fordham Prep (NY), which was timed in 7:43.61. Amherst (MA) was third at 7:45.29.

"The 4 x 1 mile went pretty well, but our main goal was to try and win a national championship," said Ward, who was one of three runners on the team to register a 1:56 split. McKay gave his squad the come-from-behind victory with a 1:52 leg.

The boys' high jump had a near seven-foot leap by two competitors. Jaron Brooks (Henry Clay, KY), who did a best of 7-1 at the UK HS Invitational last month, took the title with a height of 6-11.5. He defeated Grant Holloway (Grassfield, VA), who also cleared 6-11.5. Holloway also had a best of 7-1 entering the meet.

With a toss of 66-5.25, Willie Morrison (Leavenworth KS) claimed the boys' shot put title. The girls' crown went to Sophia River (Brentwood, MO), who had a heave of 49-1.

Quick Takes:

  • Boys Pole Vault - Deakin Volz (Bloomington South, IN) took back his National High School Record from Paulo Benavides (El Paso Franklin, TX) in a thrilling battle that was also their first-ever head-to-head competition. US #3 Brandon Bray (China Spring, TX) hung with the crew at 17-1, but it was down to the duo at 17-8.5. Volz cleared 17-11.25 to break Benavides' 17-11 national record and took several attempts at 18-1 before retiring for the evening. He said he had never attempted 18-0 before NBNI.
  • Boys 4x55m Shuttle Hurdle Relay - Andover (MA) pulled the upset victory from the slow heat in 29.51 over defending NBN champions Western Branch (VA), who ran 29.82 in the fast heat.
  • Girls 4x55m Shuttle Hurdle Relay - Western Branch (VA) took vengeance on last year's upset loss to Hoover (AL) by setting a new National High School Record in 31.22. Milan Parks, Funlayo Oluwole, Faith Ross and Jewel Smith.
  • Girls 4x1 Mile Relay - The La Salle (RI) quartet of Katrina Tavares, Audrey O'Neill, Sheridan Wilbur and Eliza Rego set the Rhode Island State Record of 20:26.13.
  • Boys 4x1 Mile Relay - La Salle (RI) finished four seconds off the National High School Record (17:07.17) in a new Rhode Island State Record of 17:11.07. Daniel Paiva, Matthew Bouthilette, David Principe and Jack Salisbury were pushed every step of the way by Davis (UT), runners-up in 17:11.44.
  • Girls 1,600m Sprint Medley Relay - The race came down to a thrilling anchor leg as National Sophomore Class 1k Record Holder Sammy Watson of Rush-Henrietta and National High School 600m Record Holder Kamryn McIntosh ran stride-for-stride for the 800m. But it was Watson who came away with the victory in a stunning 2:06.78 split as her squad set a National High School Record of 3:52.68. McIntosh split 2:07.83, as Germantown Friends' Sarah Walker also recorded a sub-2:10 split in 2:09.85.
  • Boys 1,600m Sprint Medley Relay - Dunbar (OH) pulled the upset victory over Cheltenham (PA), who had previously declared their intentions to take down the National High School Record. Brian Bell out-kicked US #1 John Lewis, 1:49.46 to 1:51.45, to claim the National High School Record for their own in 3:24.16. The time still marked a Pennsylvania State Record for the Cheltenham crew.
  • Girls 4x800m - Third leg Faith Ross split 2:10.43 to take Western Branch (VA) from ninth place into the lead and Amanda Thomas took it home for the win, splitting 2:08.20 as the Bruins recorded a new US #1 9:02.27 mark. Nevada Mareno recorded the fastest split of the race for Leesville Road (NC) in 2:07.6, nearly taking the title but settling for runners-up in 9:03.63.


  • Boys 4x800m Relay - Davis (UT) returned after a runner-up finish in the 4x1 Mile to win the last national championship of the day in a new US #1 7:42.19 ahead of Fordham Prep's US #2 7:43.61. Davis anchor Logan MacKay split 1:52.13. The fastest split of the relay came from Arlington (NY) anchor James Asselmeyer with 1:49.62 for fourth in 7:45.95.
  • Boys Long Jump - Triple jump favorite Ja'Mari Ward (Cahokia, IL) took a surprise personal record leap of 25-7.25 for the win and not only a new US #1 but US #6 All-Time.
  • Girls Shot Put - Sophia Rivera (Brentwood, MO) threw for 49-1 for her first national title.


  • Boys Shot Put - Willie Morrison (Leavenworth, KS) threw 66-5.25 in his first showing at the event.
  • Girls Long Jump - Kate Hall (Lake Region, ME) broke the Meet Record with a leap of 20-11.25.
  • Boys High Jump - The nation's only two preps over 7 feet this year in Jaron Brooks (Henry Clay, KY) and Grant Holloway (Grassfield, VA) battled it out, but it was Brooks who took the title in 6-11.5.
  • Girls 1 Mile Race Walk - Australian transplant Ashleigh Resch (Beavercreek, OH) set a new National High School Record of 7:00.33 for the first record of the morning.
  • Boys 1 Mile Race Walk - Cameron Haught (Yellow Springs, OH) won his first New Balance Nationals Indoor title in 6:36.30, 24 seconds ahead of the next competitor.

Top Prelim Action:

  • Girls 60m - The two girls tied for US#1 in the 55m Dash at 6.93 advanced with the top two marks, as Brenessa Thompson (Medgar Evers, NY) and Teahna Daniels (First Academy, FL) ran 7.42 and 7.45 to win their respective heats.
  • Boys 60m - US #1 Ryan Clark (Banneker, GA) advanced with ease as the top seed at 6.67.
  • Girls 60mH - US #5 All-Time performer in the 55mH Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ) dropped a nation-leading 8.30 to advance.
  • Boys 60mH - Chad Zallow (JFK-Warren, OH) and Grant Holloway (Grassfield, VA) advanced as the top two with times of 7.69 and 7.88, respectively.
  • Girls 4x200m Relay - Parkland (NC) took down top seed Medgar Evers' nation-leader with their 1:37.75. Saturday marked the first time the squad has raced their 'A' team all season.
  • Boys 4x200m Relay - When a bad spill ousted top seed Newburgh Academy (NY), Mid-Atlantic squads took advantage as St. John's (DC) ran US #2 1:27.98 and Western Branch (VA) ran US #3 1:28.19.
  • Girls 400m - 600m National High School Record Holder Kamryn McIntosh came back after a 2:09 anchor leg on Suffern's runner-up SMR squad to clock the meet's fastest prelim time of US #2 54.09. Layla White (Cary, NC) ran US #7 54.95.
  • Boys 400m - Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, NY) clocked US #7 All-Time 46.59 400m. Defending champion Richard Rose (Boys & Girls, NY) advanced to the final but will race in the slow section. Taylor McLaughlin (Union Catholic, NJ) is the second-fastest qualifier at US #2 46.80.
  • Girls 200m - US #1 LaurenRain Williams (Oak Christian, CA) is the top qualifier at 23.6.
  • Boys 200m - US #1 Ryan Clark (Banneker, GA) made his case for sweeping the short sprints by posting an insane US #1 21.00.

Results through two days of competition: