A few indoor meets hold spots on this weekend's national calendar, however, most of the top flight meets take place outdoors. With the weather heating up, so is the action on the track. MileSplit will bring the best coverage all weekend long of the top performances nationwide.
Boys Top Highlights - Bryce Lamb (AZ) leaps 24-09 (LJ) and 50-00 (TJ) in AZ - Will Claye (AZ) leaps 24-03 (LJ) and 49-11 (TJ) against Lamb - Cedrique Smith (AZ) blazes 13.97 in the 110m hurdles in AZ - James Eichberger (AZ) runs 1:51.55 for 800m in AZ - Donn Cabral (CT) wins 10k at Tufts (MA) in 30:53.08 - Nick Holmes (IL) wins 1600m at IPTT in 4:13.72 solo effort - Colby Lowe (TX) runs 8:55.62 (3200) & 4:12.20 (1600) in TX - Mitchell Erickson (IL) clears 16-08 to win pole vault at IPTT - Mykhail Chambers (IL) leaps 6-10 to win HJ at IPTT - Rynell Parsons (TX) runs 10.42 in 100m dash in San Antonio - Tavarius Tate (MS) wins 400m in 46.91 at MS State, U.S.#2 - Justin Manchester (FL) runs 37.66 in 300m hurdles in FL - Starkville (MS) wins 4x2 in 1:27.89 and 4x4 in 3:17.37 at MS State Girls Top Highlights - Larrissa Matthews (AZ) runs 13.90 to win 100m hurdles in AZ - Stephanie Morgan (OH) runs 2:10.2 to win 800m Doan Ford (OH) - Ashley Verplank (IL) wins girls 1600m at IPTT in 4:55.45 - Ryann Krais (PA) runs 14.34p (100mH) & 43.89 (300mH) in PA - Malaikah Love (IL) leaps 19-01 in the LJ at IPTT, U.S. top ten - Lindsay Flanagan (IL) runs 10:34.83 for 3200m at IPTT in IL - Brittany Koziara (FL) blazes 2:13.13 (800)/10:40.63 (3200) in FL - Cory McGee (MS) starts outdoor season with 4:59.50 1600m win in MSWeekend Highlights and Results (3/28 - 3/30)
Chandler Rotary Invitational (AZ)
Chandler Rotary Invitational: Meet Page / Results
**MileSplit's New MileSplit Page - MileSplit Arizona
James Eichberger (#2061) outkicks John Kline at 800m in 1:51.55
(Photo by Margot Kelly)
Many of the top track and field stars came together at the Chandler Rotary Invitational this weekend, kicking off the top tier meets in Arizona. Kicking off the top performances, James Eichberger (Catalina Magnet, AZ) beat John Kline (Desert Vista, AZ) in a great 800m dash, running one of the fastest times in the country this season in 1:51.55 to Kline's 1:52.33. Another great distance highlight came from Jessica Tonn (Xavier Prep, AZ), who beat teammate Sarah Penney in the 800m dash 2:14.79-2:14.89, while also taking home the 1600m title in 5:02.
Bryce Lamb (AZ) leaps 24-09 (LJ) and 50-00 (TJ) in AZ
(Photo by Margot Kelly)
In the field events, Bryce Lamb (Chandler, AZ) turned in one of the best long jump performances of the year. His leap of 24-09 won the event by six inches. Lamb also lept 50-00 in the triple jump, becoming one of the only athletes over 50 this season thus far. While Lamb impressed, so did Will Claye (Mountain Pointe, AZ). Claye finished runner-up to Lamb in both jumps, leaping 49-11 in the TJ and 24-03 in the LJ.
The girls 3200m run saw some solid results as well. Foot Locker finalists Nadya Bishton (Mountain Ridge, AZ) and Nastia Bishton (Mountain Ridge, AZ) placed 1-2 in the event. Nadya pulled away over the final mile to win in 10:42.84, while Nadya placed a strong second in 10:47.68. The twins led one more runner under eleven minutes, as Lindsay Prescott (O'Connon, AZ) placed third in 10:50.45).
Cedrique Smith (AZ) wins boys 110m hurdles in 13.97
(Photo by Margot Kelly)
Wrapping up the highlights on the day came in the two short hurdle events. Larrissa Matthews (Chandler, AZ) and Cedrique Smith (Agua Fria, AZ) dominated their respective events. Smith ran 13.97 to easily win the 110m hurdles, while Matthews blazed 13.90 to win the 100m hurdles. Overall this meet provided some amazing performances, especially so early on in the outdoor season. This should be quite a year in Arizona!
Doan Ford/McDonald's Invitational (OH)
Doan Ford/McDonald's Invitational: Meet Page / Results
Junior distance star Stephanie Morgan (Barnesville, OH) started her outdoor season with a 2:10.2h effort at the Doan Ford/McDonald's Invitational Saturday. Morgan won the race by twenty seconds and looks to have yet another successful outdoor track season.
North Dakota Class B Indoor Invitational (ND)
North Dakota Class B Meet Page
The cold and snow had left much of the country, however, North Dakota is still feeling winter's grip on the region. On Saturday many of the top athletes in the state took to the indoor track in Fargo and put up some great results. Two athletes, Lindsay Anderson (Leeds, ND) and Kristen Killoran (Maple Valley, ND), stood out especially with multiple wins. Anderson won the 800m dash in 13 seconds with a 2:22.45 effort and also won the 1600m run in 5:04.91, winning that event by nearly 26 seconds.
Killoran meanwhile put up the best all-around performance of the day. She won the 60m dash in 8.09 seconds, the long jump in 18-03 and the triple jump in 38-01. On the boys side, Seth Wisthoff (Glenburn, ND) put up the best boys performance of the day, winning the shot put with a throw of 56-05.5. He beat second place by nearly six feet and inched his way closer to the 60 foot barrier.
Tufs Snowflake Classic (MA)
Tufts Snowflake Classic Meet Page
Tufts Snowflake Classic Results
While basically all of the competition at the Tufts Snowflake Classic were either collegiate or professional competitors, the one high school standout competing in the event was Donn Cabral (Glastonbury, CT). Cabral decided to run the 10k against some great competition, he won the race in 30:53.08, which is simply a fantastic time. He won the race by 45 seconds.
Illinois Prep Top Times Indoor Classic (IL)
Some early times out of the meet have Lindsay Flanagan (Jr., Lake Park) winning the girls 3200m in 10:34.83, while Caitlin Comfort (Sr., Peoria Notre Dame) beat out Nicole Benson (Sr., Limestone) 10:48.71-10:48.81. Flanagan set an incredible pace early on, busting out the first 200m in 35 seconds, while coming back through the 400m mark in 72.5. Her mile split was 5:08, faster than nearly every other girls 1600m PR this season in Illinois.
On the boys side, Nathan Troester (Sr., Lincoln-Way East) ran an incredible last mile of 4:31, having a national breakthrough performance of 9:11.02, winning the race over his teammate Myles Scott-Stirn, who finished second in 9:22.83. Lincoln-Way East's Ron Revord won the slow heat in 9:29.33, giving the squad three sub-9:30's on the day.
In the girls long jump, Malaikah Love (Carbondale) easily won the event with her leap of 19-01. Love's mark ranks her U.S. top ten in the event. In the girls 55m dash, Conant placed first and third, as Toni Graham won the event in a U.S. top 12 time of 7.00. Graham barely edged out Olivia Allen (Lake Zurich), who was runner-up in 7.05.
The boys 800m dash was quite a race as well. Pre-race favorite Mat Smoody (Palatine) took the lead early on and led the field through the 400m split in 56.5. Behind Smoody was Sean Wiggan (Waubonsie Valley), lurking on the shoulder of Smoody. At the gun lap Wiggan made a strong move to get around the leader, showing signs of strength and speed, however, Smoody was not giving up and pulled up on Wiggan's shoulder. In the last 50 meters, Smoody pulled up next to Wiggan and in the last 15 meters he cut ahead of Wiggan for the win, 1:53.94-1:54.15.
The mile created some amazing drama individually. Ashley Verplank (Bloomington) ran away with the girls race after the first 400m. Verplank stated prior to the meet that she wanted to run close to 4:50 and break the meet record, however, a 74.3 opening quarter made it incredibly difficult to try and achieve that mark. Regardless, the North Carolina bound senior ended up running 4:55.45, one of the top indoor times this year.
In the boys 1600m run, Nick Holmes (Limestone) opened up the race leading the field through the first 400m in 64.4. However, Holmes blew open the field in his second quarter by running 61.3. From there Holmes quickly kept putting distance between himself and the rest of the field by running 64.3 and closing in 63.?. Holmes' finishing time was 4:13.72, made even more impressive that he had little competition nearly the whole way.
In a few key boys field events, Mitchell Erickson (Marian Catholic) won an intense dual with Mick Viken (Rolling Meadows) in the pole vault, clearing 16-08 to win the event. Viken finished second in 16-04. In the boys triple jump, Ty Kirk (Rolling Meadows) won the triple jump with a great leap of 47-06, one of the better marks in the nation. Meanwhile, Mykhail Chambers (Urbana) easily won the high jump by clearing 6-10, with his nearest competition five inches off.
FSU Relays (FL)
FSU Relays Results / Joe Franklin Article by Jason Byrne (FLRunners.com)
With a lot of the top talent in Florida competing at the FSU Relays this weekend, spectators were in for quite a treat. Friday night kicked off the high school portion of the meet. The boys and girls 3200m races were perhaps the best of the night. On the boys side Joe Franklin (Godby, FL) ran 9:15.18, beating a very strong field, including seven other runners who broke 9:30. On the girls side Kayla Hale (Holy Trinity, FL) ran one of the best outdoor 3200m times of the year thus far in 10:42.71. Hale beat the field soundly, running nearly 44 seconds ahead of second place.
Two other great performances came from Bay High School (FL) athletes. Justin Manchester ran 37.66 to win the 300m hurdles, while teammate Jordan Byas ran 47.39 to win the 400m dash by nearly two seconds.
Mississippi State Bulldog Invitational (MS)
MS State Bulldog Inv. Meet Page
MS State Bulldog Inv. Meet Results: Boys / Girls
Starkville (MS) dominates in Mississippi Friday night
(Photo by Nekemia Rich)
The Mississippi State Bulldog Invitational went off Friday evening and some top tier performances were put up on the boys side. One of the best performances of the entire year came in the 400m dash as Tavarius Tate (Starkville, MS) ran a U.S. #2 time of 46.91, winning the event by nearly three seconds. Tate also placed first in the 200m dash with a time of 21.54. He beat Horatio Williams (Oxford, MS), who placed second in the event in 21.74. Williams also won the 100m dash in 10.74.
In the relays, Tate's Starkville (MS) squad won the 4x200m relay in 1:27.89, while they won the 4x400m relay in 3:17.37. On the girls side, Cory McGee (Pass Christian) won the 1600m run over some of the best runners in the state, easily winning in 4:59.50. McGee's performance was her kick-off time of the season.
LSU Tiger Relays (LA)
LSU Tiger Relays Results: Friday / Saturday (Coming Saturday)
Most of the top highlights of the LSU Tiger Relays take place in Saturday's finals, however, a few standout performances kept the meet going Friday evening in Baton Rouge (LA). Leading the way were two field event performances. Rachel Laurent (Vanderbilt Catholic, LA), who currently leads the nation in the girls pole vault, won her event in 12-04. This mark was well under her season's best of 14-00, but it was another nice win for the senior.
In the boys long jump Christian Williams (H.L. Bourgeois, LA) won the event in 24-00, one of the better leaps in the country this outdoor season. The 4x200m relays stood out as well, despite it only being the prelims of the event. West Monroe (LA) ran the best time of the night on the boys side in 1:27.40, while The Woodlands (TX) ran 1:40.88 on the girls side to take the top mark of Friday.
On Saturday a few performances really stood out. The Lone Star State's The Woodlands (TX) dominated the Distance Medlay Relay and the 4x400m relay. The powerhouse program ran 10:34.41 for the DMR and 3:19.14 for the 4x4. On the girls side the program was equally as dominant, winning the same relay events. The team ran 12:24.64 in the DMR and 3:49.51 in the 4x4. In the 4x4 The Woodlands beat a strong Barbe (LA) team, who finished in the runner-up spot in 3:51.27.