Saturday’s competition at the Nike Indoor Nationals was the polar opposite to the dismal conditions outside the confines of the Reggie Lewis Sports and Athletic Center.
When the day’s events were complete, five nation’s best were established along with several other noteworthy performances.
The highlight of the meet occurred in the two-mile run where Foot Locker cross-country champion Megan Goethals of Rochester (Mich.) High unleashed a furious kick the final 200 meters to edge top-seed Emily Sisson of Parkway Central (Mo.) High down the home stretch.
Goethals crossed the line with a U.S. best of 10 minutes, 10.14 seconds. Sisson claimed the runner-up spot in 10:10.21, No. 2 on the list. It didn’t stop there as Cornwall (N.Y.) High’s Aisling Cuffe (10:11.65) and Blacksburg (Va.) High’s Joanna Stevens put themselves third and fourth among the rankings with those respective placements in the race.
Sisson, the Nike Outdoor National 5K titlist, who owns the fastest time in the country for the 3,000-meter run with her 9:25.70 best, led for the race until the final stretch. She passed the mile mark with a crisp 5:03 clocking. But much like she did at Foot Locker in the fall, Goethals made another dramatic finish with her last-ditch effort. The top four placements in the race are among the top 10 all-time in the two mile.
The country’s six fastest times were set in the 4x1 mile relay as the Saratoga Springs quartet of Brianne Bellon, Amanda Borroughs, Keelin Hollowood and Margaret MacDonald combined for a time of 20:15.16. Blacksburg High, minus standout Kathleen Stevens, who was unable to run the two mile or the relay due to a sickness, finished second in the race at 20:24.07. Joanna Stevens posted the fastest split among the entries with a time of 4:50.
Destiny Lalane of Bay Shore (N.Y.) T.C. won a tight race in the one-mile race walk where she held off Amy Cheung of Connetquot (N.Y.) with her time of 7:29.31 (US # 1). Cheung was next at 7:30.18.
Jim Rosa of West Windsor-Plainsboro (N.J.)High claimed individual honors in the two mile with a nation best time of 9:00.36. With a bunched-up pack of runners still lingering around past the midway point, Rosa made his decisive move en route to his victory at 2,100 meters where he sizzled the next 800 in 2:12. Jake Hurysz of Haddonfield Memorial (N.J.) High was second in 9:02.29 (US #3).
Mark Jackson of Taylor (Texas) High leaped a career best by more than a foot to take the triple jump. The versatile Jackson, a star basketball and football player at Taylor, leaped a U.S. leading distance of 51-10 ¾. Carlton Lavong of Methacton (Penn.) was the runner-up at 50-6 ¾, second on the national list.
A little more than a week after clearing 17 feet for the first time, Michael Woepse of Mater (Calif.) Dei did it again at NIN with a career-best of 17-1 ¾. Andrew Irwin and Sam Ewing of the Arkansas Vault Club were second and third, respectively, with identical heights of 16-4.
Among other performances that stood out in the second day of competition, the 4x800 boys’ squad from Blacksburg withstood a tough challenge to take the hardware. The foursome averaged a 4:26 pace with their time of 17:45.63. Finishing just a stride behind was Shenendehowa (N.Y,) High at 17:45.75. In another down-to-the-wire affair, Trotwood (Ohio) T.C. was a narrow winner in the 4x200 with its 1:30.04 clocking. A mere .92 of a second separated the top five finishers.
The high jump crowns went to Dwayne Golbek of Claremont (Okla.) High with a leap of 6-10 ¼ (US # 4) in the boys’ competition and Taylor Burke of Medina (Ohio) High, who cleared 5-10 ¾ (US # 2) among girls.