Welcome to the MileSplit.us Weekly Blog for Nike Track Nationals, updated each week with the latest news from the virtual race to Eugene, OR. Each week we will go over the teams on a regional level to let you know where they stand and what type of marks are necessary to propel your team to the top of the rankings.
4/21/10 Update
| Girls S | Girls MW | Girls SE | Girls NE | Girls NW | Girls SW | Girls HL | Girls CA |
| Boys S | Boys MW | Boys SE | Boys NE | Boys NW | Boys SW | Boys HL | Boys CA |
US#4 S#1 TX#1
The Woodlands TX - 7635.69 points
The Woodlands have a very balanced team, let by Justine Charbonnet, who has run 11.87 for 100 meters and 55.97 for 400 meters to total 1871.02 points. Taylor Torres has also contributed with a shot put of 36-4.5 and a discus toss of 130-6.75 to total 1674.99 points.
US#35 MW#1 OH#1
Gallia Academy OH - 6532.04 points
Kara Jackson leads the team with a 13.14 100 and a 1:00.64 400 for 1419.37 points. Sam Barnes has a 2:32.15 800 and a 15-6.5 long jump for 1342.75 points.
Wayne OH is 2nd in the Midwest with a score of 6026.80 points.
This is a deep region with 3 teams in the US top-10 and 6 teams in the US top-20! Western Branch, VA leads the way with a US#7 ranking and 7485.15 points. Boyd Anderson FL is US#9 with 7472.92 points, while Millbrook, NC is US#10 with 7393.19 points. TC Roberson, NC is ranked US#11 with 7317.81 points, Pine Forest, FL is ranked US#15 with 7218.67 points, and West, TN is US#17 with 7163.69 points.
US#7 SE#1 VA#1
Western Branch, VA - 7485.15 points
Keilah Tyson is a heavy lifter with a 11.84 100 dash and an 18-2.5 long jump for 1851.48 total points. Sydni Cobb is also a double contributor with a 37-8.25 shot put and a 102-1 discus toss for 1576.99 points.
US#9 SE#2 FL#1
Boyd Anderson, FL - 7472.92 points
Shayla Sanders leads her team with an 11.89 100 meters and an 18-4.75 long jump for 1854.25 points. Shamona Haughton is also contributing significant points with her 35-8.25 shot and 126-6 discus throws with 1645.81 points.
US#11 SE#3 NC#1
Millbrook, NC - 7393.19 points
Roshel Bygrave leads this balanced squad with a 56.90 400 and a 14.92 100 hurdles time to score 1757.41 points. Sammy George has a 2:20.14 800 and a 4:56.26 1600 run to total 1738.99 points for her team.
The unique aspect of this region as well as the Midwest region is that outdoor track has yet to really crank up, so we should see some more action as these teams get further into their seasons. Hopewell Valley, NJ leads this regions with a US#13 ranking and 7261.69 points. Niskayuna NY is 2nd in the region with 6144.78 points and a US#43 ranking.
US#13 NE#1 NJ#1
Hopewell Valley, NJ - 7261.69 points
Emily Kianka leads her team with 1789.09 points, gathered with a 5-9.25 high jump and a 17-1.5 long jump. Miranda Mackey is also a big contributor with 1594.10 points from a 12.44 100 dash and a 1:00.04 400 meter dash.
US#1 S#1 TX#1
Spring, TX - 7729.93 points
This is a very balanced club with a different athlete for each event they are scoring. David Johnson has 970.15 points with his 14.10 in the 110 hurdles while Frank Ridgeway has 945.24 points with his 10.64 in the 100 dash. Also adding big points is Reese Watson with a 15-7.25 pole vault good for 941.30 points.
US#11 S#2 TX#2
Brenham, TX - 7483.53 points
This squad is led by Xzavien Raglin with 921.43 points from his 10.74 in the 100. Will Antkowiak pulled double duty with 838.58 points from his 1:56.84 800 and 833.22 from his 4:22 1600.
US#29 S#3 FL#1
St. Thomas Aquinas, LA - 6863.29 points
Brandon Robertson used a 23-2.25 long jump to score 933.96 big points for his team while also picking up 768.66 points for his 15.45 clocking in the 110 hurdles.
This region has 3 teams in the top-20 led by Wayne, OH with 7479.10 points for a US#12 showing. Eastwood, OH is US#15 with 7320.56 points while South, OH is US#19 with 7181.30 points.
US#12 MW#1 OH#1
Wayne, OH - 7479.10 points
This team is led by Demoye Bogle with 866.67 points from a 10.97 in the 100 and 818.65 points from a 50.05 clocking in the 400. Jared Harrison contributed 924.03 points with his 176-0.75 discus toss.
US#15 MW#2 OH#2
Eastwood, OH - 7320.56 points
Eastwood is being propelled by Justin Welch, who is US#5 all-time in the hammer throw. He has a monster 1011.90 points from his US#2 202-00 discus toss and 973.31 points from his 62-7.75 shot put. Nick Twining contributed 643.65 points for a 4:39.46 1600 and 763.78 points for his 1:59.69 800.
US#19 MW#3 OH#3
South, OH - 7181.30 points
This team is led in points by Erik Venclauskas with 851.13 points from a 52-0 shot put and 834.15 points from his 149-6.75 in the discus. Greg McCray has 835.75 points from his 49.72 in the 400.
This region is very deep with 2 teams in the top-10 and 5 teams in the top-20 nationally.
US#2 SE#1 FL#1
Godby, FL - 7692.57 points
This team has solid marks all around with Lavorrie Johnson leading the way with 883.33 points from a 10.90 100 and 954.72 points from a 23-6.5 long jump. Devin Screen has 914.91 points from a 173-4.5 discus and 816.92 points from a 49-0 shot put. Terrell Bryant has 887.14 points from a 1:54.99 800 and 747.67 points from a 51.42 400.
US#10 SE#2 MD#1
Governor Thomas Johnson, MD - 7501.05 points
This team has two over 900 with Marquis Woodyard scoring 919.40 points with a 14.44 110 hurdles and Erick Artusio scoring 900 points with a 14-11.75 pole vault. Fabian Gonzalez combined for 1582.29 points from a 11.32 100 and a 50.43 400.
US#14 SE#3 NC#1
Asheville, NC - 7426.50 points
Isaac Presson is a big scorer for this team with 935.85 points from his 4:14.01 Mile and 912.07 points from his 1:54.04 800. Darius Drummond contributed 850 points for a 11.04 100 and 835.71 points for his 6-3.75 high jump.
With the season still young for the Northeast squads we should expect to see some big performances jump these teams up the list.
Malvern Prep, PA currently leads the region with a US#31 ranking and 6807.16 points. They are also NE#1 and PA#1. Tracy Peal leads the team with 1503.62 points from a 47-4.75 shot put and a 111-6 discus toss. NSIC 60 hurdles champ Wallace Spencer has 807.14 points from a 11.22 100, but just wait till his first 110 hurdles race.
US#2 SW#1 AZ#1
Chandler High School in Arizona leads the southwest with 7794.40 points. The Chandler girl’s team is very deep especially in the sprints and field events. The team has dominated Arizona track for the past few years and will be going for their 5th straight State title in four weeks. Leading the young team is junior Hannah Carson. Carson was the Gatorade award winner for Arizona her freshman year and is the top US ranking female in the Javelin. Carson earned 921 points for her 43-3.5 shot put and 870 points for her 5-5 high jump. Freshman Alexis Roberts holds the top spot in the 400 dash with 904 points for her 56.11 run. Sophomore Jasmine Todd has earned 879 points for her 18-1.5 in her long jump and 893 points for her 12.18 100 dash.
US#5 SW#2 AZ#2
Also from Arizona placing second in the southwest is Desert Vista with 7566.43 point. Desert Vista has 4 pole vaulters jumping over 12 feet with senior Shaylah Simpson leading the way. Simpson broke the Arizona state record with a 13-0 jump at the Chandler Rotary last month and is ranked US#3. She leads the team with 1000 points. Senior Courtney Darling has earned points in the shot put (36-0.25 for 794 pts) and the discus (123-7.75 for 844 pts) and running the 800 in 2:17.15 has earned junior Yasmine Yacut 862 points.
US#20 NW#1 WA#1
Fourteen girls make up the #1 team in the Northwest, Kentwood out of Covington, Washington earning 7111 points. (The Kentwood boys are ranked 2nd in the region.)
Helping the team with points are sophomore Alyx Toeanina and junior Holly DeHart, each earning points in two events. Toeanina threw the shot put 40-11.25 feet for 880 points and the discus 129-9 feet for 870 points. DeHart earned 878 points in the 100 dash with a 12.25 time and jumped 17-5.75 in the long jump for 834 points.
US#37 NW#2 WY#1
Cody out of Cody, Wyoming is 2nd in the region with 6464 points. Leading the team is junior Anna Bales with 856 points for her 10-6 pole vault. Bales also scored in the 100 meter dash with 602 points with a 13.52 time. Freshman Thrower Kiara Skinner earned 786 points in the discus with a throw of 110 and 796 points in the shot put with 36-1.
US#12 HL#1 NE#1
Southwest out of Lincoln, Nebraska takes the top spot in the region. The top three scorers for the team are Kayla Frazier, Amanda Brown and Tina Fantroy. Frazier threw the shot put 43-10.25 for 930 points and the discus 123-9 for 844 points. Brown earned 920 points by jumping 5-7 in the high jump and 824 points by running 58.26 in the 400 meter dash. Fantroy earned 777 points in the long jump (16-8) and 702 points in the 100 meter dash (13.06).
US#23 HL#2 IA#1
Iowa City West from Iowa City, IA sits at the #2 spot in the region. The team strength is in their field events with Micaela Haight throwing the shot put 42-2.5 for 902 points and Courtney Fritz hurling the discus 135 feet for 892 points. Jessica Gehrke earned 895 points for her 18-4.25 long jump.
Four California teams land in the top ten national spots.
US#1 CA#1
The talent and depth of Long Beach Poly (Polytechnic) puts them at #1 in the Nation with 8218.59 points. Making up the points for the team are junior Melia Cox with 1007.78 points for a 13.79 100 meter hurdle; Tara Richmond (SR) with 1000 points for her 5-10 high jump. Richmond is ranked US#1 for her High Jump. Akawkaw Ndipagbor (JR) with 981.20 points for her 54.08 400 meter dash and is ranked US#6; Carisma Lyday (JR) with 12.00 in the 100 meter dash; Dynasty Gammage (JR) with 924.45 points for her 2:12.91 in the 800 meter and 871.18 points for her 5:01.64 1600 meter run; Sophomore Traci Hicks has 859 points for her 17-10 long jump and Latasha Johnson (JR) has earned 826 points for her 37-10.25 shot put and 815 points for her 116-9.75 discus throw. The team is 400 points ahead of US#2 Chandler High School out of Arizona.
US#3 CA#2
Trabuco Hills out of Mission Viejo, CA is next in the region and 3rd in the US with 7694 points. The team gets its top score from 100 meter hurdler Monica Todd (SR). Todd’s time of 14.28 in the hurdles earns her 953 points. Todd also earned 973 points for her 18-4.75 long jump. Senior Percylla Nared’s 12.04 100 meter dash earned her 923 points along with 782 points for her 35-4 long jump. Sophomore Cassandra Smith ran a 2:16.60 800 meter run for 870 points while Brierra Winfrey (JR) earned 866 points for her 57.12 400 dash.
US#6 CA#3
Holding down the #3 spot in the region with a US#6 is Paramount from Paramount, CA with 7445 points. Leading the team is US#7 800 runner Tiffany Lamar (SR) with 939 points for a time of 2:11.91. Lamar also has a 57.78 in the 400 dash for 842 points. Sophomore Shadonna Hunter has 854 points for her 17-9.25 long jump and Brittany Brazille (SR) threw the discus 123-9 feet for 844 points. Rounding out the top scorers is junior Ruby Aliimatafitafi with 832 points for her 28-2.25 shot put.
US#8 CA#4
The final teams in California making it to the top ten is Vista Murrieta from Murrieta, CA with 7473 points. Senior Lynn Patu leads the team scores with 862 in the discus (127-11.75) and 849 in the shot put (39-2). Sophomore Erika Reddish earned 858 points for a 5:04 mile and 846 for a 2:18.25 800 meter run.
US#13 SW#1 AZ#1
Desert Vista High School in Arizona leads the southwest with 7455.43 points. Desert Vista won the online Nike Web Nationals in 2007 and 2008 earning 8430 points in 2008. A new group of underclassmen is helping the team reload after graduating many of their top runners.
"I love the idea of competing nationally and using it as a carrot for our kids to do their best, especially with the heat coming," said coach Chris Hanson about the new setup for Nike Track Nationals.
A few of the athletes helping to amass some points are senior Anders Battle with 900 points for his 10.83 in the 100 meter dash, a time he earned last weekend at the Queen Creek Invitational. Battle also has 884.91 points in the Long Jump. Veteran Michael Ingrassia has 871 points with his 6-6 high jump.
US#22 SW#2 CO#1
Following Desert Vista in the southwest is Classical Academy of Colorado with 7064.88 points. Classical Academy never entered the Nike Web Nationals but is on board with the new format.
"We're a recently emerging track and field team and never really had a team that could "compete" at this kind of level until last year and this," said coach Alan Versaw. "This is an opportunity to build awareness and hopefully make ourselves better. The experience of being at Nike Cross Nationals the last two years has definitely helped create an awareness of what the possibilities are."
Some of the boys adding points to the team are Ben Hinchfoot (Sr.) who leads the team with 855.22 points for his 14.87 110 meter hurdles. Senior Kevin Schwindt's 14-0 pole vault earned him 834.78 points and senior Eric Versaw has 818.13 points with his 157.77 800 meter run.
US#7 NW#1 OR#1
Sam Barlow out of Gresham, Oregon leads the Northwest with 7594.5 giving them a US#7 ranking.
Junior Ryan Crouser leads the team with 1004 in the shot put (65-5) and 977.31 in the Discus (191-10). Crouser earned both of his top marks at the Barlow relays 2 weeks ago and is ranked at US#8 in the discu. Teammates Arthur Delaney and Nathanael Franks both lead in two events each. Delaney in the 100 meter and the Long Jump and Franks in the 400 meter and high jump.
US#23 NW#2 WA#1
At the #2 spot for the northwest is Kentwood out of Covington, Washington with 7116 points. Senior Tim Pettit tops the team page in both the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter run earning 832.12 points in the 400 meter (49.79) and 874.28 points in the 800 meter with an impressive 1:55.48. Jumping at 6-7 in the high jump is Kevin Batement (SR) with 892.86 points.
US#18 HL#1 ND#1
Bismarck in North Dakota leads the Heartland with 7194.43 points. Helping the team with points are sophomore Alex Neumiller in the long jump and 110 hurdles and senior Brandon Barnes in the 800 and 1600 meter run. Neumiller's 21-5 long jump and 15.94 110 hurdles earned him a total of 1527.6 points. Barnes earned a total of 1635.91 with a 1:56.04 800 meter run and a 4:27.24 1600 meter run.
Strong teams are abundant in California as they claim 6 of the top 10 US spots.
US#3 CA#1
Dana Hills continues to be at the top of the California leader board year after year. The team is solid across all 10 events helping them to a US#3 ranking with 7691 points. Leading the team is long jumper Devin Harrison (JR) with 984 points for his 24-0.75 jump. A 4:17.54 1600 has given Blake Ahrold (SR) 881 and Cole Guerin has earned 859 points with a 1:56.04 800 meter run. Senior Vince Fusco holds two top spots on the team page in the 110 meter hurdles (14.74 for 874 pts) and the high jump (6-4 for 835 points).
US#4 CA#2
Great Oak is another team with solid performances across all 10 events and is less than 7 points behind Dana Hills for a US#4 ranking and . Last week in a dual meet junior Kameron Green jumped to a 22-6 personal best in the long jump to lead the team with 894 points. Skyler Pray (SR) received his top marks for the season in the same meet with a 51-1.25 shot put (841 pts.). He also threw the discus 161-8.75 Saturday at the Mt. Sac relays for 875 points.
US#5 CA#3
Only one point behind Greak Oak with 7683 points is Vista Murrieta. Earlier in the season junior Javonte Slater ran a 10.75 in the 100 meter dash for 919 points and last week at the Arcadia Invitational he jumped 23-1.75 in the long jump for 932 points. Senior Drew Dalton earned 808 points in the 800 meter (1:57.99) and 803 points in the 1600 meter (4:24.75)
US#6 CA#4
Three points behind Vista Murrieta with 7680 points is Long Beach Poly for the number 4 spot in the region with a 6th place national ranking. Senior Alex Cannon leads the team with 919 points for a 10.75 100 meter dash. Junior Shaquille Howard has a 48.57 400 meter dash for 895 points. Also collecting points for the team are 800 meter runner Myles Andrews (JR) with a 1:55.60 for 871 points and sophomore Richard Smith with 879 points for a 54-5.75 shot put.
US#8 CA#5
In 5th place is Trabuco Hills with an 8th place national ranking. Junior Andrew Oshier leads his team with 948 points for his 4:12.80 mile win at the Arcadia Invitational. Oshier is ranked US#2 in the mile. Josh Scherer (SR) tops the team page in both the shot put (54-7 for 880 pts) and the Discus (173-9.75 for 916 pts.)
US#9 CA#6
Paramount is the final team in the California division to crack the top ten nationally. Leading the team is thrower Ma’a Brown (JR) with 927.14 points in the discus (177-0) and 875 points in the shot put (54-2). Jumper Ignacia Rodriguez (SR) also adds two events to the team points with 871 points in the high jump (6-5.75) and 869 points in the long jump (22-0.75).