Photos courtesy of John Herzog of Milestat.com
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Dylan Ferris of East Forsyth is heading into this weekend's Nike Outdoor National meet with a lot of confidence. In the last 2 weeks, he has run a 4:08.1 true mile and the nation's #1 800 meter time, 1:49.27(also NC's all-time #1). Dylan is only a junior but enters the meet with very lofty goals. For him, everything seems to be lining up perfectly.
Dylan and Cory Primm (CA) met earlier this outdoor season at the Arcadia Invitational in California. Dylan led a lot of the way hitting 27, 27, 27 for the first 3 200's. However, at the 600 mark, Primm took over and sped to a big victory and the first sub-1:50 of the season. Dylan's last 200 left a bad taste in his mouth and left him knowing more work needed to be done. I spoke with him after Arcadia and he told me he wanted to break 1:50 this season. He also mentioned how important the race at Arcadia was because it gave him the opportunity to really race.
So now, only a few days away from the 800 national championship, Dylan is ready for Primm and the rest of the field. There are 16 runners (from my research) who have run 1:53.02 and faster. Four of those are from North Carolina: Dylan, Lamarr Davis(East Wake), Drew Tucker(West Stokes), & Anthony Hendrix(New Bern). However, only 2 have broken the 1:50 mark, that would be Cory Primm and Dylan Ferris.
I talked with Dylan earlier today about the upcoming meet, his race at the Milestat.com Elite Track Gala, and even representing the US later this summer.
*Don't mind punctuation, this was casual conversation via AOL Instant Messanger.
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Coach Hovis: Last time we talked, your goal was to break 1:50, now that you've done that, what has changed?
Dylan Ferris: Just try to win Nike Outdoor this weekend in the 800 and anchor our SMR to All-American status then run well at Juniors and Worlds
Coach Hovis: This weekend, I've done some research, looks like there are about 16 guys at 1:53 or better, what do you think of the competition, obviously Primm and yourself are the only 2 under 1:50.
Dylan Ferris: There is a good shot for this to be the best HS 800 race since I have been in Hs
Coach Hovis: I agree with you on that, sub 1:49?
Dylan Ferris: I think the depth will be there to push at least one person under
Dylan Ferris: Winner will need 1:49 low or 1:48 something
Coach Hovis: It looks like NC could do very well in the 800 this weekend - Tucker, Hendrix, Davis, and yourself - the talent it there to possibly put multiple NC kids in the top 5
Dylan Ferris: I have to agree with that
Dylan Ferris: I feel if everyone races well and the weather plays to our favor many NC 800 runners will show up as some of the nations top runners
Coach Hovis: How were your splits as compared to Arcadia?
Dylan Ferris: The quarter was faster (54.7 against 52.5) then the 600 was pretty fast as well (1:21 i think versus 1:19)
Coach Hovis: Is it your strength coming through right now that has played an important role into this breakthrough?
Dylan Ferris: I would have to say so. We have been working on that with a hard workout on monday then a speed workout later in the week and the 4:08 mile the week before just showed me that the strength was there and I just had to find the guts to run
Coach Hovis: What went through your mind when you first crossed the finish line at the Gala?
Dylan Ferris: Once they said "1:49 point" i was just really excited and knew that I had done what I came there to do.
Dylan Ferris: Then once they said the final time I knew I had taken the US #1
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Coach Hovis: You still have quite a summer ahead of you, tell me about the opportunity to represent the US.
Dylan Ferris: Now that I have run a sub 1:50, I’m hoping to bring a medal for the US. But all in all it is definitely quite an exciting moment and will be a great experience. I am looking forward to it very much but have to keep focused on my other races until then.
Coach Hovis: Have you met Wayne Davis yet?
Dylan Ferris: not yet but I want to so I have someone I know when we travel
Dylan Ferris: really the only person on the team I have talked to before would be Jordan Hassey from California I spoke with her at Junior Nationals last year
Coach Hovis: gotcha, she's pretty impressive
Dylan Ferris: True she won Junior Nationals after her freshman year but was too young to represent the US
Best of luck to Dylan and the other guys in the 800. Looks like NC could do very well in this event.
800 Start List
1 2502 Matthew Anderson 09 Chantilly, VA
2 1884 Jason Apwah 07 Ledgewwod, NJ 1:51.80
3 1973 Chris Bilbrew 07 Smiths Station, 1:52.03
4 1050 Max Bruno 08 Oakland, NJ
5 1881 Jordan Carlson 08 Inver Grove Heig
6 2256 Lamar Davis 07 Knightdale, NC 1:50.58 in 2006
7 722 Dylan Ferris 08 Kernersville, NC 1:49.27
8 1708 Travis Fitzke 08 Pierre, SD
9 1436 Matt Frawley 07 Staten Island, N
10 1986 Dan Frost 07 Smithtown, NY
11 89 James Gilreath 07 Bartlett, TN 1:50.12
12 487 Jared Hall 08 Cleveland Height
13 1480 Abdi Hassan 07 Seattle, WA
14 2261 Anthony Hendrix 09 New Bern, NC 1:53.02
15 1987 Dan Holst 07 Smithtown, NY
16 1882 Obai Hussein 08 Rosemount, MN
17 1735 Blake Irwin 08 Bettendorf, IA 1:52.96
18 1574 Michael Kimmel 07 Dillsburg, PA
19 1559 Jonathan Knowlton 07 North Salem, NY
20 964 Andrew Kontra 07 Lancaster, PA
21 1743 Alan Laws 07 Mays Landing, NJ
22 2234 Marcelis Lynch 08 Stone Mountain, 1:52.37
23 55 Joe McFarland 07 Hartland, WI
24 975 Nick McLaughlin 07 Leesburg, VA
25 303 Danny Neff 09 Vandalia, OH
26 387 Nick Palladino 07 San Carlos, CA
27 2512 Cory Primm 07 1000 Oaks, CA 1:49.50
28 1066 Blaise Rewaka 07 Ardsley, NY
29 858 Elliot Rhodes 08 Philadelphia, PA 1:52.96
30 415 Andrew Rotz 07 Harrisburg, PA 1:51.65
31 2093 Rick Scheff 07 Dunwoody, GA 1:52.98
32 1138 Brian Schmidt 07 Malverne, NY
33 665 Matthew Swift-Kraemer 07 Phoenic, AZ 1:52.71
34 895 Aaron Taylor 07 Washington, DC
35 192 Kelli Thibou 07 Greenbelt, MD
36 992 Patrick Todd 08 Dallas, TX
37 2266 Drew Tucker 07 King, NC 1:53.01
38 1312 Erik van Ingen 07 Marathon, NY
39 673 Sharif Webb 07 Paramus, NJ 1:51.07
40 283 Dan White 07 Brunswick, OH 1:52.34
Photos courtesy of John Herzog of Milestat.com