from behind and help West Catholic set
a National Record in the 1600 Sprint Medley.
West Catholic gets two relay All-American honors - one a National Record - plus Nicole Leach earns individual All-American status. Manheim Township super soph Craig Miller nearly takes the sophomore Class Mile Record to go with his Freshman Class 1600 National Record. Frances Koons, Allentown Central Catholic, closes out an incredible year and career with a 6th place All-American performance in what was the deepest prep Mile field in history. The Cumberland Valley boys nab All-American honors in two relays, as does Central Dauphin's Ryan Whiting in his two individual events. All-American awards are also earned by Easton's Lindsay Regan, who was not seriously injured in a nasty fall in the Pole Vault; plus Williamsport's Ruby Radocaj, South Park's Chad Radgowski, Octorara's Ryan Fritz, Upper Saint Clair's Rob Rankin, and the Cardinal O'Hara boys.
Running PRs for the first two legs in Friday's 1600 Sprint Medley, two West Catholic sophomores ensured that the final two legs of Nicole Leach and Latavia Thomas would have the chance they needed to not only catch AP Randolph, but to have a crack at the national record of 3:53.28 set by Wilson Long Beach in 2003. Kneshia Sheard split 24.4, setting a PR and giving the stick to Erika Ferguson, who was able to keep contact with the more experienced runners ahead of her. Her 27.7 was also a PR. Burr's head coach Lenny Jordan said he knew they'd be behind after the 200 legs. "Sheard is only in 10th grade, so you have to be proud of her. And Erica had a lot of pressure as a sophomore too, and she came through." Nicole Leach gets the stick and splits close to her US Indoor National JR record of 52.19 in going 52.4. "I had to do my best to get in as quick as possible because I know the 800 is a very hard race. Without those two (Kneshia and Erica), we would have been even deeper." Jordan knew that if anchor Latavia-she's a warrior-Thomas got the baton within 20 meters they were going to win. "It was set up by the competition. We knew with Randolph in it that one of us was going to get the record. We just wish Oak Ridge (FL, who ran close to the time in California), was here. Then we all might have gone a little faster." Thomas split 2:07.0, while AP Randolph senior ) Selena Sappleton ran 2:09.0. For those looking for a drop-off by West Catholic, all four girls return in 2005, with Leach the only one graduating in June of next year. Ironically, West Catholic broke the 3:54.39 meet record set by Philly's William Penn in 1997. Former William Penn head coach, and PA coaching icon Tim Hickey, joined West Catholic this year as an assistant after retiring from William Penn.
Frances Koons at the front of the
chase pack nearing a half mile.
West Catholic also captured All-American honors in the 4x400, taking 4th in 3:45.43, very close to the team's season goal. Nicole Leach took an individual All-American certificate with a 4th place 53.78 in the 400.
"Frances never has a bad race," observed Perkiomen Valley's Sarah Roberts, (3rd behind Koons at this year's state meet), after witnessing the deepest field in US girls' prep history, and a 6th place All-American performance by Koons. Koons was, as usual, nervous, yet prepared. "It was funny, but the rain delay helped to calm me down a little bit. With so many girls under 4:50 in the race, I was ready for anything." What she got was a blistering start, and a huge pack of talented athletes through the start of the third lap. Boxed in, she decided to go against the race plan and pick it up. "I wasn't getting any closer to the front, so I decided I had to move up. It's not the smartest way to do it, but it was so bunched up, I just had to get out of there. It was the only option." Koons' risk and race savvy worked. Over the year she has learned she does indeed have a kick, and she needed every ounce of it to keep her position through the final 200, clocking 4:48.35, just a bit off her PR of 4:47.90 set at last week's Golden West Invitational. When asked if the race and the All-American status that accompanied it was the perfect end to her high school career, Koons said she didn't have the words for it. "It's almost like a great spiritual thing for me. I always pray before and after, and I'm just so thankful for everything that has happened. It's really from my parents, my coach, my family and my friends."
Craig Miller finishes 3rd ahead of a pretty elite field,
and just behind Coombs and Gras.
Craig Miller, the Manheim Central sophomore who stunned many in the PA track community with his PIAA record 4:09.33 1600 three weeks ago, was carrying the weight of expectations that he could get his second consecutive National Class record after accomplishing the feat his freshman year. He came within .69 of a second, racing confidently and powerfully to a 4:06.76 3rd place finish. Similar to his race as a freshman in PA, and every race since, Miller shows respect, but never doubt, as he faced the toughest competition of his young career. He didn't expect the 59.5 opening lap, "but I was prepared for a 2:02 half." While happy with the PR after a three week racing lull after the PA state meet, Miller came to Raleigh with the goal of getting the sophomore class record. "But it's all right . I was close." Manheim Township coach Terry Lee, who accompanied Miller and his family to the meet, said Craig took a week off after States, and then did his distance alone, but four to five workouts with him so he could see where he was. "I was impressed with Craig's focus days before the race, and even throughout the rain delay. He competed intelligently, keeping his composure and powerful form throughout the whole race." So what's next for this distance prodigy? Miller says it's "…hopefully Northeast Foot Lockers in Cross Country, and then Nationals." Asked about the 1600 state record of 4:03.22 set by PA legend Paul Vandergrift in 1987, Miller is hopeful of going after the record, given the right race and the right competition. And the 4-minute mile? "We'll see. I don't want to make any predictions." Showing great range, Miller likes the variety of cross country better than track. "But I guess I'm better at track." A cross-training athlete much of his life, Miller swam this past winter instead of hitting the indoor oval. But he did drop basketball. Miller plans to keep up the swimming, and while he still likes basketball, he said he's "not going to do that anymore." Twin brother Brad, who ran 4:18 this spring, is the athlete that most concerns Craig in PA. Coach Miller agrees, but notes, "somebody new is always coming along. We'll have to wait and see." State AA champ Chris Spooner looked a bit tired from an incredible season of great races, taking 8th in 4:14.00. He had run a 1:50.8 800 split on Friday morning in the 4x800 to help his team come back from a dropped baton, getting 8th in 7:50.59.
Lindsay Regan clears the bar early in the competition.
The pole vault is obviously a risk-laden sport. And Vertical Assault coach Mike Lawryk has seen some misses by athletes in his years of coaching, but none that scared him as much as one by Easton's Lindsay Regan. Clearing 11-5.75 and 11-11.75 on her first two attempts, Regan began having trouble at 12-5.50. On her third attempt, she came up short, caught her legs on the bar, and was left in the head-down position. Lindsay saw she was headed for the box and made a move that got her in position to cushion her fall with her hands. "She came straight down into the box and was able to catch her hands on the collar, which is also where she hit the side of her head." The collars are a new pad around the box that has been mandated since fatal accidents, including one to Penn State vaulter Kevin Dare, who was killed at the Big 10 Indoor Champs in 2002 in Minneapolis. Lawryk had been concerned about Regan for about a month as his star athlete was nursing a leg muscle pull. "But she kept clearing 13' and more on a regular basis, so it was pretty hard not to let her just keep jumping. But I was worried. You have to be in this sport." Lawryk credits Regan's almost lifelong experience as a gymnist with her mid-air, injury-reducing move, not to mention the new collars. "Those saved her." X-rays were negative on her injured wrist, but she will be in an air cast for four weeks as a precaution. That means her attempt to go after her second consecutive National Class record next week at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Texas is off. Lawryk is simply happy Lindsay's OK. "And she did get her first All-American certificate in a truly national meet with her 4th place finish."
Cumberland Valley used five athletes to win two All-American certificates. Eclipsing their states 2nd place time of 7:48.12 with a 7:46.82 were three seniors and a sophomore, David Little, Kevin Fuller (the soph), Jon Fulginiti, and Brian Fuller. After their Friday race, the three seniors were joined on Saturday night in the closing event by David Stonfer, to split 3:06.3 (Fulginiti), 49.4 (Stonfer), 1:57.2 (Little), and 4:19.1 (Brian Fuller). The DMR of 10:12.04 is a school record. Fuller had been passed during the race by Cardinal O'Hara senior Steve Hallinan, but surged past him over the final 300 to take the last All-American slot. In Friday's 4x800, O'Hara got 4th in 7:47.73.
PA fared well in the throws and High Jump, thanks to four very talented juniors, a sophomore and a senior. Ryan Whiting, Central Dauphin, returned to plus-60 form on Friday night with a throw of 63-06.25 to capture 2nd in the Shot Put. The next afternoon, he threw the Discus 187-11, good for 4th place. Ryan Fritz, Octorara, cleared 6-08.75 to garner a 4th place in the High Jump. Upper Saint Clair's Rob Rankin was 4th in Friday's Shot Put with a throw of 61-07.50, his first venture over 60'. South Park's Chad Radgowski was 4th in the Javelin with his throw of 192-03, just ahead of Jersey Shore sophomore Samuel Eck, who was 6th at 190-11. And senior Ruby Radocaj of Williamsport was 5th in the Javelin with a throw of 142-07, well off her season-best of 158-00.75. Sharon's Auston Papay, who had PA's 2nd best throw this year (64-11), had an off day, getting 19th at 54-10.75.
Other PA performances of note, or notable, included: state Long Jump champ Pete Habegger, Cedar Crest, 20th at 22-00.25 (24-08 @ States); state Pole Vault champ Eric Sparks, Hickory, in a seven-way tie for 8th, clearing 14-11.00; Angela Wells, Simon Gratz, who has gone 19-08.75, 7th at 18-05.75, just 1.25" off 6th place; Parkland freshman Tim Stepp, who took 5th in the Freshman Mile in 4:30.61; and Junior-national bound Melissa Ferry of Henderson, who was 8th in the 800 in 2:13.84.