Cold Weather Cannot Stop Fast Times at Dash For Doobie

Results | Race Video | Photos | Interviews

As we transition in to the indoor track & field season, the weather is ready to transition as well. A brisk Saturday night in Pfafftown played host to the 15th Annual New Balance Dash For Doobie.

The Dash For Doobie Scholarship went to Sanderson's Georgia Spivey and Reagan's Dylan Drenan. 

On the boys' side, Stephen Fernetti (North Lincoln) won heat 11 and set the bar, 9:20.30, for the elite race. 

The elite boys toed the line and went out in 71-71-71, coming through the 1,200m in 3:33 on the spot. A 72 on lap four had the pack coming through the mile in 4:35. A big pack sat up front all fighting for position. As the race progressed, the top six broke away from the pack. Knox Young (Greenville) sat in the pack along with Zack Gilbertson (Pinecrest), Dawson Reeves (Christ School), Jake Liebert (Wando), and Marco Evans (Cary).

Liebert was pushing the pace in the back half as the group started to pull away and they were chasing the time on the clock. 

600m to go, Young started pushing towards the front and going right along with him was Gilbertson and Reeves. As they hit bell lap the trio was neck-and-neck. Young held off critical pushes from Gilbertson and Reeves. He came trucking down the home stretch trying to hold off a charging Gilbertson. He successfully held on for the win, clocking a current US No. 1 and personal best of 9:00.88. Gilbertson was runner-up in 9:02.07, and Reeves was 3rd in 9:03.61.

The main event of the evening belonged to the girls elite heat. Two out-of-staters Logan St. John Kletter (Mount Lebanon, PA) and Allie Zealand (Pacers, VA) immediately took to the lead. A pack of around 7-8, that included Hannah Rae Shaffer (Cardinal Gibbons), Grace Hanson (Weddington), Justine Preisano and Lillian Nasta (Cuthbertson), and Chandler Welsh (R.J. Reynolds). 

They came through the 1,600m around 5:20. The second mile, St John Kletter, Zealand, and Shaffer turned on the jets and pulled away from the field. With 800m, the out-of-state duo pulled away and hit bell lap side by side in 9:15.

In a battle to the line, St John Kletter just edged ahead of Zealand, taking the win 10:25.20 to 10:25.74.

Shaffer held off Hanson for 3rd, running 10:36.46. Hanson's 10:37.46 is a Weddington school record!