Tony Jones (ESPN RISE/Dyestat IL)
Nike Outdoor Nationals: Friday recap
 Greensboro, North Carolina
The recently graduated Lindsay Flanagan rolled into town on Wednesday to acclimate to the fierce North Carolina heat. The results on Thursday proved fruitful for Flanagan in the 5k- the event’s first official meet final. She nabbed second to signal Illinois’ arrival. Friday was the first full day of action for boys and girls.
Boys-
Discus- not a good day for Lake Park throwers Dan Block and Jermaine Kline. Kline was up first in section 1. He fouled on first two throws before releasing an effort to get himself registered with a 158-9. Afterwards, he felt ok but is looking forward the future. He will be a junior and should be a capable replacement to the graduated Block. Block had perhaps his worst day of performing in high school. The high expectations he set for himself turned out to be his worst nightmare. He scratched on all three prelim throws. In his defense, the first effort appeared true and if were so, he would have placed easily. However, he didn’t and was relegated to the sideline in emotional disbelief. Block quickly collected himself and indicated that he would be ready for Saturday’s shot put competition. In all, the overall competition did not live up to par with three athletes fouling out. Even champion and national record holder Mason Finley (Salinda, CO) had two fouls. He did go on to win in 211-0.
High Jump prelims- Nick Sinon (Maple Park Kaneland) leaped 6-4.75 but unfortunately missed on making the final. He cleared two heights: 6-2.75 and 6-4.75 before bowing out attempting 6-6.75.
4x200m relay- Kroy (York) had to wait through two heats before getting their chance… to show that they are more than just a distance running factory. They were matched against US#2 Track Eastern (New Bern) in lane 5. TEC was in lane 4 and immediately got the jump on the entire field and it was no contest. York ran solo but wasn’t broken as the Dukes maintained second place throughout the race in grabbing a school record in 1:26.04. It was also the fourth best time in Illinois history.
4x100m relay prelims- the quartet of Tarrence Williams, Khara Williams, Jimmy Sullivan, and John Fox got the stick around the track pretty safe with solid transitions. The Dukes placed third in their heat with a solid 42.07 in back of Indiana state champ Ben Davis and Blythewood, South Carolina. York qualified for Saturday’s final and anchor Fox said the guys were loose and will be ready to run real fast.
TWO MILE- (3) Lukas Verzbicas (New Lenox, IL) 8:55.58 [64.62, 2:13.33, 3:19.96, 4:26.80, 5:35.44, 6:44.41, 7:52.12, 8:55.58]
(5) Jeff Thode (Hoffman Estate Conant) 8:57.36 [65.37, 2:12.90, 3:20.22, 4:26.98, 5:35.69, 6:44.16, 7:52.85, 8:57.36]- mostly everyone knows Lukas Verzbicas is a young man among boys when he runs against his peers. He has rarely been challenged let alone beat straight up. He chose to race against a stellar field for the second week in a row. Last weekend at the Midwest Distance Gala, Verzbicas won the two going away despite it being close throughout the competition. It appeared as if he was toying with the competition then. Verzbicas along with Thode announced that they would go at it again in Greensboro. The opening pace was steady and quick and the first quarter had Verzbicas at the head of the big pack. He lost the lead very briefly in the early going but for the most part had his foot on the acceleration laps 3,4,5. In that period, there was a string pack of 9-10 runners looking strong. Alaskan superstar Trevor Dunbar, Thode, Zachary Willis (Mason, OH), Graham Bazell (Columbia, MD), and MWDG mile hero Andrew Springer of Westerly, Rhode Island were some of the big names in tow. Thode would creep up on the leaders but was reluctant to go ahead and push the pace. By the 6th lap it was too late. Dunbar had already took flight on the field. Meanwhile, Verzbicas and Thode had to fight for the lives to stay in the top 6 and earn All-American awards. Verzbicas lost a slot and finished third. Thode held tight and crossed the line totally spent. He was so spent that he needed medical attention. Perhaps the times and final outcomes weren’t what they wanted but the output was 100%.
Girls-
2M- (6) Lizzy Hynes (St. Charles East) 10:27.26 PB [79.16, 2:39.11, 3:56.46, 5:14.71, 6:35.07, 7:54.21, 9:12.56, 10:27.26]- things for Hynes could have went very wrong Friday evening in the championship two-mile. First, she indicated just after running a sizzling mile the prior week at the Midwest Distance Gala, that her intentions were to compete in the mile at NON. The fast heat that is. Anything longer would wait until college or junior nationals a week later. It wasn’t until Wednesday that a decision had to be made. No fast head. But there was the enticing 2M with miler Chelsey Sveinsson entered. Everything became academic after that. “I thought it real hard, but after seeing how strong the 2M field was, and the amount of fast girls here, I decided to give it a try,” said Hynes. Hynes got herself in the mix right way with the chase pack. The top six make All-American status. Heat 1 winner Jessica Rydberg of Pinetop, AZ blazed a 10:27.57. She almost guaranteed herself an awards stand appearance. Well, Hynes was in the company through the first mile 5:14 with a half-dozen girls with personal bests at 10:27. Hynes, did at times run haphazardly, going from inside to the outside lane slowing up/speeding up. Fortunately, with two laps to go she went for it all and ran the race of her live and got the final medal spot. Afterwards, a refreshed Hynes reflected: “I felt so good during the race, but I was a little unsure of my closing speed too. I have had trouble with that the past month.” Hynes said she might run the 3k next weekend at Jr. Nationals in Eugene, Oregon. She might also run in Saturday’s penultimate heat of the mile.
PV- (17) Megan Weller (Frankfort Lincoln-Way East) 11-5.25. Weller’s afternoon came and went very quickly. She was able to clear the opening height on the second attempt. However, she had trouble at 11-11.25- a distance that she had cleared multiple times. It was a little breezy where even the national leader and eventual winner Shade Weygandt of Mansfield, Texas had trouble (13-3).
(8) Allie Pace (Geneva) 11-11.25- the Geneva junior just missed the medal stand despite having the same height clearance as 6th place finisher Merritt VanMeter of Metairie, LA. The final determination came down to misses and VanMeter had less.
SMR- (12) Chicago Morgan Park 4:07.35- the Mustangs won heat one going away by nearly 13 seconds. Nyala Eddings anchored in 2:18.54.
100m prelims- Aaliyah Brown (Illinois Elite/Frankfort, IL) 11.92. The freshman to be ran an Illinois best despite not being in high school yet. The future of Illinois girls sprinting looks bright.
Emerging Elite Mile - Devyn Thompson (Chicago Whitney Young) 5:18.03 [72.75, 2:33.55, 3:57.84, 5:18.03]- got out reasonably well the first two quarter laps before fading on the third stanza. |
