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Eastern States Reports - By Jim Lambert
Eastern States Boys - Eastern States Girls
WWP-North runs US #1 and US #4 all-time 10:07.21 in DM, Vena smashes meet and facility record in shot put with a US #2 68-11. Morris Hills 4x800 national record try comes up short
By Jim Lambert
West Windsor-Plainsboro North NJ provided plenty of fireworks on the track, and Nick Vena of Morristown NJ ignited a bomb off of it. But the national record attempt in the 4x800 by Morris Hills NJ fizzled.
West Windsor-Plainsboro North, with a blazing anchor carry of 4:11.3 from sophomore Jim Rosa, burned up the track with a US #1 and US #4 all-time and NJ state record 10:07.21 to win the distance medley relay on Tuesday night at the 72nd Eastern States Championships at the Armory Track & Field Center.
Meanwhile, Vena, Morristown’s sensational sophomore, had a mind-boggling series in the shot put, highlighted by a meet and facility record 68-11 on his final throw in the trials. That’s the No. 2 throw in the nation this season, broke his own NJ and national sophomore records of 67-8 ¼, and places Vena No. 6 on the U.S. all-time indoor list.
But things didn’t go as well for Morris Hills, which came into the meet seeking to break the national record in the 4x800 of 7:42.22 set in 2005 by Syosset of New York.
Things started out great as Morris Hills was on record pace after opening legs of 1:55.9 from Vinny Chiusano and 1:55.4 from Lucas Clyne. But disaster struck on the third leg when Tyler Hendrickson, fighting to keep his balance after stepping on the rail, fell down about 40 meters away from handing off. He got up and still managed to split 2:01.5 before giving the stick to Liam Tansey. With Hendrickson's fall costing him between four and five seconds, the national record hopes were dashed. Tansey split 1:54.5 to bring Morris Hills, which ran a US #1 7:46.54 a month ago, across first in a meet record 7:47.81, an amazing time considering the mishap..
Hendrickson was obviously devastated by the turn of events.
``I hit the rail and thought I could recover, but I just couldn’t keep my balance,’’ said Hendrickson. ``I tried to get right up, but my body just wouldn’t let me.''
Morris Hills coach Sean Robinson put it all in perspective.
``The 4x800 Gods just reached down and didn’t let it happen for us,’’ said Robinson. ``I think we were ready to break that record, but that’s track and field. I am proud of how my guys went after it, but it just wasn’t meant to be.’’
Morris Hills wil make another run at Syosset's record in the 4x800 at the Nike Nationals in Boston next month.
In the DM, West Windsor North’s 10:07.21, which smashed the NJ record of 10:12.1 set in 1983 by Bernards, is the fastest DM time run indoors in U.S. history since 2001. Only Gloucester, Mass. (9:59.94 in 2000), Atlantic of Delray Beach, Florida (10:03.70 in 2001) and South Lakes of Reston, Va. (10:05.72 in 2001) have run faster indoors than West Windsor North.
Sophomore Joe Rosa got things started with a 3:08.2 for 1,200. Junior Sean Reed followed with a 51.4 and then Tyler Corkedale gave West Windsor North the lead for good with a 1:56.2 800 leg. Jim Rosa then blasted his 4:11.3 anchor.
West Windsor North’s 10:07.21 is the fastest DM run in U.S. indoor history since 2001. ``When Jim got the baton we pretty much knew we were going to win,’’ said Joe Rosa. ``It was just a matter of racing the clock. The state record is what we were shooting for, but it’s even more awesome to go as fast as we did. And I think there is still room for us to drop our times and get closer to 10 minutes.’’ Jim Rosa said he ran with his teammates on his mind.
``They put me in great position to win the race,’’ said Jim Rosa, who ran the first 800 in a blistering 2:02.2. ``I had to come through for them. so I just went as hard as I could for as long as I could. We knew we were capable of running this fast, but to actually go out and do it is just awesome.''
West Windsor North will be running the DM again at the Nike National in Boston.
Vena has been anxiously waiting all season to hit 68 feet after he broke the NJ and national sophomore record with a 67-8 ¼ in December. ``It feels good to finally get over 68,’’ said Vena. ``I was able to finish a lot better today and that was the difference. Vena went beyond 67 on all his throws.. His series was 67-7, 88-5, and 68-11 in the trials. And then 68-8 1/4, 67-0 and 67-6 in the finals. That comes to a staggering average of 68-0 on his six attempts.
``It was a great series, but there are still things I can do to improve. Now I have a few weeks to get ready for nationals (in New York) and hopefully I can get 69 or maybe more.’
Vena's 68-11 trails only the 69-7 3/4 thrown by Stephen Saenz of Texas on the US national list this season, and only five throwers in U.S. indoor history have ever gone further.
Millrose mile champion and national 1,000 meter record holder Robby Andrews of Manalapan NJ won the mile in US #6 4:12.31, well short of what he was hoping for. Andrews kept his intentions quiet leading up to the race, but spoke about them afterwards.
``I really thought I could make a run at sub 4 minutes,’’ said Andrews, who had his eye on the national record of 3:59.86 set in 2001 by Alan Webb.
But after a first lap of 34 seconds and an opening quarter of 64, he knew that it just wasn’t in the cards.
``It felt like it was faster than that, but after that first 400 I kind of knew that it just wasn’t going to happen,’’ said Andrews, who plans to run the 800 at the National Scholastic Championships in New York next month.
In the biggest upset of the night, Sean Halpin of Iona Prep NY ran a personal best 1:54.46 to knock off US #2 half miler Terrance Livingston of Great Neck South NY, second in 1:54.90. Livingston came into the race with a best of 1:53.36.
Pierre Darisme of Rahway NJ was a surprise winner in the boys 55 hurdles, blasting over the barriers to win in 7.40, which is tied for No. 3 in the U.S. this season.
In the sprints, Jermaine Brown of Middle College NY, the US leader at 300 (33.65), blazed a US#4 6.31 to win the 55 dash. Sophomore Zamir Thomas of Snyder NJ won the 200 in 21.90. Andrew Burt of Lacey NJ took the 400 in a US #7 48.66. Also in the 400, Najee Glass of St.. Peter's Prep lowered his own NJ state freshman record by placing fourth in 49.56.
In the field, Darwin Gibbons of Caravel, Delaware matched his personal best with a winning height of 15-6 in the pole vault. Glenn Scheideler of Randolph won the high jump when he cleared 6-8. Rolston Braithwaite of Trenton soared 48-5 1/4, No. 6 in the nation this season, to win the triple jump. Braithwaite was also second in the 55 hurdles in 7.42.
Southern scorches US #1 and US #10 all-time DM (11:48.61) and returns to win 4x800 in 9:13.30; Fountain smokes 200 in US#1 23.77
BY Jim Lambert
Whenever Southern Regional NJ carries a baton onto the track or Whitney Fountain of Pelham Prep NY takes her spot on the starting line, a buzz starts to bulld through the crowd in anticpation of seeing something explosive.
And once again they delivered with exactly what the packed house at the Armory Track & Field Center on Tuesday night was hoping for at the 72nd Eastern States Championships.
Southern, which already owned US #1 in the 4x800 of 9:07.67, received a a 4:48.5 anchor leg from All-American Jill Smith to rally past Shenendehowa NY to win in a meet record, US #1, US #10 all-time and NJ #2 all-time 11:48.61. Shenendehowa was second in US# 2 11:58.28 and Burnt Hills NY was third in a US #3 11:58.99.
But that's not all.
About an hour and 20 minutes later, using three of the same legs, Southern returned to the track to win the 4x800 in 9:13.30.
Meanwhile, Fountain, a junior, lit up the one lap race, shredding the meet record in the trials with a 23.99. But that was just an appetizer.
Fountain came back a couple hours late to torch the track in the final with a US #1 and New York Junior Class record of 23.77.
``When I found out after the trials that I broke the meet record, I couldn’t believe that I did that running what felt like an easy race,’’ said Fountain, who also holds a US #1 time of 38.22 in the 300. ``I knew I could go faster in the final since I wouldn’t be holding back.’’
In the final, Fountain squared off with US #1 55 sprinters Dominique Booker of Montclair Immaculate, who earlier won the 55 in 7.01. Booker got out quick, but Fountain closed quicker.
``She made me run,’’ said Fountain. Fountain said she likes knowing she’s on top of the national chart. ``Being No. 1 is a great feeling,’’ said Fountain. ``Now I just have to work hard to stay there.’’
Southern, which just missed the NJ state record of 11:48.02 set in 2006 by Roxbury, was running the DM all out for the first time this season. Head coach Brian Zatorski speculated that if everything clicked, his team could break 11:50. Well, Southern is so talented that it broke 11:50 despite not quite having everything click.
Leadoff runner, junior Chelsea Cox, got spiked in the leg during her 1,200 carry and caught a stich that forced her to slow up signicantly over the 150 meters. Cox fought through the pain and still managed to split 3:41.0 as she handed off in fourth place. Freshman Michelle Simmons followed with a 61.7 400 and junior Erin Horleman then split a personal best 2:17.4, handing it over to Smith in third place, 10.1 seconds behind the leader, Lizzie Predmore of Shenendehowa NY.
Shenendehowa opened a huge gap on the field thanks to a red hot 3:32.2 1,200 leadoff by junior Danika Simonson. But Smith immediately cut into Predmore’s lead, running blistering splits of 64.1 (400) and 2:16.1 (800) to reel in Predmore after three and half laps. Smith wound up splitting 4:48.5.
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``I just wanted to catch up to her as quick as I could,’’ said Smith. ``I really didn’t know I was out that fast. I was just thinking that Erin did such a great job getting it closer for me, so I wanted to make sure we won.’’
Cox said sometimes you have to just run through the pain. ``I was struggling, but I knew if I could just hand off the baton we’d be okay,’’ she said. ``I knew that with Jill back there anchoring, she could pull it out. She always does.’’ Cox (2:16.6) and Smith (2:11.7) and Horleman joined Kate Bergin to win the 4x800 for Southern. ``We ran the 4x800 like a workout,’’ said Smith. ``
Amber Allen of Passaic Tech NJ made a huge push on the backstretch and was finally able to nudge past freshman phenom Kyle Plante of Colonie NY to win the 400 in a US #2 55.35. Plante, second in 55.44, was seeking her second win of the night after capturing the 55 hurdles in Plante wasn’t the only freshman that sparkled.
Samantha Nadel, a ninth-grader from Northport NY, took home gold in the two-mile in 10:49.96
One of the best race of the meet was in the 800 when New Jersey’s Ariann Neutts of Roxbury and Lanie Thompson of Voorheesr ran shoulder-to-shoulder over the final 200. Neutts fought off several of Thompson’s surges over the final 200 to win in a Morris County record 2:13.49. Thompson was second in a Hunterdon County record 2:14.21.
In the field, Emily Kianka of Hopewell Valley NJ broke her own Mercer County record when she cleared a US #3 5-8, tied for No. 8 in NJ history, to win the high jump. Jen Clayton of Suffern NY soared a US #6 19-5 ½ to win the long jump. Michelle Quimby of Shenendehowa NY captured the pole vault at 12-0 on fewer misses over Nicole Pompei of Hanover Park NJ. Vanessa Stewart of North Babylon NY won the shot put with a 45-3 ¼, and Ebony Young of Hillsborough NJ finished first in the triple jump with a 39-6 ¾,
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