 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 68th Chandler Rotary Invitational
Chandler HS, Chandler AZ
March 28-29, 2008
DyeStat on-site with Dave Devine
|
Four Foot Locker finalists, fast 800s highlight the huge AZ meet
Preview by Dave Devine
Last year, on the eve of the 67th Chandler Rotary Invitational, meet director and long-time Chandler coach Dave Shapiro predicted that the girls 1600 would be the hot event on the schedule. That field responded with a collective effort that saw five girls plunge under the five-minute barrier, led by Flowing Wells AZ senior Tara Erdmann’s sterling 4:54.70. This year, with the 68th incarnation of the huge Arizona meet opening today with a full slate of open events, Shapiro says the race to watch during Saturday’s seeded sections may well be the Boys 800.
That senior-laden two-lap field is led by Desert Vista AZ senior John Kline, who dropped a 1:53.49 at the Copper Canyon Invite earlier this season. Not far behind, however, is Catalina Magnet AZ senior James Eichberger (1:55.19) and Rio Rico senior Chris Frazier (1:56.47). Scott Ratzlaff (William Aberhart sr) is traveling all the way from Alberta, Canada, so he’s certainly looking to lower the 1:56.50 PR he carries to Chandler, and is sure to be in the mix. The Girls 800 isn’t far behind the boys’ in quality, highlighted by Xavier AZ junior Sarah Penney, who brings 2:11 chops into the meet from last year’s Nike Outdoor Nationals. In fact, with over 2300 athletes from 85 schools competing under the desert sun on Friday and Saturday, the Chandler Rotary is rife with compelling competitions and marquee matchups.
| 
|  |  | | Arizona's 2007 Foot Locker finalists Walmsley, Tonn, Nadya and Nastia Bishton lead the distance events. |
Flurry of Foot Locker Finalists
All four of Arizona’s 2007 Foot Locker National finalists are entered in the distance events, which should make for some smoking times in the Saturday finals. Horizon AZ senior Jim Walmsley returns as the defending champion in the boys 1600 and 3200 events, and he’s a clear favorite to retain both titles. A pair of seniors from Desert Vista AZ, Matt Boughton and Chris Conway, might provide the stiffest challenge in the 3200, while in the 1600 Walmsley may be hard-pressed to turn back Kevin Burnett (St. Pius X NM sr) and Cody Smith (Shadow Mountain AZ), among others. On the girls’ side, Foot Locker vets Jessica Tonn (Xavier AZ soph), Nadya and Nastia Bishton (Mountain Ridge seniors) will front fields from 800 to 3200, with O’Connor AZ senior Lindsay Prescott sure to provide a challenge in the 3200 and the aforementioned Penney a mighty obstacle in the 800. Tonn is scheduled for the 800 and the 1600, Nadya Bishton is slated for the 1600 and 3200, with sister Nastia in the 3200.
Battle and Lamb
Two other top-tier names on the boys' side of the meet are Desert Vista’s Allante Battle, who pulled a sprint triple in leading his high school to a 5A-1 state title last spring, but is entered individually in only the 400 here, and hometown hero Bryce Lamb (Chandler jr) who represented the US at the World Youth Games last summer where he upped his PRs in the long- and triple jumps to 23-06.75 and 50-11.75 in the Ostrava Stadium. Lamb is entered in the both jumps and the 100 meter dash on Saturday. Outside of those two, the biggest stars in the shorter track events might be South Mountain AZ senior Terra Evans (top seed in the girls 100 and 200) and Giorgio Giurdanella (Mountain Ridge AZ sr), who brings 10.81/21.71 speed to the boys’ sprint battles.
Field events ready for new stars
With most of the 2007 Chandler Rotary field event headliners graduated, the throws and jumps await the next big performers to arise. David Day (Thunder Ridge CO so) and Donovant Grant (Marana Mountain View AZ jr) look to tangle in the high jump at heights exceeding 6-5, while Desert Vista soph Shaylah Simpson (12-0) and Mesa Mountain View senior Brandon Bear (15-8) would seem to be strong prospects in the girls and boys pole vault, respectively. Steven Figueroa (Desert Vista sr) is seeded 15-feet farther than any other boy in the discus, and will be in the mix for the shot put as well. The one big exception to the new-kid-on-the-block rule might be the boys’ horizontal jumps, as not only Bryce Lamb, but also super leaper Will Claye (Mountain Pointe AZ jr) will stage heated sand box battles.
|
Chandler Rotary Home
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
