TX-FL (Williams-Dix) battle in 100-200. Merritt VA, Coleman NY, Goodman GA in 400m. Seven sub-4:10 milers. Wagner IN, Kiptoo NM, McDougal NY in 2-mile. Richardson TX, Ginn OH in hurdles. Lancaster TX, Glenville OH, Winslow NJ, Newburgh NY, Iowa City IA in sprint relays. Saline MI, Carmel IN, Mainland NJ, Columbus North IN, Shenendehowa NY, Pope John XXIII NJ, John Jay NY in distance relays. Indoor HJ national record holder Scott Sellers TX goes for outdoor record. Sarafian NJ v. Duckworth TX in PV. National leaders Rolfe WA and Brown LA and lots more in throws.
By Pete Cava
National Scholastic Sports Foundation
RALEIGH, June 16, 2004 – Here is an event-by-event look at the boys events at the adidas Outdoor Championships, June 18-19 at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Staged by the National Scholastic Sports Foundation, this year’s meet includes athletes from all fifty states. NSSF officials believe this is the first high school meet in U.S. history to include entries from each state.
100 meters: National leader Walter Dix ( Coral Springs, FL) checks in with a time of 10.28. Former AOC medalists in the field are Ivory Williams (Central, Beaumont, TX) and Michael Grant (Stephens, Stone Mountain, GA). Williams, winner of the Great Southwest title in Albuquerque earlier this month with a time of 10.31, was third here two years ago. Grant, a University of Georgia signee, took third at the 2003 AOC. He comes in with a time of 10.50. Other notables are Oklahoma recruit Marcus Pugh ( Jenks, OK), Imani Butler (Parkway North, St. Louis, MO) and junior J-Mee Samuels ( Mt. Tabor, Winston-Salem, NC)
200 meters: Ivory Williams, Walter Dix, Imani Butler and Marcus Pugh will double in the sprint events. Williams, third in the AOC half-lap two years ago, owns the fastest seed time at 20.50. Dix is right behind him at 20.54. Versatile LaShawn Merritt ( Wilson, Portsmouth, VA), an East Carolina recruit, isn’t far off at 20.69.
Butler – coming off 100/200 double at last weekend’s Golden West meet in Sacramento – checks in at 21.01, while Pugh has a season best of 21.09. Grant, last year’s runnerup and a 100/200 double winner at the Taco Bell Clasic last April in Columbia, S.C., is a 21.13 performer in 2004. Also in the picture are Georgia signee Cedric Goodman ( Newnan, GA) with a time of 20.80 at Great Southwest, and Neksy Metelus ( Fort Lauderdale, FL) at 21.05.
400 meters: A real duel shapes up in the one-lap, with LaShawn Merritt, Elzie Coleman ( Newburgh, NY) and Cedric Goodman leading the way. At the Nike Indoor Championships last March in Landover, Md., Merritt became the first 200/400 double winner in meet history. A 45.88 performer outdoors, Merritt notched a 100/200 double earelir this season at the Loucks Games in White Plains, N.Y. Coleman, last year’s runnerup, is right behind at 45.92. He was last weekend’s Golden West winner and last he scored a 200/400 double at the Arcadia Invitational last April. Goodman, this year’s Great Southwest and Taco Bell Classic winner, has a season best of 45.94. Purdue football recruit Zach Logan ( Trotwood, OH, Madison) and Auburn-bound Reuben McCoy ( Winslow Township, Atco, NJ) are under 47 seconds this season.
800 meters: The fastest entry this year is Tim Harris (Washington, Miami, FL) at 1:49.75. He’ll contend with a pair of Texas recruits, Kyle Miller (Cinco Ranch, Katy, TX) and Leonel Manzano ( Marble Falls, TX), as well as two future Ivy Leaguers, Princeton signee Josh Wolfe (Phillips Andover, MA) and Michael Carmody (Governor Livingston, Berkeley Heights, NJ), a Dartmouth recruit. Miller was the mile winner at this year’s NIC and Manzano was seventh in the mile at last year’s AOC. Don’t count out John Hiestand (North, Bloomington, IN), a 1:50.40 performer this year. Auburn recruit Chris Patrick (Smiths Station, Smiths, AL), this year’s Golden South champ, could surprise.
Mile: Factoring in converted 1500- and 1600-meter times, seven sub-4:10 performers are in the fold. Future Michigan miler Victor Gras ( Belmont, MA), fifth in this event last year, leads the way at 4:03.94. Gavin Coombs (Griswold, Jewett City, CT), who’ll enter North Carolina State this fall, is next at 4:06.76, along with Mike Booth (West Mifflin, PA) at 4:07.77. Duke recruit Chris Spooner ( Lewisburg, PA), who outkicked Gras for this year’s Penn Relays mile crown, comes in at 4:08.71. There’s also junior Justin Switzer ( Waterford, MI) at 4:09.11, with sophomore Craig Miller ( Manheim Township, Lancaster, PA) next at 4:09.33, followed by New Mexico recruit Shadrack Kiptoo. Kiptoo, a native Kenyan and the Great Southwest 1500m champ, was the 2-mile winner at the Nike Indoor Championships. Outdoors for the mile, he figures to be a 4:09.55 performer.
2-Mile: This will be Shadrack Kiptoo’s first race of the meet, and he’s up against defending champ Christian Wagner (North, Columbus, IN), a Wisconsin signee. Joshua McDougal (home-schooled, Peru, NY), sixth here a year ago, is back. He’ll run for Liberty this fall. Filling out the field are Christo Landry (Thomas Jefferson, Alexandria, VA), who’ll attend William & Mary; Providence recruit Ahmed Haji (Conard, West Hartford, CT); future Stanford runner Hari Mix ( Albermarle, VA); and junior Christopher Barnicle (Newton North, Newtonville, MA).
2000m steeplechase: The leading entries in this seldom-run event are SUNY-Albany recruit Ryan Gaedje (Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY), William & Mary signee Bryce Wilk (Millbrook, NY), Quinnipiac recruit Phil Roach (Shenendehowa, NY), Texas Relays champ Jake Morse (Arlington, VA), Montana signee Daniel Bingham (North, Toms River, NJ), Kevin McDermott (Chaminade, Mineola, NY) and future Kansas State runner Ben Delay (Bellevue. NE, West). Gaedje’s the national leader in the 3000m steeplechase at 9:21.4 while Delay was fifth in this event last year. Wilk won the 3000m steeple title at this year’s Loucks Games
110m hurdles: South Carolina recruit Jason Richardson ( Cedar Hill, TX) is the national leader at 13.37, courtesy of a Great Southwest triumph. A year ago, Ted Ginn ( Glenville, OH) surprised Richardson with an out-of-nowhere victory. Ginn is a 13.40 performer this season. He’s also an outstanding football player who’ll pursue both sports at Ohio State. Jeremy Jackson (Stony Point, Round Rock, TX) surprised everyone last March at the NIC when he upset Richardson in the 60m hurdles. A Baylor recruit, Jackson is a 13.71 performer this season. Darkhorse candidates include Kansas recruit Julius Jiles-Tindall (Central, Kansas City, MO), Loucks Games champ and Pittsburgh signee Saidu Ezike (Port Richmond, Staten Island, NY), Dominic Berger (DeMatha, Hyattsville, MD) and junior Jared Huske (Highland Park, Topeka, KS).
400m hurdles: Reuben McCoy ( Winslow Township, Atco, NJ) comes to Raleigh with a seed time of 51.39 that tops the national prep lists. McCoy is an Auburn recruit who’ll double in the 400 meters. McCoy recently suffered a personal tragedy when a fire heavily damaged his family’s home. Jason Richardson and Julius Jiles-Tindall have committed to both hurdles races. Richardson, runnerup in this event a year ago, is coming off a 110H/300H double victory at great Southwest. His 51.55 is the nation’s No. 2 prep mark while Jiles-Tindall’s best 300m hurdles time converts to 51.74.
Mile walk: Zach Pollinger ( Mahwah, NJ) comes in looking for a second consecutive AOC walk title. If anyone can beat him, it’s Troy Clark ( Lisbon, ME). Pollinger, who played for his high school tennis team, is headed for Harvard this fall.
4x100m relay: Lancaster (TX), the national leader at 40.28, is a favorite. Lincoln ( Tallahassee, FL) and Glenville (OH) should challenge. Glenville, sparked by hurdles standout Ted Ginn on the second leg, won the Penn Relays title.
4x200m relay: Look for another Lancaster-versus-Glenville showdown. The Texans come in with a season best of 1:24.78 while the Ohio crew’s top time is 1:25.11. Glenville was the runnerup here in 2003. At this year’s Great Southwest, the Lancaster quartet won both the 4x100 and the 4x200.
4x400m relay: Lancaster’s 3:12.50 leads the way, with defending champ Winslow Township ( Atco, NJ) not far off at 3:13.71, followed by Glenville at 3;14.85 and Willingboro (NJ) at 3:15.01. Winslow Township’s time, anchored by Reuben McCoy, came at the Penn Relays.
4x800m relay: Saline (MI), competing as Spirit of Pre TC, comes in with the nation’s quickest high school time, 7:41.27. Right on the Michiganders’ heels is Carmel (IN) at 7:41.70. The Hoosiers won this event at the NIC last March.
4xMile relay: Mainland Regional ( Linwood, NJ) and Columbus North ( Columbus, IN) appear to be neck-and-neck, with Shenendehowa TC ( Clifton Park, NY) not far behind. The New Jersey squad’s 4x1600m best converts too 17:29.19. Factor in Columbus North at 17:24.71 and Shenendehowa at 17:25.98. A year ago, Mainland Region was third and Shenendehowa placed sixth.
800m medley relay: Three teams come in with sub-1:30 performances. Newburgh (NY) leads the way at 1:26.00, followed by Lancaster (TX) at 1:29.25 and Pontiac Northern (MI) at 1:29.89.
Sprint medley relay: Iowa City (IA), the national leader at 3:27.18, is a slight favorite. Another Iowa foursome, Assumption ( Davenport, IA) figures to challenge. Assumption’s season best is 3:27.65. Cinco Ranch ( Katy, TX) could finish near the top.
Distance medley relay: Pope John XXIII ( Sparta, NJ) checks in with a 10:07.00 season best. Their chief competition appears to be John Jay (Hopewell Junction NY), with a time of 10:09.31.
High jump: The class of the field is Scott Sellers (Cinco Ranch, Katy, TX). Sellers, winner of the Texas Relays title last April, broke the national indoor high school record last March at the NIC. He comes to Raleigh with a 2004 outdoor best of 7-5 and has the top five prep performances this season. Sellers is one of a handful of athletes who have qualified for next month’s U.S. Olympic trials in Sacramento. Others over the 7-foot barrier are junior Norris Frederick (Roosevelt, Seatlle, WA), Penn recruit and Penn Relays winner Kyle Calvo ( Somerville, NJ) and Raymond Newell ( Pearl, MS). Frederick’s best is 7-1 while Calvo and Newell have cleared 7-feet.
Pole vault: National prep leader Adam Sarafian ( Ocean Township, Oakhurst, NJ), a 17-4.5 vaulter, is a heavy favorite. He’ll enter Georgia later this year. The best of the rest is 16-6 performer Scott Duckworth (Klein Oak, Spring TX), a Houston recruit who took third at the 2003 AOC. At Golden West last Saturday, Sarafian and Duckworth finished 1-2. Sarafian cleared 16-10 to Duckworth’s 16-2.75. Duckworth is the 2004 Texas relays champ.
Long jump: The top qualifying mark, 24-11, belongs to junior Frankie Gatson (Southwood, Shreveport, LA). Norris Frederick (Roosevelt, Seattle, WA), fresh from a Golden West victory, comes in at 24-10 ½. Frederick, also a junior, is attempting a high jump/long jump double. With a season best of 24-8, Penn signee Peter Habegger (Cedar Crest, PA) bears watching.
Triple jump: The lone 50-foot performer in the field is yet another junior, Kenneth Hall (Tara, Baton Rouge, LA). Hall’s best is 51-8.75. Andre Tillman (North Rowan, Spencer, NC) won this event two years ago as a sophomore. He’s got a wind-aided 50-11 mark this year. Calvin Wyche (Northwest, Miami, FL) and junior Dionne McClain ( Granby, VA) should finish near the top.
Shot put: After a breakthrough 66-2.5 heave at Golden West, Harrison Benjamin (Humble, TX) appears to be the latest shot put phenom from the Lone Star State. Benjamin switched techniques prior to this season, and it’s paid off. Also in the hunt are Oregon recruit Mark Lewis (Arroyo Grande, CA), a 65-11 performer; Florida signee Westley Stockbarger (Charlotte, Punta Gorda, FL), at 65-8.75; and junior Ryan Whiting (Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, PA), who’s got a 2004 best of 65-0. Akron recruit Auston Papay ( Sharon, PA), winner of this year’s NIC and Penn Relays titles, comes in at 64-11.
Discus throw: Westley Stockbarger, last year’s runnerup, will attempt a shot/discus double. Stockbarger’s best this year is 203-6. The best qualifying mark, 209-5, belongs to Missouri recruit Chris Rohr (North, Lees Summit, MO). The field includes two others over the 200-foot mark: Chase Madison (Newton, IA) and Nate Rolfe (Inglemoor, Bothell, WA). Madison, the SP/DT champ at this year’s Senior Spotlight meet in Cedar Falls, Iowa, has gone 206-9. He’ll compete next year for Iowa State. Rolfe’s season best is 204-0. He’s headed for California.
Hammer throw: Nate Rolfe has signed up for this event, too. He’s by far the class of the field with a 237-1 toss, a 2004 national prep best. Rolfe won the NIC weight throw title last March and looks like a prohibitive favorite in Raleigh. Two other 200-plus throwers are entered – teammates John Freeman and Brendan Lodge from Bishop Hendricken ( Warwick, RI). Freeman’s a 201-4 thrower this year while Lodge’s best is 201-0. Both are juniors.
Javelin throw: National prep leader Chad Brown LA comes to town with a best of 218-6. Brown was the top underclassmen last season, throwing 207-0 as a sophomore. His biggest worry could be fellow Louisianan Mark Taylor ( Ruston, LA), whose top mark this season is 214-4. Junior Chad Radgowski (South Park, PA), a 6-5 specimen, comes in with a best of 207-2. Others to watch are junior Osayi Osunde (Central Columbia, Bloomsburg, PA) at 206-4; sophomore Preston Chatham ( St. Paul’s, Covington, LA) at 204-10; junior Chris Reno ( Billings, MT, West) at 203-7; and junior Mathew Maloney (LaSalle, Providence, RI) at 203-1. Maloney took first at this year’s New England Championships.
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