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Previews
Don Rich's analysisby Don Rich, DyeStat correspondentPreviews based on start lists from Wednesday evening, March 9There will be several main attractions in the field events, headlined, of course, by national indoor record holders in the girls' Pole vault and Pentathlon. It wasn't more than a few years ago that 13' was the magical height in the exclusive fiber benders club. It's still a special achievement, but the bar has been raised, figuratively and literally by Mary Saxer -- no less than four times this season. She has cleared 14'. Is she poised to go even higher? Will it occur with fresh legs in New York, or later in the weekend in Maryland? And could teammate and US#2 Tiffany Maskulinski pop one over her 13-05.50 PR? Another record holder on hand is California's Shana Woods, who set the NR in the Pentathlon here a year ago. She's as strong as ever, and coming to New York for more than a visit. In the Triple Jump, Outdoor National Record Holder Brittany Daniels, also of California, has started to close in on her Outdoor National Record (44-11.75) with her 43-05 jump this year. Pushing her will be fellow Californian Ke'Niy Richardson, who is also well over 40'. Daniels is also competing in the Long Jump, where she holds the US#2 mark this season. Connecticut's Natasha Harvey, US#4, is also in the mix in this as well as the 60 Hurdles. Versatile Florida talent Jenna Utecht (who attends the same school as Sanya Richards did - St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale), is competing in the High Jump, Long Jump and 60 Hurdles. Defending NSIC High Jump champ Lauren Biscardi of New York is back, and she is sporting a US#1 jump of 5-10.50. In boys' action, Louisiana's Francois Gatson, the defending champ in both the Long and Triple jumps, is back. He's currently US#4 in the Long Jump, and US#9 in the Triple. US#5 High Jumper Christopher Haley has cleared 6-10, and is the favorite in that event.Sprints In 2004, West Catholic's Nicole Leach ran the 2nd fastest prep 400 of all-time (52.19) at this meet. She led after a lap and said she kept the pace because she felt like people were going to catch her if she didn't. Well, getting that feeling won't be a problem in 2005 either, as this girls' 400 field is loaded. Leach has the best time in the US at 53.48, but she was nearly beaten by a freshman from Maryland at the Simplot Games, Elan Hillaire, whose 54.06 is US#2. Hilaire is recovering fromDistance The girls 800 is shy a couple of the season's top runners, but the race boasts two US Record-Holders in Janine Davis of New Jersey (600m 1:29.27) and Devon Williams (500m 1:11.44) of Maryland. But they'll be chasing the US#1 and #2 girls in this race, Heidi Houle of Utah (2:07.00) and Libby Jenkins of California (2:07.47). Davis has the US#4 time of 2:09.27. A wild card would be PA's Latavia Thomas, who has a 2:12.00 to her credit this year, but has gone 2:08.47 indoors at the 2004 PA championship meet. The mark is the PA record. Also challenging will be Samantha Gawrych of Rhode Island, who has gone 1:34.50 for 600m. It appears that Brian Scotland of St. Benedict's NJ, will concentrate on the 800. He has the top time of 1:52.47 in that event, along with a US#1 2:27.91 for 1000m. His 4:14.45 Mile is US#3. He'll run the anchor 800 for his team in the Sprint Medley Relay. Also in the race is Lionel Williams, who ran a 1:19.68 600, which is a national sophomore record. His 800 is a 1:55.37. Mixing it up with these two will be Ryan Finn of Canada who has a PR of 1:51.58, Evan Bardach, IN, 1:54.07 US#5, Trent Morton, IN, 1:55.32 US# 11, Brian Gagnon, MA, US#4 1000 of 2:30.06, Remi Ray, CT, 1:21.68 600, and Justin Craddock, 1:55.66. With Scotland concentrating on the 800, the Mile still has some of the season's best, Dan McManamon of New York is listed, and had the US#2 time of 4:14.28. But he didn't race the New York state champs, after missing both Boston and Millrose with a lingering injury. Also signed up to race are Kevin Tschirhart of NY, who has a US#4 4:15.29, Ben White, NY, US#6 2:30.53 1000, and Josh Adams, UT, 4:16.26. The girls' mile features two seniors who have both broken 4:50. Chantelle Dron, the homeschooled athlete from New Hampshire, has the US#1 time of 4:48.93, while Canada's Avril Ogrodnick has a PR of 4:27.50 for 1500m. Bria Wetsch of Minnesota is entered as well, with her 5:04.10 Mile. Wetsch will be chasing after a New York star in the girls' 2-mile by the name of Aislinn Ryan, who has a US#1 9:47.10 3000. Ryan is the 2004 Foot Locker XC Champ, along with the champ of the Millrose Games Mile. Adding to the mix will be Alexandre Krieg of Massachusetts, who has a 10:53.61 2-mile to her credit, which is US#6. The 5000 will be run with several distance talents from the western US. Denver South teammates Mohamud Ige and Aden Ahmed will face off on the track. In cross, Ige has eleven seconds on Ahmed with his 15:13 in 2004. Maine's Cassie Hintz will put her 17:40 cross country time to the test against Arizona's Kari Hardt, who ran 18:12 in 2004.Relays Loaded. Stacked. Smokin'. There is no other way to describe the sprint relays at this year's edition of NSIC. Simply, the US#1 team in both the girls' and boys' 4x200, 4x400 and Sprint Medley Relays will be on the track, ready to keep their place at the top, or succumb to a worthy challenger. The girls: Long Beach Wilson and West Catholic are in town. Nuf said, you say? Not quite. Last year, Nicole Leach was in New York running the #2 all-time 400. Her team was in Maryland at the Nike meet. This year, Nicole is a senior with an all-underclass group of very talented teammates ready to give her a proper send-off at the final indoor meet of her high school career. They had the #1 times in all three relays, but have since relinquished the 4x200 lead to Long Beach Wilson, which has run a 1:38.77. West Catholic is now US#3 at 1:40.23. Also in the 4x200 are top teams Hempstead NY (US#4), Middle College NY (US#6), and Merrill West CA (US#7). And Brandi Cross' Thurgood Marshall TX is also there. But West Catholic still has the top spot in the 4x400 at 3:48.57. Wilson is lurking at US#2, 3:48.85. Truman NY has US#5, with Hempstead NY at US#6. Also watch for Long Beach Poly CA in any of the relays. West Catholic's target for this meet, though, is the national record of 3:53.17 in the 1600 Sprint Medley Relay, held by Long Beach Wilson.
NSIC press releaseTraditionally the deepest high school indoor meet in the country, the National Scholastic Indoor Championships will feature eight national record holders , 13 returning champions and 15 U.S. #1 ranked athletes . There could be a record attempt by outdoor national record holder Brittany Daniels (CA) in the Girls Triple Jump. Mary Saxer ( Lancaster , NY ) has broken the national record in the Girls Pole Vault four times this season. The U.S. leader in the Girls High Jump, Lauren Biscardi ( Shoreham Wading River , Shoreham , NY ), is returning to defend her title. 2004 NSIC double winner Francois Gatson (LA) will defend his Boys Triple Jump and Long Jump titles. 2003 Girls Mile champion Chantelle Dron (NH) and Canadian Avril Ogrodnick , who both have sub-4:50 personal bests, will compete in that event. The Boys Mile will include Bryan Scotland (St. Benedict's, Newark, NJ, see Boys 800 Meters below), Kevin Tschirhart (Northport, NY), Dan McManamon (Shenendehowa, NY) and Simplot Games champion Josh Adams (UT). The Girls Two Mile will feature Millrose Games and National Foot Locker champion Aislinn Ryan ( Warwick Valley High School , Warwick , NY ). Edino Steele , unable to compete in the PSAL due to the fact that Pacific High School does not have a track team, is looking forward to competing in the Boys 200 Meters and 400 Meters. Sophomore national 600 Meter record holder Lionel Williams of St. Peter's (Staten Island) will compete in the Boys 800 Meters against U.S. #1 Bryan Scotland (NJ). The 400 will feature Clemore Henry (East New York Transit Tech) and two Texans, Quentin Summers and Quentin Young. In the Girls Relays, look for Long Beach Wilson and West Catholic (PA) to stage a battle in both the 4x200 Meters and 4x400 Meters. West Catholic will be making a national record attempt in the Girls Sprint Medley Relay. Junior sensation Shana Woods will attempt to break her own national record in the Pentathlon. Thurgood Marshall returns all four of its national class sprinters including quartermiler Brandi Cross and will be tough in the Girls 4x200 Meters and 4x400 Meters. With teams like Simon Gratz , Transit Tech , Mountain View , St. Augustine , St. Benedict's Prep , Shendendehowa , Shaker , Long Beach Poly and Newburgh Free Academy , the Boys Relays will also be highly competitive.
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