NSIC
National Scholastic Indoor Championships
presented by the Metropolitan Athletics Congress

March 11-13, 2005 at the New York Armory
a DyeStat featured meet - on-site coverage by Don Rich

Previews

Don Rich's analysis

by Don Rich, DyeStat correspondent

Previews based on start lists from Wednesday evening, March 9

Field

There 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 from 
the flu and will not run the 400. But Leach PA will still face strong competition from US#6 Brandi Cross 54.95 (TX), US#7 Jessica Jones 54.96 (MI), US#10 Jeavon Benjamin 55.29 (NY), and US#12 Porsche Byrd 55.86 (GA). Leach is not racing in the 200, in which her 24.17 is US#3. Instead, she'll focus on the 400 and helping her West Catholic team in the three short relays. Leach hadn't broken 54 coming into the meet last year before popping her 52.19, but has been in the 53's twice already this year. Sanya Richards' 52.10 USR could be vulnerable. According to entry lists, the 60 dash could feature the US#1's in the 55 and the 60 in Santana Lowery (MS - 6.90 55) and Ebony Collins of Wilson Long Beach (7.46 60m US#1), along with US#2 Lynne Layne (NY-6.94 55m t2). Also in the race will be Tiarra McLaurin of South Carolina and Lauren Burns of Georgia. The 200 could also match US#2 Collins (24.02) against Lowery, Lane, and Burns. But they'll have to chase Collins in this one. The 60 Hurdles features the US#3 and #4 hurdlers for 55m in Trier Young (8.04) of Neptune NJ and Sonia Sullivan (8.09) of Manchester NJ. Young beat Sullivan at the NJ Meet of Champs, but Sullivan's PR came at the Armory, so this should be a good one. Canadian Nikkita Holder will also challenge at the front. The boys' 200 and 400 races should also be great competition as several of season's best performers are in each race The 200 features Jeremy Dodson, Denver CO, 21.91 US#4 and Edino Steele, NY, 21.93 US#5. Joining the mix from Texas will be Quentin Young (22.20) and Quentin Summers (22.49). Young has gone 47.59 outdoors. Also challenging will be Clemore Henry,
NY, 48.49 US#6, Shyron Champaigne of Louisiana, 48.85 US#10, and
Jemel Williams
, NY, 48.92 US#12. Steele hasn't raced the distance this year,
but has the top 300 time in the nation for indoor at 33.74. To add more interest,
Pick 'em.
Distance
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. 
They have the season's top time at 4:01.24. On paper, Wilson
is the closest challenger in the race at US#8, along with US#7 Franklin NJ. The boys' races set up just as great. Simon Gratz, like their PA brethren from West Catholic, held US#1 in the three sprint relays for part of the season. The one they dropped to US#3 though, was the 4x400, where Newburgh NY took over the top spot at 3:17.82. Gratz is now US#3 at 3:20.14. Should either of these teams falter, there are four other US top ten teams in the race, with US#4 Transit Tech NY, US#5 Sheapshead Bay NY, US#7 Long Beach Poly NY, and US#8 DeMatha MD. Gratz has to like their chances in the 4x200, where their US#1 1:27.96 has held up since early January. Newburgh NY also lurks in this one, coming into the race at US#5. Sheapshead Bay, DeMatha, Transit Tech, Long Beach Poly, along with St. Augustine and Barbe, both of Louisiana, are also in this relay. Simon Gratz, with a 3:34.10, faces a stiff challenge from US#2 St. Benedict's NJ (3:34.70), and US#3 Erasmus NY (3:34.80) in the Sprint Medley Relay. St. Benedict's will have US#1 800 runner Brian Scotland anchoring, so anyone with designs on winning this race will need a good lead at that handoff. The Shuttle Hurdles races will feature the Woodrow Wilson NJ and Long Beach Wilson CA girls, and the Morris Hills NJ boys. In the distance relays, US#1 Boys & Girls brings the US#1 4x800 of 9:04.29. But Warwick Valley will have Aislinn Ryan on their relay in hopes of a upset. Warwick has a better chance of winning the DMR, if Ryan runs the anchor. They have the US#3 time of 12:01.63. Westery RI is US#6 and also in the race. The boys' 4x800 has the US#2 squad of Shaker NY. Their 7:43.86 is just under two seconds off the National Record 7:42.22 set by Syosset NY this year. Colts Neck NJ checks in at US#3 and Seton Hall at US#4. Should be a good one. The DMR features US#3 Christian Brothers Academy NJ (10:17.19), along with US#6 Ridgewood NJ (10:24.6), and US#7 Shenendehowa NY (10;24.62). Mountain View Utah and Cardinal O'Hara PA are also in this loaded race. Shenendehowa, Mountain View and O'Hara also face each other in the 4xMile.

 

NSIC press release

Traditionally 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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