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5000 meters
Ben Massam and Bona Jones are first two NON champs
by Steve Underwood
Ben Massam  |
The 2006 of Nike Outdoor Nationals got off to a low-key, but kind of fun and festive start Thursday night with the heats of the “Fastest Kid in Greensboro” competition and the first-ever 5000 meter races that meet has held.
Both were a nice success. The former brought out local families to cheer on youngsters of all ages, while the latter produced some impressive performances for the more than 30 runners who competed. On the girls side, Estero HS FL sr Bona Jones ran away from the field early and posted an outstanding 16:57.21. Only Forest Park (Woodbridge) VA sr Stefanie Slekis tried to go with Jones as she opened in 77, then ran 79s for several laps, but the N.C. State signee was on her own after 1200.
The boys race was larger and more competitive, with an equally impressive champion in Chatham NJ sr Ben Massam with his 14:48.73. Massam started in 9:34, but closed in 4:40 for his final 1600. Four more broke 15:10, led by Mustang OK jr Kevin Schwab (15:00.56).
2005 Foot Locker finalist Jones has a 3200 PR of 10:30, good enough for a spot in the fast heat of the 2M, but she loves the 5k on the track. “I ran it earlier this season (16:42.63 at Raleigh Relays) and I wanted to try and beat my time,” she said. Despite struggling with being sick some of the spring, Jones has had some pretty good meets. She enjoyed the event, but wasn’t pleased that she couldn’t hit her PR. She’ll try again Friday in the 2-mile.
She certainly made a go at her 5k PR. She hit 1600 in 5:14, then 3200 in 10:40. She couldn’t really accelerate, though, and was running 84s most of the third segment.
Meanwhile, Skekis fell off after three laps, with Jones leading by six seconds at 1600 and adding 3-9 seconds per lap thereafter. Slekis dropped as far as 5th for awhile, as Laura Gallo paced the chase group for several laps, but then rallied and eventually kicked in strong for 2nd in 17:44.17 (Gallo 17:49.27).
Though he had a PR of 9:07 3200, Massam knew he wouldn’t make the fast heat of the 2-mile. “I had to decide and I feel like I’m better with the longer distances,” he said. He found a 5k on the track to be a far cry from the challenging terrain of Holmdel, the classic Jersey course he has traversed so often. “I’ve gotten so used to Holmdel. But this is all flat and there’s no break to change your stride. You just have to work it out. I wanted to make sure everything was even-paced early and that I had something left at the end.”
Massam had plenty of company in the first 3200, as a fluctuating line of 6-8 runners hit 4:47-9:34 for the first two 1600s. He was always near the front, though Schwab took it after 1600 and tried to make a move for a few laps.
After 7 laps, Massam began to open it up a bit, following a 73 with a 70 that gave him 3 seconds. He increased the margin to 8 seconds with laps of 71 and 69 and put it away. He closed in 68.
Except for a lap or so, Schwab held 2nd the rest of the way. Portage IN jr Phillip Heckhausen finished very strong for 3rd (15:02.99), followed by Oakton VA sr Matt Kroetch (15:04.41), and Eleanor Roosevelt MD sr Mikias Gelagle (15:06.85).
Girls
by Elliott Denman
Bona Jones turned the first edition of the NON 5,000 meters
into a runaway. The Estero, Florida senior cruised her 12 ½ laps in 16:57.61
for an automatic meet record, leaving runnerup Stefanie Slekis of Woodbridge,
Va. (17:44.17) and third-placer Laura Gallo of Cranford, NJ (17:49.47) on the
far side of the track.
Results
Licensed to DyeStat - Statistics ONLY Hy-Tek's Meet Manager 6/16/2006 05:59 AM
Nike Outdoor Nationals - 6/15/2006 to 6/17/2006
North Carolina A+T University, Greensboro, NC
Results
Boys 5000 Meter Run
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National: $ 13:37.91 7/31/2004 Galen Rupp, Cent Cath,Portland,OR
Freshman: 15:05.60 1981 Jeff Cannada, Greenway, Phoenix, AZ
Sophomore: 14:27.14 2001 Yong-Sung Leal, Arroyo, San Leandro,CA
Junior: 14:11.20 1979 John Zishka, Lancaster, OH
Senior: 13:37.91 7/31/2004 Galen Rupp, Cent Cath, Portland, OR
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
1 Ben Massam 06 Chatham HS,Chatham, 14:48.73
2 Kevin Schwab 07 Jenks America TC,cl 15:00.56
3 Philipp Heckhausen 07 Portage HS,Portage, 15:02.99
4 Matt Kroetch 06 Oakton TC,Herndon, 15:04.41
5 Mikias Gelagle 06 Blazin' Raiders,Gre 15:06.85
6 Clay Mayes 06 Jenks America TC,Cl 15:12.07
7 James Joy 06 Ward Melville TC,St 15:14.71
8 Zac Edwards 06 Northside HS,Roanok 15:16.19
9 Caleb Vogt 06 Winter Park HS,Wint 15:19.60
10 Charles (Max) Walden 07 Hopkins School,Guil 15:21.07
11 Evan Appel 09 Dakota Ridge HS,Lit 15:27.51
12 Brendan Martin 07 Smithtown West H,Sm 15:28.21
13 Cameron Carter 06 Greeley West HS,Gre 15:31.10
14 Robert Wetzel 07 Archbishop Spald,Cr 15:31.88
15 Chris Tyson 07 Washington-Lee H,Ar 15:40.61
16 Robert Hartnett 06 Cumberland-RI,Cumbe 15:43.71
17 Doug Smith 09 Roxbury Hs-Boys,Suc 15:43.80
18 Michael Leonard 06 Clarke Kents,Clarke 15:45.03
19 Dakota Lowery 07 W Johnston TC,Benso 15:46.45
20 Brice Cleland 06 Pike HS,Indianapoli 15:49.72
21 Taylor Gilland 09 East Chapel Hill,Ch 15:49.83
22 Rudy Belko 06 Triton Reg HS,Black 15:50.98
23 Brandon Campbell 06 Portage HS,Portage, 15:56.21
24 Tim Wertner 07 Greencastle RC,Cham 16:00.73
25 Glen Wright Colopy 06 Cary Academy,Cary, 16:14.78
-- Josh Andrews 06 Chelmsford HS,Chelm DNF
Girls 5000 Meter Run
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National: $ 15:52.88 7/13/2004 Caitlin Chock, Granite Bay, CA
Freshman: 16:34.70 1979 Kim Gallagher, Three Tuns JHS,M Gl,PA
Sophomore: 16:31.20 1995 Julia Stamps, Santa Rosa, CA
Junior: 16:14.69 1986 Erin Keogh, Langley, Mc Lean, VA
Senior: 15:52.88 7/14/2004 Caitlin Chock, Granite Bay, CA
Name Year School Finals
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1 Bona Jones 06 Estero HS 3D Clu,Fo 16:57.21
2 Stefanie Slekis 06 Forest Park Ac-G,Mo 17:44.17
3 Laura Gallo 07 Cranford HS,Cranfor 17:49.27
4 Erica Jesseman 07 Scarborough HS,scar 17:51.49
5 Erin Lagasse 06 Cranston HS West,Cr 18:01.07
6 Jennifer Barbi 07 South Forsyth HS,Su 18:07.38
7 Kelly Sorrell 07 Lyman Memorial,Leba 18:10.75
8 Jillian Pollack 07 Millbrook HS,Winche 18:34.78
9 Alexandra Smrcina 06 Falmouth HS,North F 18:38.30
10 Colleen MacPhee 06 Columbia HS,Maplewo 19:27.79
11 Rachel Ruggiano 06 Hammer TC,Barnegat, 20:25.91