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Hispanic Games
1/10/2009 New York Armory
Miler dreams and US #'1's could not be stopped by snow storm by John Nepolitan
With a guaranteed starting position in the Millrose Games on the line for the winner of the mile and a number of great match-ups were almost whipped out by a snow storm bearing down on the New York area. Some teams did have to pass up the drive to the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City, but there was enough talent for any fan to get their fill. After 3 hours of the meet and only 3 events completed it was time to turn up the heat and begin the invitational portion of the day. The anticipation of the mile races, where the winner is guaranteed a place on the starting line of the Millrose Games, had been building for days and the two races did not disappoint. The boys winner was somebody that none of the local experts had selected as a possible winner and the girls race featured a showdown between cross country state champions for New York and New Jersey.
 From the gun Brett Johnson (Ocean City, NJ), the nations #1 returning miler, jumped to the front. A late season injury had turned Johnson Footlocker Nationals experience into a painful jog over the course. He already had a pass into the Millrose Games, but for his own peace of mind he needed a race under his belt. Pulling the field through the 800 in 2:09 got rid of none of the field, but then the pace began to slowly get faster. With two laps to go Johnson was still up front with Doug Smith (Gill St Bernard, NJ) and Joey Bubniak (Danbury, CT) right behind and ready to strike. A small gap was forming back to the rest of the field and just at the right time, Marco Bertolotti (Port Washington, NY) was crossing over to the leaders. One lap to go saw Johnson still up front with Smith right behind Bobby Andrews(Shoreham Wading River, NY) moving up into 3rd and Bertolotti in lane two making a bid for the front. One by one Bertolotti passed those in front of him till he only had Johnson to get by which he did coming off the last turn. Running as if he was chasing a dream that was within his reach, Bertolotti (photo left by John Nepolitan)powered up the final straight and as he crossed the line spread his arms in joy – he was going to “The Garden”. Bertolotti crossed the line in 4:15.14 leading 7 others under the 4:20 barrier.
Emily Lipary (Roslyn, NY) had competed in the Millrose Games in 2008, but things did not go well in that race and she wanted to make sure she had a chance to return and make up for her disappointment of last winter. Like Johnson, Lipari jumped to the lead and pulled the field through opening quarter mile splits of 71- 2:27 – 3:45. Behind Lipari were Lanie Thompson (Voorhees, NJ) the two time New Jersey cross country champion and Arianne Neutts (Roxbury, NJ). Was Lipari playing into the hands of her competition allowing them to stay close. Over the final two laps Thompson would try to get past Lipari, but the Roslyn junior would not have any part of that and held on for the win in 4:54.40 a new national leader. Bertolotti and Lipari now and relax and prepare for the race on the big stage of Madison Square Garden later this month, they have locked up places on the starting line.
Lipari’s mile race was not the only national leading performance of the day. While fans were still talking about the mile races the girls 3000 meters was getting underway. Quickly the race became a dual between Brianna Welch (North Shore, NY), who at one time this season had the national lead in the mile, and 2008 Footlocker Finalist Asiling Cuffe (Cornwall, NY). The pair worked through an opening mile of 5:20 where Welch started to apply pressure and looked to be gaining a gap. Cuffe would work back, but over the final few laps Welch would pull away to a 10:03.74 – 10:05.96 win and a new USA #1.
 Chamique Francis (Cardozo, NY) (photo left by John Nepolitan) was able to walk away with two US #1 performances for her days work. First up was the Invitational 400 where she took over the lead just past the 200 meter point and powered away to a 55.48 clocking and the national lead. Almost right away Francis had to join to Cardozo team mates for the 4 x 200 final. Behind by a step as she got the stick, Francis, ran her leg all out and brought her team home to a 1:40.38 clocking and another US #1.
The final event of the day for the boys produced the last US leader. While a number of teams had already left for home to avoid the coming storm, there were a few teams that needed to stay and run the 4 x 800. Fordham Prep (NY) is once again hoping to return to Madison Square Garden to run in the popular CHSAA 4 x 800 at the Millrose Games, but the team needed to run a time to get in the seeded section of Wednesday’s Millrose Trials. Morris Hills (NY), Warwick Valley (NY), Half Hollow Hills West (NY) and Washington Township (NJ) were just a few teams looking to run fast enough to get their own tickets punched to the Millrose Games so that they can run in the 2nd Border Clash NY vs NJ Boys 4 x 800. As the lead off runners handed off Morrise Hills and Fordham Prep were locked in a battle that would continue right to the last lap of the race. Getting the baton a step ahead, Liam Tansey of Morris Hills was not going just for the win, but to run fast. With Fordham Prep tucked in right behind there was no chance to relax. Down the final back stretch, Tansey began gain a gap and brought Morris Hills home in 7:51.07 a new US #1 performance. Behind Morris Hills seven other teams broke the 8:00 barrier and ahead of the former national lead. Splits for Morris Hills were 1:57.2 – 2:00.2 – 1:58.2 and 1:55.2. Morris Hills is not a 4 runner team and had its top cross country runner Sean Pohorence in the two mile where he took 1st in 9:30.70. So the team can go faster, this is not saying that Pohorence will replace any of his team mates, but with 5 runners fighting for places on the team it can only force each other to a higher level.
One match up that most at the Armory were looking forward to was the showdown between US #1 Charlene Lipsey (Hempstead, NY) against Phyllis Francis (McAuley, NY) over 800. The weather ruined the match up and Lipsey simply ran a 2:11.6 2 wire to wire time trial.
The first running finals of the day were as always on the infield. The hurdle events saw the top seeds – Darryl Bradshaw (Sheepshead Bay, NY) and Janice Jackson (Medger Evers, NY) jump to the lead at the first hurdle and apply pressure on the competition. Both went one to once again record wins in the Armory. Bradshaw had only a .03 cushion over Ralston Braithwaite (Trenton Central, NJ), who would later take the triple jump, while Jackson would need a deep dip to nip Latisha Philson (Cardozo) by .01 running 8.01 equal to her US #1 performance.
Action in the field events did not take a back seat to action on the track. Leading the field event performances was a double win by Jordan Hill (Albemarle, VA) (photo below by John Nepolitan)taking the long jump (23’ 6”) and High Jump (6’4”). Following the preliminary round in the long jump, Hill was in a safe first place. When Harrison’s (NY) Claudio Delli Cappini took over the lead in the opening round of the final with a 23’ 3.5” leap, Hill quickly responded and grabbed the lead back with his 23’ 6” ending the first round in the final and the competition was over. Missing from the long and triple jump field was Clayton Lavong (Metacton, Pa) who has already won twice at the Armory this season, but a gym class accident would have him on the sidelines this weekend. The Lavong family was represented by his brother Wesley who had come north in a hope of getting a chance to throw against the #2 shot putter in the USA, Nick Vena (Morristown, NJ). The chance to compete against Vena did not come about, but that disappointment did not stop Lavonmg from taking the shot put with a throw of 58’ 10” for a 3’ win.
Also remaining undefeated at the Armory this season were Jenn Clayton (Suffern, NY) in the long jump (18’ 8.5”), Vanessa Stewart (North Babylon, NY) in the shot put with a throw of 45’ 3” and a new school record in the pole vault, 11’ 7”, by Jenna Marrione (Warwick valley, NY0 in the pole vault.
Two performances that were the top in the US for a few hours was the 21.71 200 win by John Thomas (Sheepshead Bay, NY) and 47.78 400 meter win by Seton Hall Prep(NJ) Clayton Parros. Those two marks were later in the day bumped for atop the national list.
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