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Chambers, Anthony Hendrix lead a flood of more great marks!
61-07.50 girls Wt. and 1:18.38 600 both #2 all-time; girls 600 goes to Lipsey; fast 4x2s for both genders
By John Nepolitan
 In most super fast 600’s it had pretty much been one runner going for broke and finishing with a time high on the all time list. Saturday’s New Balance Collegiate Invitational Junior boys 600 was much different when it brought together four of the nation’s best long sprinters. The result may not have been the national record that most thought would happen, but a race where the #2-3-5-6 times in history with Anthony Hendrix (New Bern, NC) getting the win in 1:18.36. There were no national records like the night before, but the second day of high school action in the college meet would do some major damage to the all time list.
Junior Boys 600 meters - When it was announced that Anthony and Andrew Hendrix (New Bern, NC) would be facing Clayton Parros (Seton Hall Prep, NJ) and Terrance Livingston (Great Neck South, NY) over 600 meters talk always centered around talk of not just who would win, but how far under the national record would the winner go? The Hendrix brothers had a plan – get to the front off the break together and take the field through the 400 in just under 50 seconds then go for broke, expecting a late rush from Livingston. Off the break at 150 meters Anthony would get to the front, but brother Andrew would get caught behind Livingston and Parros. Anthony would pass through 200 in 23.5 with just a slight lead over Livingston. Continuing to push the pace alone in front, Anthony Hendrix (photo left by John Nepolitan) would be a little off the plan at 400 passing in 50.9 with Livingston and Parros in a line a few strides behind. As the race hit the back straight for the final time, Livingston would come up to Hendrix’s shoulder but could not get by. Hendrix would hold the lead all the way to the finish crossing in 1:18.36 the #2 time in US history. Livingston would have to settle for 2nd and a New York State record of 1:18.70 and the #3 time in US history. Andrew Hendrix would get past Parros over the final 200 to finish in 3rd and the #5 time ever – 1:18.89 with Parros 4th in 1:18.90
Junior Girls 600 meters – Thinking that this meet was like every other Armory mass meet where there are numerous heats of each event, Charlene Lipsey (Hempstead, NY) went off to the rest room knowing the before event was the Open 800. With a time schedule that did not match the number of entries, for the second day the meet got ridiculously behind schedule, Lipsey would be wrong about the number of sections in the Open 800 and with just one race she was not around when the junior 600 runners were called to the line. Also late to the starting line , Breanda Crump (Mt Vernon, NY) may have made it possible for Lipsey to get to the line. Crump was struggling getting her number on as the other competitors toed the line then just as the gun was to fire, Lipsey came sprinting back into the check in area. With a fast change of shoes the seven runners lined up and the gun sent the runners on their way. Both Lipsey and national leader Phyllis Francis (McAuley, NY) did not get out well and it took two laps of 28.2 and 58.5 before Lipsey would hit the front with Francis right behind. In what could be a preview of the upcoming New York State Championship where it is expected where the two will once again meet, Lipsey lifted best and held on for the 1:29.85 – 1:30.62 win and a new national leader and the #4 time in US history.
High school boys and girls 4 x 800 – In the past this had been an event that high school race coordinator Dan Dohery would have no problem  filling, and it 2009 it looked like another high pair of quality fields were assembled, but with the flu taking its toll on teams there would be a few scratches. There would be no national leaders or performances included on the all time national lists, but two highly competitive races entertained the crowd. The girls race would quickly get down to a 3 team affair with St John Villa (NY) , Bronxville(NY) and Boys and Girls (NY) at the front fighting it out. Into the final leg the three were together, but that would come down to a two team battle with Bronxville and Villa pulling away from Boys and Girls. Villa’s Dominique Claudio would refuse to give up the lead and bring the one time national leaders home in 9:19.14 US #2 for 2009 to Bronxville’s 9:20.11.
The boys race was slated to be a re-match between Fordham Prep and Farrell. The two teams had traded wins this season at the Millrose trials and the Millrose Games, but the flu bug would knock Fordham Prep out of the race. As the race started to unfold, New York’s Transit Tech would keep on building and enter the final leg with a comfortable lead. With Farrell back it would be too much for anchor man James Farley to make up. Transit’s anchor Kameron George would suffer over the last 100 meters with his knees not lifting like they had in the first 700 meters, but he would be able to hold on for the 7:52.43 win, the #3 time in the US in 2009. Behind the leaders Chaminade would close best to nail down 2nd in 7:54.31 to Farrell’s 7:54.49.
Transit Tech
Fard Rollock - 1:59.0
Elijah Rollack - 1:56.9
Julian Wood - 1:59.1
Kameron George - 1:57.1
St John Villa
Alexis Bivona - 2:21.0
Mariah Claudio - 2:18.1
Samantha Lauro - 2:24.0
Dominique Claudio - 2:15.8
Girls 4 x 200 – Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) had come into the weekend as the national leader and had hoped to lower that time against the top notch field. Grabbing the lead early would be the key to getting out of trouble, trouble that would take the 2nd fastest team in the nation Cardozo out of the running. As Roosevelt stayed clear of the field out front, at the 2nd hand off with a tight pack coming into the exchange zone a check that would make any NHL coach proud would find the Cardozo 3rd leg on her back on the infield, leveled by Swenson. Meanwhile the Roosevelt team of Jenea McCammon , Doris Anyanwu , Aurieyall Scott and Afia Charles would cross 1st in 1:38.15, a new US leader for 2009, ahead of in state rival Oxon Hill – 1:39.28.
Boys 4 x 200 – Could New Bern do it again? The night before the final event of the high school program the North Carolina school ran a national record in the 4 x 400. Again coming to the line in the final event of the high school schedule, New Bern would be looking to lower the national mark and use the same tactic to do it. Get out fast- get out in front and run free and clear. Fuquawn Greene would get his team out front and allow Daishon Stykon and the Hendrix brothers, Andrew and Anthony to run without any worry of being mixed up in traffic. Alone at the front New Bern would cross the line in 1:27.06, not a national record but good enough for a new US #1 for 2009 and the #3 time in US history.
 Junior Girls Weight Throw – The most overlooked performance of the weekend without a doubt would be the junior women’s weight throw. Originally placed on the meet schedule between the hot track action so high school fans could walk down to the far end of the Armory Center facility to take in the action, but with the meet so far behind schedule on the track the events there would be going on at the same time. Not needing a crowd to perform, Lauren Chambers (Kell, Ga) (photo left by John Nepolitan)would win with a new US#1 throw of 61’ 7.5”. The throw would be the 4th longest ever by a high school athlete behind 3 throws of Victoria Flowers (Classical, RI) from 2008. When she returns to New York in March for the NISC Championships and to Boston for the NIN, it is very possible that Flowers national mark could be replaced.
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