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54th Bishop Loughlin Games

Chanelle Price, Robby Andrews star at indoor season opener

Sat-Sun, Dec. 15-16, 2007 - The New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory, NY NY

DyeStat on-site with John Nepolitan

It may just seem like cross country is over, but in the northeast indoor track has been going since Thanksgiving weekend, but the true kick off to the major meet season each year is the Bishop Loughlin Games – the first of the New York areas mega meets. see Event Summaries
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| Girls

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Girls Detail

Chanelle Price
2:47.85 1000m US#6 all time

Boys Detail

Robby Andrews
2:30.52 1000m





Girls Sprints – The indoor short sprints leave little room for error and Ogechi Nwaneri (Chatham, NJ) put all the other 55 meter finalist on the defensive jumping out to a fast start and powering all the way through the line to equal the meet record with a 6.99 clocking. NIN Pentathlon champ Ryann Krais (Eagleville, PA) had to keep her focus as she first took the hurdle title in 8.04, winning by .24) then had to find her place in line for her 300 meter trial heat where she hit 40.33 to advance to the final.
Soon after the 1000 had dazzled the Armory crowd, IAAF World Youth 400 Hurdle Champion Dalilah Mohammed (Benjamin Cardoza, NY) stepped to the starting line and found herself behind a small group after laps of 27.9 and 60.2. Swinging wide with 150 meters to go, Mohammed flew down the back straight and into the lead never to be challenged again as she won in 1:32.38 - 1:33.73 over Charlene Lipsey(Hempstead, NY). Early race leader Doris Anyanwu (Elenor Roosevelt, Md) would slip back to 6th in 1:36.05.
After winning the hurdles then getting right on the line for the 300 meter trials, Ryann Krais had hoped to pull off a sprint double, but she ran up against defending 300 meter champion Nadonnia Rodriguez(Boys and Girls HS, NY). Running in the forgiving lane 5, Rodriquez moved from the blocks to quickly establish herself at the front of the fiend. Never behind, Rodriquez kept moving throughout the race and powered through the finish in a fast 38.73 for a 1 second win. Rodriquez’s time would have been fast enough to rank #2 in the USA during the 2006-07 season.

Girls Distance – The doors had just opened and many of the fans had not even made it inside and the action had already started. Fresh off her 6th place finish at the Footlocker National Championships, Emily Lipari (Rosyln, NY) hung just behind Kristin Reese(Carmel, NY) before blasting a 33.2 final 200 to cross 1st in 10:43.49 in the 2 mile. Early in the race a pack of 3 including Reese, Lipari and Suejin Ahn(Ward Melville, NY) formed with Reese doing most of the pace work. Running through splits of 79-2:24.4(82.4)-4:04.9(83.5) – 5:30.3(81.4)- 6:53.8(83.5) – 8:13.8 (80.0) – 9:32.5(78.7) - before Lipari made her presence known and finished off the last two laps in 73.2. Reese, who missed much of the cross country season due to injury, would hold on for 2nd crossing the line in 10:49.31 just off what she ran last year to win. For the winner .

As soon as the buzz had settled from the 2 mile the 1000 meters was stepping to the line and all eyes turned to Chanelle Price (Easton, Pa) and wondered just how quick the 2007 Dyestat Athlete of the Year would circle the super fast Armory Mondo track. In what would amount to little more than a time trial, Price would blast through splits of 29.9-63.0-1:37.1-2:12.1 before crossing the line in 2:47.85 a new Pennsylvania State record and equal to #6 on the all time US High School list. For Price it is all just a step toward her year long focus the US Olympic Trials in Eugene at the end of June. For her record performance Price would earn the Outstanding Track performer award at meets end.

One of the major events of the Northeast indoor season is the high school miles at the Millrose Games and almost every mile race early in the season finds at least a few of the areas best looking to post times that will get them invited to Madison Square Garden the 1st Friday night in February. Defending Loughlin Games champion Caitlin Lane(Greenwich, NY) jumped out to the lead early as expected as she had two runners, Sara McCurdy(Bayshore, NY) and Brianna Welch(North Shore), who have both run much faster 800 times lurking behind. The three ran together with Lane at the front through splits of 72-2:29.1 and 3:47.1 before Welch jumped to the front with 350 meters remaining. The initial move gave her a small gap over Lane as McCurdy slipped from contention. A 71 final two laps would bring Welch home 1st in 4:59.27 with Lane getting 2nd in 5:00. For the winner it was her first major mile victory, but she is not ready to move away from the 800 just yet.

Relays – Always an exciting part of any indoor meet, the relays no only provided excitement, but also played a critical role in the overall team championship. In the 2006-07 season Cardoza concentrated on the 4 x 400, but they showed some versatility stepping up to the 4 x 800. An early lead by mile winner Brianna Welch (North Shore, NY) on the opening leg was erased and going into the anchor leg 600 winner Dalilah Mohammed had the lead. While it looked like Tori Flannery (Bronxville, NY) was cutting into the lead, once Mohammed hit 150 meters to go she shifted into high gear and brought Cardoza across the line for the 9:27.52 win.
Jen Clayton (Suffern, NY) may have only been 6th in the final of the 300 meters, but that was run from the tight confines of lane 1. Getting the baton in 4th entering the anchor leg Clayton used the first 150 meters of her leg (25.5 split) to catch those in front of her then coming off the final turn swung wide and snuck by on the outside to give Suffern the win in 1:54.53 and pretty much wrap up the team title.

Half way through the final running event, the 4 x 400 relay, it looked like Roosevelt(Md) were well on their way to the win, but on the end of the Boys and Girls HS(NY) team was 300 meter winner Nadonnia Rodriguez. After 1 lap of her anchor leg Rodriquez had gotten herself to the lead and steadily pulled away, running 55.8 for her leg, for the win and a total time of

Girls Field – Coming into the season Vanessa Stewart (North Babylon, NY),had a best of 41’11-1/2” from last spring. Earlier this indoor season Stewart extended her best to 42’10-1/2”. Another personal best of 44’8-1/4” would break the meet record and be enough to earn her the outstanding field performer award. Before she ran a leg on the winning 4 x 200 relay, Janelle Clayton (Suffern, NY) gave her team valuable points by taking the high jump with a 5’6” clearance.

Boys Sprints – Bishop Loughlin has had a long history of outstanding track and field performers, but had not won any individual titles at its own meet since 2001, all that ended as Nickolie Mahlung gave himself a 17th birthday present with a win in the 55 meter dash. By his own admission he did not have the best start, but once he got rolling Mahlung overtook league rival Jareen Stewart (Molloy, NY) in the last steps for a .01 win 6.49-6.50.

Lane 5 is the preferred lane for a sprinter at the Armory for a reason, its gentle turns and sling shot effect of the bank seems to produce winner after winner. Just like in the girls race in the morning Justin Murdock(Meade, Md) lined up in lane 5 after having the fastest time from the 47 trial heats and stormed away for a 34.64-34.96 win over Midwood’s(NY) Keith Nkmurah. Murdock would later return to the track to anchor Meade’s winning 4 x 400 team.

The 600 early in the season is one of the most difficult to seed and many times medal winners and possible winners may not even be in the same heat. Running in heat one Khaliff Featherstone (Gratz, Pa) took the lead through the 200 in a fast 24.1 before giving it up coming by the 400 mark (52.6) but was able to come from behind to take the 1st heat of the 600 meters in 1:20.84. Featherstone would end up 2nd as Dennis Scruggs (Bellport, NY) would dominate the 2nd heat in 1:20.28 and as a result take the individual crown. As the day started to come to an end (13 hours after it had started), Scruggs would come from behind in the 4 x 200 to give Bellport the win.

Boys Distance – Manalapan(NJ) Bobby Andrews junior had run 1:52 last year as a soph and played basketball in the winter, but saw that his future truly was on the track and made the most of his opening race of the year. The early pace was fast, but not out of control as the field went through splits of 29-60.8-1:31.0 and 2:02.0 before making his bid for the win. Moving smoothly around the field Andrews just missed the meet record by .50 crossing the win in 2:30.52. His near record performance would be enough to earn Andrews the Outstanding Track Performer Award.

Danbury(Ct) had just 2 weeks ago finish 5th at the 4th Nike Team Nationals, riding that success the runners in orange and blue dominated the two longer distance races and providing the points needed to give the school the team title. In both the mile and the meets 1st event the 2 mile Danbury runners went 1-2, trading off the lead throughout and drawing away from the field in the later stages.

Matt Terry had spent the early part of the cross country season nursing a small injury, but looked in fine form running through splits of 69.3-2:21.5(72.2)-3:31.2(69.7)-4:43.4(72.2)-5:54.9(71.6)-7:06.9(71.9)-8:18.1(71.2) – 8:53.3(3000 meters) and a final lap of 68.0 brought Terry home in 9:26.05 pulling away from team mate Joey Bubniak over the last 3 laps for the win. Willie Ahearn had hoped that the mile race would be fast enough to earn him a place in the Millrose Games field, but a slow early pace would ruin that. It was expected that Giovanni Signoretti(Smithtown, NY) would take the pace out, but starting in lane one he never got out and the pace was a slow 66-2:14 through half way. Just past the 800 point Ahearn and Danbury team mate Parker Boudreau moved to the front, but the pace did not pick up as the field was still bunched through a 1200 meter split of 3:20. Over the last 400 Boudreau moved to the front and coming down the final straight looked to be the winner, but was just caught at the line by Ahearn. Excited about their 5th place finish at NTN, yet also disappointed at not winning the Danbury runners are motivated to run some fast individual and relay performances later this season with focus on the Distance Medley relay and the 4 x mile.

Boys Field – Although many times pushed to the side, the field events provided some great battles. After the preliminary round in the long jump Oraine Pringle (Port Richmond, NY) held a slight lead having jumped 22’ 4”, but in the final Jareen Stewart (Molloy) and Carlton Lavone(Methacton, Pa) each would pass Pringle with jumps of 22’ 6-1/2”. Stewart, runner up in the 55 earlier in the day, would get the win based on a better 2nd jump of 22’ ½”. The shot put would also see a changing of lead during the final as Wesley Lavone(Methacton, Pa) would have the best throw in the preliminary round, but Kwabeno Keene(Washington Twp, NJ) would grab the lead on the 2nd throw of the finals with a 55’ 3” toss. Lavone would quickly respond with a winning 58’7” throw and lock up the win.

In a meet that has been going on for more than 50 years it is difficult to establish a new meet record, but that is just what Brian McGovern(Mt St Michael’s, NY) and Brian Crouse(Colonie, NY) did. Pole vaulter McGovern had already cleared 15’ earlier in the season, but would not be happy with just matching his season best. After McGovern and training mate Eric Van Aernam, both who train at the Hudson Valley Flying Circus (see dyestat for an upcoming feature on the facility), had both cleared 14’ 6” the stage was set for a possible attack of the meet record 15’ 2”. For the first time this season 2 at the Armory, 2 vaulters would be attempting 15’0” with only McGovern being able to snake over the bar. McGovern did not hesitate to ask for the bar to be raised to a record 15’3” and cleared that with room to spare. Moving the bar up one last time to 15 ‘ 7”, McGovern would have 1 good attempt, but would be satisfied with his day and go home to ice a slight leg injury.

Colonie’s(NY) Steve Crouse’s first major triple jump win was the 2007 Louckes Games and once again ventured down state to bound out to a win. In the preliminary round Crouse would throw out 48’ 8-1/2” meet record which would stand up right through the finals. After much debate, Crouse’s performance was enough to earn him the Outstanding Field Award.

Boys Relays – New York City’s Catholic High School league, the CHSAA, has long been known for its 4 x 800 relay power. Each indoor season the members of the league battle to earn spots in the Millrose Games CHSAA 4 x 800 relay. Through the early meets of the indoor season, teams try different combinations looking to find just the right mix that will earn them the hotly contested Millrose trophy. As a result most early season Armory 4 x 800 relays are dominated by CHSAA teams. Kellenburg(NY) may have been behind early, but as the anchor runners grabbed the stick, it was well in control of the race and the years first sub 8:00 clocking coming home in 7:59.81. The CHSAA would also claim 3rd(Fordham Prep) and 6th (Farrell) as all 6 teams were under 8:12.

The 4 x 200 relay has become the race the week after week provides the most action at the Armory.
With bodies moving fast, tight hand offs, and flying batons until the race is over nothing is guaranteed. Bellport(NY), who had the fastest qualifying time, would grab the early lead coming out of the magical late 5 and would hold onto the lead until late into the 3rd leg when St Benedicts(NJ) would grab a slight lead. Waiting for the baton was 600 meter winner Brain Scruggs for Bellport. Pulling right up to the lead and waiting until the final straight to attack, Scruggs moved into the lead not allowing anybody to come back. In the end Bellport would take 1st in 1:30.56 to 1:30.85 over St Benedicts.

Through 2 legs Meade(Md) and Midwood(NY) were battling for the lead in the 4 x 400 final, the last event of a very long day of track and field. A strong 3rd leg for Meade would draw them away from the field and leave anchor man, and 300 meter winner, Justin Murdock the task of getting around the track for the win. Murdock did not just coast his leg, but powered all the way around the Armory track to extend the lead by the end of his leg for a 3:23.08 – 3:27.25 win.

QUOTES:

Girls 2 mile winner Emily Lipari (Rosyln, NY) – “I was taking a week off after cross country so I have not run this whole week, so I was going into the race saying wow I hope I don’t do bad…I am in the track mode right now, my cross country season went pretty well I now have to put it behind me…I want to try to bring down my 3000 meter and 2 mile time…I am taking things as they come, but for the state meet, if I make it to the state meet, I want to try to place in the top four…I run for me so I just go out there to have fun, just having fun no pressure.”

Girls 1000 meter winner and Outstanding Track Award winner Chanelle Price (Easton Area, Pa) – “ Indoor just started so decided with my coaches that we would come up here run the 1000 go home and enjoy my Saturday….my goal was around 2:47 maybe 2:45, my 4th lap was probably should have been a little bit faster. I wanted to come by in 2:10 and I was like 2:12, but for one of my first meets of the season I’m happy…Every meet I want to just run faster, I am training really hard of course my long term goal is the Olympic Trials every meet has to point towards success at that…I am going to try to do some 1000’s , 600’s and maybe not as many 800’s just go for records and anything I can get this year….I really have not thought about training for the mile this year I am really concentrating on speed, I know that there is an invitational 800 at the Millrose Games I would love to run…I have to plan carefully this year, last year I raced by butt off and when I got to Europe(for the IAAF World Youth Championships) I was tired so I need to save my legs…I do want to get under 2:00 this year that is the goal”

Girls Mile winner Brianna Welch (North Shore, NY) – “I figured Caitlin Lane would take it out as that is the type runner she is, so I was just hoping to stay behind her and my coach said with like 400 or 300 I should just go and not look back…I have not been that confident the last few weeks I was sick a few weeks ago, so when I was going to go I was just going to go, I am a 2:09 half miler so I was hoping that speed could hold me to the end…I am still looking to run the 800 I would like to run 2:05 and make it to the Olympic Trials, but my coach thinks that by the time I am done with high school I will be a miler.”
Boys 2 Mile Winner Matt Terry (Danbury, Ct) – “I was hoping that somebody would push me a little, I was looking to run a faster time…I had to take some time off at the start of the cross country season with a slight injury, so I am not really running like everyone else is a little tired from cross country so I am still feeling pretty good…we (the Danbury team) are looking to run fast times, relay wise we can run some amazing times in the 4 x 800, 4 x mile and DMR…I am looking to go to Jr Nationals cross country(Feb 16th in San Diego).”

Boys 55m Dash Winner Nickolie Mahlung (Bishop Loughlin, NY) – “I had a bad start, but I had to muscle it back and when I saw everybody in front of me I knew I had to win because today is my 17th birthday so I wanted a nice birthday present.”

Pole Vault winner and new Meet record holder Brian McGovern (Mt St Michaels, NY) – “I just had to put it (the slight leg injury) out of my head an go for it and then go home and ice it at the end of the day no big deal ….I practice Monday’s and Wednesday’s and I switched to a new pole when I went for 15’ 7” and at practice I was jumping pretty good on it and when I came here I guess it was not meant for it hopefully next meet I can get onto it.”

Boys Mile Winner Willie Ahearn (Danbury, Ct) – “It was just kind of go out there and run, last year I thought too much, so I came into the race saying what ever the pace went out I am just going to go after it…Last year I had the tendency of just giving up, today was the first time in a long time where I caught somebody…we(his Danbury team mates) were all planning on working together, we were not sure what the pace was going to be. We were hoping to go fast enough to get a qualifying for Millrose, I doubt it was fast enough, but we will take it…we are using our NTN finish (5th) as motivation we went into NTB wanting to win, we really thought that if it all came together we had a chance at winning. We were happy, but we were not ecstatic, so we are now looking toward the future. Learning from the past, but not swelling on it.


Brief Preview - (from information received in Chris Hunt's "Armory Alert") The first major meet of the indoor season, the 54th annual Bishop Loughlin Games, is set to take place Saturday and Sunday at New Balance Track & Field Center. About 5,500 athletes from 235 schools are expected. The varsity events are Saturday starting at 9 a.m. The freshman/sophomore portion is Sunday at 9 a.m.

Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor champ Chanelle Price, the Easton PA sr who ran 2:02.38 for 800 meters last year, is entered in the 1000 meters. Her 800 PR, achieved at the USATF meet last June in finishing 7th, is #4 on the all-time prep list.

The girls seeded 2-mile is highlighted by Carmel NY sr Kristin Reese. She is coming off a short cross country season since recovering from a stress fracture in her right foot that kept her in a boot for six weeks during the summer. She won the this event here last year in 10 minutes, 49.77 seconds. Foot Locker Finalists Shelby Greany of Suffern NY and Emily Lipari of Roslyn NY are also entered, but it's reported they may sit out after racing last weekend.

Danbury CT sr Matt Terry, a leader of his school's club team that competed at NTN two weeks ago, is among the top entrants in the boys 2 mile. Peekskill NY’s Lawrence Campbell and Khaliff Featherstone of Simon Gratz PA are two of the top contenders in the in the 600. Campbell has the fastest-time in New York State at 600 meters.

Monsignor Farrell's Vincenzo Chiariello the defending Loughlin Games shot put champion, who was a 59 footer and scholastic All-American last year, will look to defend his title.

TENTATIVE TIME SCHEDULE AND ORDER OF EVENTS.
54TH ANNUAL BISHOP LOUGHLIN 2007 GAMES. ( 1954 - 2007 )

SATURDAY DECEMBER 15 TH. AND SUNDAY 16 TH NOTES.
-The time schedule below is tentative. We do reserve the right to go up to 45 minutes ahead of schedule.
-Bring your own relay sticks. All events in meters, except the Varsity 1 Mile Run and Varsity 2 Mile Run.
-Four event rule. ( BUT NOT MORE THAN 3 ON ONE DAY )

Armory - 200 Meter Banked Track - 6 lanes - Short Spikes allowed.

Part 1 -168TH STREET ARMORY
SATURDAY - 15 TH, DECEMBER 2007 -- RECORDS -- DOORS WILL OPEN AT 8:15 AM

1.VARSITY GIRLS POLE VAULT -- 12Ft 5 In-- 9:05
2.VARSITY GIRLS LONG JUMP --19Ft 7.5 In-- 9:05
3. VARSITY GIRLS SHOT PUT --43Ft 3.25 In-- 9:05
4.VARSITY GIRLS TRIPLE JUMP --40Ft 2.75 In-- FOLLOWS LONG JUMP
5.VARSITY GIRLS HIGH JUMP --5Ft 9 IN -- TO START AT 11:00 AM

6.VARSITY GIRLS 55M HURDLES-SEMIS --7.99-- 9:05 (8 FASTEST TO FINALS)
7.VARSITY GIRLS 55M DASH - SEMIS- 8 FASTEST TO FINAL --6.99-- ( FOLLOWS 55M HURDLES )

8.VARSITY GIRLS 2 MILE RUN --10:36.50-- 9:00
9.VARSITY GIRLS 55M HURDLES --7.99-- FINALS
10. VARSITY GIRLS 55M DASH - FINALS --6.99-- FOLLOWS 55M HURDLES FINALS

11. VARSITY GIRLS 1000M RUN --2:50.37-- 9:20
12. VARSITY GIRLS 600M RUN --1:30.00-- 10:10
13. VARSITY GIRLS 300M DASH SEMIS --37.59-- 11:00 6 FASTEST TO FINALS
14. VARSITY GIRLS 1 MILE RUN --4:57.14-- 11:55
15. VARSITY GIRLS 300M DASH FINALS --37.59-- 12:55
16. VARSITY GIRLS 800M RELAY SEMIS --1:41.36-- 1:00 6 FASTEST TO FINALS
17. VARSITY GIRLS 3200M RELAY --9:23.47-- 1:45
18. VARSITY GIRLS 800M RELAY FINAL --1:41.36-- 2:15
19. VARSITY GIRLS 1600M RELAY --3:49.97-- 2:20
_______________________________________________
20. VARSITY BOYS POLE VAULT --15Ft 0 In--2:00
21. VARSITY BOYS LONG JUMP --24Ft 1.75 In --2:00
22. VARSITY BOYS SHOT PUT --63Ft 6.5 In-- 2:00
23. VARSITY BOYS TRIPLE JUMP --47Ft 7.25 In-- FOLLOWS LONG JUMP

24. VARSITY BOYS 55M HURDLES - SEMIS- 8 FASTEST TO FINALS 7.3 2:40
25. VARSITY BOYS 55M DASH - SEMIS- 8 FASTEST TO FINALS 6.42 3:05 ( FOLLOWS 55M HURDLES )

26. VARSITY BOYS 2 MILE RUN 9:09.8 3:15

27. VARSITY BOYS 55M HURDLES - 7.3 FINALS
28. VARSITY BOYS 55M DASH - FINALS 6.42 FOLLOWS 55M HURDLES FINALS

29. VARSITY BOYS HIGH JUMP 7Ft 2 In FOLLOWS COMPLETION OF DASH FINALS
30. VARSITY BOYS 1000M RUN 2:30.02 3:30
31. VARSITY BOYS 600M RUN 1:19.87 4:20
32. VARSITY BOYS 300M DASH SEMIS. 33.27 5:10 6 FASTEST TO FINALS
33. VARSITY BOYS 1 MILE RUN 4:15.16 6:00
34. VARSITY BOYS 300M DASH FINALS 33.27 6:40
35. VARSITY BOYS 800M RELAY SEMIS 1:29.17 6:55 6 FASTEST TO FINALS
36. VARSITY BOYS 3200M RELAY 7:56.69 7:35
37. VARSITY BOYS 800M RELAY FINAL 1:29.17 8:10
38. VARSITY BOYS 1600M RELAY FINAL ON TIME 3:21.92 8:15.



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