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Questions to ponder for boys track fans of the Metro region
By John Nepolitan
With the spring season set to kick off there are a number of questions to ponder for Metro region boys track and field fans
Jump to girls points to ponder
 Robby Andrews (Manalapan, NJ) - An entire list of questions can be written just about the Manalapan senior. After an indoor season that resulted in a Millrose Games mile victory and two National Records fans can only wonder what Andrews(photo left by John Nepolitan) has in store for the spring. Can the Virginia bound runner add the outdoor state and national 800 records to his list of accomplishments? Can Andrews take the Penn Relays mile? Will Andrews have the opportunity to become the state’s 2nd high school sub 4 minute miler? If Andrews does get in a race that will pull him along at sub 4 pace, will he dip under the magic barrier?
West Windsor Plainsboro North (NJ) – Will the indoor national record holders take the outdoor mark as well? A stunning 17:21.58 at the Nike Indoor Nationals placed the Knights at the top of the all time indoor list, now they will set their sights on the 17:06.6 national mark of South Eugene (OR) from 1978 and the state mark of 17:12.3 the 1967 team from Essex Cathloic.
Morris Hills (NJ) – The foursome took hold of the indoor 4 x 800 and DMR state records, can they add their names to the outdoor record board as well?
Penn Relays 4 x 800 or DMR West Windsor and Morris Hills (photo below by John Nepolitan) posted some amazing times during the indoor season, can either team beat Albermarle (VA) at the famed Penn Relays? The last time a New Jersey team won either event was in 1995 when Westfield took the DMR crown.
Danbury (CT) – Will the Hatters be able to pull off the state open triple crown? After taking the cross country and indoor track team titles next up will be a run at the spring track team title.
 Duandre Barnaby (Weaver, CT) - Will the state’s top long sprinter be a national force in the 200 and 400 meters? Barnaby (photo left by John Nepolitan) won the NSIC 400 crown and added a 200 meter 8th, is it possible that the Weaver senior’s outdoor times stand up against the always powerful sprint states of California and Texas?
Cas Loxsom (Wilbur Cross, CT) – Can the Penn State bound runner add the outdoor 800 meter state record to his indoor 600 meter state record? After trading the 600 meter record back and forth with Duandre Barnaby during the indoor season, Loxsom dropped a swift 1:18. 72 (the #4 time in US History) in winning the New England Championships. Will this project to a time this spring faster than the standing state outdoor 800 meter record of 1:49.95 by Michael Remigino (Northwest Catholic) from 1987?
Jermaine Brown (Medger Evers, NY) – Will Brown who set indoor state record at 55 m, 60m and  200 meters be able to bounce back from the injury that cost him a chance to win two NSIC titles? Brown (photo right by John Nepolitan) who had burst upon the indoor scene with a national lead in the 300, then went on to put his name on the state record list three times before his hamstring betrayed him in the finals of the NSIC 60 meters ending his indoor season. Can Brown continue to re-write the state record books and will he get a chance to prove himself on the national stage once again?
Sub 9 - In 2008 the fastest time in NY for 3200 was a 9:07.56 by Pat DuPont and 9:07.07 for 2 miles by Colby DelBene. With Shoreham Wading River’s Bobby Andrews running 9:06.68 for 2 miles at the recent NIN, is it possible that New York will have at least 1 runner under 9:00. Other contenders to break the magic barrier are Alex Hatz (FM), Chris Stogsdill(Marcellius) , Alex Leuchanka (Shenendehowa) and Max Straneva. If these runners all toe the line on a cool June evening at the Cicero North Syracuse track will we see a parade of runners dipping under 9:00?
 Terrance Livingston (Great Neck South, NY) - Will he return to the top of 800 meter running in the state? For most of the indoor season Livingston (photo left John Nepolitan) was the most dominate middle distance runner in the state turning almost every race into a time trial for a while leading the nation at 600 and 100 meters. Livingston did claim the state 600 meter record at the New Balance Collegiate meet, but a slight injury late in the season forced him to drop out of the state 600 meter race, but he did bounce back for a 4th place finish at the NIN 800. Livingston will be looking to repeat as state champ in the 800 and will be looking to remove Jeff Van Wie’s 1:48.56 from the top of the state all time 800 meter list.
Nick Vena (Morristown, NJ) - Will he continue his harvest of shot put records? In just three  seasons of high school competition Morristown (NJ) sophomore Nick Vena (photo right by John Nepolitan) has already had a full career. Winning 3 state titles, 2 National indoor titles, holds the state indoor record, 3 national class records, and a Penn Relays title. The next to important barriers for Vena are the national sophomore class outdoor record of 68’ 10.75” by Kevin Bookout and the outdoor state record of 69 8 1/4 by Kevin DiGiorgio from 1997. Vena will continue to be the topic of speculation until he graduates in 2011 – will he run the board and gather all the national class records and what many consider the greatest track and field HS record of 81’ 3.25 by Michael Carter from 1979. Even if he does not break the national record by the time he is finished with high school competition Vena will have to go down in history as one of the greatest shot putters in high school history
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