DyeStat


The Internet Home of Track & Field






USA Junior National Championships

Hayward Field, University of Oregon, Eugene OR
June 25-28, 2009


DyeStat on-site with Dave Devine and John Nepolitan


USATF Junior Men - Prep Prospects
By Mike Kennedy for DyeStat.com


Here is a look at the leading high schoolers entered in the United States Junior Nationals at Eugene (Or.) this weekend, plus a mention of the leading collegians. The first two finishers in each event qualify for the Pan American Junior championships, July 31-Aug. 2 at Port of Spain, Trinidad.

MEN

100 Meters

Randall Carroll (Cathedral, Los Angeles, Ca.) is the two-time State champion with a best of 10.30 and three other times under 10.40, but he should get a serious challenge from Ryan Milus (Hamilton, Chandler, Az.), the State 5A-I champion and winner at the Great Southwest with a best of 10.33. Junior Tyrell Yardley (Syracuse, Ut.) is the State 5A champion and ran 10.62w at the Great Southwest. All of the preps will be chasing D’Angelo Cherry (Mississippi St.), who ran 10.04 in the NCAA Division I Championship heats to rank as No. 2 on the American junior list and No. 3 on the world junior list. Not far behind Cherry is Marcus Rowland (Auburn), who has run 10.13.
 
200 Meters

Ryan Milus (Hamilton, Chandler, Az.), the State 5A-I champion, is back here with a best of 21.06 in winning the Great Southwest Elite race. Andre Carter (Alexander, Douglasville, Ga.) was second in that race with a personal best of 21.10.  Tyrell Yardley (Syracuse, Ut.) was third at the Great Southwest also in a personal best of 21.17. James Taylor (Nansemond River, Suffolk, Va.) was the State 3A champion in 21.68w, then went to Nike Outdoor Nationals and ran 21.15w. Collegian Marcus Rowland (Auburn), who was third in the NCAA championships, has run 20.49. Mookie Salaam (Oklahoma), at 20.54, and Keyth Talley (North Texas), at 20.86, are the leading freshmen.
   
400 Meters

Tavaris Tate (Starkville, Ms.) and Clayton Parros (Seton Hall Prep, South Orange, N.J.) renew their rivalry after Tate prevailed at the Great Southwest, 45.48 to 45.71, for the top two prep performances in the nation (right, photo by John Dye). Andre Carter (Alexander, Douglasville, Ga.) was third at the GSW in 46.81. Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.) has limited activity here, but he was second in the State 200, where he has a best of 21.12 and ran a 45.78 relay leg at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. College frosh Joey Hughes (USC) has run 45.93 and teammate Duane Walker has a best of 46.67, as well as a 50.71 for the 400 hurdles.
 
800 Meters

Elijah Greer (Lake Oswego, Or.) ranks No. 2 at 1:48.97, and Tommy Brinn (Otsego, Mi.), a surprise Midwest Distance Gala winner at 1:49.27, is the No. 3 highschooler. State champion Joseph Holihan (South, Bloomington, In.) was second at Midwest Distance Gala at 1:51.41. Zachary Mellon (Buffalo, Mn.) was the State 2A runner-up, has a best of 1:50.99, and split 1:49.49 in anchoring his team’s runner-up 1600 SMR at Nike Outdoor Nationals.  Alex Muntefering (Ethan-Parkston, Parkston, S.D.) ran 1:51.34 in a seeded race at the Midwest Distance Gala.  The collegiates are led by Sebastian Sam (California), at 1:48.82, and Joe Abbott (Washington St.), at 1:48.97.

1,500 Meters

State champion Mac Fleet (University City, San Diego, Ca.) is undefeated at 1,500/mile and ranks No. 2 in the nation at 4:02.90 for a mile, which he ran at the Portland Track Festival. Patrick McGregor (Hoover, Al.), the State 5A champion, has run 4:07.07 for the mile at the Midwest Distance Gala. James Cameron (Mission Viejo, Ca.) was second at State and has a best of 4:10.61 for a mile. Top collegians are Andrew Bayer (Indiana), at 3:44.97, and Blake Shaw (USC), at  3:49.72  
   
5,000 Meters

Leading the way is German Fernandez (Oklahoma), who has a best of 13:31.71 to rank No. 2 on the all-time American Junior list.  Trevor Dunbar (Kodiak, Ak.) won at Arcadia in 14.33.96 for the No. 1 time by an American high school runner and was very impressive in running 8:14.11 for 3,000 on the way to an 8:49.79 two-mile win at the Nike Outdoor.  Isaac Chavez (Barstow, Ca.) was second at Arcadia in 14:44.33. Also keep an eye out for Zach Torres (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta, Ca.) at 9:02.50 and Conner Peloquin (Gig Harbor, Wa.), at 9:05.37, both at 3,200. Former prep stars Coby Lowe (Oklahoma St.), at 13:57.06, and Kevin Williams (Oklahoma), at 14:12.85, lead the collegians.
 
10,000 Meters

Parker Stinson (Cedar Park, Tx.), who won the State 5A 3,200 in 8:54.70, is the only high schooler entered. Anthony Solis (unat, CS Chico), at 31:15.00 and Elliot Krause (Wisconsin), at 31:16.05, are the top collegians.

3,000-Meter Steeplechase

New York State champion Michael Kiley (Chaminade, Mineola), at 9:13.92, and Joseph Whelan (Hamburg, N.Y.), at 9:19.31 are the top two preps in the nation. Dylan Sorenson (Zionsville, In.) was second in the State 1,600 at 4:12.45 but has little steeplechase experience. The leading collegiates are Patrick Dupont (Syracuse) at 9:03.09, Trevor Ricks (Weber St.) at 9:04.11, and John Coyle (Weber St.) at 9:04.61.
 
110-Meter High Hurdles (39”)

The high school athletes should be quite comfortable going over the familiar 39-inch hurdles while the collegians, who run 42-inch hurdles, will be looking forward to the shorter hurdle height. Wayne Davis (Southeast, Raleigh, N.C., right, photo by Margaret Gallagher) was scintillating in winning the Nike Outdoor Nationals at 13.33 to move to No. 5 on the all-time high school list. Cameron Lacour (Dayton, Tx.) is the Texas Relays champion at 13.48 to rank No. 2 in the nation, and won the State 4A title. There is plenty of college competition to push Davis to challenge the high school FAT record of 13.26 set by Arthur Blake (Haines, City, Fl.) in 1984. Collegians are led by William Wynne (Florida), who has run 13.64 and was third in the NCAA championships, and Booker Nunley (South Carolina), who has run 13.49 and was fifth at the NCAAs.
 
400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles

Three weeks ago Reggie Wyatt (La Sierra, Riverside, Ca.) destroyed two-time defending NCAA champion Jeshua Anderson’s high school 300-meter intermediate record of 35.28, with an almost flawless 35.02 in the heats of the State meet. After running a personal best 49.78 to win the 400-meter hurdles at the Nike Outdoor Nationals last week to move to No. 5 on the all-time prep list, Wyatt can now take aim at the national high school 400-meter hurdle record of 49.38 set by Kenneth Ferguson (Mumford, Detroit, Mi.) in 2002. Jordan Rispress (Darby, Hilliard, Oh.), who was second to Wyatt at NON in 51.89 for the No. 2 time in the nation, is also entered.  Like the 110 hurdles, competition should be present in William Wynne (Florida) at 49.67, Duane Walker (USC) at 50.71, and Jay Hopkins (Washington St.), at 51.57.
  
High Jump

Erik Kynard (Rogers, Toledo, Oh.) is a big meet competitor with wins in the State Division I, the Nike Indoor championship at 7-4 1/2 and the Nike Outdoor championship, at  7-3 ¼. State 4A champion Ricky Robertson (Hernando, Ms.) and Jules Sharpe (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village, Ca.) have both cleared 7-1. Dwight Barbiasz (Maryland) at 7-2 ¼, and Cory Vales (Findley), at 7-1 are the collegiate leaders.
 
Pole Vault

Prep leader Jack Whitt (North, Norman, Ok.), with an 18-0 ½ at the Texas Relays, is the clear leader not only among high schoolers, but overall. He also has wins at State 6A, Golden South, Great Southwest and Nike Outdoor. Mick Viken (Rolling Meadows, Il.), at 16-10, and Michael Woepse (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Ca.) at 16-9,  rank No. 4 and 5 on the yearly prep list. The collegians are led by David Slovenski (Princeton), at 17-3 ½, Mike Arnold (Idaho St.), at 16-11 ¾, and Scott Houston (North Carolina) at 16-11 ¼.
 
Long Jump

Chase Wheeler (De La Salle, Concord, Ca.) was the State winner at 25-2 ¼ for the No. 4 prep mark in the nation.   Damar Forbes (King, Lithonia, Ga.) has a best of 24-6 ½ and wins at Taco Bell, State 5A and Nike Outdoor. Both Marquise Goodwin (Rowlett, Tx.),  the national leader at 26-1 ¼ in the State 5A meet, and James Taylor (Nansemond River, Suffolk, Va.), the State 3A meet winner at 25-0 and second at Nike  Outdoor, are entered but not confirmed. Will Claye (Oklahoma), was ninth at the NCAAs with a personal best of 25-10 ¾ and Chris Phipps (Nebraska) has in indoor best of 25-6 ¼.

Triple Jump

Will Claye (Oklahoma) skipped his senior year of high school to enter college early and judging by the results, you have to ask yourself how long he will be in college. He won the NCAA championships with a windy 56-6 ¾, and backed that up with a wind legal 56-4 ¾ to set an American Junior record, breaking the old mark of 55-8 ½ set by Christian Taylor (Florida) earlier this year. Taylor was third at the NCAA meet but is not entered. Prep leader Bryce Lamb (Chandler, Az.) is not entered. The only high school entrant is Zachary Smith (Kentlake, Kent, Wa.) at 48-1. Other collegiates of note are Chris Phipps (Nebraska), at 52-1 ¾, and Albert Johnson (Manhattan) at 52-0 ½. 

 
Shot Put (6 kg)

Stephen Saenz (Rio Grande, Tx., right ,photo by John Nepolitan) and Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Co.), put a 12-pound shot that is 4 pounds lighter than the collegiates throw, but they put it really, really far—like 72-6 ¼ and 71-3 ¼, respectively—so they should contend for the title. The college leader is Jordan Clarke (Arizona St.), who threw 71-3 last year with the high school orb, and has a best of 61-0 ¼ with the 16-pounder. They will all meet in between at 13.2-pounds. Daniel Block (Lake Park, Roselle, Il.) at 66-3, and Cameron (Sean) Tabor (Norman, Ok.), at 64-7 ¾, are other prep standouts. Other collegiates are Jacob Thormaehlen (Texas), at 58-0 ½ and Bryce Hall (Utah St.), at 57-6 ½.   

Discus (1.75 kg)

Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Co.) has dominated the event at the high school level, including a national record of 236-6 with the 1.6 kg disc and wins at Arcadia, State 3A, Great Southwest and Golden West. Cameron Tabor (Norman, Ok.), at 210-0, Daniel Block (Lake Park, Roselle, Il.), at 208-11, and Matthew Kosecki (Humble, Tx.), at 206-1, rank next on the prep list and all are entered. Lonnie Pugh (Michigan St.) leads the collegiates at 192-5 with the 2 kg platter. Jordan Clarke  (Arizona St.) has thrown 190-2 with the collegiate disc and is at 200-8 with the junior disc.
 
Hammer (6 kg)

Last year, Conor McCullough (Chaminade, West Hills, Ca.) was second in the World Junior championships with a throw of 248-11 with the 6 kg (13.2-lb) hammer. He also set the high school record with the 12-pound ball and chain at 260-0. This year has been somewhat low-key, with a throw of just 221-1 with the junior hammer, but he has a seasonal best of 256-9 with the high school implement. Justin Welch (Eastwood, Pemberville, Oh.), at 232-6, leads the rest of the preps. Alec Mike Zika (Iowa St.), at 203-9, and Mark Manno (Coastal Carolina), at 192-3, lead the collegiates. 

Javelin

Sam Crouser (Gresham, Or.) leads the preps with a 238-11 to become the second best high school thrower of all time and the best-ever American. Justin Shirk (Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, Pa.) has thrown 235-3 to rank No. 3 on the all-time list, and Sam Humphreys (Alexander, Laredo, Tx.) has a best of 220-11. The collegiates are led by Kyle Smith (Southern Mississippi) at 223-9 and Cooper Thompson (Bakersfield College), at 220-0.
 
Decathlon

Curtis Beach (Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, N.M.) took down one of the oldest high school records on the books when he scored 7,466 with international implements at the Great Southwest Classic, breaking the old mark of 7, 359 set 37 years ago by Craig Brigham (South, Eugene, Or.). Beach also set the high school record with high school implements this year at 7,909 in the Arcadia Invitational. Only the high school record with junior implements remains. Shawn Schmidt (St. Mark’s, Dallas, Tx.) set that mark at 7,264 in 2006. Actually Beach’s mark with international implements is already superior. Richard York (St. Clair, Mo.) scored 7,007 with the high school implements at the Great Southwest. Gary Horn (Florida) leads the collegiates at 7,490. 

DyeStat