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| USA Junior National Championships
Hayward Field, University of Oregon, Eugene OR
June 25-28, 2009
DyeStat on-site with Dave Devine and John Nepolitan
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USATF Junior Women - 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.
WOMEN
100 Meters
 Chalonda Goodman (Newnan, Ga., right, photo by John Dye) is the national high school and Junior leader at 11.30 with a win at the Taco Bell Invitational. She also has wins at State and the Nike Outdoor Nationals. She will be challenged by state champion Ashton Purvis (St. Elizabeth, Oakland, Ca.), who has run 11.48 for the No. 2 prep time in the nation. Purvis will renew acquaintances with Jessica Davis (Highland, Palmdale, Ca.), who has run 11.45w, and 11.61. Tasha Allen (North Division, Milwaukee, Wi.) was the State Division I winner at 12.05. She had a wind legal 11.76 in the heats and had a wind-aided 11.36 earlier in the season. Amber Purvis (Oregon), half-sister of Ashton, has run 11.41, and Aereon Payne (USC), has a best of 11.48 to lead the collegians. .
200 Meters
Undefeated Chalonda Goodman (Newnan, Ga.) was outstanding with a 22.94 win at the Nike Outdoor nationals to move into equal No. 10 on the all-time high school list. It is also the No. 1 Junior performance in the nation. Ashton Purvis (St. Elizabeth, Oakland, Ca.), who has run 23.37 indoors and 23.46 outdoors, and Jessica Davis (Highland, Palmdale, Ca.), who has run 23.68, are also entered here. Tasha Allen (Northern Division, Milwaukee, Wi.) was the State champion at 24.36, but earlier had a wind-aided 23.53. Amber Purvis (Oregon) at 23.09, Dominique Duncan (Texas A&M) at 23.36 and Aereon Payne (USC), at 23.47, lead the collegians.
400 Meters
This event has been severely impacted by the U.S. Trials (June 30-July 1) for the World Youth Championship, and as a result, none of the top 18 preps are in attendance. That will not stop the local fans from rooting on Kellie Schueler (Summit, Bend, Or.), who won the State 5A 100, 200 and 400 and has best in the 400 of 54.25. Lauren Ellis (West Florence, Florence, S.C.) has run 54.29 and Nia Fluker (Christway Academy, Duncanville, Tx.) has run 54.72, but last year ran 54.08. Stacey-Ann Smith (Texas), at 52.90, Alishea Usery (Florida), at 53.27, and Diamond Richardson (Baylor), at 53.84, lead the collegiates.
800 Meters
A most interesting event. Last year Laura Roesler (South, Fargo, N.C.) and Chanelle Price (Easton, Pa.) both qualified for the Olympic Trials with Roesler advancing to the semifinals and Price being eliminated after the first round. Roesler had a 2008 best of 2:03.08, while Price ran 2:01.61. This year Price, who is now at Tennessee, has run 2:03.30, while Roesler has a best of 2:06.2. Charlene Lipsey (Hempstead, N.Y.) was the Arcadia Invitational winner and has a best of 2:05.83. Carlyle Davis (Marlborough, Los Angeles, Ca.) was second to Lipsey at Arcadia and won the State at 2:07.82. Three preps who could surprise are Samantha Berggren (Middle Park, Granby, Co.), who ran 2:09.13 and Sara Stoakes (North Tama, Traer, Ia.) and Nia Fluker (Christway Christian, Duncanville, Tx.), both of whom have run 2:10.22. Rebecca Addison (Grand Haven, Mi.), has a best of 2:07.96. Emily Infeld (Georgetown), who was eighth in the NCAA 1,500 at 4:17.94, has run 2:06.05 for the second best collegiate entrant.
1,500 Meters
Jordan Hasay (Mission College Prep, San Luis Obispo, Ca.) has been the most recognized prep runner over the last two years. She is back to defend her title as well as run in the Senior 1,500. That schedule is similar to 2008 when she reached the Olympic Trials final. This year, Hasay’s most serious prep challenger, Chelsey Sveinsson (Greenhill, Addison, Tx.), has passed on the Junior meet to concentrate on the U.S. Trials for the World Youth championships, but Hasay should be pressed by Morgane Gay (Virginia), who has run 4:15.56 this season to Hasay’s 4:16.80. Oregonian’s Kayleigh Tyerman (Crater, Central Point) and Taylor Wallace (Henley, Klamath Falls, Or.), with best of 4:29.37 and 4:33.82, respectively, lead the rest of the preps. Corey Conner (Maine), at 4:27.13, Lauren Bourduin (Georgetown), at 4:27.37 and Monica Kinney (Grand Valley State), at 4:27.53 are behind Gay in the college ranks.
3,000 Meters
Stephanie Morgan (Barnesville, Oh.) won the Penn Relays with the second best prep time in the nation at 9:31.32 but should get a battle from Emily Sisson (Parkway Central, Chesterfield, Mo.). Sisson, the State 3,200 champion, who has a best of 10;15.8, has also run 16:34.23 in winning at the Nike Outdoor championship 5,000. Elizabeth Hynes (East, St. Charles, Il.) has run 10:23.62, and Leslie Kovach (Norwin, North Huntington, Pa.) has run 10:35.19, both over 3,200 meters. Katie Mona (Emporia St.) leads the collegiates at 10:03.04 for 3,000.
5,000 Meters
Looks like a terrific matchup between Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall, N.Y.), who ran 10:21.80 for 3,200 in finishing fourth at the Nike Outdoor Nationals, and Sarah Andrews (The Woodlands, Tx.), who ran 10:21.34 for 3,200 in finishing behind Chelsey Sveinsson (Greenhill, Addison, Tx..) at the Texas Relays. Carly Seymour (Duke) is the leading collegiate at 17:02.26.
3,000-Meter Steeplechase
Katie Sullivan (Ursuline, New Rochelle, N.Y.), the only prep entered, has a best of 7:10.99. Kaylan Comer (Indiana) was eleventh in the NCAA final at 10:22.56. Earlier she set an American Junior record of 10:06.21 breaking her own record of 10:06.54. The next best collegiate is Natalie Busby (Syracuse) at 10:33.45.
100-Meter High Hurdles
The best prep in the field just might be Trinity Wilson (St. Mary’s, Berkeley, Ca., right, photo by Spencer Allen), who false started out of her league final to miss the State meet but then won the Golden West Invitational in 13.77 to become the fourth best performer in the nation and set a national age-14 record. Ashtyn Baltimore (Marlborough, Los Angeles, Ca.) is the next fastest prep at 13.87, followed by Precious Selmon (Crystal City, Mo.), a heptathlete who has run a wind-aided 13.67 and a legal 13.90. The three fastest runners in the meet are all collegiates: Raven Clay (Findlay), at 13.42, with a barely over the allowable wind of 2.1 meters per second; Audra Frimpong (Alabama), at 13.56 and Julian Purvis (Michigan), at 13.67.
400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles
Turquoise Thompson (Serra, Gardena, Ca.) has had a rough couple of years, what with injuries and having to sit out her junior year after transferring schools, and then falling in the State Southern Section Division finals, but there have been some bright spots. Late last year she ran a nation-leading 57.67, and this year, after the hurdle fall, she came back to win the State 400 at 53.10 for the No. 4 time in the nation. Her hurdle-bests this year are 41.45 and 60.40. Shakeia Pinnick (Waubonsie Valley, Aurora, Il.) is the State 3A champion for 300 hurdles at 42.84, but she ran 58.98 for the 400 hurdles in 2008. Delilah Muhammad (USC), who placed third in the NCAA at 56.65, is the leading collegiate, followed by Larisha Jordan (Fresno St.) at 58.14 and Kiani Profit (Maryland), at 58.15.
High Jump
Maya Pressley (Coconut Grove, Fl.), the leading prep entrant, was second in the State 4A at 5-8 and then jumped 5-11 ½ in June. Bria Rice (Central, Madison, Ms.) won the State 5A title at 5-9 and earlier set a personal best of 5-11 in winning the Pearl Invitation. Melanie Vertrees (Kent Meridian, Kent, Wa.) was second in the State 4A at 5-8, but had a best of 5-10. Krystie Schade (Alabama), who was 11th in the NCAAs, is the best collegiate at 6-0. Kelly McNamee (Washington) has jumped 5-11 ½ indoors.
Pole Vault
Shade Weygandt, who graduated from Mansfield (Tx.) in January, is the leading prep at 14-0, which she achieved in winning the Great Southwest Classic. Kortney Ross (Westview, San Diego, Ca.), the State champion with a personal best of 13-4, is the next best prep, followed by Rachel Fisher (Allen, Tx.) at 13-3 and Mackenzie Landry (Del Oro, Loomis, Ca.) and Allison Koressel (Huntington Beach, Ca.), both at 13-1. The collegiates are lead by Natalie Willer (Nebraska), who cleared 14-4 ½ in May to set an American junior record. Kellie Ehardt (BYU) is next at 13-7 ½.
Long Jump
Alitta Boyd (Moreau Catholic, Hayward, Ca.) ranks second nationally among preps with her 20-2 in finishing second at State. Karynn Dunn (Diamond Ranch, Pomona, Ca.) actually won with a wind-aided 20-6 ½, and has a legal best of 20-1 ¾. The very consistent Andrea Geubelle (Curtis, Tacoma, Wa.) won the Nike Outdoor Nationals at 20-0 ½ to rank No. 4 in the nation. National leader Brittany Porter (Towers, Decatur, Ga.), who has jumped 20-7 ¼, scratched. The multi-talented Precious Selmon (Crystal City, Mo.) has a wind-aided best of 20-6 ½. Tori Bowie (Southern Mississippi) is the collegiate leader at 20-8, closely followed by Whitney Gipson (TCU), at 20-7 and Kristen Killoran (North Dakota St.), at 20-5 ½.
 Triple Jump
The top three entrants in the meet are all preps. Ciarra Brewer (James Logan, Union City, Ca.), won the State at 42-11 ½, while Audrea Geubelle (Curtis, Tacoma, Wa., right, photo by John Nepolitan) won the Nike Outdoor Nationals at 42-10 ¼ and Alitta Boyd (Moreau Catholic, Hayward, Ca.) was second in the State meet with a wind-aided 42-10 ½, but had a legal best of 42-4 ¼. Jessica Ubanyionwu (Baylor) is the leading collegiate at 42-0.
Shot Put
Two-time State champion Anastasia Jelmini (Shafter, Ca.) is the second best high school shot putter of all time with her 54-4 ¾. Local favorite Alyssa Hasslen (McMinnville, Or.) won the State 6A title at 46-7 ¾ but has a best of 49-4 ¾ to rank No. 3 in the nation. Jillian Rushin (Jackson, Mo.) has a best of 47-10 ½. Khadija Abdullah (Louisville) leads the collegiates at 52-2 followed by Taylor Freeman (Arizona) at 51-4 ½ and Laishema Hampton (Iowa St.) at 51-1 ¾.
Discus
Anastasia Jelmini (Shafter, Ca.), also a two-time State champion here, first tied the national high school record of 188-4 set by Suzy Powell (Downey, Modesto, Ca.), and then broke the mark with a throw of 190-3 this spring. Also entered is Erin Pendleton (Woodmore, Elmore, Oh.), the two-time Division III State champion, who has a seasonal best of 167-6 to rank No. 3 in the nation. Aslynn Halvorson (Butler, Charlotte, N.C.) is also over 160-0 with a best of 161-8. Alyssa Hasslen (McMinnville, Or.) has a best of 158-7. Taylor Freeman (Arizona) leads the collegiates at 168-8, followed by Jacquelyne Leffler (Kansas St.) at 165-4. .
Hammer
Lauren Chambers (Kell, Marietta, Ga.) is the No. 2 prep thrower of all time at 201-6, just one inch off the national record set by Maureen Griffin (Pocatello, Id.) in 1996. The Kraychir’s, Casey and Katie, rank No.2 and No. 3 in the nation at 190-3 and 176-8, respectively. Patrice Gates (Villa Rica, Ga.) is No. 4 at 176-0. Victoria Flowers (Connecticut) is the leading collegiate at 195-04, followed by Amanda Bingson (Nevada Las Vegas) at 181-1 and Jacquelyne Leffler (Kansas St.) at 175-9.
Javelin
Hannah Carson (Chandler, Az.) with a seasonal best of 152-11 and Lexi Ross (Lakeridge, Lake Oswego, Or.), at 152-10, are the No. 3 and 4 ranked high schoolers in the nation. State champion Tiffany Hellstrom (Bonneville, Ut.) is next at 151-8. Courtney Kirkwood (Washington St.) leads the collegiates at 170-8. Casey Wagner (South Florida) is next at 152-8.
Heptathlon
Precious Selmon (Crystal City, Mo.), at 4,694, and Samantha Collins (Westwood, Mesa, Az.), at 4,440, lead the prep entrants. Shekeia Pinnick (Waubonsie Valley, Aurora, Il.), had a score of 5,053 last year, and is also entered. Ryann Krais (UCLA), who finished eleventh at the NCAAs with a 5,549, is the leading collegiate entered. Jessica Flax (Wisconsin) has a seasonal best of 4,974.
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