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Foot Locker Outdoor

June 16-17, 2000 at Raleigh NC - presented by
Adidas and the National Scholastic Sports Foundation

steveu's Friday report

Ritz 4-Pack - 
Siraki status quo - 
Relays

by Steve Underwood

Time No Object; Ritz Surges To Runaway Win

RALEIGH 6/16/00 -- After one circuit around the Paul Derr Track tonight in the Foot Locker National Championships, it was depressingly clear to us nostalgic distance geeks and pumped-up message board posters that the much-heralded 2-mile wasn't going to produce the time we were all dreaming of.

That's OK; that just left Dathan Ritzenhein to do what he does best. In the words of the infamous Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, "Just win, baby."

For the fourth straight time in a national championship-type race (including CC and indoor), Ritz did just that. He made his patented mid-late race surge earlier this time, opening up a huge gap that destroyed the outstanding field. His 8:48.06 wasn't a PR, but it turned out to be much more than enough under the circumstances that got everyone together on this muggy evening.

"No one can go with him with 1000 to go," said fifth-place finisher Matt Tegenkamp.

Earlier, no one had been willing to take up the pace to set up a record attempt on a muggy evening, though the conditions were much better than they might have been. After a 71-second first lap, Ritz helped pick it up, and soon a string of four at the top developed that also included Eric Logsdon, Don Sage and Nick Schneider.

"I didn't want to take the lead," said Ritz, surely at least a little mindful of last week's hard 5000 and the two races awaiting him Saturday. "I really thought that Logsdon or someone would take it out."

Still, the 64-65 pace that ensued could do no better than bring the lead group through the mile at 4:29. Logsdon took command through the end of the fifth lap, but Ritz then made his decisive move, spread-eagling his pursuers so quickly that even those who heavily favored the Rockford junior were stunned. He burned the last three laps in an unofficial 3:12.3, 4:17.5 for the last 1600.

"I felt real good," said Ritzenhein. "I mixed it up a bit. Everyone's been reading about me that I take off the last �-mile, so I surged just past the 2000m mark."

The surprise of the race was Minnesota's Schneider, who scorched the last 200 in 27, according to his coach, to pass three runners for second. His 8:56.40 is a state record.

"This is a breakthrough race for me," he said. "I usually don't get this much competition. I was fifth with 200 to go, but I knew I had a kick."

Oregon's Noel Paulson was the best of the rest, outlasting Tim Keller, Tegenkamp and Logsdon for third. Sage, the pre-race co-favorite, faded to 8th in 9:05.99.

"I can't make any excuses," the York senior said. "It's a tough 3-week stretch. I just didn't feel too great. When that second quarter went in 64, it felt more like 59. And the first mile felt a lot faster than 4:29."

 

Siraki Wins In Mid-Race, Too

Anita Siraki and her coach have been toying with the idea of her going out a little faster in her two-mile races. But Friday night, she decided it was just time to stick with her winning formula.

So after a 5:14 first mile, the California junior put in her patented fifth-lap surge and pulled away to a 4-second win, her 10:18.03 topping Wyoming's Alicia Craig (10:22.34) and the rest of a strong field. After a series of 77-78 second laps, the field found Siraki's 74.69 for the fifth go-round - and her 5:03 second mile - too much to overcome.

"I just wanted to race how I always do," said the Hoover HS runner. "I just went with the flow, and how I felt."

"I'm so proud of Anita," said Sara Bei, the Santa Rose (Ca.) junior who was third in 10:28.32. She gave some credit to Siraki, her roommate on this trip, for inspiring her. "She helps me pump myself up."

Meanwhile, Craig, who has raced rarely at 2M/3200 this season, continued a string of high national finishes (Golden West 1600 win, FL CC third) with her performance. She may have also summed up the sentiment around these young standouts when she said, after the junior trio had posed for a photo, "The best part is we all get to come back next year!"

 

Big Relay Highlights As Well

Ritzenhein's victory was far from the only highlight for Rockford (Mi.) HS. The Ram girls began what looked to be an awesome weekend for them with a big win as well.

The team of Kalin Toedebusch (2:15.74 unofficially), Aimee Keenan (2:14.74), Nora Colligan (2:15.22) and Linsey Blaisdell (2:11.81) cruised to a 8:57.52 in the 4 x 800 relay, winning by 11 seconds. It was the first clocking under 9:00 in the country this year and the No. 5 time in prep history.

Keenan give her team a lead late in the second leg and her teammate built on it steadily. Manchester Central (N.H.) was second and Haddonfield (N.J.) took third after a 2:10.18 anchor leg by Erin Donohue, who was also second in the javelin and planning to defend her mile title Saturday.

The boys 4 x 800 produced the No. 12 time in prep history when Don Lugo (Ca.) outlasted JFK Bellmore (N.Y.), 7:38.31 to 7:40.21. After Cal state champ Mike Serratos led off with a 1:55.00, teammates Arturo Garcia, Raphael Asafo-Agyei and Nick Branen all ran near or beyond PR levels (1:54.59, 1:54.88 and 1:53.84) to carry the school to a new state record.

Running the No. 2 time ever by a HS team in the sprint medley relay was Tilden (N.Y.), with their 3:55.16 missing the 3:54.39 standard by .75. Sharisse Yard and Samantha Dawkins handled the first 200m legs with strong handoffs, then Claire Walker zipped through the 400. But Neisha Bernard-Thomas really shook up the crowd by taking out her 800 in 56 (!). She battled home in 2:07, the best 800 (open or relay) in the country this year.

Miami Northwestern rocketed to the No. 9 4x200 time in history with a 1:25.00, while the same event on the girls' side went to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) in 1:36.90. Boyd Anderson (Fla.) was yet another winner from the Sunshine State with its 3:25.70 in the boys sprint medley.

 

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