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by Stephen (steveu) Underwood
Boys 2-Mile/Mile
Solinsky's Super Double
After nearly getting run down by Ryan Deak in the final lap, narrow
2-Mile winner Chris Solinsky (9:14.51) may not have seemed like
the favorite to win the Mile - especially by a kick. But give the
Stevens Point (Wis.) standout credit on the learning curve. His
sole move in the shorter race came at just the right time and gave
him the victory (4:20.74) and unlikely double.
"It went exactly how I wanted it to go," he said of his
rebound effort.
Both races were supremely exciting, but the 2-mile only at the
end. The meet's longest boys' individual race came down to a wild
sprint as Solinsky held off Deak (Lincoln HS, Fla.) in the 2-mile,
by just .02.
Deak's last 200 was estimated at 28-29 seconds as he pulled up behind
Solinski on the final straight. He had trailed the 3rd-place Foot
Locker national finisher by 30-40 meters most of the race before
closing the gap starting at the 400 mark. Solinski himself finished
in 31.8.
The junior had run on the shoulder of Bryce Ruiz for most of the
first 1.5 miles through 400 splits of 70-2:20-3:28-4:38-5:47-6:58.
Then Solinsky slipped around the Jamestown, Va. senior and quickly
built a gap. Ruiz was passed by an accelerating Deak, and later,
by Coloradoan Brett Schoolmeester for 3rd.
"I planned to stick on the lead group, then if I had something
with a half mile left, to take it," said Solinsky. "But
I kind of died halfway around the final lap."
Although one wondered how Deak could have done if he'd expended
more energy earlier, the super sophomore said his race plan was
all time-based. "My strategy was to go out in 4:40, run 69s
for 1200, then 65 the last 400, regardless of the competition,"
he said. "I felt I had to stick to my game plan. If you do
the times, the places will come."
Deak did the time, all right. His 9:14.53 is one of the best indoor
efforts ever by a sophomore.
In the mile, Solinsky certainly benefited from a modest early pace.
Tyler Stanfield (Homewood, Ala.) led three laps before David Olson
(Lewis Palmer) took over, but the first two quarters were just 65.1-2:11.9.
The ante went up a little on the next 400, with a smart-running
Adam Perkins (Liberty, Mo.) taking over (3:17.9) and seeming poised
for the win. But Solinsky, who had subtly covered moves all race
and was sitting in the tight trio behind Olson, was even more poised.
He darted ahead just off the final curve and powered in ahead of
Perkins (4:21.09) and Olson (4:21.62).
"I hit the corner and went 'boom!'" said Solinsky. "I
was hurting, but the slow pace gave me a chance. I don't have a
huge kick, but sometimes I can just snap it."
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