|
Results
Boys and Girls HS wins showdown
that lives up to all expectations
Boys and Girls NY 11:49.34
Red Bank NJ 11:49.74
Bronxville NY 11:52.71.
by John Dye
PHILADELPHIA 4/25/02 -- If this were a basketball game, she's the
one you would want taking the last shot. Her teammates would call
her "Money." Her name is Akilah Vargas, anchor runner
for Boys and Girls High School of New York. She doesn't have killer
splits or the prettiest form, but when the game is on the line,
she finds a way to win. (below)
Akilah Vargas (A) regains lead in the home stretch
over
Katy Trotter, Red Bank (B) and Michelle Rorke, Bronxville (C).
In a scintillating race that was even better than its hype, Vargas
inherited a solid lead for the 1600 meter anchor leg. Three teams
came at her and enjoyed the lead for a moment -- including two on
an amazing last lap -- but when the finish line loomed, there was
Vargas gutting out the victory. Boys and Girls 11:49.34, Red Bank
NJ 11:49.74, and Bronxville NY 11:52.71. Edwin Allen JAM, which
led for more than a lap of the last leg, faded to 12:17.80.
The pre-race favorities were Boys and Girls, Red Bank and Bronxville.
Boys and Girls had set a US indoor record of 11:50.86 in New York
at the Eastern States Championships February 26, with Red Bank less
than a second behind at 11:51.54 also better than the old record.
That record fell 10 days later when Red Bank nosed out Bronxville
11:49.34 to 11:49.61 in the National Scholastic Indoor, also in
the New York Armory, when Boys and Girls ace Stacey Ann Livingston
was slowed by flu.
Edwin Allen made it a four-way fight as the anchor leg started.
Boys and Girls led Edwin Allen by 4 seconds, Bronxville by 7.4 and
Red Bank by 8. For two turns of the oval, there were two pairs of
runners Boys and Girls and Edwin Allen on top and Bronxville-Red
Bank about 30 meters back. On the second lap, Edwin Allen anchor
Lorain McKenzie struck for the lead as Bronxville's Michelle Rorke
and Red Bank's Katie Trotter were gaining..
The four runners entered the stretch of lap 3 as a team before
Rorke and Trotter reversed the order at the bell and looked the
strongest, with Vargas laboring in third and McKenzie fading. But
there were still two lead changes left in this heart throbbing race.
Vargas rallied to move ahead of Trotter on the first turn, but Rorke
maintained a stride lead down the backstretch. Then Trotter surged
to the lead on the far turn, taking Vargas along. They entered the
stretch with Trotter and Vargas fighting for the lead and Rorke
about 3 meters behind before Vargas got the last little surge to
win, setting off a joyous celebration among the red and black. (below)
[sequence pix]
Results
Event 70, Thursday, 6:05 pm
HSG Distance Medley Championship of America
1. 11:49.34, Boys & Girls / Brooklyn, NY
Stacey Ann Livingston 3:35.1, Desiree Moorer 55.7, Meisve Francis
2:15.0, Akilah Vargas 5:03.5
2. 11:49.74, Red Bank / Little Silver, NJ
Amanda Trotter 3:35.7, Christine Hurley 61.6, Katie Kingsbury 2:16.4,
Katy Trotter 4:56.0
3. 11:52.71, Bronxville / Bronxville, NY
Catha Mullen 3:35.5, Elizabeth Bergold 59.7, Caroline Mullen 2:18.0,
Michelle Rorke 4:59.5
4. 12:17.80, Edwin Allen Comprehensive / Clarendon, JA
Jodian Richards 3:42.4, Sherline Duncan 55.3, Kayann Thompson 2:12.2,
Lorain McKenzie 5:27.9
5. 12:18.16, Middletown South / Middletown, NJ
Lauren Dike, Kolleen McCauley, Tina Morrison, Nicole Lombardy
6. 12:19.96, Voorhees / Glen Gardner, NJ
Sara Best, Lindsay Owen, Joanna Perez, Elizabeth Wort
7. 12:23.33, Colonie Central / Albany, NY
Ashleigh Bordwell, Stacy Gregory, Ashley Tremblay, Anna Jankowski
8. 12:26.97, Glen Rock / Glen Rock, NJ
Kim Mineo, Mary Moore, Danielle Patoir, Erin Henry
9. 12:28.70, Council Rock / Newtown, PA
Lindsay Blum, Meghan McCarthy, Lydia Blandy, Jessica Cickay
10. 12:29.93, Hopewell Valley / Pennington, NJ
Kate Willever, Natalie Mapp, Jessica Pall, Natalie Jones
11. 12:43.72, Woodrow Wilson / Camden, NJ
Lindsay Thomas, Latoya Carmichael, Takeesha Carter, Tanesha Pittman
12. 12:45.96, Pearl River / Pearl River, NY
Erin Demchko, Kate Confrey, Katie Sokol, Jaclyn Gainer
13. 12:55.30, St. Hubert / Philadelphia, PA
Rachel Papin, Katie Mehaffey, Megan Neary, Amy Kelly
Penn Relays Results Index
|
