MSTCA "Top 50" Lists

Beginning in the 2005-2006 indoor track season, the Mass. State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) began maintaining lists of the top 50 performances in each indoor event. This season, the MSTCA has been trying to update these lists approximately once a week. You can find the latest list at the following link:

MSTCA Top 50 Performance Lists - Jan 8, 2007

Browsing the lists is fun, especially as the season heads towards the bigger meets. Here are a few observations based on the latest update.

Too bad some big meets are not included

It's too bad that results from some big meets (Brown Invite, Dartmouth Relays, Hispanic Games) are not yet included. Of course, Newton North fans will know that were those meets in the mix, Jess Barton would have the state's leading time in the mile at 5:07.35 (from Brown). Her 5:00 from BU wouldn't count, since it wasn't set in a sanctioned HS meet.

Lincoln-Sudbury Girls Own the 600!

Dana Jamieson of L-S has the fastest time in the state at 1:35.70, nearly 2.5 seconds faster than last year's state runner-up Meg Looney. What's really impressive is that Jessica Griffin and Molly Binder, also of L-S, have the 3rd and 4th fastest times in the state, at 1:38.70 and 1:38.80. Not surprisingly, the L-S girls have by far the fastest 4x400 relay time so far this year.

Bromfield Girls Own the 2-Mile!

Emily Jones has that outrageous 10:38 sitting there, forty seconds faster than anyone else. Then her teammates Liz Lee and Eliza Ives have the third and fastest marks at 11:19 and 11:27. If Bromfield were to go, say 1-3-5 in the 2-mile at states, and then finish, say 2nd in the 4x800 relay, that would be 26 points. Maybe good enough to finish in the top two?

Amirault has range

Mark Amirault, the defending indoor mile champion and outdoor 2-Mile champion currently has the second-best mark in three separate events: 600, 1-Mile, and 2-Mile, and fourth in the 1000! That's remarkable on its own merits, but I think it also indicates that he's just toying with us so far, and will soon run some times that put him on top -- in the 1M and 2M anyway. In all of these events, it seems that no one has recorded a really fast time. Well, that's not quite true. Kevin Gill ran a 4:18 mile at the Hispanic Games last weekend, but the time is not on the list yet.

Watch out for St. John's Prep

The Prep is back. After a couple of years of non-factordom, St. John's Prep is a contendah again. I know everyone will talk about Lexington, Xaverian, Brockton, St. John's of Shrewsbury, and they are right to note those teams. They are probably better, but the Prep has some athletes, and will score some points, perhaps more in the class meet than in the all-state. Here's a quick rundown:

Matt Sullivan - #1 ranked in the 55 hurdles
Chris Langston - #6 performer in the 55 hurdles
John Quezada - #7 performer in the 300
Tim Prior - #3 ranked in the 600 (three runners at 1:28 or better)
Mike Masse - #9 ranked in the 1000 (but FOUR runners at 2:44 or better)
Zack Lankow = #8 ranked in the 2-Mile

In other words, points in the hurdles, and very solid 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams. An outside chance at some points in the 600 and 1000, and even in some events I didn't mention, such as the HJ.

Well, the refrain is the same for all teams at this point in the season. Let's see how they improve. But for the time being, having the performance list offers plenty of fuel for speculation.