Newton North athletes won three individual titles, and the girls won the 4x400 relay at the State DI Championships on Friday in Somerville. There were also three runner-up finishes for the Tigers, including a tremendous run in the 400 by junior Isaiah Penn.
Girls Highlights:
Sophomore Steph Brown won the pole vault by clearing 10-6 and having fewer misses than Newton South's Cora Visnick. About the pole vault, NN historian-in-chief Josh Seeherman writes:
"Pole vault appears to have been brought in as a scoring event in 1952, and the first Newton High pole vault champion in Division 1 (remember no all-state back then) was Jeff Borden in 1953. His winning vault of 10-7.25 was almost the same as Stephanie Brown's 10-6 ! She is the 9th champion (first woman), and the first winner since Bill Norwood repeated as champion in 1984 - which is still prior to Miss Brown's birth."
Carla Forbes won both the long and triple jumps. In the long jump, her leap of 18-4.5 was half a foot better than second place. In the triple jump, her mark of 40-3 was a meet record and won the event by two feet. We have become so accustomed to her high level of achievement over the indoor and outdoor season, that it's a little surprising to remember she's only a freshman. Other NN competitors in the long jump were Amy Ren (16-5), Kayla Prior (15-11.5), Jen Liu (15-8), and Steph Brown (14-7). Ren also competed in the triple jump, leaping 35-2.5 for 8th place.
In the 800, junior Margo Gillis finished 2nd to long-time rival Andrea Keklak of Lincoln Sudbury. Gillis ran 2:15.61 to Keklak's 2:14.89. If history is any guide, we can look forward to a dramatic race between the two at the state meet. Freshman Meghan Bellerose also finished 10th in 2:23.14.
In the 200. Djaidah Wynn took 6th in 26.62.
Monet Lowe finished 5th in the shot put, throwing 34-2.5, with Megan Gentile 9th at 32-1.25. Ellen Goldberg placed 6th in the discus with a mark of 94-8, as Lowe finished 10th in 89-10. (I don't know why Tatiana Froelich didn't compete). Obviously, NN had hoped for more points from this event.
Emily Hutchinson tied with three other jumpers for 6th in the high jump, clearing 4-11. Lucia Grigoli cleared the same height but had more misses and finished 10th.
In the 100 hurdles, Kayla Wong, Jen Liu, and Kayla Prior ran 17.03, 17:31, and 17.51, respectively but none advanced to the finals.
Running her last race as a member of the NN team, Susannah Gleason set a personal best 12:01.06 in the 2-mile to finish 15th, with Sarah Perlo 21st at 12:17.35.
In the 4x400 relay, Newton North won in impressive fashion, running 4:01.36 and winning by three seconds. Unfortunately, I don't know the runners, the order in which they ran, or their splits (perhaps someone else does?).
North also scored in the 4x100 relay, running 50.49 for 5th place. That had to be a little disappointing, as the team has run 49.82 this season and hoped to be in the top two.
The 4x800 team ran 10.16.29, finishing 11th.
Girls Results
Boys Highlights
It's funny, Newton North always seems to have great 400 runners and great shot putters, and both groups of athletes have the same standard of excellence: break 50!
Isaiah Penn went into Friday's meet as the 4th seed with a personal best of 50.12. In the race, he finished 2nd, running a wonderful 49.30, trailing only Jared Kadich (48.89). One shudders to think of the track workouts he endured to put himself in position to be the first NN runner in 31 years to break 49.0 in a high school meet. As Josh S. writes:
"Wes Harris has been pretty lonely since 1979 as the only Newton North runner to break 49. He may have company next year."
Conor Ebbs also broke 50. The senior weightman threw 50-4.5 to finish 4th in the shot put. Ebbs was the first of four NN athletes in the event (Swardiq Mayanja, 10th, 46-5; Young Guang, 11th, 46-3; Ryan Donovan, 13th, 46-2).
Ebbs actually had a better performance in the discus, hurling it 154-8 to finish 2nd, with Swardiq Mayanja 6th in 137-9.
In the mile, junior Ezra Lichtman ran a great race to finish 5th in 4:25.62. Sophomore Justin Keefe finished 16th in 4:34.21. In the 2-mile, Dan Ranti ran 10:09.30, while an injured Jake Gleason struggled home in 10:30.93.
North's 4x400 relay finished 12th in 3:33.34.
Boys Results
May 23, 2010
NN Girls Win South Shore Principals Meet
Another Saturday, another dominating performance by the NN Girls Track & Field team, as they roll through the spring schedule on their way to the Class and State meets.
Submitting a full-team effort at the South Shore Principal's meet in Norwell yesterday, the Tigers placed in all but two events, won all three relays, and racked up 141 points -- more than the next three teams combined.
On the track, Margo Gillis won the 800m in 2:15.70, with freshman Meghan Bellerose taking 4th in a personal best 2:20.23. Maddie Nadeau placed 2nd in the 400 (60.54) with Ariana Tabatabaie 4th (60.77). D'jaidah Wynn took 2nd in the 200 (26.48). Kayla Wong placed 3rd in the 100m hurdles (15.58), while Amy Ren placed 4th in the 400 hurdles (67.90). In the two-mile, Susannah Gleason and Sarah Perlo finished 4th and 5th in 12:14 and 12:24, respectively.
In the field events, Carla Forbes won the long and triple jumps (17-9 and 39-6.75). Emily Hutchinson and Lucia Grigoli took 2nd and 3rd in the high jump. In the discus, Monet Lowe (102-9), Ellen Goldberg (101-0), and Tatiana Froehlich (99-8) placed 3rd, 4th, and 6th. In the shot put, Lowe took 3rd with a mark of 34-11.
South Shore Principals Meet - Girls Results
The NN boys sent only their throwers to the South Shore meet.
Conor Ebbs won the discus with a throw of 153-0, while sophomore Swardick Mayanja placed 4th at 136-05.
In the shot put, Ebbs (48-9) and Mayanja (47-7) finished 2nd and 3rd, as Newton had four of the top seven and five of the top ten throwers. Will Mayanja be North's next 50-foot thrower, or will Ryan Donovan or Young Guang get there first? And with freshman Leslie Witham throwing 42-2, it looks like the future of Toger shot-putting is secure.
South Shore Principals Meet - Boys Results
Submitting a full-team effort at the South Shore Principal's meet in Norwell yesterday, the Tigers placed in all but two events, won all three relays, and racked up 141 points -- more than the next three teams combined.
On the track, Margo Gillis won the 800m in 2:15.70, with freshman Meghan Bellerose taking 4th in a personal best 2:20.23. Maddie Nadeau placed 2nd in the 400 (60.54) with Ariana Tabatabaie 4th (60.77). D'jaidah Wynn took 2nd in the 200 (26.48). Kayla Wong placed 3rd in the 100m hurdles (15.58), while Amy Ren placed 4th in the 400 hurdles (67.90). In the two-mile, Susannah Gleason and Sarah Perlo finished 4th and 5th in 12:14 and 12:24, respectively.
In the field events, Carla Forbes won the long and triple jumps (17-9 and 39-6.75). Emily Hutchinson and Lucia Grigoli took 2nd and 3rd in the high jump. In the discus, Monet Lowe (102-9), Ellen Goldberg (101-0), and Tatiana Froehlich (99-8) placed 3rd, 4th, and 6th. In the shot put, Lowe took 3rd with a mark of 34-11.
South Shore Principals Meet - Girls Results
The NN boys sent only their throwers to the South Shore meet.
Conor Ebbs won the discus with a throw of 153-0, while sophomore Swardick Mayanja placed 4th at 136-05.
In the shot put, Ebbs (48-9) and Mayanja (47-7) finished 2nd and 3rd, as Newton had four of the top seven and five of the top ten throwers. Will Mayanja be North's next 50-foot thrower, or will Ryan Donovan or Young Guang get there first? And with freshman Leslie Witham throwing 42-2, it looks like the future of Toger shot-putting is secure.
South Shore Principals Meet - Boys Results
May 20, 2010
Bay State League Meet Story
The Newton Local Paper has a surprisingly thorough account of yesterday's Bay State League Meet.
Newton North earns eight Bay State Conference track and field event titles
Given the intermittent rain and generally chilly conditions, the results are very impressive. Highlights include:
- Conor Ebbs throwing 51-4.5 to lead a 1-2-3 Tiger sweep in the shot put
- Ebbs throwing 160-2 in the discus
- Isaiah Penn running 50.37 to win the 400 (with a revealing quote from Coach Jim Blackburn about Penn's prospects at the state level)
- Carla Forbes winning the TJ (37-7) and LJ (18-0)
- Monet Lowe winning the shot put in a PB 35-6.5, and finishing 2nd in the discus with a throw of 104-0.
- The girls winning the 4x100 (51.17), and the boys winning the 4x400 in 3:32.44
Newton North earns eight Bay State Conference track and field event titles
Given the intermittent rain and generally chilly conditions, the results are very impressive. Highlights include:
- Conor Ebbs throwing 51-4.5 to lead a 1-2-3 Tiger sweep in the shot put
- Ebbs throwing 160-2 in the discus
- Isaiah Penn running 50.37 to win the 400 (with a revealing quote from Coach Jim Blackburn about Penn's prospects at the state level)
- Carla Forbes winning the TJ (37-7) and LJ (18-0)
- Monet Lowe winning the shot put in a PB 35-6.5, and finishing 2nd in the discus with a throw of 104-0.
- The girls winning the 4x100 (51.17), and the boys winning the 4x400 in 3:32.44
May 17, 2010
The Rundown on Warmups
It was a coach's nightmare. A transportation snafu had delayed several of my athletes on their way to the NEPSTA championship meet last Saturday, and they were still on the road as the running events started. I was on my cell phone, telling my 1500m runner to get ready, there might still be time for him to make it for his heat, which would be run in about twelve minutes. I had already checked him in, picked up his hip number, and was pacing in the parking lot, scanning the road for any sign of the school van. Still on the phone, I told him to get his sweats off, his spikes on, and his head in the game.
I heard the gun go off for the heat before his. That meant he had about five minutes, tops, and he would still need to get to the start, about a 300 meters from where I stood. Two minutes later, as the runners in the earlier heat came around to start their third lap, the van pulled up, my runner jumped out, grabbed his hip number, and jogged awkwardly across the pavement in his spikes, heading for the track. My last words of advice were to take it easy, start slow, and use the first lap to warm up.
...
What makes a good warm up? Every coach and athlete will tell you that the warmup is important, if not critical, in having a good performance. But, as an article by Gina Kolata in today's New York Times says, there is little agreement about what constitutes an optimal warm-up, and the scientific research is scant on how and why they work.
The article points out that elite runners at the Boston marathon do little more than shuffle around for 10-15 minutes prior to blasting down the hill out of Hopkinton at 4:40 mile pace. Athletes in shorter distances do very different amounts of warm-up, with or without fast-paced running. At any cross-country meet, you can see runners doing stride after stride up to the beginning of the race. It seems as though warm-ups are a matter of folklore as much as science.
As a coach, I teach my kids a warm-up routine, as well, but I also encourage them to experiment early in the season, and observe how different warm-ups make them feel. I tell them that one important function of a warm-up is to bring them to an emotional state where their minds and bodies are eager to run, and ready for the inevitable discomfort of the race. Having said that, I hasten to add that sometimes you feel really crappy in a warm-up; but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a bad race.
...
My 1500 runner is only a freshman, but he has the mental toughness and race savvy of a much older runner. He made it to the line in time for the start of his race, and when the gun went off, he went right to the back of the pack, using the early part of the race to get into the flow of the race. He began to move up in the second lap, steadily gaining on the runners ahead. The second lap was slightly faster than the first, and at 800m he started reeling in the lead pack. At 1200, he was in fourth, and he kicked that last 300, catching two more runners to finish 2nd in his heat in a personal best.
I'm not sure what the lesson of that experience was. I wouldn't conclude that warm-ups are superfluous. I was lucky it was a distance race, and my runner knew how to manage himself in the race. But I think it's a reminder that many different kinds of warm-up can work, providing that when you finally step to the line, not only the body but the brain is ready to go.
I heard the gun go off for the heat before his. That meant he had about five minutes, tops, and he would still need to get to the start, about a 300 meters from where I stood. Two minutes later, as the runners in the earlier heat came around to start their third lap, the van pulled up, my runner jumped out, grabbed his hip number, and jogged awkwardly across the pavement in his spikes, heading for the track. My last words of advice were to take it easy, start slow, and use the first lap to warm up.
...
What makes a good warm up? Every coach and athlete will tell you that the warmup is important, if not critical, in having a good performance. But, as an article by Gina Kolata in today's New York Times says, there is little agreement about what constitutes an optimal warm-up, and the scientific research is scant on how and why they work.
The article points out that elite runners at the Boston marathon do little more than shuffle around for 10-15 minutes prior to blasting down the hill out of Hopkinton at 4:40 mile pace. Athletes in shorter distances do very different amounts of warm-up, with or without fast-paced running. At any cross-country meet, you can see runners doing stride after stride up to the beginning of the race. It seems as though warm-ups are a matter of folklore as much as science.
As a coach, I teach my kids a warm-up routine, as well, but I also encourage them to experiment early in the season, and observe how different warm-ups make them feel. I tell them that one important function of a warm-up is to bring them to an emotional state where their minds and bodies are eager to run, and ready for the inevitable discomfort of the race. Having said that, I hasten to add that sometimes you feel really crappy in a warm-up; but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a bad race.
...
My 1500 runner is only a freshman, but he has the mental toughness and race savvy of a much older runner. He made it to the line in time for the start of his race, and when the gun went off, he went right to the back of the pack, using the early part of the race to get into the flow of the race. He began to move up in the second lap, steadily gaining on the runners ahead. The second lap was slightly faster than the first, and at 800m he started reeling in the lead pack. At 1200, he was in fourth, and he kicked that last 300, catching two more runners to finish 2nd in his heat in a personal best.
I'm not sure what the lesson of that experience was. I wouldn't conclude that warm-ups are superfluous. I was lucky it was a distance race, and my runner knew how to manage himself in the race. But I think it's a reminder that many different kinds of warm-up can work, providing that when you finally step to the line, not only the body but the brain is ready to go.
Catching up on some NN Alumni Results
Chris Barnicle continued his breakthrough senior season, winning the 5000 at the Mountain West Conference Championship meet. His time of 14:18.20 set a stadium record, and if it seems a little slow, remember that the track at Albuquerque, NM is 5120 feet, and the NCAA says that's worth 24.4 seconds.
At the IC4A Championships, Yale's David Smith placed 25th in the shot put, throwing 15.11m (49-07.00).
The 2010 New Balance Twilight meets got underway last night at UMass Lowell. Dave Cahill was there, running 2:01.64 for 800m. in the 10,000, Dave Vona (representing the Albany Running Exchange), ran in the featured event, the 10,000m, placing 8th in 32:42.01. Is that Dave Vona (25) related to NNHS alum Dave Vona, who (as my loyal readers remind me) graduated in 1980 and would be about 48 now?
One of the more interesting results of last weekend comes from NNHS alum Jason Abbott-Dallamora, who participated in the Ragner Relay in New York State May 14-15. What that means is that he ran three separate legs of 8-12 miles over a 24-hour period, with approximately 8-10 hours rest between legs. Jason reports that his team won the "ultra" division (six runners cover ~180 miles) and finished 3rd overall against 12-person teams. Very impressive!
At the IC4A Championships, Yale's David Smith placed 25th in the shot put, throwing 15.11m (49-07.00).
The 2010 New Balance Twilight meets got underway last night at UMass Lowell. Dave Cahill was there, running 2:01.64 for 800m. in the 10,000, Dave Vona (representing the Albany Running Exchange), ran in the featured event, the 10,000m, placing 8th in 32:42.01. Is that Dave Vona (25) related to NNHS alum Dave Vona, who (as my loyal readers remind me) graduated in 1980 and would be about 48 now?
One of the more interesting results of last weekend comes from NNHS alum Jason Abbott-Dallamora, who participated in the Ragner Relay in New York State May 14-15. What that means is that he ran three separate legs of 8-12 miles over a 24-hour period, with approximately 8-10 hours rest between legs. Jason reports that his team won the "ultra" division (six runners cover ~180 miles) and finished 3rd overall against 12-person teams. Very impressive!
May 16, 2010
NN Girls Score Early and Often at DI State Relays
Did Newton North's team team of destiny really almost show up late to the State Relays yesterday, thinking that the girls were on the oval in the morning and the field in the afternoon (Boston Globe story, 5/16/10)? Did JT, the master of all details, really not know the schedule for the meet he considers the most important of the season? I refuse to believe it. In any case, the only team that could have possibly stopped the Newton North juggernaut yesterday was Newton North, and they had no intention of not showing up.
The Tigers won six events (LJ, TJ, SP, Discus, shuttle hurdles, SMR), and in none of those events was the second place team close. It is a remarkable fact that North could have finished as the runner-up team relying only on its 45 points in the field events. The final point total was 81, and that was plenty to open distance on a strong Andover team (58), as well as Newton South (40.5), and Weymouth (40).
The triple jump relay set a state record of 32.37m (106-02.50). I wasn't there and don't know individual results, but perhaps one of my readers can identify the jumpers and their marks.
The following girls results were culled from the complete meet results on CoolRunning:
Boys Win Two
The Newton North boys won two events, accounting for all of their points at the meet. The Tigers won the sprint medley and the shot put. It's a shame they didn't get a mark in the discus; on paper they had an excellent chance to be in the top three of that event.
Results:
The Tigers won six events (LJ, TJ, SP, Discus, shuttle hurdles, SMR), and in none of those events was the second place team close. It is a remarkable fact that North could have finished as the runner-up team relying only on its 45 points in the field events. The final point total was 81, and that was plenty to open distance on a strong Andover team (58), as well as Newton South (40.5), and Weymouth (40).
The triple jump relay set a state record of 32.37m (106-02.50). I wasn't there and don't know individual results, but perhaps one of my readers can identify the jumpers and their marks.
The following girls results were culled from the complete meet results on CoolRunning:
Girls 4x100 Meter Relay
3 Newton North H.S. 'A' 50.08 5 6
22 Newton North H.S. 'B' 55.09 2
Girls 4x200 Meter Relay
10 Newton North H.S. 'A' 1:50.08 5
31 Newton North H.S. 'B' 2:08.78 1
Girls 4x400 Meter Relay
22 Newton North H.S. 'A' 4:41.83 2
Girls 4x800 Meter Relay
4 Newton North H.S. 'A' 9:51.17 4
Girls 4x1600 Meter Relay
7 Newton North H.S. 'A' 23:36.52
Girls 1600 Sprint Medley
1 Newton North H.S. 'A' 4:12.55 4 10
Girls Distance Medley
3 Newton North H.S. 'A' 12:44.89 6
Girls 4x100 Meter Shuttle Hurdle HH
1 Newton North H.S. 'A' 1:05.24 4 10
Girls High Jump
4 Newton North, Girls Newton North 4.27m 14-00.00 4
Girls Long Jump
1 Newton North, Girls Newton North 15.37m 50-05.25 10
Girls Triple Jump
1 Newton North, Girls Newton North 32.37m 106-02.50 10
Girls Shot Put
1 Newton North, Girls Newton North 29.03m 95-03.00 10
Girls Discus Throw
1 Newton North, Girls Newton North 88.69m 291-00 10
Girls Javelin Throw
6 Newton North, Girls Newton North 70.90m 232-07 1
Boys Win Two
The Newton North boys won two events, accounting for all of their points at the meet. The Tigers won the sprint medley and the shot put. It's a shame they didn't get a mark in the discus; on paper they had an excellent chance to be in the top three of that event.
Results:
Boys 4x400 Meter Relay
7 Newton North H.S. 'A' 3:34.25 5
Boys 4x1600 Meter Relay
10 Newton North H.S. 'A' 19:19.06
Boys 1600 Sprint Medley
1 Newton North H.S. 'A' 3:35.92 4 10
Boys Distance Medley
10 Newton North H.S. 'A' 11:24.53
Boys Triple Jump
8 Newton North, Boys Newton North 35.53m 116-07.00
Boys Shot Put
1 Newton North, Boys Newton North 42.66m 139-11.50 10
Boys Discus Throw
-- Newton North, Boys Newton North FOUL
May 13, 2010
North Sweeps Framingham; Girls Finish Undefeated
Newton North boys and girls track wrapped up their dual meet season with a sweep of Framingham at Bowditch Field yesterday.
The Tiger girls beat the Flyers 107-29 and finished their season 7-0, winning their 21st league title in the last 23 years. That's a lot of titles.
And as the girls head to the meet they care most about -- the D1 State Relays, they seem to be picking up momentum, recording 21 personal bests in their final regular season test.
Highlights included a PR from Susannah Gleason in the 2-mile (12:06.3), a state-qualifying win for freshman Maddie Nadeau in the 400 (60.4), a qualifying win in the Javelin from Amy Liu (87-0), and a personal best 12.5 from Carla Forbes in the 100 (Djaidah Wynn 3rd in 13.0). In all, the Tigers won 12 individual events and both relays (clocking a nice 50.0 in the 4x100).
Looking ahead, North has a really formidable team heading to Durfee this weekend. Their throwers look as good as they ever have, and their sprint, hurdle, and jumping teams are also very strong. They also should have competitive teams in the sprint relay and either the 4x400 or 4x800. Truly amazing depth.
The boys had a closer meet yesterday, but came out on top of the Flyers 85-51.
Isaiah Penn won the 400 (51.8), the long jump (18-7), and ran a leg on the victorious 4x400 relay (3:39.
Conor Ebbs won both the shot (50-2) and discus (144-6). Ryan Donovan also had a great throw (47-0) to take second, with Swardic Mayanja (45-8) 3rd. That crew should do well on Saturday at the State relays.
Single event winners yesterday included Hao-Kai Wu in the 100 (11.6), Sam Fogel in the mile (4:47.3), Ryan Kwon in the 400 hurdles (62-8), Ezra Lichtman in the 800 (2:06.3, edging out Framingham's super soph Ben Groleau), Dan Ranti in the 2-mile (9:52.3), and Tylor Hart in the high jump (5-5).
Meet results on athletic.net
The Tiger girls beat the Flyers 107-29 and finished their season 7-0, winning their 21st league title in the last 23 years. That's a lot of titles.
And as the girls head to the meet they care most about -- the D1 State Relays, they seem to be picking up momentum, recording 21 personal bests in their final regular season test.
Highlights included a PR from Susannah Gleason in the 2-mile (12:06.3), a state-qualifying win for freshman Maddie Nadeau in the 400 (60.4), a qualifying win in the Javelin from Amy Liu (87-0), and a personal best 12.5 from Carla Forbes in the 100 (Djaidah Wynn 3rd in 13.0). In all, the Tigers won 12 individual events and both relays (clocking a nice 50.0 in the 4x100).
Looking ahead, North has a really formidable team heading to Durfee this weekend. Their throwers look as good as they ever have, and their sprint, hurdle, and jumping teams are also very strong. They also should have competitive teams in the sprint relay and either the 4x400 or 4x800. Truly amazing depth.
The boys had a closer meet yesterday, but came out on top of the Flyers 85-51.
Isaiah Penn won the 400 (51.8), the long jump (18-7), and ran a leg on the victorious 4x400 relay (3:39.
Conor Ebbs won both the shot (50-2) and discus (144-6). Ryan Donovan also had a great throw (47-0) to take second, with Swardic Mayanja (45-8) 3rd. That crew should do well on Saturday at the State relays.
Single event winners yesterday included Hao-Kai Wu in the 100 (11.6), Sam Fogel in the mile (4:47.3), Ryan Kwon in the 400 hurdles (62-8), Ezra Lichtman in the 800 (2:06.3, edging out Framingham's super soph Ben Groleau), Dan Ranti in the 2-mile (9:52.3), and Tylor Hart in the high jump (5-5).
Meet results on athletic.net
May 03, 2010
NNHS Alumni Results - 5/2/10
Catching up on some other (non-Barnicle) NNHS alumni results from last weekend.
Wheaton's Cailean Robinson finished 2nd in the 100m in the DIII New England Championships, running a blistering 10.78 in the finals, second only to his nemesis, Springfield's Steve Headley. In the 200m, Hymlaire Lamisere clocked 22.64 for the 12th fastest time of the day.
On the women's side, Bowdoin freshman Michele Kaufman placed 4th in the 100m hurdles, running 15.08 in the finals. Kaufman also competed in the long jump, leaping 16-3 for 16th overall.
At the CAA Championships hosted by George Mason University, Northeastern's Seb Putzeys ran a huge personal best 3:54.47 in the 1500m heats to qualify for the finals. That time converts to a 4:13.16 for the full mile. Wow! In the finals, Seb finished 11th in 4:02.36.
At the same meet, Jess Barton attempted a difficult double, running both the 5000m and the 3000m steeplechase. I'm guessing the heat and fatigue of doubling was a big factor, as she clocked 19:11.12 for the 5K and 12:08.15 for the steeple.
At the America East championships in Durham, N.H., David Polgar placed 15th in the 1500m, running 3:56.95. He also contributed a leg to BU's 4x800 team that ran 7:38.01. A big shout-out to BU's Brookline alums Robert Gibson, who won the 5000m in 14:48.55, and Elliot Lehane, who placed 3rd in the 10,000m in 31:20.88.
Noah Jampol wrote me last week to chronicle his long recovery from illness this spring. The Johns Hopkins senior ran the 1500m in his conference championships on Saturday, finishing in a very respectable 4:11.71. Maybe Noah will keep his season going with a run at one of the New Balance High Performance meets in Waltham this spring.
Wheaton's Cailean Robinson finished 2nd in the 100m in the DIII New England Championships, running a blistering 10.78 in the finals, second only to his nemesis, Springfield's Steve Headley. In the 200m, Hymlaire Lamisere clocked 22.64 for the 12th fastest time of the day.
On the women's side, Bowdoin freshman Michele Kaufman placed 4th in the 100m hurdles, running 15.08 in the finals. Kaufman also competed in the long jump, leaping 16-3 for 16th overall.
At the CAA Championships hosted by George Mason University, Northeastern's Seb Putzeys ran a huge personal best 3:54.47 in the 1500m heats to qualify for the finals. That time converts to a 4:13.16 for the full mile. Wow! In the finals, Seb finished 11th in 4:02.36.
At the same meet, Jess Barton attempted a difficult double, running both the 5000m and the 3000m steeplechase. I'm guessing the heat and fatigue of doubling was a big factor, as she clocked 19:11.12 for the 5K and 12:08.15 for the steeple.
At the America East championships in Durham, N.H., David Polgar placed 15th in the 1500m, running 3:56.95. He also contributed a leg to BU's 4x800 team that ran 7:38.01. A big shout-out to BU's Brookline alums Robert Gibson, who won the 5000m in 14:48.55, and Elliot Lehane, who placed 3rd in the 10,000m in 31:20.88.
Noah Jampol wrote me last week to chronicle his long recovery from illness this spring. The Johns Hopkins senior ran the 1500m in his conference championships on Saturday, finishing in a very respectable 4:11.71. Maybe Noah will keep his season going with a run at one of the New Balance High Performance meets in Waltham this spring.
May 02, 2010
Carla Forbes: 19-3.5!! Isaiah Penn: 50.12!
Newton North's human highlight film, Carla Forbes, long jumped 19-3.5 at the Weston Twilight Invitational last night, one of several winning performances for the Tigers under ideal conditions. Forbes also won the triple jump with a leap of 40-4.25. Amy Ren also had a nice double, going 17-1 in the long jump and 35-2 in the triple.
Steph Brown won the pole vault by clearing 11-0 (setting or equaling her personal best, I believe). Margo Gillis won the mile in 5:09.79, and anchored North's 4x800 team (above, with Newton South - photo H. Finch) to victory in 9:55.08.
Tatiana Froelich placed 4th in the discus with a mark of 104-7, followed closely by Monet Lowe (100-5) and Ellen Goldberg (96-0). Lowe took 3rd in the shot put with a mark of 35-8.
I don't want to jinx them, but the NN girls have one of the best teams for the State Relays I have ever seen.
The NN boys also had some great performances. Isaiah Penn ran a personal best 50.12 in the 400m to take 2nd to Andover's Mark Vetere.
In the distance events, Jake Gleason (9:42.96) and Dan Ranti (9:45.63) ran superb races in the 2-Mile to take 2nd and 3rd (see updated all-decade list, below). Ezra Lichtman took 3rd in the mile in 4:28.45.
Charles (or Conor) Ebbs also had a great day, winning the shot put with a throw of 50-11.25, and placing 2nd in the discus with a personal best 150-8.
Updated All-Decade Outdoor 2-M List:
1. Chris Barnicle 8:50.82 May 8, 2004 Hartford
2. Tom Davis 9:28.76 Jun 5, 2004 All-State Meet
3. Dan Hamilton 9:35.09 May 2, 2009 Weston
4. Doug Brecher 9:41.39 May 15, 2005 State Coaches
5. Jake Gleason 9:42.96 May 1, 2010 Weston
6. Dan Ranti 9:45.63 May 1, 2010 Weston
7. William Clayton Lloyd 9:51.95, May 28, 2005 Class Meet
8. Mike Goldenberg 9:52.69 May 2, 2009 Weston
9. Ciaran O’Donovan 9:54.06 May 10, 2003 State Coaches
10. Pat Pierce 9:55.09 May 8, 2004 State Coaches
Chris Solinsky Runs 26:59.60 for AR in Debut 10K!
Leading up to the weekend, there was a lot of talk about the potential for an American Record in the 10000 meters. Much of the talk focused on Galen's Rupp decision to duck (no pun intended) unfavorable conditions in Oregon and run at Stanford's Payton Jordan Invitational instead. It turned out that the talk was well justified. Rupp headlined a deep and talented field that included NCAA XC champ Sam Chelanga, Simon Bairu, Tim Nelson, Brett Gotcher, and Chris Solinsky, who was running his 10K debut. Our own Chris Barnicle was also in the 30-person field.
The old record was 27:13.98, set by Meb Keflezighi back in 2001 at this same meet. After a fast opening lap, the pace settled down and hovered around 27:20 pace as the miles went by.
Some posters on LetsRun.com speculated that Solinsky's job was to pace Rupp through a 13:36 5K. That turned out to be a gross under-estimation of Solinsky's potential. After following Rupp and the pacers for most of the race, Solinsky looked visibly impatient with 1200 to go. At that point, Rupp had been working for several laps, but Solinsky looked entirely untroubled by the pace. He seized the lead for the first time on the homestratch of the 23rd lap and immediately powered away from Rupp, Chelanga, and Kenya's David Salel. What followed next sent the Flotrack announcers and the crowd into a state of frenzied disbelief, a penultimate lap of 60 followed by a final lap of 57. Solinsky's final 800m was ~1:56-57, a Bekele-like finish that brought him home under 27:00 in his first attempt at the distance. Do yourself a favor and watch the entire race on Flotrack. Unreal!
The other Chris -- Barnicle, that is -- ran a patient race, settling in near the back of the pack and avoiding the hot pace at the front. It looked like his 5K split was around 14:00 (couldn't tell from the video), and he was hitting the gun lap just as Chelanga and Rupp were finishing in 27:08. He kicked hard to finish in 28:10.59, a 43-second personal best!
A truly remarkable race -- American record for Solinsky and Rupp under the old record as well. A collegiate record for Chelanga and a Canadian record for Bairu.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
