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Preview - 10 Must See Matchups at 2016 Brooks PR Invitational

Published by
DyeStat.com   Jun 15th 2016, 6:16am
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By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

Here is a list of 10 of the most anticipated showdowns Saturday at the Brooks PR Invitational at Renton Memorial Stadium in Washington:

 

Girls 800: Sammy Watson vs. Christina Aragon vs. Aaliyah Miller (2:50 p.m. PDT)

The three fastest prep female two-lap athletes in the country will square off in what could end up being the most memorable girls 800-meter showdown in meet history. Watson (Rush-Henrietta, N.Y.) ran a national-leading 2:03.06 competing against professionals at the Adrian Martinez Classic, which gives her a faster entry time than the meet record 2:03.26 run in 2014 by Alexa Efraimson (Camas, Wash.). Aragon (Billings, Mont.) is the defending champion with her 2:04.0 last year and is coming off a U.S. No. 3 all-time 4:09.27 in the 1,500 at the Portland Track Festival. Miller (McKinney Boyd, Texas), sixth place at last year’s meet in 2:09.03, produced a personal-best 2:06.06 at the Texas Meet of Champions. Ruby Stauber (Wayzata, Minn.) could also be in contention after placing fourth last year in 2:05.67.

Boys 2 Mile: Andrew Jordan vs. Noah Affolder vs. Aidan Tooker vs. Conor Lundy (1:45 p.m. PDT)

Since Andrew Hunter (Loudoun Valley, Va.) won’t be returning to defend his 2-mile title, the next four fastest prep 3,200 runners in the country are scheduled to line up in pursuit of Hunter’s meet record 8:42.51. Jordan (Watkins Memorial, Ohio) elevated to No. 2 nationally with his 8:46.72 at the Eastern Relays and will be challenged by the New York trio of Affolder (Carthage Central), Tooker (Saratoga Springs) and Lundy (Fordham Prep), who all ran under 8:50 at the Loucks Games. Eric van der Els (Brien McMahon, Conn.) was fourth at the Loucks Games in 8:50.53 and Casey Clinger (American Fork, Utah), who won the Arcadia Invitational in 8:50.70, are also expected to challenge for the win.

Girls Mile: Amanda Gehrich vs. Anna West vs. Julia Heymach vs. Rylee Bowen vs. Rachel McArthur (3:25 p.m. PDT)

Gehrich (Tesoro, Calif.) is the national prep leader in the 1,600 at 4:41.39 and just captured her second straight state championship, but West (Lafayette, Mo.), McArthur (Patriot, Va.) and Bowen (Sonoma Academy, Calif.) have faster mile times this year all running under 4:48, including Bowen defeating Gehrich twice during the regular season at the APU/Arroyo Meet of Champions and Mt. SAC Relays. Bowen is the fastest returning athlete from last year’s race, placing seventh in 4:48.95, and Heymach (Houston Lamar, Texas) – with a 1,600 lifetime-best 4:40.97 – is moving up to the mile after placing third last year in the 800 in 2:05.64. Gehrich has a personal-best 4:39.33 in the 1,600 and 4:40.25 in the mile and is among several athletes who could challenge the meet record of 4:39.42 set in 2014 by Sarah Feeny (Ogden, Utah).

Boys 800: Michael Slagowski vs. Bryce Hoppel vs. Logan MacKay vs. Chris Torpy (2:55 p.m. PDT)

Sean Torpy (Sandburg, Ill.), who ran a national-leading 1:47.95 at the Midwest Distance Classic, is entered in the mile, but the field assembled for the 800 is still exceptional. Slagowski (Rocky Mountain, Idaho) is No. 2 in the country at 1:48.36, with Hoppel (Midland, Texas), MacKay (Davis, Utah) and Chris Torpy (Sandburg, Ill.) all under 1:50 this year. They will all be pursuing the meet record of 1:47.55 run last year by former Michigan prep standout Donavan Brazier, who recently won the NCAA title as a freshman at Texas A&M, running 1:43.55 to break the 50-year-old American Junior record held by Jim Ryun. California standouts Connor Dunne (San Clemente) and Austin Tamagno (Brea-Olinda) also have the potential to break 1:50 and be in the hunt to secure the victory.

Girls 100: Sha’Carri Richardson vs. Cassondra Hall vs. Lauren White vs. Kira White (3:10 p.m. PDT)

Although none of the entries are expected to challenge the meet and national high school record of 10.98 produced last year by Candace Hill (Rockdale County, Ga.), without California stars Lauren Rain Williams (Oaks Christian), Celera Barnes (St. Bonaventure) and Zaria Francis (Rio Mesa) returning, it opens the door for a pair of Texas athletes, a North Carolina talent and another Georgia standout to battle for the sprint title. Richardson (Dallas Carter) has a wind-legal best of 11.34 from the Great Southwest Classic, with Lauren White (Rolesville, N.C.), Kira White (DeSoto, Texas) and Hall (Warner Robins, Ga.) all with wind-legal marks under 11.50. Richardson will look to follow Hill by winning as a sophomore.

Boys Mile: Sean Torpy vs. Jon Davis vs. Justin Janke (3:35 p.m. PDT)

Torpy (Sandburg, Ill.) ran the national-leading 1,600 time of 4:03.42 at the Magis Miles, one day after Davis (Fithian Oakwood, Ill.) split 4:03.97 for 1,600 at the Festival of Miles. Torpy and Davis both ran faster than 4:06 for the full mile in those races and are now looking to challenge the 2014 meet record of 4:06.32 set by Oregon’s Matthew Maton. Janke (North Central, Wash.) clocked 3:45.96 in the 1,500 at the Portland Track Festival and is ready to improve on his personal-best 4:07.28 mile. A pair of Texas standouts, Sam Worley (Comal Canyon) and Reed Brown (Southlake Carroll), are also expected to challenge for the win.

Girls 2 Mile: Emma Grace Hurley vs. Fiona O’Keeffe vs. Shona McCulloch vs. Diana Vizza vs. Libby Davidson (1:30 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Hurley (Fellowship Christian, Ga.) is the national 2-mile leader with her 10:22.58 and ranks second among prep athletes in the country in the 5,000 behind O’Keeffe (Davis Senior, Calif.), the top returning finisher from last year’s 2-mile race with a fourth-place effort in 10:11.87. O’Keeffe has also clocked 10:08.65 in the 3,200, but she and Hurley could receive a significant challenge from the Canadian standout McCulloch (Longfields Davidson Heights, Ontario), who placed second in the 3,000 in 9:30.17 at The Penn Relays, with Davidson (E.C. Glass, Va.) taking third in 9:33.52. McCulloch has a lifetime-best 9:26.50 in the 3,000, with Vizza (North Shore, N.Y.) producing a personal-best 9:31.31 at her state qualifier. Sophomore Rebecca Story (Christian Academy of Knoxville, Tenn.) could also be a factor with a 3,200 personal-best of 10:16.72 at the Arcadia Invitational. They are all chasing the 2014 meet record of 9:53.54 set by Bethan Knights (Northwood, Calif.)

Boys 100: Jace Comick vs. Brandon Taylor (3:15 p.m. PDT)

The Texas high school stars will both be chasing the meet record of 10.29 set in 2014 by Tennessee star Christian Coleman, the reigning NCAA indoor 200-meter champion. Comick (Humble Atascocita) has the fastest prep time in the country this year under all conditions with his wind-aided 10.09 at the Great Southwest Classic and Taylor (Clear Brook) has run a wind-legal best of 10.26. Josh Eiker (Galesburg, Ill.) is the fastest returning athlete, placing third last year in 10.61, and Kadarius Lotharp (Sun Valley, N.C.) is also back after finishing sixth in 10.81. Isaiah Diego-Williams (Serra, Calif.) could be a potential challenger after placing in the top four in the 100 and 200 at his state meet.

Girls 400: McKenzie Dunmore vs. Hannah Waller (2:10 p.m. PDT)

Dunmore (McEachern, Ga.) and Waller (Buchanan, Calif.) both ran 53.01 at their respective state finals and could challenge the meet record of 53.21 from 2012 set by two-time NCAA champion Courtney Okolo of Texas. Dunmore has a personal-best 52.51, with Waller and Becca Schulte (Fort Collins, Colo.) the fastest returning competitors, taking third and fourth in 54.40 and 54.99. Janaya Chambers (Stanton College Prep, Fla.), Mia Coats (Mountain Range, Colo.) and Kirsten Carter (Santa Rosa, Calif.) also return after placing fifth, sixth and seventh last year.

Boys 110 Hurdles: Matt Moore vs. Joseph Anderson (2:30 p.m. PDT)

A former North Carolina prep standout, Isaiah Moore, holds the meet record with his 13.52 from 2014 before attending University of South Carolina, but Moore (Union Grove, Ga.) has a wind-legal best of 13.45 from his state meet. Anderson (Upland, Calif.) returns after placing eighth last year, but coming off a victory in his state meet in 13.59. A pair of Texas athletes, Isaiah Lucas (Houston Cypress Falls) and Charles Brockman (Plano), along with William Session (Belleville East, Ill.) are also capable of running personal-best times and challenging for the victory.

 



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