Impressions of the 4A State Meet

 

 

While I strive not to show it, it's rather obvious that I have a small(ish) distance bias.  It's not intentional, it's just what I know best.  But to my distance bretheren... in case you haven't already realized it we live in a sprint state!

 

Let's give it up to our amazingly talented bunch.  Oh we've got some great distance runners, but  those winning times in the sprints that we see so often they seem routine... not so routine!  We are surrounded by such talent in those events, it is amazing.

 

Let's get started...

 

 

The standout of standouts in this meet.  His day was remarkable.  Two state meet records!

 

The 100 meter dash time in the finals was darn impressive.  He came out of the blocks battling hard against Andre Debose of Seminole in the lane next to him.  Those two were going at it pretty hard and I don't think Andre could have touched him, but Andre was set to go in the 10.30s with Locke.  Unfortunately Andre went down with a pulled muscle or at least some hardcore cramps at about 60 or 70 meters in.

 

That left Locke all alone to cruise in for a state MEET record (big difference between state record and state mete record) time of 10.32.  He topped the previous record time co-held by Olympic 100m medalist Walter Dix and national high school 100m record-holder Jeff Demps (from last year).  That's pretty impressive.  It was wind legal too.

 

As impressive as that was, it wasn't his best performance of the day.  Unfortunately, those of us who did not arrive for the prelims didn't get to see it.  But this guy ran a wind legal 20.54 in the 200 meter prelims!  No one within over half a second of him.  Please realize just how good this time is (I say this to my distance bretheren who may not fully comprehend).  It goes without saying this is the US#1 time for high school this year.  But it would have placed him 6th in the Olympic Trials finals for the event.

 

This guy is the real deal.  London 2012?

 

Before moving on let's not fail to mention that he followed that 20.54 with a 20.70 in the finals... and he was all alone by almost a second in that one.  Going anything under 21 is huge, but putting up two performances that deep into the 20s. Wow.  He also had a 10.41 preceeding his 10.32 in the 100.  Not too shabby.

 

 

It's remarkable the standards this girl has set for herself.  On one hand, I feel sorry for her for all the pressure she has placed upon herself.  So much that she can finish two races (the 200 and 400) with huge state championship victories and still be upset.  But then again when you are running at such a higher level than any of the extremely good competition you see most of the year then I guess you have no choice but to race soley against yourself and against the ghosts of the past.

 

The announcer called out the lane assignments in the 400 meter finals and then mentioned that someone other than Eutsey (Brittney Pringley who ended up in second) was the race favorite.  Now his comment was based soley on the times from the preliminary rounds, so he was right technically speaking.  But all alone on the other side of the track ready to shoot the video, I couldn't help but let out an audible laugh and say "psh... Eutsey's going to kill it."

 

Boy did she!  By the time she reached where I was standing around 150 meters in she already had made up the stagger and was ridiculously far out in front.  I don't recall ever seeing anyone run an opening 100 that quickly in a 400.  As I raced across the field to get the finish, she just opened it up more and came through with a monsterous time of 52.68.  And she was not happy.  She runs faster than anyone else in the country has this year (except herself).

 

What more did she want?  Sanya Richards.  2008 Olympian Sanya Richards holds the state meet record time of 52.51 from back in 2002.  Eutsey knows she can run fast enough to get that too... she did so earlier in the year when she ran a 52.42 to take second at the Miami Elite Invitational (against professionals). 

 

About 30 minutes later, Ebony collected her second gold medal in the 200 meters where she glided to an impessive 24.06.  However, it was the off the pace set by Robin Reynolds the night before (23.67), the state leading time of 23.66 by Octavious Freeman, and her own season best of 23.78.  Or maybe it was Erica Whipple's 23.36 state meet record she wanted.

 

I hope that after a couple of hours to let it sink in Ebony will realize what she has accomplished and cherish those two state titles she earned tonight.  She's just a junior... there's another year for the record book!  

 

On a side note... I really really hope we get to see Eutsey vs. Reynolds vs. Freeman in a 200 this post-season that would be pretty fun.  Reynolds vs. Eutsey in a 400 may be good also, but at this point, as impressive as freshman Reynolds is, I'm not sure if Eutsey wouldn't be forced to run against ghosts in that one also.  No high schooler in the country can touch Eutsey at 400 right now, I'd imagine it's an event we'll see some NCAA titles out of her in in a few years.

 

 

Skyler had two goals to achieve on the day:  help her team's effort for a team state championship by scoring as many points as possible and running a state meet record in the 800 meters.  She achieved both.

 

She started the day as a member of the second place 4x800 team that ran a 9:29.

 

At about 7:15PM came the 1600.  Her intention in this one was simple.  Run as hard as she could and place as high as she could without running hard enough to impact her 800 meter chances.  So when eventual winner Shelby Hayes started taking off and picking up the pace (on her way to a state best 4:55.11), Skyler pulled in the reigns and let her go.  She sat herself in with the chase pack.

 

She eventually broke away but was careful not to make a move toward Shelby.  She was content to ease in for a 5:04.10 (wouldn't it be nice to ease in to a time like that?) and take her 8 points.

 

Two events later came her signature event:  the 800 meters.  Before the race she told me she was not just aiming at the state meet record, but she wanted to run in the 2:08 range--to better the 2:09.00 she ran at the Florida Relays.  The race was hers from nearly the gun.  She zipped to the front and never looked back.  By 200 meters she had a lead that looked more like you'd expect to see on lap 3 of a 1600 then 200 into an 800 meter race!

 

The state meet record did fall.  She came through in a time of 2:09.44--four seconds ahead of second place Ana Groff.  It was quite an effort and on this night it was all she could ask of her body.  She collapsed shortly after stepping off the track and needed help over to the water station.  Her legs were like jello.  She left it all on the track... and though she didn't get to 2:08, her effort felt satsifying she said afterwards.  Congratulations, Skyler!  Good luck at Ohio State!

 

 

Two state championships, but it's the one that got away that stuck with him.  Wise, who won the Nike Indoor pentathlon, is a star-studded multi-event athlete.  He was entered in three events at the 4A State Meet and had every intention of taking all three home.

 

He opened the day with a 23-8.25 long jump into a rather strong negative wind.  That gave him his first championship of the day.

 

After winning his heat and having the second fastest time out of the prelims (14.16) , he had to settle for third place in the finals.  His time of 14.26 was the third fastest wind-legal time of his career.  So nothing to be ashamed of for sure, just not what he was hoping for.

 

Redemption came later in the night when he ran a state leading 36.49 to earn his second victory of the day.  That time beats out the 36.60 that fellow Floridian Cody Riggs' performance ran Friday night... the #2 time in the country.  And it is #6 on our (possibly incomplete) Florida all-time best list.  Chin up, Neaman!  That's pretty dang good!

 

 

I take away one impression of Derek Wehunt tonight: class.  He has the state leading times in both the 3200 and the 1600, with national elite times of 9:06.78 and 4:11.14, respectively.  He had hope to go under 4:10 for the 1600 and possibly challenge Joe Franklin's state meet record.

 

And yet in a sad turn of events, he was forced to pull out of both races.  His feet had developed large blisters that made it painful to walk, let alone run.  And with his racing shoes agrivating the problem more, it just wasn't his night.  

 

So going for two laps of the 1600 barely hanging on to the back of the pack, he tried one surge to try to catch back up. But it was too painful, so he pulled off.  After the race he hoped that he could give the 3200 a try.  But after working on the blisters and shoe situation, it just wasn't happening and he dropped the 3200 as well.

 

My heart was breaking for the young man.  Here he is in his senior state meet, having a stellar track season, in according to him the best shape of his life, and he has to forgo a possible two state titles.  What horrible luck!

 

But I noticed something, he didn't seem upset.  Disappointed?  Yes.  Upset?  No.  So after the race (watch this in the interview with him) I asked him why he was taking it so well.  He said that he was pleased with his anchoring the 4x800 win (which deserves its own article) and that he had a great season.  He can't really complain when he's had such a good year.

 

... That's inspirational to me.  What a great take on handling life's trials!  

 

 

She ran the 8th best time in the nation this year with her 42.56.  That topped the 42.80 mark set by Amani Bryant at the 3A meet the day before to set the #1 mark in Florida this year.  She also took second in the triple jump with a 38-11.75 and helped her team to third place in the 4x400 meter relay.

 

Unfortunatey, she false started in the 100 Meter Hurdles prelims or we might be talking about her state championship in that one as well.  She is the state leader in that event by a huge margin.  she is quite a talent... and her team is so good that they didn't even need that extra 10 points to win the championship!

 

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised with how well Shelby Hayes did in her 1600 meter championship race tonight.  She did, after all, run a 4:56.64 at district two weeks ago.  So her state leading 4:55.11 performance is a big PR, but not a blow the doors off where the heck did that come from PR.

 

It was more impressive just how Shelby raced.  She was up against some of the best milers in the state including Brittany Koziara, Skyler Wallen, and Mandy Perkins.  All three of those girls have seen the under side of 5 minutes in the 1600 multiple times.  Koziara won this race last year in a smoking 4:52.64 and had a Nike Outdoor mile performacne that converts even faster.

 

Regardless of their talents, Hayes went out and set her pace and dared them to follow.  They didn't.  So she just kept pushing and pushing until she crossed the finish line almost 10 seconds before Skyler's second place peformance and about 18 seconds before Koziara!  Of course she didn't know they'd fall that much off pace but didn't really care.  She just knew she had her race to run and was ready if anyone had the guts to challenge her.

 

Great job, Shelby!  The Spirit of Pre is clearly with you!

 

 

Speaking of impressive girls distance races, Mariana Lucena put up one great gutsy race herself!  It was in many ways like Shelby's 1600.  She was determined to igore the fact that there were some really talented athletes in the race with her including Shelby herself, Callie Cooper, Brittany Koziara, Lauren Lapointe, Cristina Brea, and Maggie Emons... all who have run in the 18 minute range or better in cross country.  Setting her own pace, she we out from the gun and lead.

 

The difference between this one though and the 1600 is that she had company!  As Lucena accelerated, she had a shadow just behind her.  Following step by step in her footsteps.  It was Callie Cooper of Bartram Trail.  

 

For six laps it was like that.  Callie looked to be biding her time and letting Mariana do all of the work.  I commented to one well-known girls coach that Callie was getting ready to eat Mariana alive and the coach agreed.  It sure looked like that.  Callie looked like a fierce lion licking its lips and ready to pounce.  Mariana looked frustrated and annoyed that Callie was there.  All of the signs were in place for the classic I'm going to let you do all the work and then outkick you the last lap strategy that usually works.

 

Usually being the key word.  What apparently Callie did not count on (and I'm not convinced that Mariana knew herself) is that Mariana had another gear.  With just under two laps to go she used it and instead of being passed, she built upon her lead.  Three seconds.  Five seconds.  Eight seconds.  In the end she had separated 12 seconds from her stalker... in two laps!

 

Mariana finished with a state championship and under 11 minutes--her two goals--with an 10:59.66 victory (negative splitting the second mile).  Qué impresivo!

 

Callie for her part, finished in second with 11:11.03 to end her high school career... her second fastest time ever in the event.

 

 

Boy am I glad to see him win one!  I really like this kid!  He is such a nice guy and it's great to see him finish his high school career by finally winning a state championship.  His time of 1:52.93 is a new personal best and gives him the third fastest time in the state this season.

 

He ran a really solid and smart race.  Sitting back in the pack for the first lap and then letting it rip over the last 200 meters to drive home to the big win.

 

 

 

Former Winter Park High Coach Mike Hill commented to me during the meet at one point, "that is the most wonderful sound you can ever hear at a track meet."  It happened during the Girls 4x100, again during the Boys 4x100, and during all four heats of the 4x400.  THE CROWD!

 

They were into it.  The stands were packed.  They were on their feet and they were excited.  That is a great thing and it's a shame there is not more of it.  I'm not sure exactly what it is about relay races that bring it out.  Maybe it's because so much can happen in a relay race with baton changes.  Or how a strong leg can bring a team back from the dead.  Or maybe just because they always seem to end in a photo finish.

 

I really wish we had more of that.  I wish we had crowds as into it at other track meets throughout the year.  I wish some of that enthusiasm poured out into other events (not that they're not into it for those, just not to that level!).  Our sport needs more diehard fans and excitement!  That goes for not just the high school level, but college and pro as well.

 

The USATF is making some changes... it may take a few years, but I hope we get there.  Universal Sports is getting into more and more markets and with them showing all of the IAAF meets it's going to be much easier to follow and get into the sport.  They're also trying new formats for meets to make the more fan-friendly and more TV friendly.  Let's hope they succeed.

 

Walking into the meet today, I also thought how cool it would be if people would tailgate at track meets like at football games.  Make it an all day thing, grab the grill.  Party it up a little.  Enjoy our great sport a little more!

 

Maybe we should invest in some foam fingers and maybe start the wave next year.