BOYS WINNER - Daniel Moore - Senior @ Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity senior Daniel Moore put in over 1,000 miles this summer. Coach Doug Butler knew he had the potential to be good, admitting he could be one of the best the Tigers have had by season's end. A little over a month in Moore is posting record breaking times; times that even Butler didn't expect, especially this early.
"I was a little surprised. I'm usually pretty good at predicting what my kids can run and Daniel and I had talked and I thought he could go sub 15:20 maybe 15:15 if the conditions were right. For him to go sub 15:00 I was kind of speechless. He's got heart and he's running without thinking about it right now. That is when kids run their best."
Moore not only shocked Butler, but the rest of the crowd as he passed nationally ranked Jacob Burcham out of West Virginia in the final meters of the race. The senior crossed the line in a new meet record time of 14:57.61, beating the previous record set by Alan Webb's 14:59.01 in 2001. Butler says he knew the race could be something special when he saw Moore pass him at the three mile mark.
"Daniel has been kind of underrated most of the season. He's had to work hard, but I don't let him lead. They said the Burcham kid was in the lead over the loud speaker and he came by me at the three mile mark and he was about 10-15 meters behind him. I saw both their faces and they were hurting and I told him he needs to use his arms and that the kid is beatable. He pumped his arms and made a hard move the last 185 meters and just went by him."
In a span of around six months Moore becomes the second Holy Trinity runner to break the fifteen minute barrier joining Colorado freshman David Kilgore. His time is also a new school record. Butler says he has come a long way from finishing almost dead last in this race as a freshman and that Moore's success makes the team stronger as well.
"You look at the race results from three years ago he was 116th out of 117 and ran a 19:28 there as a freshman. To come back and completely disassemble the field that is just hard work throughout ever year not just this year. He might be a leader on Saturday, but there are eight or nine guys that are right there in the workouts. They are just feeding off each other right now and this was just a little more fuel for all of them."
Daniel's Athlete Profile
GIRLS WINNER - Lily Williams - Senior @ Chiles
Chiles senior Lily Williams continued her dominant senior season at the Jesse Owens Classic in Alabama. Williams ran past an elite field including Alabama state champion Carmen Carlos in a new course record time of 17:29. Carlos who set the course record last year in 17:36, finished second in 17:32. Coach Scott Gowan says it was a battle between the two for a majority of the race.
"Carmen and Rachel Roberts from Alabama led most of the race. Lily took the lead at about 2.5 miles. Her and Carmen ran together the last three quarters of a mile. Lily probably pulled away at the end probably the last quarter of a mile and really didn't slow down and the other girl may have slowed down a little."
Good competition combined with ideal race conditions of just over 50 degrees made for a great time for Williams and her third win in three meets. Gowan says the game plan each week is different depending on the course and competition, but the bottom line is to improve every race. Overall he was pleased with the senior's performance.
"She was in a good field and she needed that. She rose to the challenge and put together a good race."
Williams' time is the best so far in 2011 for a Florida girl. The senior and her Chiles' teammates have a tough race to their fourth consecutive state title come November with teams like Lakewood Ranch and Estero. Gowan knows for his squad to be successful Lily will have to be a key piece in the puzzle.
"3A is loaded. It could be one of the top state meets of all time at least as long as I've been coaching. There is a lot of depth and a lot of great runners. I'm sure Lily, as well as, Carly Thomas and Rachel Givens would like to be in that group.”
Lily's Athlete Profile