Penn Relays 2007: Boys’ HS Individual Events Preview
Posted April 22nd, 2007 at 9:49 PM by thefinalsprint.com
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Most Penn Relays records do not last 35 years; however, the one for the boys’ mile has stood since 1972, when Gordon Oliver (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Md.) clocked 4:08.7.
This year’s field can probably handle that.
This is a field for the ages. It includes this year’s Millrose Games champion, Chris Moen (Walter Johnson, Md.), who has run 4:16.96; the National Scholastic Indoor champion, Charles White (Cherry Creek, Englewood, Colo.), who ran 4:10.04 at Arcadia earlier this month; Dominic Della Pelle (Salesanium, Wilmington, Del.), the defending champion, at 4:13.82; Matthew Centrowitz (Broadneck, Annapolis, Md.), winner of the 3,000 here in 2006, who has run 4:08.76; Paul Springer (Unionville, Kennett Square, Pa.), a best of 4:12.61; Andrew Perkins (Watertown, Wis.), who set a national freshman record of 4:15.07 in 2005; Luke Puskedra (Judge Memorial, Salt Lake City), 4:13.60 for 1,600 meters; Eric Avila (Bonita Vista, Chula Vista, Calif.), 4:14.9 for 1,600; and Ryan McDermott (Chaminade, Mineola, N.Y.), 4:16.96y.
In Perkins’ case, there is a precedent for Wisconsinites in this race—Gabe Jennings of Madison won the race in 1996 and 1997.
(For the record, the event changed from the mile to the 1,500 from 1980-97. Paul Vandegrift’s time of 3:49.67 20 years ago is comparable to Oliver’s 4:08.7)
As a result of the focus on the mile, the 3,000 field is thin. It features Jason Weller of Boyertown, Pa. (8:26.21) and Matt Leeder of Thousand Island in Brockville, Ontario (8:25.45), along with 8:40-types Kyle Soloff of Morris Hills (Rockaway, N.J.) and Andrew Hanko of Trinity Christian (Montville, N.J.).
The intermediate hurdles field is led by Ryker Hylton of St. Jago, with a best of 51.85. Domestically, there are two athletes who had outstanding seasons indoors in the highs, Johnny Dutch of Clayton, N.C. and Kemar Clarke of South Shore in Brooklyn. Also worth watching are Emmanuel Mayers of Lakewood, N.J. (52.78); Charlton Rolle of Reynolds in Winston-Salem, N.C. (53.30 and 37.70 over the weekend in the 300s); and Jermaine Lowery of Philadelphia’s West Catholic (53.27). Another Jamaican in the field is Dwight Robinson (Herbert Morrison), 53.26.
In the field, Devon Bond of Trenton (N.J.) Central will defend his championship in the high jump; he has jumped 7-0. Bond will face Raymond Higgs, the Carifta Games champion from Tabernacle, Freeport, Bahamas (6-11 ¾), and 6-10 jumpers Qaadir Tudor of West Orange, N.J. and James Pittenger of William Tennent (Westminster, Pa).
The vault has four 15-6 competitors—New York CHSAA rivals Jonathan Bednarz (Fordham Prep) and Kyle Duggan (Monsignor Farrell); Gray Horn of Waynesfield, Ohio; and David Slovenski of Brunswick, Maine.
The leading competitor in the throws will not be competing in the high school division. Walter Henning (St. Anthony’s, Long Island, N.Y.) will instead compete in the Open division of the hammer throw, just as he did a year ago. This is permitted because there is not a high school division for the event. A year ago he threw 210-11, making him the second-best ever among preps and five feet short of the national record of 216-2 set by Jake Freeman of Rhode Island in 1999 (set that record in the Penn Relays Open competition).
Henning set a national record last spring in the hammer, then in the indoor weight throw this winter. He is also a 64-foot shot putter.
In Henning’s absence, the leading entrants in the shot put are Wayne Crawford of Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill Academy (61-1); Vincent Elardo of Lacey (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.), 60-6; and Denes Veres of Riverside (Ellwood City, Pa.), 60-10.
The top discus thrower is Emory Parsons of Columbia (East Greenbush, N.Y.) at 185-6, followed by Dennis Aliotta of M. Farrell at 178-3. Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic (176-5) and George Abyad of Passaic Valley Regional (Little Falls, N.J.), 173-7, should also vie.
The top thrower in the javelin is a Canadian, Kyle Nielsen (Centennial, Coquitlam), who has thrown 200-6. At 198 are Justin Shirk (Central Dauphin, Harrisburg, Pa) and Andrew Fahringer (Whitehall, Pa).
Jamaicans lead the way in the horizontal jumps.
Nicholas Gordon (Calabar) has gone 24-8 in the long jump, followed by fellow Islanders Tarik Batchelor of Kingston College (24-2) and Julian Reid of Wolmer’s Boys (24-9). Domestically, there is Rashaad Cannon (Highland Springs, Va.), 24-0 1/2 wind-aided; Harif Kendrick (Franklin Twp, Somerset, N.J.), 24-3 3/4, and Conlon Bonner (LaGuardia Arts, NYC), 23-8, who was fourth a year ago. Last year’s winner, Alain Bailey, will be jumping in the College Championship division this year for Arkansas.
In the triple jump, Robert Peddlar of Wolmer’s has jumped 50-6 1/2, two feet ahead of Seon Powell (Munro College, Jamaica), Aaron King of Morris Hills (Rockaway, N.J.) and Anjohn Armaly (Jack Hayward, Freeport, Bahamas).
Written by: Jack Pfeifer
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Tags: boys high school individual preview, jack pfeifer, Penn Relays, penn relays preview
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