Wow, I was informed this week that Malvern Prep would go under 10:40, and I thought no way. Wills would have to go around 3:15, which he ended his season in last season, they're 800 runner just went 2:08 and that would require a 2:03-2:05 split at least. Plus McDevitt ran 4:20 at the end of last season. Then again, despite the disappointment for the team as a whole, Wills and McDevitt both ran very strong during XC. McDevitt looked like a stud during XC and I thought he really broke out. This team is going to be scary to watch for at states. I think McDevitt will be like Wilson was for CRN and run the Mile instead of the 3k for a faster DMR time. Running 10:36.29 this squad placed 2nd overall and really ran fantastic. I'd love to know the splits, but wow that was a quick time. I think they could push 10:20 at the end of the season.
Holy Ghost Prep put together a solid race running 10:52 for 5th place and West Chester Henderson was behind them in 6th with a 10:54. Both teams could make pushes for sub 10:49 efforts later in the season. HGP traditionally likes the DM and I bet they'll hit around 10:45 and sneak into the state meet by the end of the season. I'm not sure what Henderson's plans are this season. Probably individual events or a 4x8. I don't see them going DMR just because I don't see the total speed there in the mile and 1200 legs.
The true story of this meet, however, was the championship race. Grayson Hepp and Nick Dahl teamed up for a big time DMR race as they took PA #1 honors with a 10:33.10. Joe Newmann also must have raced better than his 2:10 open race last weekend. Dahl's split was probably pretty awesome. This sophomore is unreal on the track and I don't see him slowing down this season. Grayson Hepp's 2 flat season opener over Dahl was a good indicator that we would see a strong split from him as well. I forsee Dahl racing the Mile and doubling back for the DMR (much like McDevitt) and I see Hepp racing the open 800 and coming back for a strong 1200m split.
In last place in the race was Conestoga, but that doesn't make there performance unimpressive. They ran a PA #3 in 10:41.00. My speculation is that Pj Murray hung pretty well in ~8th, but Marston split 4:25, which would be a great split for him this time of the year, but there were some very strong anchors out there today. I'd guess Dahl was like 4:22.
Also to note DTW ran 11:04 in the DMR and Great Valley ran 8:44 in the 4x800. In the later 4x8 event DTE put together a solid 2nd place finish with an 8:19 and DTW put out another relay squad in 8:22 for 3rd place.
Overall PA looked pretty good today on the DMR seen, although LaSalle Academy (RI) won the race in 10:22.
Please post splits!!!
--ForrestCRN
I watched it on milesplit and this is what I got for malvern
ReplyDeleteWills: 3:12
King: 52
Mueller 2:06
Mcdevitt: 4:23
For Germantown friends i had their leadoff at about 3:13 and Dahl was around 4:18
Todd Gunzenhauser 4:33 at Jerome Fields Open at University of Akron
ReplyDeleteDom Hockenbury 8:38 at Yale!
ReplyDeleteDidn't see the faster heats, but Wills and Knapp hit the SQG in the 3k at 8:58 and 8:59.
ReplyDeleteKnapp looked impressive turning it on through the 2nd half of the race and coming through the field. There could be more in his tank if he takes the first half out a little faster.
DeleteI agree, Knapp looked very impressive. He was clearly running a strategic race, and he executed it perfectly. Another impressive, and somewhat downplayed performance was Henry Sappey's 4:28. He got boxed in through the beginning of the race and ended up splitting 2:19, 2:09ish. I would have loved to see him go against Diestelow. Diestelow is much more proven on the track, and has the advantage on paper with a 4:22 pr, but Sappey came on so strong during XC, it would be interesting to say the least.
DeleteTFCAofGP Note:
ReplyDeleteThe mile was pretty stacked. Top 7 made meet of champs. However, the results, for whatever reason, say Jake Brophy narrowly beat out Sam Webb, when it was actually Alek Sauer who ran for Pennsbury and got second. There must have been a registration error.
Kevin James ran a solo 3k in 8:40.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually kind of sick. It'd be nice to see him pick up state gold but he's looking like the OH program, always just a bit short of state glory.
DeleteClassy post, guy above. KJ's race was sick and he's clearly in excellent shape right now with seemingly less risk of burnout than a guy like Ritz (who said in a milesplit interview that he basically took no break after XC, though he might be at lower mileage). KJ is also a gamer and I strongly doubt that he'd lose to Hockenbury (current state leader at 8:38), as good as Hockenbury's run today was.
DeleteOf course, it's yet to be determined if Brophy will go 3k (likely his best chance at an individual gold) and what kind of a time he can throw down. Same goes for Comber; don't sleep on a FL Finalist, and his trajectory towards the end of XC was fairly similar to Max Norris's, and we know what he went on to do indoors. Abert didn't look good at Yale today and has kind of been on a streak of big race disappointments lately (States, FLNE, Yale) for which there could all be good explanations, but he's got potential for sub-8:40 if he runs intelligently.
Still, KJ deserves a title, and I think he wants it most. He's my pick.
I really think its between Comber Hockenberry, James and Brophy. Assuming they all focus on the 3k, which might not happen with briphy and the 4x8, KJ and with the DMR. Comber and has coach seem to know how peak, i site connor quinn and now comber coming on strong at the end of cross bearing out guys like abert and brophy. James has the experience as I believe he has been state level good as a soph, plus he has a pretty good coach in Keennedy. Brophy is an animal and showed he can peak at the right time by putting Russell's old record to shame at states (which is where I am convinced he was focused on fir peaking, not regionals). Hockenberry is the wild card here, not too,kuch knowledge about him but with a time like 8:38, he has to he in title contention. Like the guy above me, right now that solo 8:40 os the best 3k in the state right now, I watched him run it, he was cruising the whole way, and if Kennedy peaks him right, like we all know he can, James wins the title after getting the juicebox his whole career.
DeleteAnd sorry for the atrocious spelling, im doing this on my phone.
DeleteThere's no denying OHara has had hard luck at states. The two team losses on tie breakers at states XC were tough. But in 2013 and 2014 track and XC they've had three 2nds at states, one 3rd, five 4ths and one 5th. That's some great results but no gold. In the same time WCH had 6 state golds. Maybe James can breakthrough.
DeleteForrest are you going to do any review for the second day of Yale? A ton of top PA times came out of Saturday. In the mile there was PA 2,3,4,7, and 9 and the 3k had PA 1,3,4,8, and 9. The races definitely lived up to all the hype.
ReplyDelete^agreed
ReplyDeleteYale observation- It is like a back yard brawl when D1 competes in PA, but up at Yale it was really neat to see the best that D1 and the state has to offer cheering on the guys that they compete so hard against at home. They brought out the best in each other this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with this more. I was up there running at Yale and it truly was a terrific experience. When you're out there running there is nothing better than hearing the guys who you normally race against cheering you on as you compete against some of the toughest competition in the region. Kids who are normally staunch competitors became each others biggest fans and it was really great to see and experience. I can't thank the people cheering for me enough, because it definitely kept me in the race and pushed me to a good time. Proud to be a PA distance runner this weekend!
DeleteSo true.
Deletehttp://www.armorytrack.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45586&do=news&news_id=309624
ReplyDeleteNew Balance Invitational Entries
All this talk about Ritz burning out is stupid. It's not like XC where big mileage and heavy racing was obviously going to catch up to one of the top guys, that is it was obvious to everyone but they team of special coaches. Ritz will be fine.
ReplyDeleteY u no write words in logical order please communicate better
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