Resullts - Boys - Girls
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BOYS
The Collegiate School passed up Friday’s DMR to concentrate on the 4-by-mile, an event that has become increasingly popular here. They were the prerace favorites against an imposing field that included Shenendehowa (Clifton Park, NY), which set the national record in this meet a few years ago; Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ), Smithtown West (LI, NY); Pope John XXIII (Sparta, NJ), and Glastonbury, Conn., surprise winner of the DMR the day before.
After some early jousting, Dylan Trotzuk went to the front for Collegiate, a prep school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and he built a 10-yard lead on Glastonbury, Don Bosco, Pope John and Smithtown, splitting 4:24.5 at the mile handoff.
Itse Begho continued to manage the race from the front for Collegiate. Behind him, Pope John dropped back while LaSalle (Cincinnati) moved into contention. Conor Sullivan, running 2nd leg for Don Bosco, broke from the chase pack and went after Begho, taking the lead with 400 left. Begho fought back gamely and retook the lead, running 4:24.5 as he passed to Dwayne Alexis. It was still anybody’s race. Sullivan passed to a sophomore for Bosco, Robert Molke.
On the third mile, the ever-dangerous Glastonbury moved into 3rd as they and Smithtown now chased Collegiate and Don Bosco. And, coming from well back, here came Zack Predmore, running a big third leg for Shenendehowa, which moved into contention for the first time.
Predmore passed half a dozen teams and never let up, and Shen was 3rd as the last pass was made, trailing only Glastonbury and Don Bosco. Predmore, a 4:24 miler, had run 4:17.5, and now he was passing the stick to Steve Murdock, winner of the 5k on Friday in meet-record time. “I was just trying to keep us in the race,” Zack said, “and let Steve anchor.” Molke ran 4:21.8 to keep Don Bosco in contention. Alexis ran 4:24.7 for Collegiate and was passing to Chris Williams, a sub-4:20 miler.
Murdock gave the other anchors no chance to collect themselves. He pushed hard right away, and Williams gave futile chase. With Murdock running all-out against the clock, Shen wound up just missing its own national record, running 17:26.12. Only its own HSR 17:25.98 in 2004 is faster. Murdock split 4:14.8. “I don’t really have a kick,” Steve said. “I was kind’a tired after yesterday. I tried anyway.”
As it was, Shenendehowa wound up the 2nd-fastest team ever but missed even a school record. “That’s all we talked about (the record) on the ride down,” said Shen’s coach, Matt Jones. “Predmore’s the one who made the race for us.” For Collegiate, Williams ran 4:16.5 to give them 17:30.10 in 2nd place, #5 all-time. Glastonbury also finished well and ran 17:33.70, #7 ever and a New England record.
Smithtown West came up for 4th, slipping past Don Bosco, as six teams broke 18 minutes.
Some splits: Shen – Adam Quinn 4:29, Zac Suriano 4:24, Predmore 4:17.5, Murdock 4:14.8; Don Bosco – Jason Baker 4:25.9, Sullivan 4:23.0, Molke 4:21.8, Steve Wyka 4:31.9; Jackson Mem (NJ) 4:30-4:29-4:29-4:26.
GIRLS
Shenendehowa, having just won the boys’ race, took to the front right away and appeared to have a shot at the double. They ran 5:08.4-5:15.8 and built a big lead. Pope John XXIII was 2nd at the first break at 5:13, followed by Colt’s Neck (NJ), the defending champions, and Archbishop Prendergast. Allie Flott led off for CN in 5:15.
Colts Neck was running without one of its stars, Brianna Jackucewicz, who has been injured, but Allison Linnell brought them into 2nd place during the 2nd mile with a 5:15.3 carry, while Westerly (RI) moved to 3rd. Pope John fell back.
Kristen O’Dowd gradually reeled in Shen on the 3rd leg, splitting 5:17. With Ashley Higginson running anchor, the race was now academic. Higginson ran hard all the way, splitting 4:48.6 as Colts Neck ran 20:36.41, national leader for the season and 9th-fastest ever.
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (NY) came from well back on the 3rd leg, and Meaghan Gregory battled all the way up to 2nd with a 4:58 anchor, as BHBL ran 20:49.52 with 2 sophs, a junior and an 8th-grader. They split 5:18.1-5:25.0-5:08.2-4:58.2. Gregory is one of the sophomores.
