by Jarrett Felix
So with so many meets going on each weekend, I've come to the conclusion that, rather than trying to blast through all the meets in one post, I should try spreading them out a bit. I want to get stuff out quickly, but I also like providing analysis and sharing intuition and what not and that stuff takes up time, paragraphs and mental effort. So I hope you will agree with my decision to, hopefully, improve the quality of some of these recaps even if means some schools will have to wait a couple extra days for my thoughts on their performances.
And with that, I move on.
The Western part of the state never gets as much love as the east coast so I figure it makes sense to throw them up first this week, especially considering some of the monster performances they had this weekend. We start at the GL Wildcat Invitational, where many of the top WPIAL schools threw down top marks.
Kiski's Eric Kennedy in his 800m run where he dropped a 1:58.9 to take the victory. He won by roughly 3 seconds over second place, Zach Ehling of North Allegheny. NA's Ehling (2:01) and Lutz (2:03) finished 2nd and 5th for the XC runner ups and, along with Stupak and their two 400 runners who placed well (and their 300 hurlder who ran 38.76 which is moving), make an intriguing middle distance core. However, we haven't seen a ton of 4x8 dedication from NA over the years and, amazingly, I'm not sure they've grabbed a state medal in this relay in the last decade or so. That being said, they killed it last year at WPIALs and they are always in the mix for the relay title. Norwin, the defending WPIAL 4x8 champs if memory serves, also had a strong day with Tyler Laughery running 2:01 for 3rd and Matt O'Neil adding a 2:03 for 6th. O'Neil and Laughery were fresh off the 1600 (assuming your typical meet order) where O'Neil was second in 4:32 and Laughery was 6th in 4:39.
That 1600 was won by Jacob Stupak of North Allegheny in a time of 4:27. It's a big win for Stupak who was absent from the indoor season this winter. Happy to see that he is healthy and clearly in great shape as the top 10 finisher from XC and returning state medalist in the 1600 will likely have big goals for this spring. I think he's in the type of position to drop a lot of time gradually over the course of the year and peak perfectly for WPIALs and states. Keep an eye on him in an interesting 1600.
Also posting strong marks in the 16 were Samuel Lenze of Indiana (3rd in 4:32.46), XC state medalist Mark Provenzo of Franklin Regional (4:33.46) and sophomore Sam Cunkelman from Homer Center (4:33.64).
It was a big weekend for the WPIAL 3200 which might end up overshadowing the monster race we saw at GL. Marc Migliozzi won the deuce in a time of 9:29.62, winning by roughly 10 seconds over Ben Bickerton, a runner who had an excellent XC season this past year and was runner up to Skolnekovich at districts. Migliozzi's teammate, Sam Blechman, returned to the track as well after a quiet (don't remember him racing) indoor campaign. Blechman ran 9:42 for 3rd place.
Migliozzi had a huge break through in XC, dropped a ton of time in the 3k during indoors, and is now a 9:29 guy. Really like what I've seen from him and, as I've done before, I think he has a lot of potential to have a season like his now graduated teammate Hunter Wharrey did a year ago: sub 9:20 type mark in the 3200, top 5ish at WPIALs and in the mix for a medal at states. But those won't be easy as the fields are looking strong.
Also having a really nice day for the Tigers was Mark Hartigan who ran a 9:52 to take 5th in this race, just ahead of Provenzo, the 3rd place finisher from WPIALs in XC. Jonah Powell, the super frosh from Grove City, finished 4th in 9:50 for 32. Not too shabby for Powell. Remember, GC has produced guys like Jaskowak, Kildoo, Benka and Budnik in recent years, some absolute studs. Powell is off to a nice start to maybe join their company one day. No pressure of course.
The 4x8 gold went to Kiski, making two 800 related golds for Eric Kennedy. They ran a time of 8:17.02 to beat Hempfield Area (8:21), who had a very well balanced meet overall with lots of fast times in every event.
Switching gears to some small district action, at the Harbor Creek Invitational, Dan Kuhn of Harbor Creek, one of the top returners in the AA 800m, picked up a dominating win in his season opener, running 1:58.99 to take the victory. His time was roughly 6 seconds ahead of the next fastest competitor, Lakeview senior Chris Drozynski. At 1600m, XC stand out Sam Lander of Cranberry took the victory in 4:34, defeating North East's Trent Leonard and XC medalists Connor Walsh and Phoenix Myers, who both ran 4:37. Walsh, a top 4 finisher during XC in A, also finished 2nd in the 3200m with a 9:54. The winner in that one? Mercyhurst Prep's Noah Curtin who ran 9:47 for the win. Curtin is an interesting sleeper looking ahead to outdoors. I'm not sure what exactly his best event will be, but he's a clutch runner and a real talent. He finished 2nd at states this past fall in XC as a junior.
The 4x8 was one of the races of the day as District 10 powers Harbor Creek and Seneca dueled to fast times of 8:14 and 8:15. These schools are both AA squads and these kind of early season times match up great for the long term, especially considering the limited work these guys did indoors. Another great sign? Christian Babo, who medaled at XC states as just a frosh, looks to be back and healthy and contributed a leg on the team's winning (and meet record) 4x8. They also have Kuhn who we know is a stud. But Seneca is loaded as well with both Donovan and Phoenix Meyers (Donovan was sub 2 indoors if memory serves) and a strong XC group. They raced 4 juniors in this one and, considering this young team has been to states in XC and track for a number of years now, I like how their ever increasing experience projects towards Shippensburg long term.
Of course arguably the meet of the weekend came at West Mifflin High School for the TSTCA Outdoor Championships. In this meet, we had another impressive win for Penn Hills 800 stand out Isaiah Bailey, who won the 800 with a 1:58.91 and 4+ second margin of victory (Upper Saint Claire's Christopher Adamo took second overall in 2:04.17 from one of the slower heats). Bailey's win likely came after he won the 1600m in a very strong 4:25.37. Pretty strong double. We also had a couple strong marks from Winchester Thurston's Tristan Forsythe (2:04.38) and Gordon Pollock (2:05.07). This team's 4x8 is going to very interesting (they also have Loevner and Littman available although those guys may be more 2 mile types) as sleeper contenders for the 4x8 in AA.
As mentioned, Bailey won the 1600 in 4:25, but in second was Mount Lebanon's Josh Kalapos, who ran 4:28. Kalapos, Harris and Gunzenhauser combined for a killer 1-2-3 at XC states, helping propel Lebo into a top tier group. Now Josh and Harris (in a reported dual meet time) have both cracked 4:30 for 1600 and Gunzenhauser ... well we will get to him. But that trio plus one more piece could definitely make a strong relay if they want it. If not, they will have plenty of chances to individually qualify guys for Ship. At this meet, Lebo finished 2nd in the 4x8 with a time of 8:16.71, narrowly being edged out by Cathedral Prep, who ran 8:16.58.
Sophomore Noah Beveridge finished 3rd in the 1600, clocking a 4:30.04. Not a bad day for the sophomore who continues to bolster the much talked about class of '18. His Butler teammate Brett Brady won the 2nd section of the 1600 as well, clocking a 4:44 and finishing 11th overall.
But the race I was most excited about (and so was our own Evan Hatton) had to be the 3200m. In what was likely an epic battle, Peters Township's Nick Wolk defeated Mt Lebo's Todd Gunzenhauser in a 9:13-9:15 duel to the finish. The times are PRs for both men (Todd ran 9:16 last year, Nick had a seed time of 9:55 so this was likely a massive drop) and, amazingly, continues Wolk's winning streak in the WPIAL (on fresh legs at least). These times also look to slot these performers as two of top 25 WPIAL 3200 runners in it's history (of course my database isn't fully up to date, but that's what I have for now). It's a killer time for April and has to put them in the conversation for state title contention. Apparently, Gunzenhauser also split a 1:56 earlier in the day (Wolk may have split something nice as well as Peters ran a pretty solid 8:20s mark in the relay as well).
But behind these two front runners, we also had Jake Susalla PRing at 9:21 and Ben Bumgarner of Waynesburg Central adding a 9:28. Rounding out the top six were Casey Conboy at 9:30 and Joseph Westrick at 9:32. Susalla had a huge day after he missed qualifying for states indoors. He came back with a strong vengeance and seems to have a real plan for peaking at the right moments. His light racing schedule paid off big time in XC and perhaps a quieter winter will lead to big things this spring. This is a great start.
I believe Bumgarner is AA for track and, after a very strong indoor season in the 1600 and 3200, he takes another big step forward with a 9:28 mark. That puts his best right up there with the best guys in the state and his finishing speed make him an intriguing element in a load field of 9:20 type guys (Mackey, Kachman, Descavish, etc.). Baldwin's Junior Casey Conboy was a WPIAL 3200 state qualifier last year and clearly feels very comfortable in this event. He could do big things this spring. So too could Joseph Westrick who didn't have many opportunities for fast times indoors, but should pick up a lot of steam from this 9:32. Westrick was a top 50 finish at XC states this past fall and a top 10 finisher in the WPIAL.
A few other closing notes, at the Kane Invitational, Brookville's Ryan Thrush won the 400 and 800 with times of 52.68 and 1:59.09. Thrush, who has tried the 16 and 8 in years past, seems to be switch gears on the AA scene. His 400 times have been excellent (running sub 50 will put him in contention for a state final) so it's hard to say the decision isn't a good one. His 800 victory came over New York's Owen Barber who has run 1:54 and 4:15. Barber did run the 1600 at this meet as well, winning with a mark of 4:33.
At the Bedford Invitational, multi time state medalist (I think he has at least 5 now) Will Kachman won the 1600 and 3200 (4:33 and 10:07) and finished second in the 8 (Adam Zook of Tyrone got the W in that one). His teammate Zane Baker won the 400 in 50.8h.
We Remember
Ross A. Alameddine, Christopher James Bishop, Brian R.
Bluhm, Ryan Christopher Clark, Austin Michelle Cloyd, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak,
Kevin P. Granata, Matthew Gregory Gwaitney, Caitlin Millar Hammaren, Jeremy
Michael Herbstritt, Rachael Elizabeth Hill, Emily Jane Hilscher, Jarrett Lee
Lane, Matthew Joseph La Porte, Henry J. Lee, Liviu Librescu, G.V. Loganathan,
Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, Lauren Ashely McCain, Daniel Patrick
O’Neill, Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz, Minal Hiralal Panchal, Daniel Alejandro Perez
Cueva, Erin Nicole Peterson, Michael Steven Pohle Jr, Julia Kathleen Pryde,
Mary Karen Read, Reema Joseph Samaha, Waleed Mohamed Shaalan, Leslie Geraldine
Sheman, Maxine Shelly Turner, Nicole Regina White.
This list of 32 names probably doesn’t seem like a lot to
most. Nine years ago on this day, April 16th, those 32 names
disappeared from this earth in the Virginia Tech Massacre.
Today nearly 10000 runners took to the Virginia Tech campus
to run 3.2 miles in memory of our fallen Hokies. I attended and ran the 3.2 for
32, and can only struggle to put into words the incredible atmosphere and
amazing spirit of the running community around me. Everyone wrote on their race
bibs why they were running that day. I saws people run for their loved ones,
run for the memories of their fellow classmates, run for those that couldn’t be
there to run with them today, run to never forget the tragedy that was April 16th.
I saw the incredible spirit that is the running community as a whole, and how
the simple act of running preserves the lives and memories of those lost to
us. The spirit that pushes through
adversity and struggle and strife to come out the other side better than they
were before. The spirit that inspires us to carry on when our bodies say no.
The spirit that is an innate part of humanity that will never be lost.
The spirit of distance running triumphed today more than any
bad events and tragedy ever could. During the run I thought about the reason I
was out there, especially trying to remember the name of the shooter. I spent a
solid amount of my run trying to remember the name of the perpetrator. I
couldn’t, and that, is why the spirit of the running community helped continue
to defeat our tragedy today.
I know this isn’t a typical post for this blog and not
something that you might have been expecting to read today. But it’s something
that was in my head today and that I wanted to share with you. As a reminder to
enjoy the gift of running, and to enjoy the spirit of the running community. So
for those that aren’t with us today, I encourage you to run a little further,
run a little faster, kick a little harder, push yourself a little more. Whether
you’re a Hokie or not, today is a good day to run fast.
Yours,
-Paul Hayes
Pitbull Says Playoffs Fun
by Jarrett Felix
I felt like this blog needed a little NBA talk again. Is that accurate? Probably not, but in the words of the Joker, the blog needs a playoff basketball post, and I'm gonna give it to 'em. I think that's an exact quote. And here ... we ... go ...
I felt like this blog needed a little NBA talk again. Is that accurate? Probably not, but in the words of the Joker, the blog needs a playoff basketball post, and I'm gonna give it to 'em. I think that's an exact quote. And here ... we ... go ...
1 Cavs vs 8 Pistons
Part of me wants to think this series will be close. Stan Van did coach Orlando when they upset Cleveland in the eastern finals a few years back, but this team doesn't feel as deep or as good at shooting threes. Lebron likely gonna turn it on, do Lebron things and pull it out. Lebron's teams historically obliterate teams in Round 1.
Curious to see how the team chemistry looks more so than anything.
Cavs in 4
2 Raptors vs 7 Pacers
The Raps have lost series with home court advantage the last two years and now face a Pacers team that has won its fair share of big playoff games (even if that squad looked quite a bit different than this one). They have defensive stoppers to make it hard for Derozan and Lowry to get theirs. And if they can just steal game 1, the Raps are in serious mental risk of freaking out and folding once again.
But ... I can't do it. I think this Raps team will have a little bit more in the tank than in years past as Lowry came into the season in better shape than years past and should have a bit more left for this series.
Still, if they lose game 1 I'm gonna be nervous for this one. Myles Turner might swing this series either way for the Pacers so keep an eye on that.
Raps in 6
3 Heat vs 6 Hornets
I'm not sure I buy the Heat completely. They have the pedigree and history, but they don't have Bosh, Wade is older and Hassan Whiteside is the definition of a wildcard. They do have Justise Winslow though, who I'm on record of being on the bandwagon of last year, but he's just a rookie.
On the flip side, the artists formerly known as the Bobcats have a history of being terrible and have literally no playoff highlights to point to in their franchise's history. I love their coach as he's a defensive wiz and defense seems to fly under the radar with all the focus on offensive, spreading the floor and everything. Kemba can be clutch on the big stage and he's had a step up year. Jeremy Lin has good hair?
I don't have a feel for this. My heart says Hornetcats but my head says Miami in 7. So naturally, I'll take the Hornets in 6. Can't imagine they win game 7 on the road in Miami so they gotta pull through in 6.
4 Hawks vs 5 Celtics
President Brad Stevens is a great coach, but ultimately it is a players game. And, despite great seasons from Bradley, Crowder and Thomas, I still think Atlanta has at least the two best players in the series if not the best 3. And it's not like the Hawks have a poor coach. Bud is sitting on the bench with a coach of the year plaque in his trophy case.
Hawks in 6
1 Warriors vs 8 Rockets
Hahahahahaha good luck Rockets. Warriors in 4.
2 Spurs vs 7 Grizzlies
I won't laugh at the Grizzlies because I actually respect them unlike the Rockets. But this series will be even less close than the one above it. Waayyy too many injuries and a killer Spurs team that, in case you forgot, won 67 games and only lost 1 game at home (to the best regular season team of all time).
Spurs in 4.
3 Thunder vs 6 Mavericks
So I've heard a lot of people floating the Carlisle magic and the possible upset (and now they aren't talking about Zach Brehm track fans), but I'm not buying it. I don't think the Mavs are particularly good and the Thunder have two of the most athletic dudes to ever athletically walk around the freaking earth. I also am bias cuz I really like Russ (and KD) and I want them to win.
Last year I got burned picking the Mavs and Carlisle and Dirk to beat the Rockets, this year I'm not making that mistake. As Barkley says, it's not about the Xs and Os, it's about the Jims and Joes.
Thunder in 5
4 Clippers vs 5 Blazers
This is the only series in the West I can see being close and, realistically, I can't get a good feel. My logic says Clippers as they've been there before, won first round series the last two years, and they have one of the best players on the planet in Chris Paul.
But the Blazers have won a playoff series before (upsetting the Rockets) and they have really impressed me this year by putting together a capable squad even after Aldridge and Matthews left (and so did Robin Lopez and Nick Batum! That's 80% of their starting lineup!). I believe in Dame Lillard and his ability to put the team on his back, but I'm nervous about this squad defending Blake and DeAndre.
I think that's how this series will be won or last for LAC. If Blake is last year playoff Blake, that's bad news for the Blazers. But if he's still rusty and banged up .... This could be the Blazers game.
Clips are already a fragile mental squad. If they lose in the first round, they will be blowing this team up in some way and trading one of the big three. This is perhaps their last ride. So I feel like it would be poetic for this last ride to end with a game 7 loss at home. So Blazers in 7 it is.
Some Early Recaps
by Jarrett Felix
First
off, gotta say thanks to the writers for jumping in and really going all in on
the first episode of TheRoundHouse. I think it went about as well as you could
hope for it in a first attempt. Still plenty we can improve on, but it was a
lot of fun and we will definitely be looking to do it again (injecting some
more PA flair, some more competition and maybe a few more surprises). I’ll try
to give you guys a bit more advanced notice before the next edition so you have
a better chance to watch us live on YouTube and participate on Twitter with us.
As always, suggestions, constructive criticism and ideas are welcomed.
But
that’s enough about that. Let’s get back to the actual running.
The
weekend looks like it will be jam packed with excellent meets so I figure it
can’t hurt to try and knock out a couple recaps on the early side of things.
Penntrack did a great job with videos, photos, etc. at the Knights Invitational
so if you have a milesplit account feel free to jump on and check out some of
that good stuff. But if you are a big fan of reading lots of words about
running, I got you. I so got you.
The
1600m is peaking up steam in a hurry. In a dual meet, State College had four
guys between 4:25 and 4:27 with a roughly 60 second last lap. (Check out those
results here). Our intel out West
says that Nick Wolk of Peters and Ian Harris of Lebo dueled at a dual as well
(4:22 for Wolk, 4:26 for Harris). And now the latest from the Knight
Invitational is Sophomore Evan Addison, who won the 1600 in 4:23. That’s a big
breakthrough for the soph after a strong indoor season (excellent 4x8 leg at
indoor states). LaSalle has a pretty nice record when it comes to milers (they
have two sub 4 guys nowadays in Dan Lowry and Tom Coyle) and Addison is just
starting to his stride. Could be a big next couple weeks for him. Of course,
he’s got quite the group of running partners in his corner as Brendan Price
(4:26), Eddie Goebel (4:32) and Stephen Paul (4:34) all finished in the top 7.
They also took 9, 10 and 11 with three more guys at 4:45. This is after an XC
season that featured 7 guys under 17 at Hershey. Just to clarify that’s a seven
and not a one that I just wrote sloppily. In fact, I didn’t even it write it at
all, I typed it on a computer. They really just need a “star” leg to transform
that relay squad to the next level. After this meet, they have two guys who
look like they might be stars. I’ll get to that.
Meanwhile,
North Penn, who also has a pretty nice resume for churning out beasts, now gives
us another name to watch in Brendan O’Toole. He’s also a sophomore and now is a
4:25 1600 guy, cutting nearly 10 seconds off his indoor time. Did he run this
time on the double as well? As North Penn ran 8 flat in the 4x8, finishing just
three seconds back of Abington (who ran 7:57 for the dub). Not only does NP
have some intriguing 4x8 pieces currently (like 400 guy Dante Watson who
cracked 50 seconds in this one), but they have a really good young core that I
don’t think many people are taking notice of. With some extra seasoning this
spring, we could see a big emergence for these Knights in the fall.
Rounding
out the top 5 finishers (he was 4th, but we talked about 5th
placer Eddie Goebel already) was Christian Troemel from Abington. Pretty
amazing that a 4:31 guy can get swallowed up in a mid distance program, but
that’s how good this team has been. Oh by the way, Troemel is also a sophomore.
Props to him for a killer race.
At
800m, not to be out done by Addison, senior Patrick Grant dropped a big PR of
1:56.65 for the win. Grant ran 1:57 on the double last year so this was in
play, but dropping this kind of time and beating a couple studs in Hudson
Delisle (also a sophomore, by the way, in case you were looking for more
craziness with that class) and Stephen McClellan. Could LaSalle be a sleeper
pick for the COA at Penn Relays? They had a strong race there last year and
they return a lot of guys with that all important “E” word that we said about
100x on our YouTube show (that would be experience
for those who didn’t watch). Addison and Price both ran 2:01 in this one
(on the double I’m assuming based on the order) and Mac Costonis added a
2:03.37 to round out the group. For back up, Luke Ullman ran 2:05.55 and
finished 11th overall (2nd in his heat).
As
mentioned, Hudson Delisle, one of the top sophs in the state, ran a 1:57.44 for
2nd in this race and continues to drop time. He and Wolfinger are a
dynamite one two punch. Of course that fact that Hudson is just a sophomore
jumps out most. As a commenter mentioned, the sophs during XC were on a
different plane time wise than years past, but guys like Addison, Delisle and
O’Toole weren’t even included in that discussion but have crushed it on the
hard surface. Dang. Might have to do a post on this class …
Josh
Coleman with a great race for Abington, again showing off their depth in the
mid distance. He ran 2:03 for the win in his section and, naturally, he’s also
a sophomore.
LaSalle
completed the distance sweep with Frank Livolsi taking the 3200 title in a very
quick 9:38. Frank won this won by nearly 20 seconds over PCL rival Joe Piscano.
Livolsi had a very strong XC season, but this 3200 time is arguably more
impressive and, in a solo effort, puts him within just a few seconds of a state
qual time in the event. Should be fun to see how he matches up with the other
PCL studs including his teammates and the guys wearing the big O on their
chest.
Shout
out to the 400 from this one. Seck beats Smith of Abington in a thriller with
both guys in the 49s. Penn Wood adds another sub 50 guy in the open along with
Seck in Kenneth Johnson who finished 3rd overall from one of the
slower sections. Curious if Johnson has any interest in moving up to 800 like
Seck and Manyeah have done with great success. Jahi Smith just ran 2:01 in the
open 8 so this squad is shaping up very nicely in the mid distances.
Awesome
4x4 in this one as well with Abington at 3:19, Upper Darby at 3:20, Penn Wood
at 3:23 and North Penn at the same. That’s with St. Joe’s Prep who has a killer
squad but didn’t compete in this one. That’s gonna be a fun event come state
time.
At
Bensalem, despite the fact that the meet was running a little later than
originally planned, the times were still quick. At 800m, William Tennent made a
strong statement with a 1-2 finish and a pair of sub 2 runners. Matt Kraus, who
really excelled during indoors, dropped to a 1:58 but the bigger surprise to me
was the strong mark posted by Christian Craig who earned silver for WT. That’s
a killer 1-2 punch if this team can round out their relay (and they had an
underrated XC team so maybe they can swing it?). Andrew Crosby of Cheltenham
also got under 2 minutes for what I believe was the first time. Shout out to
him on the big mark.
Cheltenham
nearly went LaSalle in this one as Wolfgang Schambacher of Cheltenham won the
1600 in 4:33 and Will Griffen took gold in the 3200 in a 9:29. Yes a 9:29.
That’s a huge run for Griffen in a stacked group that included Rusty Kujdych
(9:33) and Patrick Donahue (9:37). That’s the fastest 3200 of the year so far
with that top three and Griffen makes a big statement about his contender
status with his W. Griffen was sneaky good during indoors and competed mostly
at 2 miles rather than the shorter (and easier to qualify in) 3,000m. Awesome
job for Griffen, now we will see how he handles the next month or so.
And
hey, Cheltenham, even without John Lewis, is making surprising moves at the
distance events. Traditionally, they’ve been more of a sprint school, but their
distance team is really good. They were right in the hunt for states indoor in
the DMR (I think they should have been invited to participate based on their
performances) and now they are out with a vengeance to start the spring.
One
last thing, defending state champs Pennsbury took the win in the 4x8, running
away with gold in 8:13. Never underestimate a defending champ. That’s all I
have to say about that.
TheRoundHouse: Episode One
We should go live around 8:30 and I think this link below will allow you to watch it. If not, my bad. I'll post a link after the show for sure.
The show is offline! If you missed it, you can check out the YouTube video once it loads all the way here: https://youtu.be/R8PpXddltng. We have plenty we can improve but not too shabby for a first try.
Shout out to Lutzgrind
TheRoundHouse (?)
Thanks
to everybody who participated in our discussion last night. I’m glad we were
able to get a little talk going and hopefully as the season continues and
results come flowing in, we will have even more to comment on. There will be
more discussion nights so be on the lookout for those!
Tonight
we are trying out another fun, new idea that we hope you will enjoy as well. We
will be live streaming a makeshift TV Show on YouTube with a staff full of
etrain writers. The tentative name for the show is TheRoundHouse, but the jury
is still out on an official name.
The show
will be similar to the popular ESPN program: Around the Horn. A couple writers
from the blog will get the chance to discuss some of the most popular topics in
track and field as chosen by our moderator (etrain this week, but might be
rotated at some point). Our moderator will assign his feedback at the end of
each round and, at the end, we will have a “winner” who did the best job
arguing their points.
Topics
will vary from week to week, but, considering our options, this week is going
to be focused on NCAA and Professional events. As the high scene picks up,
future shows will incorporate these results and intriguing plot points into our
show.
Tonight
will be our first ever attempt at the show, so there will likely be some
nerves, technical glitches and things like that, but we have a prepared group
of writers ready to get on camera and spit some game. It’s going to be a ton of
fun! And we want all of you to be a part of it. There will be multiple ways to
watch and even participate in the show. Here’s how ….
1)
Check
out our YouTube Account (currently under Jarrett Felix/jarrettfelix1130@gmail.com)
for the live stream which will start around 8:30ish tonight. If you can’t catch
us live, check back to our YouTube Channel any time after the show. We will have
the video uploaded on site for playback. If people prefer the old school
podcast style, rather than video style, let us know and we will work on
translating the show over to podcast form.
2)
Live
Tweet at us if you are watching us live and we will share some of the
tweets/opinions when we score the results! You can directly affect the outcome
of tonight’s show by hitting us up on twitter @TheRealTrain11. Even if you aren’t
watching live, feel free to tweet at us after the show and let us know who you
think should have won, what you liked and what you didn’t like.
3)
This
is very much a work in progress, so we need all the help we can get to make
this show great. Suggest topics for discussion, names for the show and ideas
for improvement by commenting on one of our sites or on the YouTube video
itself.
Keep
your fingers crossed that no one does anything embarrassing tonight and our
first show goes off relatively smoothly tonight! It probably won’t take me 10
minutes to figure out my headphones are broken like it did during our test run,
but you never know, I’m not the greatest with technology.
Hope to
see you tonight for the first episode of TheRoundHouse (or whatever else we
come up with)!
Live Discussion Night!
We will have the comment system ready to go for live discussion from 8 to 9 pm tonight! Hopefully we get some conversation going! Feel free to start early or stay late, but the live window will be about 8 to 9.
Penn Relays Predictions
- Who will be the top PA schools in each relay?
- Who will be our top miler or 3k guy?
- What will Andrew Hunter split on the DMR?
- Will PA leave with a COA wheel/watch this year in any of the 4 distance events?
Early State Predictions
- Who Runs What?
- Does DT West win yet again?
- Which meet records may be in trouble?
Bold Predictions
- Who are your sleepers?
- What's the fast time no one will see coming?
And whatever else you want!
DTW vs Coatesville
Head on over to LXV+ to check out the results from the DTW vs Coatesville dual meet that Coach Scott Burns was nice enough to send our way.
Interesting to note that Josh upset his older brother in both events that the two contested, the 400 and 800. Is this a sign of Jaxson being in heavier training, not in full health, or is Josh truly proving that he could already be better than his older brother? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
P.S. We have more writers with moderator permissions, so we can check comments a lot quicker than just Jarrett can with his adult life in the way. Comment away and we'll do our best to keep the discussion lively, as it is truly the best part of this blog.
Stay Awesome,
-Paul
The Weekend Review: Shaq Walker 1:44.99!; Ches Falls To Gilbert
By: Garrett Zatlin
Sorry for the delay on this post! There was a ton of fast results to mention as well as tons of PA alumni stuff so let's get to it!
Jim Click Invitational
800
Tre'tez Kinnaird (OKST) got the win with a nice time of 1:48.74. It's a nice early season time for Kinnaird who will have to drastically improve in order to compete with this deep 800 field.
1500
Josh Thompson (OKST) holds off Futsum Z (NAU), 3:46.77 to 3:46.90. It's not the fastest time, but Thompson still seems to be on top of his game in terms of tactical running.
The Big Meet- Stanford vs Cal
800
Stanford flexes their depth in the 800 with Justin Brinkley and Tai Dinger running 1:49.81 and 1:49.84 to take the top two spots in this race. Brinkley has been showing some promising improvement in the 800. Watch out for him to drop a faster time later on in the season.
1500
Stanford was out for revenge after the loss Cal gave them last year. McGorty, Coyle, and Fisher went 1-2-3 all running 3:42. Right off the bat, this is pretty monumental for Stanford. McGorty is still near top form, Coyle (PA Alumni) rebounds from a slightly off winter season, and Fisher shows that age is just a number.
It's also important to note that Fisher actually ran attached for Stanford and not unattached. Fisher actually being able to compete for at NCAA's this year shakes up the 1500 scene (or even the 5k).
LSU Battle on the Bayou
800
Former Alabama runner, Alex Amankwa takes the win running for Ghana with a time of 1:48.31. However, the top collegiate was Blair Henderson (LSU) who was not even a step behind with a time of 1:48.35. Amankwa's former teammate, Jacopo Lahbi was third running 1:48.56. Rounding out the top five was Allen Eke (Oklahoma) and Jack Wilkes (LSU), who ran 1:49.57 and 1:49.77 respectively.
Pepsi Invitational
800
Kidder and Harris (both of PSU) go 1-2 running 1:47.40 and 1:47.87. I'm surprised we haven't seen either of those guys pursue a 1500 yet, but Harris is showing that he is the real deal.
USC's Robert Ford was third with a time of 1:47.94 while Grant Grosvenor (Oregon) and Jordan Mankins (PSU) rounded out the top five running 1:48.85 and 1:49.61 respectively.
1500
Izaic Yorks (Washington) is still in top form as he takes down a loaded field with a fast time of 3:41. Yorks held off veteran Robbie Creese (PSU) and Sam Prakel (Oregon) as they ran times of 3:42. Blake Nelson (Washington) ran 3:43 while Blake Haney (Oregon) had a bit of an off day running 3:46.
PA alum Colin Abert (PSU) was sixth with a time of 3:47 (a PR).
5000
It's a tricky race to breakdown, but the headlines read that Gilbert (Washington) out-kicked Cheserek to get the win. Gilbert recorded a time of 13:44 while Cheserek was 13:50.
It's tough to say if Cheserek really was off his game, but in the long-run it doesn't really matter. After this indoor season, are you really going to start betting against him? I certainly won't...
That said, you can't take away the absolutely great race that Gilbert had. He's been improving with each season and has become incredibly consistent. He is a huge sleeper when regional and nationals roll around.
Jake Leingang (Oregon) was third with a time of 14:07 while PA alum Glen Burkhardt (PSU) was 5th with a time of 14:20.
3000 Steeplechase
Andrew Gardner (Washington) gets the win with a nice time of 8:53 while PA alum Ean DiSilvio (PSU) was second running 8:58.
Another PA alum to make note of is Ryan Gil (Oregon) who finished third overall with a time of 9:02. Gil was scheduled to run the 1500 on the performance list, but must've switched last second. While he has shown that his steeplechase skills are top-notch, I actually think he has a better shot at pursuing the 1500 when you consider how much he improved his mile time this past winter.
Baylor Invite
800
Brandon Moore (Baylor) was the victor with a time of 1:49.14. He wasn't active this past season, but watch for him the junior to make some noise like he did last year.
Tiger Track Classic
800
It was a fun battle between Mid. Tenn. State's Sampson Laari and Clemson's John Lewis (a PA alum). Laari got the best of Lewis out running him with times of 1:48.01 and 1:48.19. Behind them were Brennan Munley (Michigan) and Jordan Huntoon (Indiana). They were 1:50 and 1:51 respectively.
Laari has been improving as of late and had some really solid races towards the end of the winter season. Meanwhile, Lewis grabs a nice PR and gains momentum heading into the season.
37th Annual Sun Angel Classic
800
This was all anyone could talk about the past few days. Shaquille Walker (BYU) ripped open an unbelievable time of 1:44.99 to get the win at ASU. Goaner Deng (Minnesota) followed with a nice PR of 1:46.81.
For those keeping track, the NCAA record is 1:44.55. If Walker goes after it again, he could realistically get that record. He was sharp all indoor season, but now he has climbed to another level.
While we could talk about Walker all day, we have to give some love to Goaner Deng who continues to stay relevant in the best 800 field the NCAA has ever seen. He's made some really solid improvements, and isn't going away any time soon.
The rest of the collegiates in this field were all under 1:50...
-Abraham Alvarado (Stanislaus State): 1:47.23
-Mitch Hechsel (Minnesota): 1:48.30
-Marcus Dickson (BYU): 1:48.69
-J.D. Lafayette (Illinois State): 1:49.08
-Strymar Livingston (Kansas): 1:49.47
Mile
Patrick Corona and Matt Dorsey (both of Navy) go 1-2 with times of 4:00 and 4:02.
CU Invite
800
Zach Perrin (Colorado) continues to provide some speed for the endurance-centered Buffalos. Perrin got the win with a time of 1:49.85. Teammates Nick Harris and Connor Winter finished 2-3 each running 1:51.
Miami Hurricane Alumni Invite
800
Georgetown and Villanova made the trip to Miami where Ahmed Bile got a win with a time of 1:48.48. Nova's Ville Lampinen was close behind running 1:48.89. A slew of other Nova and Gtown athletes hung around the 1:50 mark.
Virginia Quad Meet
800
PA alum and Columbia runner Alek Sauer continues to impress us as he gets a win over Nathan Kiley (Virginia) 1:49.77 to 1:49.90.
5000
Henry Wynne (Virginia) leads a slew of his teammates to some fast times. Wynne finished with an excellent time of 13:49. Teammates Chase Weaverling, Adam Visokay, Brent Demarest, and Matthew Novak ran 14:01, 14:07, 14:10, and 14:19 respectively.
PA ALUMNI SECTION
800
Christian Sanders (La Salle): 1st- 1:50.14 @ Sam Howell
Dylan Eddinger (St. Joes): 8th- 1:54.12 @ Sam Howell
Steve Thompson (St. Joes): 12th- 1:54.40 @ Sam Howell
Jack Magee (St. Joes): 14th- 1:55.19 @ Sam Howell
Dan Ferraiolo (St. Joes): 33rd- 1:57.09 @ Sam Howell
Billy McDevitt (PSU): 9th- 1:53.14 @ Pepsi Invite
Alec Kunzweiler (Duke): 8th- 1:54.01 @ Spec Towns Invite
Jack Hummeler (Penn): 5th- 1:55.75 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Josh Coakley (West Chester): 2nd- 1:57.59 @ WCU Invite
Matt Willig (Haverford): 19th- 2:07.03 @ WCU Invite
John Westwood (Bucknell): 3rd- 1:54.65 @ Spring Invite
1500
Tom Coyle (Stanford): 2nd- 3:42.68 @ The Big Meet- Cal vs Stanford
Nick Smart (La Salle): 17th- 3:58.65 @ Sam Howell
Nick Libbi (La Salle): 18th- 3:59.09 @ Sam Howell
Francis Ferruzi (La Salle): 24th- 4:00.85 @ Sam Howell
Colin Abert (PSU): 6th- 3:47.70 @ Pepsi Invite
Wade Endress (PSU): 7th- 3:47.85 @ Pepsi Invite
Alex Fitzgerald (Lehigh): 1st- 4:05.86 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Ryan Cooney (Lehigh): 2nd- 4:06.44 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Zach Brehm (Army West Point): 6th- 4:02.31 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Angel Chimal-Rodriguez (Immaculata): 3rd- 4:11.19 @ WCU Invite
James Belfatto (American): 27th- 4:07.07 @ Spring Invite
Tyji Mays (Temple): 36th- 4:11.54 @ Spring Invite
Kyle Adams (Bucknell): 42nd- 4:14.42 @ Spring Invite
Ben Ritz (Columbia): 2nd- 3:52.21 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Sam Webb (Penn): 6th- 3:55.38 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Jack Hummeler (Penn): 10th- 3:58.20 @ Virginia Quad Meet
5000
Juris Silenieks (Syracuse): 5th- 14:28.55 @ Sam Howell
Ian Barnhill (La Salle): 8th- 14:34.62 @ Sam Howell
James Zingarini (Boston College): 21st- 14:47.91 @ Sam Howell
Glen Burkhardt (PSU): 5th- 14:20.13 @ Pepsi Invite
Brian Arita (Lehigh): 1st- 15:05.19 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Patrick Reilly (Lehigh): 2nd- 15:07.47 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Barrett Kemp (Buffalo): 3rd- 14:41.24 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Seamus Roddy (George Washington): 4th- 15:10.89 @ Spring Invite
Lyle Wistar (Penn): 10th- 15:04.94 @ Virginia Quad Meet
10,000
Brett Kelly (Princeton): 8th- 30:44.07 @ Sam Howell
3000 Steeplechase
Ean DiSilvio (PSU): 2nd- 8:58.88 @ Pepsi Invite
Ryan Gil (Oregon): 3rd- 9:02.05 @ Pepsi Invite
Scott Mason (Lehigh): 2nd- 9:35.63 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Analysis
800
John Lewis and Alek Sauer are giving PA fans something to get excited about. As just freshman, they are taking down some solid names with some great times. This is a very encouraging sign for what we could see in the future.
To add to that, Christian Sanders continues to show that he is one of the most underrated PA alumni out there with another 1:50 performance. Hopefully he breaks 1:50 soon.
1500
Tom Coyle seems to be getting back into his groove again as he laid down a strong 3:42 against Cal. I would love to see him in a faster race to see how close to 3:40 he could get.
Freshman Colin Abert impressed once again with his 3:47 PR. The kid is on fire this year and could very well be the future star of this PSU program. Wade Endress also had a nice race himself running 3:47high. Hopefully he can bring that time down a bit and qualify for regionals.
5000
Glen Burkhardt and Juris Silenieks are looking so far this season by throwing down times in the 14:20's. However, they'll need to improve on that time to assure themselves a spot to regionals.
3000 Steeplchase
DiSilvio ran a very nice PR of 8:58 this weekend. That time will most likely make regionals. With plenty of season left, we could see DiSilvio drop that time even lower.
Gil on the other hand still ran a very solid 9:02, but it was far off his PR of 8:42. I really do think Gil is better off with the 1500 at this point in the season considering his rate of improvement. However, when you hold an 8:42 PR, it's hard to make that switch.
Sorry for the delay on this post! There was a ton of fast results to mention as well as tons of PA alumni stuff so let's get to it!
Jim Click Invitational
800
Tre'tez Kinnaird (OKST) got the win with a nice time of 1:48.74. It's a nice early season time for Kinnaird who will have to drastically improve in order to compete with this deep 800 field.
1500
Josh Thompson (OKST) holds off Futsum Z (NAU), 3:46.77 to 3:46.90. It's not the fastest time, but Thompson still seems to be on top of his game in terms of tactical running.
The Big Meet- Stanford vs Cal
800
Stanford flexes their depth in the 800 with Justin Brinkley and Tai Dinger running 1:49.81 and 1:49.84 to take the top two spots in this race. Brinkley has been showing some promising improvement in the 800. Watch out for him to drop a faster time later on in the season.
1500
Stanford was out for revenge after the loss Cal gave them last year. McGorty, Coyle, and Fisher went 1-2-3 all running 3:42. Right off the bat, this is pretty monumental for Stanford. McGorty is still near top form, Coyle (PA Alumni) rebounds from a slightly off winter season, and Fisher shows that age is just a number.
It's also important to note that Fisher actually ran attached for Stanford and not unattached. Fisher actually being able to compete for at NCAA's this year shakes up the 1500 scene (or even the 5k).
LSU Battle on the Bayou
800
Former Alabama runner, Alex Amankwa takes the win running for Ghana with a time of 1:48.31. However, the top collegiate was Blair Henderson (LSU) who was not even a step behind with a time of 1:48.35. Amankwa's former teammate, Jacopo Lahbi was third running 1:48.56. Rounding out the top five was Allen Eke (Oklahoma) and Jack Wilkes (LSU), who ran 1:49.57 and 1:49.77 respectively.
Pepsi Invitational
800
Kidder and Harris (both of PSU) go 1-2 running 1:47.40 and 1:47.87. I'm surprised we haven't seen either of those guys pursue a 1500 yet, but Harris is showing that he is the real deal.
USC's Robert Ford was third with a time of 1:47.94 while Grant Grosvenor (Oregon) and Jordan Mankins (PSU) rounded out the top five running 1:48.85 and 1:49.61 respectively.
1500
Izaic Yorks (Washington) is still in top form as he takes down a loaded field with a fast time of 3:41. Yorks held off veteran Robbie Creese (PSU) and Sam Prakel (Oregon) as they ran times of 3:42. Blake Nelson (Washington) ran 3:43 while Blake Haney (Oregon) had a bit of an off day running 3:46.
PA alum Colin Abert (PSU) was sixth with a time of 3:47 (a PR).
5000
It's a tricky race to breakdown, but the headlines read that Gilbert (Washington) out-kicked Cheserek to get the win. Gilbert recorded a time of 13:44 while Cheserek was 13:50.
It's tough to say if Cheserek really was off his game, but in the long-run it doesn't really matter. After this indoor season, are you really going to start betting against him? I certainly won't...
That said, you can't take away the absolutely great race that Gilbert had. He's been improving with each season and has become incredibly consistent. He is a huge sleeper when regional and nationals roll around.
Jake Leingang (Oregon) was third with a time of 14:07 while PA alum Glen Burkhardt (PSU) was 5th with a time of 14:20.
3000 Steeplechase
Andrew Gardner (Washington) gets the win with a nice time of 8:53 while PA alum Ean DiSilvio (PSU) was second running 8:58.
Another PA alum to make note of is Ryan Gil (Oregon) who finished third overall with a time of 9:02. Gil was scheduled to run the 1500 on the performance list, but must've switched last second. While he has shown that his steeplechase skills are top-notch, I actually think he has a better shot at pursuing the 1500 when you consider how much he improved his mile time this past winter.
Baylor Invite
800
Brandon Moore (Baylor) was the victor with a time of 1:49.14. He wasn't active this past season, but watch for him the junior to make some noise like he did last year.
Tiger Track Classic
800
It was a fun battle between Mid. Tenn. State's Sampson Laari and Clemson's John Lewis (a PA alum). Laari got the best of Lewis out running him with times of 1:48.01 and 1:48.19. Behind them were Brennan Munley (Michigan) and Jordan Huntoon (Indiana). They were 1:50 and 1:51 respectively.
Laari has been improving as of late and had some really solid races towards the end of the winter season. Meanwhile, Lewis grabs a nice PR and gains momentum heading into the season.
37th Annual Sun Angel Classic
800
This was all anyone could talk about the past few days. Shaquille Walker (BYU) ripped open an unbelievable time of 1:44.99 to get the win at ASU. Goaner Deng (Minnesota) followed with a nice PR of 1:46.81.
For those keeping track, the NCAA record is 1:44.55. If Walker goes after it again, he could realistically get that record. He was sharp all indoor season, but now he has climbed to another level.
While we could talk about Walker all day, we have to give some love to Goaner Deng who continues to stay relevant in the best 800 field the NCAA has ever seen. He's made some really solid improvements, and isn't going away any time soon.
The rest of the collegiates in this field were all under 1:50...
-Abraham Alvarado (Stanislaus State): 1:47.23
-Mitch Hechsel (Minnesota): 1:48.30
-Marcus Dickson (BYU): 1:48.69
-J.D. Lafayette (Illinois State): 1:49.08
-Strymar Livingston (Kansas): 1:49.47
Mile
Patrick Corona and Matt Dorsey (both of Navy) go 1-2 with times of 4:00 and 4:02.
CU Invite
800
Zach Perrin (Colorado) continues to provide some speed for the endurance-centered Buffalos. Perrin got the win with a time of 1:49.85. Teammates Nick Harris and Connor Winter finished 2-3 each running 1:51.
Miami Hurricane Alumni Invite
800
Georgetown and Villanova made the trip to Miami where Ahmed Bile got a win with a time of 1:48.48. Nova's Ville Lampinen was close behind running 1:48.89. A slew of other Nova and Gtown athletes hung around the 1:50 mark.
Virginia Quad Meet
800
PA alum and Columbia runner Alek Sauer continues to impress us as he gets a win over Nathan Kiley (Virginia) 1:49.77 to 1:49.90.
5000
Henry Wynne (Virginia) leads a slew of his teammates to some fast times. Wynne finished with an excellent time of 13:49. Teammates Chase Weaverling, Adam Visokay, Brent Demarest, and Matthew Novak ran 14:01, 14:07, 14:10, and 14:19 respectively.
PA ALUMNI SECTION
800
Christian Sanders (La Salle): 1st- 1:50.14 @ Sam Howell
Dylan Eddinger (St. Joes): 8th- 1:54.12 @ Sam Howell
Steve Thompson (St. Joes): 12th- 1:54.40 @ Sam Howell
Jack Magee (St. Joes): 14th- 1:55.19 @ Sam Howell
Dan Ferraiolo (St. Joes): 33rd- 1:57.09 @ Sam Howell
Billy McDevitt (PSU): 9th- 1:53.14 @ Pepsi Invite
Alec Kunzweiler (Duke): 8th- 1:54.01 @ Spec Towns Invite
Jack Hummeler (Penn): 5th- 1:55.75 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Josh Coakley (West Chester): 2nd- 1:57.59 @ WCU Invite
Matt Willig (Haverford): 19th- 2:07.03 @ WCU Invite
John Westwood (Bucknell): 3rd- 1:54.65 @ Spring Invite
Kevin Moy (Navy): 28th- 2:01.17 @ Spring Invite
John Lewis (Clemson): 2nd- 1:48.19 @ Tiger Track Classic
Alek Sauer (Columbia): 1st- 1:49.77 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Elias Graca (Penn): 5th- 1:52.34 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Tom Coyle (Stanford): 2nd- 3:42.68 @ The Big Meet- Cal vs Stanford
Nick Smart (La Salle): 17th- 3:58.65 @ Sam Howell
Nick Libbi (La Salle): 18th- 3:59.09 @ Sam Howell
Francis Ferruzi (La Salle): 24th- 4:00.85 @ Sam Howell
Colin Abert (PSU): 6th- 3:47.70 @ Pepsi Invite
Wade Endress (PSU): 7th- 3:47.85 @ Pepsi Invite
Alex Fitzgerald (Lehigh): 1st- 4:05.86 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Ryan Cooney (Lehigh): 2nd- 4:06.44 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Zach Brehm (Army West Point): 6th- 4:02.31 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Angel Chimal-Rodriguez (Immaculata): 3rd- 4:11.19 @ WCU Invite
James Belfatto (American): 27th- 4:07.07 @ Spring Invite
Tyji Mays (Temple): 36th- 4:11.54 @ Spring Invite
Kyle Adams (Bucknell): 42nd- 4:14.42 @ Spring Invite
Ben Ritz (Columbia): 2nd- 3:52.21 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Sam Webb (Penn): 6th- 3:55.38 @ Virginia Quad Meet
Jack Hummeler (Penn): 10th- 3:58.20 @ Virginia Quad Meet
5000
Juris Silenieks (Syracuse): 5th- 14:28.55 @ Sam Howell
Ian Barnhill (La Salle): 8th- 14:34.62 @ Sam Howell
James Zingarini (Boston College): 21st- 14:47.91 @ Sam Howell
Glen Burkhardt (PSU): 5th- 14:20.13 @ Pepsi Invite
Brian Arita (Lehigh): 1st- 15:05.19 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Patrick Reilly (Lehigh): 2nd- 15:07.47 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Barrett Kemp (Buffalo): 3rd- 14:41.24 @ Lou Onesty/Milton G. Abramson Invite
Seamus Roddy (George Washington): 4th- 15:10.89 @ Spring Invite
Lyle Wistar (Penn): 10th- 15:04.94 @ Virginia Quad Meet
10,000
Brett Kelly (Princeton): 8th- 30:44.07 @ Sam Howell
3000 Steeplechase
Ean DiSilvio (PSU): 2nd- 8:58.88 @ Pepsi Invite
Ryan Gil (Oregon): 3rd- 9:02.05 @ Pepsi Invite
Scott Mason (Lehigh): 2nd- 9:35.63 @ Lafayette College Vs Lehigh University
Analysis
800
John Lewis and Alek Sauer are giving PA fans something to get excited about. As just freshman, they are taking down some solid names with some great times. This is a very encouraging sign for what we could see in the future.
To add to that, Christian Sanders continues to show that he is one of the most underrated PA alumni out there with another 1:50 performance. Hopefully he breaks 1:50 soon.
1500
Tom Coyle seems to be getting back into his groove again as he laid down a strong 3:42 against Cal. I would love to see him in a faster race to see how close to 3:40 he could get.
Freshman Colin Abert impressed once again with his 3:47 PR. The kid is on fire this year and could very well be the future star of this PSU program. Wade Endress also had a nice race himself running 3:47high. Hopefully he can bring that time down a bit and qualify for regionals.
5000
Glen Burkhardt and Juris Silenieks are looking so far this season by throwing down times in the 14:20's. However, they'll need to improve on that time to assure themselves a spot to regionals.
3000 Steeplchase
DiSilvio ran a very nice PR of 8:58 this weekend. That time will most likely make regionals. With plenty of season left, we could see DiSilvio drop that time even lower.
Gil on the other hand still ran a very solid 9:02, but it was far off his PR of 8:42. I really do think Gil is better off with the 1500 at this point in the season considering his rate of improvement. However, when you hold an 8:42 PR, it's hard to make that switch.
Untitled 908
By
Jarrett Felix
Ever
curious what etrain listens to on those long train rides back and forth from
the apple? I suspect you don’t care whatsoever. You probably don’t even care
that I have an Apple pun in back pocket right now (it’s not a core piece of the
joke to be fair). But I’m trying to get a post streak started in honor of the
old blog that we are (hopefully) on the verge of passing before April turns to
May later this year. So that means a post a day for as long as possible,
chasing my record from the old blog. And that means you guys get to find out
what’s on the April Spotify Playlist I have created! So if you like music read
on. If you are looking for track talk, we have big things in store for you soon
(the next two night should be fun). If you are looking for baseball talk, you
are really bad at searching the internet for baseball talk. Now let’s ride.
Every
month I build a playlist on Spotify to vary my music than I basically become
obsessed with a few songs on the playlist and play them on repeat until the
next month. In March, it was a combination of “Work” by Re and Drizz and “Pop
Thieves” by Childish Gambino. In the last few months I’ve found a real passion
for Childish actually so shout out to Alex Fox. I also was reading a lot of
“The Rap Year Book” by Shea from Grantland (one of my favorites) in March so
that kept me tilting in a rappish direction. Of course, I also have a really
weird list of music interests. So I think that makes the list kinda
interesting. No? Still not interested? Just looking for a place to yell at me
in the comment section? Well, darn. I’ll just keep moving forward with this
post anyway.
Here
are 11 songs that I swear are really on my current Spotify playlist.
“Untitled
07” by Kendrick Lamar – This is the “Levitate” song in case you didn’t know. I
can see why Kendrick is great and I love certain verses where he really goes in
and such, but sometimes it takes me some time to warm up to his artsiness and
stuff. I honestly just don’t think I’m a deep enough rap fan to truly enjoy
Lamar’s grind. That’s probably why I like Drake. But I do really like this
song, especially the first part. I usually skip that kinda odd outro part.
“Break
Your Heart Right Back” by Ariana Grande – I put this on there because it
features Mr. Gambino and I’m currently on a Gambino kick. But also I’m not
ashamed to admit I love AG. She’s like an authentically good singer and I also
like a lot of girly songs. I have Torri Kelly on some other playlists and I’d
probably have a boat load of Tay on here if she was still on Spotify. I like some
other AG better than this, but I’ll rock it. Maybe rock it isn’t the right
phrase but still.
“Monster”
by Kanye West – This is one of the best songs I know. I’m not always in on
Nicki Minaj but her verse is absurd. I sing this song in the shower sometimes/a
lot of times/I love this song. I like to do the Jay-Z sniff too. But if I’m not
careful that can really back fire in terms of water up the nose.
“Girls”
by Kid Cudi – I regret this decision. I keep trying to find new Cudi songs that
I can jam too as I’ve basically exhausted old Cudi. I listed to Mr. Rager on
repeat sophomore year just sitting in my room on my bed and surfing the
internet. Probably blogging honestly. Possibly post streaking actually. My
roommate may still have nightmares about that song and it really haunts you in
a beautiful way. This song is not that song. And his has Too Short. I’m sorry
but Too Short and beautiful are not words I can put together.
“Radioactive”
by Imagine Dragons – It’s the Kendrick Lamar version. Naturally. Kendrick makes
everything better it seems. You seen Ken and the Dragons do this at the
Grammys? Watch that performance. Seriously. Right now actually. Don’t read on
until you get through the video.
“Used
To” by Drake – Did you watch the performance? Watch the performance dang it!
This is just a great Drake song featuring Lil Wayne. There’s a bunch of those.
“Buried
Alive Interlude” by Drake – This song isn’t really by Drake at all. It’s all
actually just Kendrick Lamar (who I’m assuming you have now watched multiple
grammy performance videos of because how could you not). It’s gotta be sweet
for Drake to just have Kendrick come on, spit an elegant couple bars and slap
his name and album on it. And the bars Kendrick is spitting? Pretty much how
awesome Drake is wrapped inside an awesome metaphor. He pretty much just
completed my life goal right there.
“It’s
on Again” by Alicia Keys – This is a song from the Amazing Spiderman 2 sound
track. Seems pretty odd right. Why would I have this song on-KENDRICK LAMAR. He
spits the first verse quite lovely-ly and I’m in. And I actually am a big fan
of Alicia as well, so I mean that’s good.
“Problems”
by A$AP Rocky – A) I like typing out the dollar sign. I feel like it makes me
seem more hip than I actually am. Or possibly less hip since I just explained
that. B) I left out a bad word so, again, I’m really degrading the whole being
thing here. C) This is another great ensemble rap song and I like great
ensemble rap songs. A lot. Also Kendrick is on it with a big last verse. Kendrick
makes everything better.
“Pay
for It” by Jay Rock – Kendrick makes everything better! I just want to work out
to this like Cam Newton!
“Backwards”
by Tame Impala –Kendrick in fact does not make everything better. He’s on this
song and I don’t really like that. I know, it’s crazy talk. But to be fair,
it’s a song that’s on the “Divergent” movie sound track. I didn’t have a ton of
high expectations for it.
Not
making the list, although still great songs, “Open Season” from the good Pitch
Perfect Movie (maybe I should say better Pitch Perfect movie as this implies
the second one wasn’t good, it was good it just wasn’t perhaps the greatest
movie of all time). What was I talking about?
Penn Relays Gets Popping
By
Jarrett Felix
It’s an
excellent time of year for track and field. Although the weather hasn’t exactly
reflected it, we are in full on spring track mode. And the first big moment of
the spring track season is beginning to release its entries. The Penn Relays
are an historic event and, considering we are on relatively home turf, it’s a
huge stage for PA teams and individuals to try and go Kooks and Shine On. Yes,
that’s a song. Yes, I like the Kooks.
The
individual entries were just released today and, as was pointed out to me last
year, that still doesn’t mean anything is set in stone. I believe all these
individuals can scratch if their relay qualifies and they choose to pursue that
avenue. But it does give us some insight into where cut offs were and which of
our non-philly area runners will be imported (for lack of a better word) for
Penn weekend. I scanned results kinda quick, but here’s who I have in the
distance events. They run a Mile and 3k at this meet. Relay invites should be
out next week around this same time if memory serves, but don’t quote me on
that.
Mile
Jaxson
Hoey, DT West
Mike
Kolor, Seneca Valley
Nick
Dahl, GFS
Josh
Hoey, DT West
3,000m
Jake
Brophy, CB East
Dominic
Hockenbury, Lake Lehman
Nathan
Henderson, JP McCaskey
Jeff
Kirshenbaum, Methacton
In
summary, PA will be well represented individually and hopefully we can bring
home some hardware. In not quite as concise summary, let’s take a look at some
of the logical (and sometimes not as logical) storylines that come into play as
a result of the official release.
1) Will
there be scratches?
I
think I lean towards relays over individual events in terms of intrigue (just
more moving pieces to discuss) so my mind immediately jumps to what these
entries mean for individual events. Because there are scratches, we could still
see Dahl and the Hoeys (and possibly even Brophy) disappearing from the
starting line come race day. Both of these teams have excellent DMRs (mainly
because of the legs who entered in this individual mile) but its not a guarantee
that either squad will throw down an A squad in said event. West has been
unpredictable at best when it comes to their relay choices (they don’t have a
4x8 qual either I don’t think) and GFS has arguably just as strong of a 4x8
team as their DMR (or at least good enough to make you think twice about what
to do with Nick Dahl). Besides these three, I don’t expect to see any scratches
barring some type of injury or something. My gut reaction right now is all the
guys I listed end up racing individually with the Hoeys being the most logical
cross outs.
2) Can
Jake add to history?
Jake
has had a pretty prolific career already, but he’s looking straight on at a
chance to add a particularly noteworthy artifact to his paleontology
collection. Every year, there’s a state champion for PA (in fact, there’s more
than 1), but it’s not every year that we get a Penn Relays champion. We had the
champ over 3k in 08, 09, and 13 but all-time greats like Springer, Weller,
Dustin Wilson, etc. have never left Franklin Field with the gold and the watch.
Brophy run sub 8:30 a year ago with a blistering kick (classic), but can he
take it up one more notch and put that finish on when he’s up with the leaders?
And don’t forget, assuming CB East gets in, Eddie Redmayne will also have a 4x8
carry in his legs to add extra difficulty.
And
to make things even more interesting, Jake has a couple PA guys who will be
gunning all out with fresh legs against him. Dominic Hockenbury is no longer a
Penn Relays rookie and he will be unafraid to follow any pace early. If someone
else can help keep things fast rather than a solo trot, he could run something
very quick and break Jake’s kick. Hock has seen it before as gutsy front runner
Dominic Deluca ran a blazing fast 8:21.89 3k at this meet just a few years back
for top PA honors. And, hey, don’t sleep on Nate Henderson. Henderson gave both
Brophy and Hock a real scare at the state meet, but was just a gear away from
being able to close over the last 2 to 4 hundred. Henderson is still just a junior
and the pressure will be on for his first Penn Relays, but he’s getting
consistently stronger with each race and tends to rise to the occasion when the
spotlight gets bright.
All
the same, I think most people have enough faith in Brophy right now to expect
him to be the #1 watch in terms of contenders for the watch. He has some pretty
big wins under his belt, but this could arguably be the most impressive one to
date if he pulls it out.
The
good news: no Andrew Hunter.
3) The
Curious Case of Germantown Friends
Still
lots of mystery to me with this team and their relay decision, but they threw a
nice curve ball at me today when they revealed Dahl would be in the mile rather
than the 3k. The school record holder in the 2 mile (as a sophomore) is a bit
more established in the longer distance and I believe he has a qualifier from
New Balance Nationals when he raced the 2 mile. However, he picked the mile
after his blazing fast anchor leg on GFS’s DMR (4:10.39!). We’ve seen a ton of
development in this kid’s speed (split a very impressive 1:55 leg on their
indoor 4x8) and it looks like he will see just how far along he is in his
progression at that event. I’m very excited by this development. Of course,
there’s still a relatively decent chance he scratches considering the Tigers
have a top flight DMR. But Dahl has scratched from states the last two years
indoors and Penn Relays outdoors for 3k last year as well. So maybe they go 4x8
(where they are, as mentioned, very strong) and then let Dahl finally have a moment.
And guess what, I think GFS could be a Championship of America type team in the
4x8.
4) The
Mile Jinx
PA
has done a nice job with the DMR and the 3k in terms of Championship of America
crowns. We’ve actually killed it in the DMR. But the mile hasn’t been our
event. Despite some strong talent in the event, PA hasn’t grabbed gold since
2004 when Craig Spooner was around. Can any of these guys take down gold? I’m
thrilled to have Kolor coming in from out west as he had a very productive
indoor season and is rapidly ascending. He’s run 4:12ish for the mile outdoors
as has Jaxson Hoey (who has run 4:11 indoors) giving PA a killer 1-2 punch in
the event. Of course, you can make an argument that Josh Hoey is actually PA’s
best miler right now after he ran the state lead in the mile and the 800,
including an impressive negative split. Currently, I tend to be convinced by
that argument.
The
good news: no Andrew Hunter.
Well, there were some races I suppose
by Jarrett Felix
Well I'm always happy to get back to talking track, but unfortunately there wasn't a ton going on this weekend thanks to some brutal conditions in the state of Pennsylvania. However, that didn't mean PA's distance core was completely quiet on race day. Here's a look at a few performances that shined brightly through the clouds.
Olympian Invitational
Indoor state medalist Connor McMenamin of Souderton added yet another sub 4:30 mark to his ever growing resume as he defeated Dylan Bucior of Jim Thorpe in enemy territory 4:27 to 4:31. McMenamin has really honed in on the mile as of late and he's excelled in this event. I'm curious if this ultimately is going to mark a switch in events from the 3200 he ran outdoors last spring. He's definitely very comfortable in this event.
I really liked the day for Bucior. The AA XC Medalist ran 4:31 to hold his own with Connor and then doubled back for the W in the 3200. I think he could end up finishing the year with a very quick time in the 1600 as District 11 has a nice stable of milers on the agenda for end of May. Also getting a win to rep the 11, Tom Matsumara beat Joel Hinkle in a show down at 800 2:02 to 2:05. Both guys are just sophomores. Hinkle is also AA for track at Weatherly.
Golden Ram Invitational
At Golden Ram, Conestoga's multi time state qualifier PJ Murray won the 1600 in 4:36 over Maryland sophomore Kai Muiz (4:37) and XC stand out Jake Ilgenfritz of Avon Grove (4:41). Murray's teammate Aidan Lake was the top PA finisher in the 3200 while Mack Morgan finished tops in the open quarter, also representing Conestoga. They added the 4x4 gold medal for extra bonus points.
Sterling Hoffman
Don't get it confused, this isn't the name of a famous businessman (actually it could be I guess), but it's also the name of a track meet! That actually happened this weekend! I'm assuming it's a relatively new meet as their were plenty of meet records to go around on race day. Andrew Risser of Tulpehocken, just a junior, was one of the those record holders, dropping some killer times in the 400 and 200 (51.16, 23.31). Hamburg Area and Marian Catholic really got rolling on the 4x4s, both running 3:33.9 and being divided by just 0.01 seconds. That's one heck of a duel. Although Marian Catholic ended up on the wrong side of that coin flip finish, they did get a huge 800 victory from Dominic Mussoline who ran 2:02.97 to win by nearly 10 seconds. Watch out for this kid long term on the AA scene.
And that's it I guess? Let me know if I missed anything else. I'm thinking we have our first discussion night this coming Wednesday night. Let me know your ideas for the discussion theme.
Well I'm always happy to get back to talking track, but unfortunately there wasn't a ton going on this weekend thanks to some brutal conditions in the state of Pennsylvania. However, that didn't mean PA's distance core was completely quiet on race day. Here's a look at a few performances that shined brightly through the clouds.
Olympian Invitational
Indoor state medalist Connor McMenamin of Souderton added yet another sub 4:30 mark to his ever growing resume as he defeated Dylan Bucior of Jim Thorpe in enemy territory 4:27 to 4:31. McMenamin has really honed in on the mile as of late and he's excelled in this event. I'm curious if this ultimately is going to mark a switch in events from the 3200 he ran outdoors last spring. He's definitely very comfortable in this event.
I really liked the day for Bucior. The AA XC Medalist ran 4:31 to hold his own with Connor and then doubled back for the W in the 3200. I think he could end up finishing the year with a very quick time in the 1600 as District 11 has a nice stable of milers on the agenda for end of May. Also getting a win to rep the 11, Tom Matsumara beat Joel Hinkle in a show down at 800 2:02 to 2:05. Both guys are just sophomores. Hinkle is also AA for track at Weatherly.
Golden Ram Invitational
At Golden Ram, Conestoga's multi time state qualifier PJ Murray won the 1600 in 4:36 over Maryland sophomore Kai Muiz (4:37) and XC stand out Jake Ilgenfritz of Avon Grove (4:41). Murray's teammate Aidan Lake was the top PA finisher in the 3200 while Mack Morgan finished tops in the open quarter, also representing Conestoga. They added the 4x4 gold medal for extra bonus points.
Sterling Hoffman
Don't get it confused, this isn't the name of a famous businessman (actually it could be I guess), but it's also the name of a track meet! That actually happened this weekend! I'm assuming it's a relatively new meet as their were plenty of meet records to go around on race day. Andrew Risser of Tulpehocken, just a junior, was one of the those record holders, dropping some killer times in the 400 and 200 (51.16, 23.31). Hamburg Area and Marian Catholic really got rolling on the 4x4s, both running 3:33.9 and being divided by just 0.01 seconds. That's one heck of a duel. Although Marian Catholic ended up on the wrong side of that coin flip finish, they did get a huge 800 victory from Dominic Mussoline who ran 2:02.97 to win by nearly 10 seconds. Watch out for this kid long term on the AA scene.
And that's it I guess? Let me know if I missed anything else. I'm thinking we have our first discussion night this coming Wednesday night. Let me know your ideas for the discussion theme.
PA Alumni: The Big Q's
By: Garrett Zatlin
Although I do tend to focus on the overall NCAA, our PA alumni deserve some more in-depth coverage every now and then. As the spring season approaches, there are a lot of questions that we'll need to have answered.
*Excuse the typos and grammar errors. I was in a rush.
1. Will any PA alumni make nationals? If so, who? Will Burkhardt and Gil return?
-Last spring season we saw Ryan Gil and Glen Burkhardt make it to nationals in the steeplechase and the 10k respectively. Unfortunately, Gil didn't advance to the finals Burkhardt was a DNF. So who are the contenders to make nationals this year?
In a long race like the 10k, there is always a possibility something weird happens with the pacing, and an unexpected individual gets in. That's what happened to Burkhardt last spring despite having "only" a PR of 29:31. Could he do it again? He could, but it's tough to say if how much he's really improved. The odds will be stacked against him assuming if we assume he pursues the 10k again.
Gil, on the other hand, has been improving at a pretty rapid rate ever since he transferred to Oregon. The steeplechaser brought his mile time down to 4:01.99 this past winter season, and doesn't seems to show signs of running anything else. Gil is currently set to run the 1500 this weekend in a fast field of PAC 12 guys as well as some men from PSU. Will Gil abandon the steeplechase for the 1500? It sure seems like that's the plan...
Then there are also other guys who have been right on the verge and just missed nationals. Last year, Willig missed the finals at the regional meet by one spot while Coyle finished 13th in the final of that same region (he was the first man out).
There are plenty of others we're missing. John Lewis and Colin Abert were total studs indoors, but their youth and inexperience is a concern. Christian Sanders (La Salle) meanwhile, is looking strong early with a time of 1:50.44 to start off his spring season. He'll need to improve, but it's a great start. Others that could mix it up are Elias Graca (Penn), Alek Sauer (Columbia), Alec Kunzweiler (Duke), Ean DiSilvio (PSU), and Wade Endress (PSU).
2. How low can John Lewis go?
-This past indoor season, John Lewis had the fastest 800 mark over all of the other active PA Alumni (he ran 1:49.39). He was one of the most consistent PA alumni by going under 1:50 four different times. Lewis was (and is) clearly in shape, but he wasn't as tactically savy as some of his competitors.
With a season of racing under his belt and a PR of 1:48 to beat, could we see the Clemson Tiger dip under 1:48? At the rate he's been improving, the possibility is certainly there. However, he'll need to become a better tactical runner rather than just relying on pure fitness especially if he wants to make NCAA's.
3. Over/under Colin Abert running 14:15 in the 5k?
-Abert is slated to run the the 1500 this weekend, but without the 3k to run (like he had during indoors), the 5k will be the next option for him to run later this season. In fact, I think that could be his best event. Going under 14:15 is no joke and Abert would have to do it in the right race. However, when you run 4:03 and and 8:08 indoors, then there are clearly signs that sub 14:15 is possible.
To put it in perspective, Sam Webb just ran 14:44 to make his outdoor debut. Ross Wilson was also able to bring down his 5k time to 14:23 by the end of his freshman year. Abert seems to be on another level than where most freshman are and have been.
4. Which of D2 and D3 alumni can realistically contend for a national title?
-It's tough to say if there is really anyone in particular that could contend for a title. My first thoughts direct me to Steven Yannacone (Williams) and Vincent Tonzo (St. Vincent's) who qualified for the DIII NCAA 800 last year. Unfortunately, neither made the finals, but both ran some pretty quick times (Yannacone- 1:51, Tonzo-1:54). If they can get back to the championships, the range of improvement is possible. The prelims winner was as fast as 1:50 while the finals winner was 1:52
Continuing with the D3 returners, Will McDermott ran a promising 14:50 last year to finish 11th overall. His PR is 14:28 and the winner last year was 14:10. McDermott would have to improve quite a bit and have his best days at nationals. From what I've seen so far, the competition isn't going to get any easier, and there are some quality runners near the top. However, McDermott competing for a title is still somewhat in the realm of possibility. At the very least, he could contend up front.
There are plenty of other guys to watch out for. At D2 nationals last year, Kierna Sutton (Shippensburg) qualified to run the 10k and finished around the middle of the pack. Other guys that I'm watching are Jeremy Parsons (Slippery Rock), Caleb Gatchell (Hillsdale), Dylan Mountain (Lock Haven), and Ernie Pitone (Widener). All of these guys have shown some great success in their respective events, but will need to crank it up a notch to be true contenders.
Honestly, I'm probably missing someone to mention to feel free to call me out on that.
5. Who will be the fastest half miler in the Ivy League?
-For some reason, PA has decided to crowd the 800 field with some of the best half-milers we've ever had. The top names I'm looking at this season are Sauer, Wiseman, Willig, Graca, Magaha.
Sauer and Graca are two runners that seem pretty similar to me. Maybe that was because they finished neck and neck at Heps Indoor Championships (Sauer-2nd, Graca-3rd).Graca has started out his season very strong so far with an outdoor debut of 1:50.29 and has been incredibly consistent. Meanwhile, Sauer has a split of 1:49 this past indoor season and holds an open PR just a second behind Graca (1:51.49). At the rate their improving this year, they could take the Ivy title.
Wiseman is a tough guy to figure out. The sophomore has had great success in many of the lower distances like the 400 and 500 (he even ran the 60 at one point). He has great speed, but didn't run an 800 this entire winter season. He just made his spring debut with a 1:51.65 this past weekend. He may not be the fastest runner based off of time, but if a race is going to be quick the last 200 meters, I'm betting Wiseman will be kicking hard.
When we look at Magaha, it's important to point out that Magaha hasn't hit his high school PR since he entered college. He's been back and forth with some great races, but also some not-so-great races. Still, when he's on, Magaha can contend with anyone. The Penn senior has a college PR of 1:49 and just ran a 1:51 to open up his season two weeks ago. If he can use this strong start as momentum for later on in the season, we could see the best track season Magaha's ever had.
The last person to mention is Ned Willig who has been one of the most successful PA alumni the past few years. Last outdoor season, Willig ran hard and continued to drop his 800 time down to a 1:48 (he was running unattached in that end of season race). He's taken down some big names and even had a 1200 split of around 2:53 (Penn Relays his sophomore year). He has major talent, but Willig will need to stay healthy if he going to have another 1:48/3:44 season again. Luckily, it seems like he has recovered from his winter injury after he opened up his spring season with a 1:51.
***UPDATE: Of the five names listed above, all of them except Willig will be racing in a Virginia Quad meet today according to a commenter in an earlier post.***
6. Who are the most underrated PA alumni to keep an eye on?
-Right off the bat, I think Patrick Reilly (Lehigh) has to be on everyone's radar. The sophomore is coming off of an outstanding XC season and just ran 30:06 10k at Raleigh. He ran 14:33 in the 5k last year and with the way he's been improving, we could see him go much faster than that time.
I'm also a big fan of Christian Sander from La Salle. He barely gets any attention in a crowded D1 group of PA alumni. However, he ran a 1:50.44 about three weeks ago to start off his season. If that's just the start of his season then I'm eager to see what else he can do.
Other guys that come to mind are Andrew Stone (Notre Dame), Aaron Gebhart (Charlotte), Alec Kunzweiler (Duke), and Alex Moran (Michigan)
Who do you think are the PA alumni we should be looking out for?
7. Any updates on where our PA high schoolers will attending next year? So far I know...
Although I do tend to focus on the overall NCAA, our PA alumni deserve some more in-depth coverage every now and then. As the spring season approaches, there are a lot of questions that we'll need to have answered.
*Excuse the typos and grammar errors. I was in a rush.
1. Will any PA alumni make nationals? If so, who? Will Burkhardt and Gil return?
-Last spring season we saw Ryan Gil and Glen Burkhardt make it to nationals in the steeplechase and the 10k respectively. Unfortunately, Gil didn't advance to the finals Burkhardt was a DNF. So who are the contenders to make nationals this year?
In a long race like the 10k, there is always a possibility something weird happens with the pacing, and an unexpected individual gets in. That's what happened to Burkhardt last spring despite having "only" a PR of 29:31. Could he do it again? He could, but it's tough to say if how much he's really improved. The odds will be stacked against him assuming if we assume he pursues the 10k again.
Gil, on the other hand, has been improving at a pretty rapid rate ever since he transferred to Oregon. The steeplechaser brought his mile time down to 4:01.99 this past winter season, and doesn't seems to show signs of running anything else. Gil is currently set to run the 1500 this weekend in a fast field of PAC 12 guys as well as some men from PSU. Will Gil abandon the steeplechase for the 1500? It sure seems like that's the plan...
Then there are also other guys who have been right on the verge and just missed nationals. Last year, Willig missed the finals at the regional meet by one spot while Coyle finished 13th in the final of that same region (he was the first man out).
There are plenty of others we're missing. John Lewis and Colin Abert were total studs indoors, but their youth and inexperience is a concern. Christian Sanders (La Salle) meanwhile, is looking strong early with a time of 1:50.44 to start off his spring season. He'll need to improve, but it's a great start. Others that could mix it up are Elias Graca (Penn), Alek Sauer (Columbia), Alec Kunzweiler (Duke), Ean DiSilvio (PSU), and Wade Endress (PSU).
2. How low can John Lewis go?
-This past indoor season, John Lewis had the fastest 800 mark over all of the other active PA Alumni (he ran 1:49.39). He was one of the most consistent PA alumni by going under 1:50 four different times. Lewis was (and is) clearly in shape, but he wasn't as tactically savy as some of his competitors.
With a season of racing under his belt and a PR of 1:48 to beat, could we see the Clemson Tiger dip under 1:48? At the rate he's been improving, the possibility is certainly there. However, he'll need to become a better tactical runner rather than just relying on pure fitness especially if he wants to make NCAA's.
3. Over/under Colin Abert running 14:15 in the 5k?
-Abert is slated to run the the 1500 this weekend, but without the 3k to run (like he had during indoors), the 5k will be the next option for him to run later this season. In fact, I think that could be his best event. Going under 14:15 is no joke and Abert would have to do it in the right race. However, when you run 4:03 and and 8:08 indoors, then there are clearly signs that sub 14:15 is possible.
To put it in perspective, Sam Webb just ran 14:44 to make his outdoor debut. Ross Wilson was also able to bring down his 5k time to 14:23 by the end of his freshman year. Abert seems to be on another level than where most freshman are and have been.
4. Which of D2 and D3 alumni can realistically contend for a national title?
-It's tough to say if there is really anyone in particular that could contend for a title. My first thoughts direct me to Steven Yannacone (Williams) and Vincent Tonzo (St. Vincent's) who qualified for the DIII NCAA 800 last year. Unfortunately, neither made the finals, but both ran some pretty quick times (Yannacone- 1:51, Tonzo-1:54). If they can get back to the championships, the range of improvement is possible. The prelims winner was as fast as 1:50 while the finals winner was 1:52
Continuing with the D3 returners, Will McDermott ran a promising 14:50 last year to finish 11th overall. His PR is 14:28 and the winner last year was 14:10. McDermott would have to improve quite a bit and have his best days at nationals. From what I've seen so far, the competition isn't going to get any easier, and there are some quality runners near the top. However, McDermott competing for a title is still somewhat in the realm of possibility. At the very least, he could contend up front.
There are plenty of other guys to watch out for. At D2 nationals last year, Kierna Sutton (Shippensburg) qualified to run the 10k and finished around the middle of the pack. Other guys that I'm watching are Jeremy Parsons (Slippery Rock), Caleb Gatchell (Hillsdale), Dylan Mountain (Lock Haven), and Ernie Pitone (Widener). All of these guys have shown some great success in their respective events, but will need to crank it up a notch to be true contenders.
Honestly, I'm probably missing someone to mention to feel free to call me out on that.
5. Who will be the fastest half miler in the Ivy League?
-For some reason, PA has decided to crowd the 800 field with some of the best half-milers we've ever had. The top names I'm looking at this season are Sauer, Wiseman, Willig, Graca, Magaha.
Sauer and Graca are two runners that seem pretty similar to me. Maybe that was because they finished neck and neck at Heps Indoor Championships (Sauer-2nd, Graca-3rd).Graca has started out his season very strong so far with an outdoor debut of 1:50.29 and has been incredibly consistent. Meanwhile, Sauer has a split of 1:49 this past indoor season and holds an open PR just a second behind Graca (1:51.49). At the rate their improving this year, they could take the Ivy title.
Wiseman is a tough guy to figure out. The sophomore has had great success in many of the lower distances like the 400 and 500 (he even ran the 60 at one point). He has great speed, but didn't run an 800 this entire winter season. He just made his spring debut with a 1:51.65 this past weekend. He may not be the fastest runner based off of time, but if a race is going to be quick the last 200 meters, I'm betting Wiseman will be kicking hard.
When we look at Magaha, it's important to point out that Magaha hasn't hit his high school PR since he entered college. He's been back and forth with some great races, but also some not-so-great races. Still, when he's on, Magaha can contend with anyone. The Penn senior has a college PR of 1:49 and just ran a 1:51 to open up his season two weeks ago. If he can use this strong start as momentum for later on in the season, we could see the best track season Magaha's ever had.
The last person to mention is Ned Willig who has been one of the most successful PA alumni the past few years. Last outdoor season, Willig ran hard and continued to drop his 800 time down to a 1:48 (he was running unattached in that end of season race). He's taken down some big names and even had a 1200 split of around 2:53 (Penn Relays his sophomore year). He has major talent, but Willig will need to stay healthy if he going to have another 1:48/3:44 season again. Luckily, it seems like he has recovered from his winter injury after he opened up his spring season with a 1:51.
***UPDATE: Of the five names listed above, all of them except Willig will be racing in a Virginia Quad meet today according to a commenter in an earlier post.***
6. Who are the most underrated PA alumni to keep an eye on?
-Right off the bat, I think Patrick Reilly (Lehigh) has to be on everyone's radar. The sophomore is coming off of an outstanding XC season and just ran 30:06 10k at Raleigh. He ran 14:33 in the 5k last year and with the way he's been improving, we could see him go much faster than that time.
I'm also a big fan of Christian Sander from La Salle. He barely gets any attention in a crowded D1 group of PA alumni. However, he ran a 1:50.44 about three weeks ago to start off his season. If that's just the start of his season then I'm eager to see what else he can do.
Other guys that come to mind are Andrew Stone (Notre Dame), Aaron Gebhart (Charlotte), Alec Kunzweiler (Duke), and Alex Moran (Michigan)
Who do you think are the PA alumni we should be looking out for?
7. Any updates on where our PA high schoolers will attending next year? So far I know...
- Nick Wolk- University of Pittsburgh
- Jaxson Hoey- Penn State University
- Dom Perretta- Penn State University
- Alex Milligan- University of North Carolina
- Jake Brophy- Naval Academy
- Dominic Hockenbury- Syracuse University
- Mike Kolor- Harvard University
- Matt Wisner- Duke University
- Tucker Desko- University of Oklahoma
etrain11: Nothing Was the Same
There has been plenty of discussion both on and off the blog about the comment section and I understand your frustration as readers. Unfortunately, as a reviewer, I have not always been quick about updating comments especially when I'm working/running and not looking at my phone. Although comments don't necessarily need to go up right away to have solid discussion, long gaps is discouraging and disrupts the flow of conversation.
However, on the flip side, I hope that you as readers also understand that certain types of comments that have been all to prevalent on these type of blogs are rude, distasteful and, most importantly, can really hurt someones feelings or reputation. From my time with the two blogs, I've seen some pretty disgraceful conversation and, although I really don't mind the insults or threats aimed at me, I bring that sort of thing upon myself by being public here on this site, sharing my thoughts and becoming something of a public figure. The high school athletes talked about on this blog, on the other hand, are not asking for this sort of attention and many are likely not even aware it exists. Sure, it's fun to have a discussion and perhaps some people like feeling like a more serious athlete or feeling a little famous, but remember that I (and now I should say we) am the one making this site and organizing its content so direct your ire or frustrates at me if you feel you need to grieve.
I've had many sleepless nights and panicked days before the moderation system was put into place because I worried about what would be unfairly said about our runners. So when searching for a reasonable compromise, I hope you can understand a piece of my struggle.
But here's what I've got for you. As you might already now, we redesigned the playground section of the blog. If you click on "playground" at the top of the page, it should take you to a whole other site rather than just one big post with a bunch of comments. The site link is www.etrainplayground.blogspot.com. We tried to set up a makeshift forum similar to what is on sites like penntrack and letsrun. On this new site, comments go live instantly, unlike the ones on here. I've enlisted the help of my full writing staff to police the site and they will be signing up for email notifications like me on comments going up. They will also be able to add new topics for discussion in the form of additional posts if requested by readers.
The comment structure on this site will remain the same. However, I will be planning weekly discussion nights here on the blog where I will open up the comment section a bit more, choose a topic or two and have a live discussion with the readers on said topic. More on that to come as we iron out the details. Many of you out there are more creative than me, so hopefully you will have other ideas to help spruce things up in the discussion section.
The playground will still be held to similar standards as the comments on this site, although I will be a tiny bit more flexible. If the trust that we as a site give you with the playground is violated, I will have no choice but to rethink the system we have in place once again.
I'm hoping that you all with give this a fair shot and embrace the possibility for a new system that may actually be better overall than the one we have had in the past. I really think the forum will be a better discussion option than anything we can provide on our current lay out.
Let's give this a shot. I'm trusting the process ... even on a day like today ironically.
Stay Classy,
train
The Weekend Review: Two Meet Records @ Florida; Stanford Invite Produces Deep 5k's/10k's
By: Garrett Zatlin
Sorry for being late! Unfortunately, due to a very busy week of classes, I will not be able to put up an in detailed review like usual. However, I do hope to have a PA Alumni article coming out later this week. Be on the lookout for that!
Florida Relays
800
Sorry for being late! Unfortunately, due to a very busy week of classes, I will not be able to put up an in detailed review like usual. However, I do hope to have a PA Alumni article coming out later this week. Be on the lookout for that!
Florida Relays
800
- Wesley Vazquez (Nike) was the winner with a blistering 1:44.
- Andres Arroyo (Florida) was the top collegiate in 1:45.78 (a meet record for a collegiate).
- Isaiah Harris (Penn State) and Brannon Kidder (Penn State) run 1:46.05 and 1:46.42 respectively. Harris is showing that he is the real deal and that last season was not a fluke.
- Many notable freshman under 1:50
1500
- Henry Wynne (UVA) and Craig Engels (Mississippi) run 3:38 with Wynne getting the dub (meet record).
- Engel's teammate, Trevor Gilley finished third in 3:41.77. Brandon McBride (Miss. State) goes up in distance and runs a surprising 3:41.92 to finish fourth.
- 10 men broke 3:45
3000 Steeple
- Fynn Timm (North Florida) is the top collegiate running 8:55.98.
- Penn State (Creese, Harris, Kidder, Mankins) run 7:19.98 to get the win
- Georgia (Hampton, Harrison, Kamau, Smith) were only .05 seconds off running 7:20.03.
800
- Chris Low (unattached) is the winner with a time of 1:48.76
- Goaner Deng (Minnesota) was the top collegiate with a time of 1:49.37
1500
- Oliver Aitchison (Adams State) shows that the D2 guys can run with the big boys as he defeats Colorado's Zach Perrin 3:43.62 to 3:43.76.
- Great runs by a couple of freshmen
5000
- Thomas Awad (Penn) outruns David Elliot (Boise State) and Graham Crawford (NC State) to be place as the top collegiate of the day.
- Thomas Awad (Penn)-13:41
- David Elliot (Boise State)-13:42.17
- Graham Crawford (NC State)-13:42.55
- Alex George (Arkansas)-13:49
- Luis Vargas (NC State)-13:50
- Illiass Aouani (Lamar)-13:55
- Jordan Mann (Providence)-13:56
- Ammar Moussa (Colorado)-13:57
- Jason Crist (Indiana)-13:58
- Andrew Rafla (Boise State)- 14:01
- Jeramy Elkaim (Oregon) reminds everyone just how talented he is by defeating Colorado's John Dressel 13:47 to 13:48 in the top collegiate section. That's a great early season time for both of these guys, and puts them in the conversation to make nationals come June.
- Total of 24 collegiates (attached under team names) broke 14 minutes
- Noteable: Thomas Joyce ran 13:54, but was running unattached
10,000
- All but two finishers broke 30 minutes
- Ian LaMere (Wis.-Platteville) ran a blistering 28:38 to finish as the top collegiate of the day
- Joel Reichow (South Dakota St.), Timo Goehler (Portland), and Evan Landes (Kansas) all establish and make a name for themselves as they all dip under 29 minutes.
- Aaron Nelson (Washington) was the fastest D1 collegiate running 28:53
- A total of five collegiates broke 29 minutes
3000 Steeple
- Zak Seddon (Florida State) was the top collegiate of the day by running 8:33. He is (arguably) the favorite to win the steeplechase title this spring.
- Caleb Hoover (NAU) also dipped under 8:40 with a time of 8:37
- Elmar Engholm (New Mexico), Connor Winter (Colorado), and Bryce Miller (UMKC) run 8:40, 8:42, and 8:43 respectively.
- Total of 12 men under 9 minutes
Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
800
- Clayton Murphy (Akron) unsurprisingly gets another win with another 1:47.
- The real surprise of the day was true freshman Brian Bell (Houston) running a strong 1:47.94 to finish second. The freshman at the 800 this season are just too good...
- Jonah Keoch (UTEP) solidified third place by holding off Abraham Alvarado (Stanislaus State) 1:48.32 to 1:48.65
3000 Steeple
- Aaron Fletcher (BYU) runs away from Dusan Makevic (UTSA) 8:47 to 8:52
Bruin Legends of T&F Carnival
Mile
- Shyan Vaziri (UC Santa Barbara) runs a 4 flat mile which converts to a 3:42 according to TFRRS
- Rant: I find that the NCAA conversion system from mile to 1500 is very flawed. I've heard plenty of variations of what the time difference is between events. However, this is nearly an 18 second conversion. I would like to argue that it should be closer to 16 or 16.5 seconds. Running 3:42 is more impressive than 4 flat, but hey that's just me.
5000
- Mark Tedder (Cornell) wins by going under 14 minutes with a time of 13:57
10,000
- Sophomore Myles Smith (UCLA) win the 10k with a solid time of 29:36.
Battle of the Blues
800
- Brennan Munley (Michigan) continues his breakout season with a win in a time of 1:49.01
3000 Steeple
- Mason Ferlic (Michigan) crushes the field by running 8:33.95 to get the win (all alone). It seems as if he will be the main challenge to Seddon later on this season.
Colonial Relays
800
- Drew Piazza (New Hampshire) is the top collegiate with a time of 1:48.90
10,000
- Virginia Tech's Thomas Curtin and Andrew Gaiser go 1-2 with times of 29:29 and 29:52
Double Your Fun
by Jarrett Felix
For those of you who don't know, I'm a horrible doubler. Probably the worst in recorded history. Maybe that's why I value freshness so much in my predictions and I know it's why I have so much respect for those with the skill set to pull it off. Doubling is most tricky on a stage I've never stepped foot on: the outdoor state championships at Shippensburg University. And that stage is prepping for another critically acclaimed play at the end of May.
Although I've never tried the double, I've seen a lot of guys who have (some up close and personal, others thanks to our good friends at PCN). It's a tricky procedure with lots of obstacles to overcome if you are going to nail the thing. What's special about this meet over the others? I'll handle this like I handle many issues on this blog. By dropping a list.
1) Prelims - At the state meet, you have to run both trials and finals in every track event besides the 3200 meters (which seems to be enough fun already). For those of you less well versed in the track and field community, allow me to elaborate on what I mean by "trials" and "finals". The "trials" are run on the first day of the state meet and are qualifying heats for the next day's finals. For the 8, 16 and 4x8, there are two heats. The top four finishing teams in each heat qualify for the finals (8 total) and then the next 4 fastest times in either heat also are advanced to the finals (for a total of 12). There's no added bonus for fast times or top places, it's just all about qualifying and getting that "Q" next to your name on the results page.
Why does this effect doubling? Well, say you are trying to run both the 1600 and the 800 at states. You have to run prelims in both the 1600 and the 800 and, if you are fortunate enough to run well in both, you will have to then race the finals the next day. So instead of just two races like a typical meet, you are running four of them. None only does that drain your legs, there is also a mental drain from amping yourself up for the extra efforts.
2) Time - The state meet runs efficiently and surprisingly quickly. I'm not sure I ever realized how little time is between events until I attend the meet in person for the first time as a Junior and watched Mike Palmisano attempt the 4x8-16-8 triple. He basically went from one race to the next. On prelim day, you have a few extra races because their are multiple trial heats for each event, but on final day it's just that: finals. I'd say there is maybe an hour between any events that make logical sense to double between with the exception of the 4x8-8 double (closer to 2 hours I'd guess and the easiest/most logical distance double). Feel free to check out a meet schedule on PIAA.org or penntrack (amazingly I've never actually looked at a schedule, I choose to foolish operate off intuition for all my decisions and writings).
3) Heat - I feel like it's usually pretty hot at Shippensburg. Yeah, it's hot at a variety of meets in the spring. But for some reason, Shipp just seems to bring that extra bit of heat to it. And doubling in the heat is extra tricky. And if it's not hot, you sometimes end up with the nastiness that was the 2013 state championships with mad wind slowing down everybody across the board.
4) Get Up or Get Down - They say running is 90% mental and, while I feel that's probably an inaccurate depiction of the percentiles that determine distance running ability (getting extra nerdy for you), it sends the right message. You need to be mentally prepared to double on the big stage. That doesn't just mean you have to be tough enough to run hard when you are tired, but you also have to be properly motivated. This is a double edged sword. Sometimes, you have that awesome first race, maybe grabbing that long coveted state medal or pocketing the gold necklace and it's harder to get yourself up for race #2. The flip side is also true (i.e. you can be extra motivated from a good race, building strong momentum), but it's just another mental factor that piles on to a heavy weight on a young kids noggin.
5) You're race the best! - This is the most obvious, but somehow most forgotten one by people like me. If you are at the state meet, you earned your spot. You ran a great race under the bright lights at districts. You've got talent and a clutch bone. Everybody comes to states looking to do well, peaking themselves perfectly and, guess what, most guys that these doubling kids are racing are running on fresh legs. You have to be pretty darn good to beat guys who are pretty darn good when you are operating at a disadvantage.
But with all this in mind, guess what? Kids still pull off terrific doubles every year. Heck, Pennsbury had two guys pull it off on their same 4x8 last year when Alek Sauer and Sam Webb ran PR splits on their state championship 3200 relay only to follow it up with 1:51 and 4:12 times for all-state performances. Interestingly, both of those guys doubled at the state meet two years in a row (Webb did it three years in a row) and they both did it exceptionally well. Sometimes you just have a gift I guess.
But for every Webb and Sauer there is usually someone else who struggles. I'm obviously not going to mention any names, but you can take a look through old results for yourself and see what I mean. It creates a tricky situation for top athletes, especially those guys with relay obligations.
Should I talk about who some of those guys might be? I think you guys have some ideas. And besides, Nova is on TV, The Life of Pablo is on Spotify and Weekend Recaps are up. We have plenty of things to keep us busy.
Now if you will excuse me, I'm gonna go ahead and blast Fade and cheer for Arch.
For those of you who don't know, I'm a horrible doubler. Probably the worst in recorded history. Maybe that's why I value freshness so much in my predictions and I know it's why I have so much respect for those with the skill set to pull it off. Doubling is most tricky on a stage I've never stepped foot on: the outdoor state championships at Shippensburg University. And that stage is prepping for another critically acclaimed play at the end of May.
Although I've never tried the double, I've seen a lot of guys who have (some up close and personal, others thanks to our good friends at PCN). It's a tricky procedure with lots of obstacles to overcome if you are going to nail the thing. What's special about this meet over the others? I'll handle this like I handle many issues on this blog. By dropping a list.
1) Prelims - At the state meet, you have to run both trials and finals in every track event besides the 3200 meters (which seems to be enough fun already). For those of you less well versed in the track and field community, allow me to elaborate on what I mean by "trials" and "finals". The "trials" are run on the first day of the state meet and are qualifying heats for the next day's finals. For the 8, 16 and 4x8, there are two heats. The top four finishing teams in each heat qualify for the finals (8 total) and then the next 4 fastest times in either heat also are advanced to the finals (for a total of 12). There's no added bonus for fast times or top places, it's just all about qualifying and getting that "Q" next to your name on the results page.
Why does this effect doubling? Well, say you are trying to run both the 1600 and the 800 at states. You have to run prelims in both the 1600 and the 800 and, if you are fortunate enough to run well in both, you will have to then race the finals the next day. So instead of just two races like a typical meet, you are running four of them. None only does that drain your legs, there is also a mental drain from amping yourself up for the extra efforts.
2) Time - The state meet runs efficiently and surprisingly quickly. I'm not sure I ever realized how little time is between events until I attend the meet in person for the first time as a Junior and watched Mike Palmisano attempt the 4x8-16-8 triple. He basically went from one race to the next. On prelim day, you have a few extra races because their are multiple trial heats for each event, but on final day it's just that: finals. I'd say there is maybe an hour between any events that make logical sense to double between with the exception of the 4x8-8 double (closer to 2 hours I'd guess and the easiest/most logical distance double). Feel free to check out a meet schedule on PIAA.org or penntrack (amazingly I've never actually looked at a schedule, I choose to foolish operate off intuition for all my decisions and writings).
3) Heat - I feel like it's usually pretty hot at Shippensburg. Yeah, it's hot at a variety of meets in the spring. But for some reason, Shipp just seems to bring that extra bit of heat to it. And doubling in the heat is extra tricky. And if it's not hot, you sometimes end up with the nastiness that was the 2013 state championships with mad wind slowing down everybody across the board.
4) Get Up or Get Down - They say running is 90% mental and, while I feel that's probably an inaccurate depiction of the percentiles that determine distance running ability (getting extra nerdy for you), it sends the right message. You need to be mentally prepared to double on the big stage. That doesn't just mean you have to be tough enough to run hard when you are tired, but you also have to be properly motivated. This is a double edged sword. Sometimes, you have that awesome first race, maybe grabbing that long coveted state medal or pocketing the gold necklace and it's harder to get yourself up for race #2. The flip side is also true (i.e. you can be extra motivated from a good race, building strong momentum), but it's just another mental factor that piles on to a heavy weight on a young kids noggin.
5) You're race the best! - This is the most obvious, but somehow most forgotten one by people like me. If you are at the state meet, you earned your spot. You ran a great race under the bright lights at districts. You've got talent and a clutch bone. Everybody comes to states looking to do well, peaking themselves perfectly and, guess what, most guys that these doubling kids are racing are running on fresh legs. You have to be pretty darn good to beat guys who are pretty darn good when you are operating at a disadvantage.
But with all this in mind, guess what? Kids still pull off terrific doubles every year. Heck, Pennsbury had two guys pull it off on their same 4x8 last year when Alek Sauer and Sam Webb ran PR splits on their state championship 3200 relay only to follow it up with 1:51 and 4:12 times for all-state performances. Interestingly, both of those guys doubled at the state meet two years in a row (Webb did it three years in a row) and they both did it exceptionally well. Sometimes you just have a gift I guess.
But for every Webb and Sauer there is usually someone else who struggles. I'm obviously not going to mention any names, but you can take a look through old results for yourself and see what I mean. It creates a tricky situation for top athletes, especially those guys with relay obligations.
Should I talk about who some of those guys might be? I think you guys have some ideas. And besides, Nova is on TV, The Life of Pablo is on Spotify and Weekend Recaps are up. We have plenty of things to keep us busy.
Now if you will excuse me, I'm gonna go ahead and blast Fade and cheer for Arch.
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