MIRAMAR, FLORIDA, June 21-23—A combustible combination of steamy heat plus top two frosh in the NCAA and one of the nation’s fastest high schoolers produced a USATF Junior Champs 110 hurdles for the ages. Aided by a generous 1.5mps breeze, Kentucky’s Tai Brown edged Eric Edwards of Oregon by a mere 0.005 to win in 13.21. Rising prep senior Jamar Marshall (St. Mary’s, Stockton, California) was another hair behind in 13.22, a new national 11th-grade record. Brown, the SEC fourth-placer, and Pac-12 champ Edwards moved to =3rd on the all-time American U20 list, while Marshall’s mark elevated him to No. 6, just ahead of Renaldo Nehemiah.
Press clippings proved prescient for prep sprint star Matthew Boling (Strake, Houston) who swept the 100 and 200, clocking a windy 10.15 (after a 10.13w heat) and capping his meet off with a dominant half-lap in 20.36 (after a 20.30w heat) to assume No. 10 on the all-time HS list. He added bronze in the long jump with a 25-3½ (7.71) effort.
Another Texan, by way of UCLA, threw his way onto the all-time Junior shot list in a big way. Otito Ogbonnia, a starting defensive lineman for the Bruins who was No. 7 on the ’18 HS list, blasted a 70-3½ (21.42) in the final round to take over the No. 4 spot all-time with the 6kg (13.23lb) ball. Kentucky’s Joshua Sobota was the runner-up with a PR 68-6 (20.88), No. 9 all-time.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Penn’s Marc Minichello crushed the meet record in the javelin with a mighty 253-1 (77.15) that put him No. 2 on the all-time U.S. Junior list and overshadowed the PR 249-10 (76.14) by ’18 World Junior silver medalist Tzuriel Pedigo, who climbed to No. 4 all-time. Minichello, the Ivy League champion and only 17th at the NCAA, added more than 15ft to his PR and his winning throw was more than 40ft better than his other 5 attempts.
Fresh off a 44.84(A) World Youth Record to win the Great Southwest meet, Missouri prep junior Justin Robinson was clearly a level above the field in the 400, cruising to a 45.59 to win by almost a second with the year’s fastest low-altitude clocking.
Memories of Dave Wottle’s miracle win in ’72 were conjured up by Maine’s behatted James Olivier in the 800 as he used a blistering finish kick to hold off the field and win in 1:50.67. This from a former soccer player who never broke 2:00 in high school.
USATF JUNIOR MEN’S RESULTS
Miramar, Florida, June 21–23 (all athletes born 2000 or later; U20 implements used)
(6/21—10K, HT; 6/22—100h, 100, St, 5K, 110H, PV, LJ, DT, JT)
100(2.3): 1. Matthew Boling (TxHS) 10.15w; 2. Justin Ofotan (PennSt) 10.21w; 3. Arian Smith (FlHS) 10.36w; 4. Marcellus Moore (CoHS) 10.37w; 5. Jabriel Smith (CaHS) 10.38w; 6. Dante Brown (WmC) 10.41w; 7. Evan Miller (SC) 10.42w;… dq—Kennedy Lightner (ArHS).
Heats: I(2.4)–1. Boling 10.13w.
200(0.7): 1. Boling 20.36 (HSL) (10, x HS);
2. Lightner 20.59; 3. Quincy Mitchell (Cinc) 20.84; 4. Tyrese Cooper (FlHS) 21.09; 5. A. Smith 21.10; 6. Jermie Walker (ArSt) 21.23; 7. Edward Sumler (Hous) 21.26.
Heats: III(2.3)–1. Boling 20.30w (a-c HSL) (a-c: 9, x HS).
400: 1. Justin Robinson (MoHS) 45.59 (lo-alt HSL);
2. Trey Johnson (SnMs) 46.41; 3. Frederick Lewis (Hous) 46.66; 4. Matthew Moorer (Bay) 46.68; 5. Willington Wright (MTn) 46.71; 6. Lakyron Mays (OkSt) 47.21.
800: 1. James Olivier (Me) 1:50.67; 2. Darius Kipyego (RIHS) 1:51.26; 3. Jonah Hoey (PaHS) 1:51.72; 4. AJ Green (MnHS) 1:52.25; 5. Bobby Poynter (SLO) 1:52.56; 6. Reece Shaul (ChabC) 1:53.63;… dnf—Jason Gomez (NDdN).
1500: 1. Jason Gomez (NDdN) 4:25.83; 2. Drew Maher (PennSt) 4:26.04; 3. Devin Pancake (UtSt) 4:30.11; 4. Alexander Tam (MiaO) 4:32.98.
St: 1. Alex Slenning (Wa) 9:04.57; 2. Benjamin Nibbelink (VaT) 9:07.66; 3. Matthew Carmody (NDam) 9:16.20; 4. Francesco Romano (EnIl) 9:24.20; 5. Munir Kabbara (UCLA) 9:34.33; 6. Charles Harders (M/O) 9:37.52.
5000: 1. Grant Gardner (UtHS) 14:52.47; 2. Adam Dayani (OkSt) 14:54.54; 3. CarLee Stimpfel (SagV) 14:57.68; 4. Matthew Farrell (CtHS) 15:06.03; 5. Cooper Schroeder (KsSt) 15:12.25; 6. Harrison Morris (GaT) 15:14.53; 7. Caleb Easton (WiHS) 15:52.95.
10,000: 1. Daniel Kilrea (NDam) 31:38.85; 2. Nicholas Yanek (Ga) 31:59.89; 3. Ian Vickstrom (PortSt) 32:21.81; 4. Xavier Smith (CSEB) 32:29.86; 5. James Maniscalco (Ct) 32:36.00; 6. Paul Stafford (FlSt) 32:50.09.
110H(1.5): 1. Tai Brown (Ky) 13.21 (=3, =4 AJ) (13.204); 2. Eric Edwards (Or) 13.21 (=3, =4 AJ) (13.209); 3. Jamar Marshall (CaHS) 13.22 (HSL) (6, 7 AJ; 2, 3 HS) (junior-class record); 4. Daiqwaun Faircloth (VCU) 13.47; 5. Eli Morris (GaHS) 13.67; 6. Jermanie Byrd (How) 13.84; 7. Grant Conway (MoHS) 13.85; 8. James Rivera (FlHS) 13.86.
400H: 1. James Smith (Az) 50.29; 2. Cass Elliot (Wa) 51.30; 3. Ryan Fields (CPPom) 51.88; 4. Lamont Wright (FlHS) 51.95; 5. Jaheim Dotson (NYHS) 53.52; 6. James Rivera (FlHS) 53.55; 7. Cory Gaither (Dav) 53.68;… dq—Robert Hatch (Wi).
10,000W: 1. Jordan Crawford (MoBap) 53:40.03; 2. Samuel Allen (NJHS) 54:08.19; 3. Jacob Lawson (unat) 56:43.45; 4. Sean Glaze (OhHS) 59:53.18; 5. Jadon Davis (MdHS) 1:00:44.34; 6. Paine Gronemeyer (unat) 1:14:02.94;… dq—Giovanni Cisneros (IlHS).
Jumping Events
HJ: 1. Dontavious Hill (Aub) 6-11¾ (2.13); 2. tie, Charles McBride (NCHS) & Jeremy Cody (Co) 6-9¾ (2.08); 4. Jackson Marseille (FlHS) 6-8 (2.03);… nh—Shomari Somerville (InT).
PV: 1. Branson Ellis (SFA) 17-2¾ (5.25); 2. Max Manson (CoHS) 16-10¾ (5.15); 3. Andrew Ference (TnHS) 16-4¾ (5.00); 4. Jacob Herrscher (TxHS) 15-11 (4.85);… nh—Stone Baker (SFl).
LJ: 1. Phillip Austin (Az) 25-4¾w (7.74); 2. A’nan Bridgett (Rut) 25-4¾ (7.74); 3. Boling 25-3½ (7.71); 4. Jamar Davis (NCSt) 24-11¾w (7.61); 5. A. Smith 23-11½ (7.30); 6. Johnny Brackins (MoHS) 23-3½ (7.10).
TJ: 1. Treyvon Ferguson (Ks) 52-11 (16.13);
2. Justin Forde (CtHS) 52-10 (16.10) (HSL);
3. Jamar Davis (NCSt) 50-10 (15.49); 4. Keshun Byrd (GaHS) 50-1¾ (15.28); 5. Darius Scott (Corn) 49-10w (15.19); 6. Chauncey Chambers (VaHS) 48-10¾ (14.90).
Throwing Events
SP: 1. Otito Ogbonnia (UCLA) 70-3½ (21.42) (4, =9 AJ) (64-11¼, 69-7½, 65-7, f, 67-11¾, 70-3½) (19.79, 21.22, 19.99, f, 20.72, 21.42); 2. Joshua Sobota (Ky) 68-6 (20.88) (9, x AJ);
3. Jamir Gibson (Army) 62-4½ (19.01); 4. Nicholas Betchart (SLO) 59-2 (18.03);… 6f—Tanner Duffin (GaHS).
DT: 1. Zach Gehm (Young) 197-10 (60.31); 2. Sobota 189-6 (57.76); 3. Ogbonnia 186-8 (56.90); 4. Jacob Lemmon (FlHS) 186-1 (56.73); 5. Jamir Gibson (Army) 183-10 (56.04); 6. Troy Yearwood (WM) 181-6 (55.32); 7. Corey Moore (NvHS) 179-3 (54.64); 8. Anthony Harrison (NYHS) 177-9 (54.19).
HT: 1. Joseph Benedetto (Ms) 219-9 (66.99); 2. Garrett Doyle (OhSt) 212-4 (64.73); 3. Max McKhann (Stan) 203-0 (61.87); 4. Kyle Brown (GaHS) 199-6 (60.81); 5. Cameron Croce (SacH) 197-3 (60.13); 6. Myles Schreck (Dart) 173-4 (52.83).
JT: 1. Marc Anthony Minichello (Penn) 253-1 (77.15) (2, 2 AJ) (196-8, 209-11, 253-1, 209-5, 188-11, p) (59.94, 63.99, 77.15, 63.83, 57.59, p); 2. Tzuriel Pedigo (unat) 249-10 (76.14) (4, 4 AJ);
3. Nickolas Mirabelli (TxAM) 227-7 (69.38); 4. Anthony Ragusa (Rider) 204-5 (62.32); 5. Zach Annanie (Wa) 203-9 (62.10).
Dec(6/22-23): 1. Corbett Fong (Rice) 6766; 2. Jett Kinder (TnHS) 6512; 3. Carl Omohundro (VaHS) 6244. ◻︎
