PERHAPS THE BIGGEST prep news of the month was Gary Martin’s beating of Jim Ryun’s HS-only mile record. Earlier, Juliette Whittaker had highlighted the Penn Relays. Elsewhere:
Texas State: PR Explosion Leads To Year’s Highest Jump
With a seasonal best/PR of 6-9¾ Jace Posey (Strake, Houston) came into the Texas 6A finale not on the national radar. He left in the top spot after a spectacular series that featured 5 lifetime bests.
He opened with a miss at 6-4, then after clearing on his second went on to first-try makes at 6-6, 6-8, 6-10 PR, 7-0 PR, 7-1 PR, 7-2 PR and 7-4¼ PR before going out at 7-5.
“I felt a little more confident after I cleared 6-foot-8,” the impressive junior told click2houston.com. https://www.click2houston.com/sports/local/2022/05/15/state-track-strake-jesuits-posey-breaks-class-6a-record-in-high-jump/ “It boosted my confidence. The goal was to get seven. I got higher than seven, that was pretty cool. I just wanted to make everybody proud. I loved the energy from the people. The clapping and cheering made me feel good.” Posey’s father James was a longtime NBA player.
As is frequently the case, Lone Star State relay foursomes produced some big times. On the boys’ side, Duncanville’s 39.98 equaled the No. 8 performance ever and Klein Forest’s 1:23.37 rated as No. 3 ever. The top girls’ mark was a year-leading 1:35.14 by Shadow Creek (Pearland).
Other State Meet Highlights
North Carolina: Shawnti Jackson (Wakefield, Raleigh) scored a sprint triple with times of 11.45, 23.19 & 52.32 HSL.
Oregon: An illegal 3.2 wind in her 11.09w made soph Mia Brahe-Pedersen (Lake Oswego) the =No. 4 all-conditions performer ever.
South Carolina: T’Mars McCallum (Carolina Forest, Myrtle Beach) sped to a year-leading 10.13, moving to =No. 7 ever.
Georgia: Will Sumner (Woodstock) seized a share of the year’s fastest 400 at 45.98.
Both 800 National Records Threatened
Cade Flatt (Benton, Marshall, Kentucky) and Juliette Whittaker (Mount de Sales, Catonsville, Maryland) came to the Track Night NYC meet and its field of pros with a common goal: break the HSR in the 800. Each fell just shy, climbing to No. 2 on the all-time list.
Flatt was first up, in hot pursuit of Michael Granville’s 1:46.45 from ’96. The rabbit went out in a stiff 50.49 and Flatt found himself in 7th at 52.54. He worked his way up to 4th at the finish. His last lap of 53.97 was the race’s fastest but his 1:46.51 left him just shy of the record.
In her race, Whittaker stuck close to the rabbit, covering the first lap 4th in 57.90. In a very tight finish, her 61.90 gave her the win in 1:59.80. That trails only Mary Cain’s 1:59.51 from ’13 ever. ◻︎