National Weekend Rundown for March 21st

National Weekend Rundown
MileSplit Staff

3 of the nation's top 4 times in the girls 400 were run in the finals of the event at the Bob Hayes Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday led by race champion Sharikka Barnett who improved upon her US #1 ranking with a 53.32 clocking. (Photo by Cedric Gillette).

Michael Norman of Vista Murrietta (CA) ran a 200 meter time on Thursday that not only was the US #1 time for high school, but his 20.71 wind legal clocking would currently rank him #1 in the country among all Division 1 college sprinters. (Photo by Margot Kelly)

MileSplit provides a weekly national rundown of the very best meets and performances to be found throughout the country in high school track & field from the March 21st, 2015 weekend.

MileSplit's National Outdoor T&F Rankings: Boys - Girls

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National Highlights from March 21st Weekend:

  • Jesuit-Sheaner Relays (TX) - Outstanding distance double from Carter Blunt with a US #2 8:57 3200 on Friday followed by a US #1 4:12 1600 on Saturday. Keshun Reed won the boys 400 in a US #2 performance of 47.48. Samantha Gonzalez crushed the hurdles with 14.12 100 win in the 100 hurdles and a dominant US #2 showing of 42.12 in the 300 hurdles), while Aaliyah Miller was a double winner in the 400 & 1600. Danyel White anchored the Cedar Hill girls to a 3:53 victory in the 4x400 along with a 24.64 win in the 200. The boys 4x400 saw a fast top two between Duncanville (3:16.18) and Houston Strake Jesuit (3:16.54) as Duncanville also took first in the 4x200 (1:26.40). Top performances from field events included US #6 mark of 180'1" in boys discus from Kansas thrower Connor McMullen and leap of 24'0.50" in long jump from Desoto's Saige Revell.

  • Chandler Rotary Invitational (AZ) - Fresh off nearly stealing the New Balance Nationals Indoor mile title from the slow section, Dani Jones of Desert Vista (AZ) won two high caliber and competitive races at Chandler Rotary with a 4:46.17 mile and 2:11.42 800. She defeated a mile field that included the likes of Katie Rainsberger, Bryn Morley, Annie Hill, and Lucy Biles to become an outdoor national leader in her second event (already owns US #1 in 800 at 2:09)! Rainsberger (4:52/2:12) was a runner-up to Jones in both races. The girls mile had a dozen girls under 5 minutes! Carlos Villarreal (Rio Rico AZ) won the boys mile in a US #1 time of 4:12.50, which is superior converted to the US #1 1600 time run by Carter Blunt this weekend. The Long Beach Poly girls of Cali won the 4x100 in a US #3 clocking of 46.16. In the boys 3200, Alek Parsons (Ogden UT) put together a US #5 winning effort of 9:05 as he closed in 60 seconds for his last 400. Isaiah Oliver of Brophy College Prep (AZ) cleaned house in the hurdles with first place showings in the 110 hurdles (14.14) and 300 hurdles (37.14). Paul Lucas (Mountain Pointe AZ) was dominant as well in the boys sprints notching speedy victories in the 100 (10.70) and 200 (21.58). US top 10 ranked hurdler Jasmyne Graham of Eleanor Roosevelt (CA) rolled up the field in the girls 100 meter hurdles with a 14.06 clocking as well as the 300 hurdles in 43.03.

  • Bob Hayes Invitational (FL) - One of Florida's best meets in March featured two national indoor champions from last weekend in sprinter Ryan Clark and high jumper Nicole Greene. New Balance Nationals 60 champ Clark won the 100 meter dash in ease with a 10.43 clocking (just off his current US #1 10.38 season best), while anchoring the Banneker (GA) boys to the win in the 4x400 as well over Miami Northwestern in 3:18. Setting the NBNI meet record last weekend, Greene went over 6 feet again in the high jump and also won the long jump (19'0") as well as taking second in the triple jump (39'4.25"). John Burt (Lincoln FL) ran the nation's fastest wind legal and verified time in the 110 hurdles with a 13.97 clocking. Sharrika Barnett improved upon her nation's leading time in the 400 from earlier in the week with a 53.32 performance, which beats her previous PR from a runner-up finish at 2014 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. She beat a strong field, which produced 3 of the top 4 times with runner-up Tamani Wilson (54.17) and third place finisher Symone Mason (54.78). US #1 ranked 4x400 meter relay Miami Northwestern swept the sprint relays with some of the fastest clockings this season in the 4x100 (46.27) and 4x400 (3:49.40), but neither were season bests for the program. Domonique Turner (Osceola FL) ran the second fastest wind legal 100 meter hurdles time in the country with her 13.93 finals performance.

  • Maurice Greene Invitational (CA) - The Lauren Rain Williams show from indoor nationals continued back home outdoors in Cali for this weekend. The New Balance Nationals Indoor 200 champ rolled out the nation's best time in the 100 meter dash with a wind legal 11.55 PR clocking (+1.8 wind), while her 200 time was the nation's fastest easily in a smoking 23.43 (ran 23.46 last week indoors), but was slightly wind aided (+2.5). She also helped the Oak Christian girls run a US #3 45.94 in the 4x100 meter relay. Big marks in the shot put from girls winner Kendall Mader (Newbury Park CA) at 45'4" and boys winner Nathan Bultman (West Ranch) at 62'0.50". Marcel Espinoza was unstoppable in the sprints with victories in the 100 (10.61) and 200 (21.62).

  • USF George Steinbrenner Invitational (FL) - Samson Moore (Gaither FL) became only the second hurdler in the nation to dip under 37 seconds in the 300 with his US #2 win of 36.96. Jack Guyton (HB Plant FL) also moved himself into a US #2 ranking in Tampa with his 4:13.16 win in the 1600. Malik Wright (Tampa Bay Tech FL) posted the 5th fastest all-conditions time in the country for the 200 meter dash with his 21.21 clocking.
  • Texas Southern Relays (TX) - Samiyah Samuels nearly launched herself over 20 feet in the long jump with a wind-aided 19'11". Tonea Marshall (Arlington Seguin TX) was fastest in both the 100 hurdles (14.26) and 100 (11.81). Takeyra Roberson, a junior from Houston Wheatley (TX), posted a US #3 time of 54.33 in the girls 400 and also had the top time in the 200 (24.43). Girls relays were stacked with 3 teams under 1:40 in the 4x200 and 4 squads running low 3:50's or lower in the 4x400 as Cypress Springs was fastest in both races at US #2 1:38.75 in the 4x200 and US #9 3:49.70 in the 4x400. Boys long jump national leader Brett Winnegan got some wind behind him, but was unable to improve upon his 25'1.25" season best with a 23'9.25" winning mark this weekend. The Port Arthur Memorial (TX) boys were able to run away with the 4x200 victory in a US #2 time of 1:26.14. Lancaster's Eric Agee took the boys 400 in a US #6 performance of 47.61.
  • Hoosier State Relays (IN) - The unofficial Indiana indoor state championships saw the Carmel girls run a 12:13 DMR, 61'10.25" throw from David Shall in the shot, two girls over 5'9" in the high jump with Janae Moffitt & Taylor Pennington. 5K national champ Anna Rohrer scratched the 3200 due to a head cold.

  • Huron Relays (MI) - Their indoor state meet may have been 3 weeks ago at the same venue at Eastern Michigan University, but since weather has yet to warm up in Michigan might as well keep it indoors. Great times across the board from the Oak Park girls, the two-time New Balance Nationals Indoor 4x400 champs, who swept all the relays with 4x200 (1:42.74), 4x400 (3:52.91), 4x800 (9:14.60), and DMR (12:17.59). Jaron Flournoy took first in the 60 (6.80), while also anchored his high school's 4x200 (1:32.16) at Westland John Glenn to victory after running for the Michigan All-Stars club all season.
  • Gene Armer Invitational (IL) - Illinois is still going strong with indoor and the Gene Armer Invite is one of the best to showcase the indoor season. Sam Sikon threw 60 feet in the shot put, while Pavlo Hutsaleyk went under 4:20 in the 1600 to highlight the boys portion of the meet. Anna Sophia Keller, two-time Illinois state cross country champ, made her 2015 track season debut with a 10:58 3200. Dominique Lewis clocked a swift 60 dash time of 7.68.

  • Roswell Relays (GA) - US #1 time in the girls DMR from the Marist (GA) squad in 12:04.08.
  • California Relays (CA) - Both Los Alamitos boys & girls ran the nation's fastest times in the SMR with boys timed at 3:28.34 and girls winning in 4:04.69. The Loyola boys, anchored by Robert Brandt, won the DMR in a US #2 time of 10:25.68.

  • BCAA Championships (FL) - Kimani Rushing clocked a swift US #1 of 42.07 in the 300 meter hurdles, while also taking the 100 meter hurdles with a sub 14 second clocking and triple jump with a leap of 39'8". The St. Thomas Aquinas girls put on a dominant display with 3 girls under 12 seconds in the 100 with Krystal Sparling (11.65), Khalifa St. Fort (11.68), and Diamond Spaulding (11.98), while the same 3 girls were also all under 25 seconds in the 200 with Sparling as the winner again at 24.04. Damion Thomas of Northeast (FL) crushed the hurdles with a 13.78 clocking in the 110 hurdles, while coming back to win the 300 hurdles in a US #6 37.39. Markevious Roach (US #4 47.64) and Rasheed Tatham (US #5 47.73) battled in the boys 400 to push both to run US top 5 times.

  • Rio Grande City Rey Ramirez Relays (TX) - Brendon Rivera cleared an incredible US #1 height of 7'2" in the high jump on Thursday!
  • Regis Coed Relays (OR) - Jackson Vanvuren, a defending Oregon 2A state champ in the javelin throw, released a lifetime best throw and US #1 distance of 198'8" on Thursday.
  • GMAC Championships (FL) - The American High School boys from Hileah, Florida returned one of the nation's best quartets in the 4x400 and showed it on Tuesday with a sizzling US #1 3:13.28. Another nation's best came from the meet in the boys relays as well with the Coral Reef 4x800 winning in a time of 7:50. The Miami Northwestern girls won the 4x800 in a US #2 time of 9:28.
  • Metro Conference Championships (FL) - Defending Florida 4A state 800 meter champ Kyren Hollis of Olympia ran a personal best and more importantly US #1 time in his speciality in a 1:52.25 win.
  • Oil City Relays (LA) - Peyton Montgomery threw a new US #1 mark in the javelin down in Louisiana at a distance of 152'4".
  • Vista Murietta vs. Great Oak (CA) - In California dual meet with not only F.A.T, but wind gauges as well, Michael Norman rolled to a US #1 time of 20.71 from last June's California state runner-up in the event.

  • McGill-Toolen Angelo Harris Invitational (AL) - Current US #1 outdoor ranked girls pole vault Margaret Ollinger wasn't able to replicate her 13'6" clearance from a year ago, but still was able to go over 13 feet in her home invitational. Her McGill-Toolen Catholic teammate Season Collins won the boys vault competition with a US #4 clearance of 16'10".
  • Parkview Invitational (GA) - Defending NB Nationals outdoor champion Candace Hill (Rockdale County GA) looks to build upon her amazing freshmen year with an even faster sophomore outdoor season as shown with posting times of 11.66 in the 100 and 23.91 in the 200 on Saturday.

  • Laguna Beach Trophy Invitational (CA) - Amanda Gehrich of Tesoro had a great distance double in winning the 1600 with a sub 5 minute performance at 4:59 and later coming back to win the 3200 in a US #2 time of 10:33.99. Kaitlyn Merritt, one of the best returning pole vaulters in the country, matched her season best US #2 height in the pole vault with a clearance of 13'6".
  • Marvin Ridge Invitational (NC) - The Parkland (NC) girls were back in business fast. After winning the 4x200 national indoor title last week, Parkland's top girls were seen in action for the outdoor season. Ebony Williams took care of the hurdles for Parkland with a wind legal US #1 13.84 clocking in the 100 hurdles and 44.06 win in the 300 hurdles, while Kaitlin Sherman dipped under 12 seconds in the prelims (11.91) for Parkland and McKinley McNeill was the 400 girls champ (56.94). Mallard Creek (NC) junior Cravont Charleston ran a very fast 100 dash prelim time of 10.57 (wind legal US #2), before taking first in the finals at 10.88 in part to a change of wind directions.
  • Breaking the Ice Icebreaker (OR) - Matthew Maton opened up with his first track race of 2015 in posting a US top 10 800 meter time of 1:53.63 from the returning 4:03 miler from last spring.

  • Davis Super Meet (UT) - Logan McKay, anchor leg for the national indoor champion Davis boys, was back at it with his squad on his home track the next week as he threw down an impressive US #4 1:53.09 at altitude. Kaysha Love, the top sprinter in the state of Utah, blazed through the 100 (12.15) and 200 (24.94) while her Herriman teammate Lucy Biles tuned up for the Chandler Rotary mile in winning the 800 with a time of 2:17.
  • West Valley Invitational (WA) - John Dressel opened his outdoor season, while still preparing to run at World Cross Country Championships in China next week in winning the 1600 at the West Valley Invite in Spokane with a US top 10 time of 4:16.01.
  • Skyhawk Invitational (NV) - A nice 3 second PR drop for the returning Nevada state 1600 meter runner-up Dajour Braxton for a US #5 ranking and time of 4:13.93. Braxton also doubled back to win the 800 in 1:55.
  • Dublin Distance Fiesta (CA) - Steven Sum (Saratoga CA) was part of a 3200 race that saw 9 guys go under 9:30, but he was the only one under 9:10 as the winner in a US #5 time of 9:08.56. The girls 3200 winner Brighie Leach (Campolindo CA) also went US top 10 with her winning time of 10:41.59.
  • Graham Possum Kingdom Relays (TX) - Norman Grimes was highly ranked nationally in a limited indoor season in the 200 meter dash and the 60 meter hurdles, which he has carried over into a full outdoor season as he threw down two fast times in the hurdles with a US #4 37.09 in the 300 meter hurdles and US top 10 clocking of 14.07 in the 110 meter hurdles.

More Meets & Highlights Coming!