The store which was to sell our Great American Cross Country Festival T-shirts at our event this past Saturday, the Bull City Running Company, has them available for purchase online.  These are high quality, New Balance technical short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts.  They are available in four men's and five women's sizes, and in three different colors each.  If you are interested in purchasing one or more, you may go to this web site to order:

http://www.bullcityrunning.com/gaxc/

This is totally independent of our organization (NSAF), so please contact them for any other details. Thanks!

Again, our apologies for the cancellation of this year's Great American Cross Country Festival.  Unfortunately, we had no control over it due to the North Carolina Governor's State of Emergency declaration and the official closing of WakeMed Soccer Park by the city of Cary.

Please be aware that, in addition to using this year's GACCF entry fees paid toward the 2016 meet, you may also use these entry fees towards the 2016 New Balance Nationals Indoor and/or the 2016 New Balance Nationals Outdoor.

To do so, simply let us know (via e-mail or via a note in the actual entry). Thanks.

Last fall, as a trio of newcomers was welcomed into our NSAF Project Triple Jump program, they were called “The Next Generation.”

The same can be said, even more profoundly, of the newest Project Javelin Gold members as the 2015-16 season has begun.

That’s because there will be a dramatic turnover next summer when Javelin Gold’s FIVE outstanding senior throwers move on to the next level.  Never before with one of the Projects, in their five-year existence, have there been so many seniors bringing so much experience to the table.  Hence, these four student-athletes introduced below (and the newcomers that will replace the graduating quintet a year from now) will truly be a “next generation” – and suddenly, in October, 2016, Project Javelin will be very young again.

At this point, however, this is the foursome that has joined our upperclassmen in the past few months, and who just went through their first full weekend clinic, Sept. 24-27, in East Stroudsburg:  Roman Mitchell, Meghan Owens, Morgan Bower and Liam Christensen.  Liam and Morgan actually joined us during the summer, participating in our Chula Vista clinic, Chicagoland Throws (Morgan) and the American JavFest (both), while Roman and Meghan were with us for the first time.

The addition of Liam to the Project came about very quickly and unexpectedly.  This past June at the World Youth Trials, he kept improving during his series and wound up with a winning 224-4 (with the lighter 700g jav), prevailing by more than 20 feet.  So impressive was the performance, and so great the potential for this then-sophomore, that he was invited to join the Project on the spot.  Of course, he had some other impressive credentials, too (see below).

On the other hand, Morgan became part of the program based primarily on potential … that type of potential it takes a wise coach to identify.  “In any evaluation, there’s always a bit of speculation,” says Project Javelin Gold Coach Jeff Gorski, “and with something as difficult and variable as the javelin is, it can be a real gamble.  But there are things you can see, if you have some experience, which can help stack the odds in your favor.  As you have seen and heard from world class athletes (and now world class coaches) Kimmo Kinnunen and Tom Pukstys, rhythm and running/runway ability are huge factors in throwing far.

“I’ve seen plenty of powerful “throwers” who can reach moderate performance levels by having a “cannon” for an arm, but struggle mightily in adding a runup into the throwing action.  Right now, both Morgan and Roman have runway skills that exceed their throwing ability.  Throwing skills are much easier to master, and incorporate into good runway skills, than the reverse can be.”

Speaking of Roman … like Meghan and Liam, he is a talent that might often get overlooked in a state that does not contest javelin at the interscholastic level.  Roman, however, benefited from the fact that his mother, Natalie, threw in high school in New Jersey (in her school’s Hall of Fame), and his older brother, Ethan (Class of 2013) threw at the club level in HS and now at Winthrop University.  Between having met Coach Gorski and winning the first Junior HS Javelin at NBNO this past June, his talent was recognized and an invitation was extended.

As for Meghan, she was more in the “sight unseen, but numbers speak for themselves” category.  No other 8th-grader in the country has thrown nearly as well, and her results showed both consistency and the ability to perform exceptionally in big meets (see below).

Below are some of the athletes' own words about their experiences with the javelin so far (mostly from interviews at the East Stroudsburg clinic):
 

(name, HS (hometown)/club (if any), class)

Roman Mitchell, Southeast Raleigh HS (Garner, NC)/Team Powerhouse, Class of 2018

When the NSAF held its first-ever Junior High javelin at NBNO this past June, using Olympian Duncan Atwood’s FinnFlyer javelin (450g), one thrower stood out with what he was able to do with the implement.  Roman Mitchell threw the implement 193-1, strongly catching the notice of Coach Jeff Gorski.  The next day, the coach and athlete connected and not long after that, Roman became one of the newest athletes in the program.

Roman – who just turned 15 a few weeks ago – already had a PR of more than 150 feet from early in the summer following this past freshman year of his, but improved it to 164-7 in taking 5th in the 15-16 javelin at USATF JOs.  He showed at the recent clinic that his potential is well beyond that for his upcoming sophomore season in 2016 and that he has the ability to do big things, long-term.

On his experience at the September clinic:  “It’s truly amazing, because I’ve never really been in anything like this, ever before.  All of the coaches are amazing; the athletes -- all of my friends -- are just great to practice with and compete with.  I’ve really learned a lot from just this weekend and I know there’s much more to come.”

On what it’s like being around others with the same passion for the javelin:  “It’s really great; it’s really nothing I’m used to because in North Carolina, there’s really not much competition at all.  So being around so many kids from around the country, who love the same thing I love, is just great.”

On what got him into throwing the javelin:  “Well, my mom was in the (Lenape HS, NJ) Hall of Fame for javelin, in track, and my older brother (Ethan) has done javelin, too.  He’s 5 years older than me, so I just followed in his footsteps ... I just picked up the javelin and was just messing around ... I found out I really had a natural feel for it and was good at it ... so that’s why I’m here.”

On when and how he first encountered Coach Gorski:  “It was at NBNO and I threw the Finn Flyer ... and after the competition day, on Sunday, he was having a clinic and I was there.  He was giving everyone a brief view on the javelin, in all its aspects, and he was talking about a thrower who threw 193 ... and I just raised my hand because he was talking about me.  Then I got all of his contact information, and that’s sort of where it began.”

On his reaction on being chosen for Project Javelin:  “I was really excited, because I’ve never really had a coach besides my mom and my brother, so I was just really, really blessed and grateful for it.”

Coach Jeff Gorski on Roman:  “We’ve had 3-4 sessions since NBNO and, when he’s “clicking,” he’s dropped some mid-180ft/55m throws in our workouts.  He can run and jump very well, has a “live” arm and big passion for the event – as does Morgan.  His physical ability is well beyond most kids his age, and sometimes he tries to throw the damn thing to Mars – he lacks the patience needed to connect all the movements into a big throw consistently.  Again, he needs lots of correct reps.  There are athletes 10-15 years older than he is who show the same problem!!”
 

Meghan Owens, Mercer County HS (Harrodsburg, KY)/Maximum Velocity, Class of 2019

Before the summer of 2014, Meghan Owens was mainly a softball player who had thrown some turbo jav, among other T&F events, for fun in the summer.  But at the Bluegrass State Games that July, she picked up the regulation jav for the first time and threw it 90 feet, breaking the meet record for 13-14 year-olds by 30 feet.  By April of this year, she was up to 132 feet – even though it’s not a high school event in Kentucky.

By the summer, she was consistently in the 130s and better, winning the Emerging Elite division at NBNO, then hitting her PR of 144-0 to win USATF JOs (13-14).  She went nearly as far in making it a Junior Olympic national sweep at AAUs the following week.  She had an amazing string of victories for the season, losing only to a single college thrower back in that April meet.

On her experience at the September clinic:  “I love it.  I’ve become friends and have gotten along with all of the other Project Javelin Gold kids ... and the coaches are great; they teach very well.  It’s been a really good experience.”

On what it’s like being around others with the same passion for the javelin:  “It’s been really cool, because not many people back where I live, and in my school, know what it is. It’s been pretty cool to be around people who get what I do.”

On what got her into throwing the javelin:  “My mom has a track and field camp at her college (Lisa H. Owens is the Centre College head coach) ... and after the camp, there’s always a (Bluegrass) State Games that they hold there.  Every year, my mom signs me up for different events so I can try and win medals ... When I was 13, I couldn’t throw turbo jav any more, so she signed me up for the javelin ... and I’d never thrown it before.  So about 30 minutes before I threw, my dad came and worked with me for a couple minutes.  And I went out and threw 90 feet and broke the old (13-14 meet) record by 30 feet.  So my mom and dad started looking into it more ... I’d also played softball for 5 years.”

On specific technical things she learned this weekend:  “I’ve learned I need to use my lower body more, because I use my upper body too much ... and that I need to turn more in my throw, because I’m too open when I approach.  And I need to keep my javelin tip down.”

Coach Tom Pukstys on Meghan:  “Meghan has a huge upside.  She has a great arm and her work ethic is excellent.  Her leg work needs improvement and she was able to make that happen with some coaching, so I feel like she will be doing great this coming spring.  I suspect she will throw many personal bests.”
 

Morgan Bower, Millville HS (Millville, PA), Class of 2017

Looking at Morgan Bower, you might think “soccer player” (her first love), or, if you were thinking about track and field, perhaps distance runner, or even sprinter – but probably not javelin thrower.  Indeed, Coach Jeff Gorski says she’s “an absolute gazelle, moving” … and that’s the first ingredient that she’s built off of in becoming a javelin thrower – the implement she picked up in 2014 and embraced.

Morgan didn’t have the scintillating Youth T&F or early high school creds coming in, but, as Coach Gorski said, in her first workout late this spring with him, her throws ranged “wildly” from under 100 feet to over 135 feet.  “She knew how to build power in her run and had a feel for progressive acceleration and relaxed rhythm,” he added.  “We started to see more consistent efforts when the run was shortened and she threw off 3-4 “gallops”/crossovers and began to feel the positions that created the throw.”  Morgan’s official PR is still 110 feet, but after watching her at September’s clinic, it’s clear she can soon go 20-30 feet or more beyond that.

On what got her into throwing the javelin:  “Well, actually my family and I have really been into soccer my whole life since I was tiny ... and I was doing track at the time (this past spring) and I needed another event; I wanted something different that my sisters weren’t going to do if I did it ... so I needed something and I just picked it up.  I thought it would be fun to do.  I wasn’t really expecting anything like this, but it’s awesome.”

On when and how she first encountered Coach Gorski:  “My coach is from a school around mine, and he knew my dad, and he always wanted to get us into javelin -- but I was the only one who actually wanted to do it.  So he knew Jeff and talked with him and got the practice in with him, so he knew what I looked like and he could help me to throw it ... it was a month or two months before we went to Chula Vista.”

On making progress in recent months and whether she feels ready for a breakthrough:  “My coach and I have been working really hard, working on everything that Jeff and Tom told us to do ... and especially at these camps and having Kimmo here, they helped so much ... especially with things I didn’t know; they teach so easily.  I’m getting there, but I have a lot to learn and it takes time.”

On specific technical things she learned this weekend:  “I would say mostly just sticking my block and keeping my chest up, just because that’s what I had trouble with the most and they really worked on that with me, so it’s getting better.”

Coach Jeff Gorski on Morgan:  “When I saw her this weekend, about 7-8 weeks after our 1st session, it was very clear she and her coach, Bing Purcell, had taken my advice and spent a lot of time on standing and 2-3 step throws to groove a pattern of “slinging” the javelin to get throwing reps.  She looked like a different person!!  It will still take some time: she must progressively (and over some months) learn to incorporate more speed into the throw so positions are still good and can channel more of the run up power, but what I’ve seen in improvement in 2 months bodes well for the future.”
 

Liam Christensen, Academic Magnet (Mt. Pleasant, SC)/Mt. Pleasant TC, Class of 2017

Not many folks were familiar with Liam Christensen before he won the World Youth Trials back on the first of July, but the fact is that he had a tremendous summer in the event after his freshman year, hitting 198-8 in the Carolina Challenge in Myrtle Beach, then winning USATF JOs (15-16) with a throw over 189 feet.  Some might have raised their eyebrows, impressed when they saw 192-1 for 5th in this June’s NBNO, but Liam at that point was still chasing his frosh year PR.

He had never thrown the 700g jav before the Trials, but by the end of his series he had a 224-4 monster.  Of course, what he has done since has been well-documented, just missing the World Youth final with his 238-2 in Cali, then his super series in East Strouds a scant week-plus later as he topped out at 209-5 (back to HS implement) for 2nd behind NBNO champ Michael Biddle.  Pretty good for a sophomore! 

On what got him into throwing the javelin (from World Youth Trials interview):  “None of the high schools where we are throw it ... well (first of all), I really just picked up track when I was 12 because my brother was doing it.  Then I saw somebody throwing around a spear and we didn’t have a coach for it.  Picked it up a year later and this guy came in -- his name is Michael Foreman, he’s my coach -- and he didn’t know anything about it, either, but we both started learning together and he’s coached me ever since.”

On how he felt about his performance at JavFest (from JavFest interview):  “It was great, I mean I just did my best and put it all out there.  I was really happy with the consistency, that I knew that I had more than just one big throw in me.  It was comforting to know that I could do that ... I haven’t thrown like that (60 meters) in a long, long time.”

How he’s enjoyed the JavFest weekend:  “It’s been really great; it’s been really wild hanging out with all of these amazing throwers.  Everybody here is really, really good.  You have Duncan (Atwood) and you have Jeff and Tom, who are amazing at the sport and really passionate about it.  It’s a really nice change, because you just don’t have that everywhere.”

Coach Tom Pukstys on Liam:  “Last summer, watching Liam compete at JavFest, it became obvious he has tremendous competitive skills.  He was able to throw personal bests when he most needed them.  He has to polish up his technique and he will surely put forth the effort to do so.  He will be one of the national leaders in the javelin next season.”

From its early days 3-4 years ago with the likes of Devin Field and Carla Forbes, to its landmark 2013 World Youth Champs performances of Keturah Orji and KeAndre Bates, and finally to its combination of maturing talent and exciting potential that defined 2015, the NSAF's Project Triple Jump has been delivering positive results – Team USA berths and medals, national titles and All-American honors, state titles, major invitational victories and lots of significant improvements across the board. 

The 2014-15 Project TJ crew forged new ground with Coaches Peter Pratt and Macka Jones, training together in Houston (Oct. ’14) and Phoenix (Jan. ’15) for the first time, then returning to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista and their beloved Bahamas (both July ’15).  The training produced much success at varied levels and the long-term impact was shown, as well, with the achievements of the Project’s graduates at the next level.

All that said, the promise of 2015-16 is unprecedented, thanks in large part to a tremendous opportunity for testing, training and education this coming weekend – October 15-18 – at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the site of the Project’s first seasonal clinic. 

There is much to say about the IMG Academy weekend:  How the opportunity came about, what exactly the athletes will be doing and how what the Academy offers will benefit them, and how the athletes will carry what they learn into future training and competition – all of which will be covered in a story soon to come.

Here, we’ll introduce the eight returnees for Project Triple Jump – those who trained with us in 2014-15 and are back for 2015-16 – and two newcomers.  Further below, a review of competitive highlights for 2014-15 (including 2015 grad Felicienne Axel, but not newcomers).

The Returnees

Name, school, class, year in program, 2015 and/or career PR, 2015 highlights

• Chinne Okoronkwo, Mountlake Terrace, WA senior, 3rd year – US#6 41-10.25 PR (US#3 41-10i) … won bronze at Pan Am Jrs with all-conditions PR of 42-1.25w in her 2nd Team USA appearance … scored runner-up finishes at USA Juniors (41-10w) and NBNO (41-5.75) … made early statement with Arcadia Invite victory (40-11.75) … super triple at 3A state meet included 41-10.25 TJ, 18-0 LJ, 13-3 PV (only athlete ever 41+/13+) … 3rd in both TJ (41-10) and LJ (19-2) at NBNI … led Project 1-2-3 finish at Simplot with 41-4 victory.
• Ja’Mari Ward, Cahokia, IL senior, 3rd year – US#1 51-11 PR (US#1 51-7.25i, #11 all-time) … swept TJ and LJ at NBNI with US#1/Armory record marks of 51-7.75/25-7.25 (#6 all-time, also meet record), winning Male Athlete of the Meet and just missing Junior class nat’l records … also won both horizontals at Arkansas Invite and indoor 2A state meet … outdoors, swept 2A state TJ/LJ, then defended Great Southwest LJ title and was 2nd in TJ … was 7th in TJ, 3rd in LJ at CSI Cuba before injury issues ended season.
• Arielle Mack, El Paso Burges, TX junior, 3rd year – 40-6w PR (38-5 wind-legal) … leapt to 2nd- and 4th-place finishes in Texas 5A state meet TJ and LJ at 40-3.25w and 18-3.75 … reached TJ PR of 40-6w at Region 1-5A (also won LJ at 18-7) … improved dramatically from 2014 PR of 36-7.75 during spring as she cracked 37-, 38-, 39- and 40-ft barriers … swept USATF JO (Border Assn.) horizontals … placed 4th in both USATF JO TJ and LJ (15-16s) … was 6th in both GSW and World Youth Trials TJs … leapt PR 18-8.5 for 7th in NBNO LJ.
• Saudia James-Heard, Curtis, WA soph, 2nd year – 40-3.25nwi PR (39-11.75 legal) … hit her wind-legal PR to win Washington 4A title, ranking #3 among freshman nationally … broke 40 for 1st time with her all-conditions PR to win big Pasco Invite … also went over 40 at regional meet … took 10th at Arcadia … had her 1st 39-footer when she was 2nd at Simplot (39-0.25) behind Okoronkwo (also 5th in LJ with 18-4 PR) … 3rd in NBNI Emerging Elite TJ … also ran 57.72 for 400 … injuries curtailed summer action.
• Allyson Weiss, East Ridge, MN soph, 2nd year – 39-0.75nwi PR (38-10.5i) … big breakthrough came indoors with 38-8 to take 3rd at Simplot behind NSAF teammates Heard and Okoronkwo … followed with indoor PR leap for 9th at NBNI, then 38-10 at MSU-Mankato indoor (also 17-8 LJ PR) … broke 39-ft barrier with 39-0.75nwi to win Edina Invite … hampered later by injuries, but still won conference and section meets, then 3rd at 2A state.
• Jordyn Lesh, Harpeth Hall, TN junior, 2nd year – 38-2.75nwi (38-8.5i, 38-11.75nwi PR from ’14) … won Tennessee Div-II state title with 37-9.5 after taking 2nd in ’14 … won USA JO qualifier with seasonal best TJ, but did not compete in nationals (injury) … with indoor PR also claimed title at TN’s inaugural state champs … had 1st 18-foot LJ with 18-1.5nwi to win Montgomery Bell meet.
• Jalen Seals, Ft. Worth Boswell, TX junior, 2nd year – 47-9nwi (47-5i) … hit PR at Weatherford Kangaroo Relays a few weeks after big indoor PR (McNeese State Open), and before nagging injuries slowed progress … solid finish to outdoor in August, though, with 2nd (46-11.5nwi) at TAAF Games … big highlight in LJ came with 23-2.75 PR for 7th at Great Southwest (struggled later in TJ) … 8th in TJ at 5A state, 16th at NBNO, then 5th at World Youth Trials.
• Nashedah Mumin, Mission Oak, CA senior, 3rd year – 39-9.5 PR (’13) … Looking to start comeback this fall after injuries kept her out of action during 2015 season … PR dates back to CIF Central Section Masters title in May, ’13 … bests in 2014 included 38-9.5nwi TJ, 17-4.25w in LJ and 5-4 HJ.
   

The Newcomers

• Tara Davis, Agoura, CA junior, 1st year – US#2 42-8.25 PR … repped Team USA at World Youth Champs, bounding her PR to make TJ final (where she was 9th with 41-6), then taking gold in LJ with a spectacular final jump of US#2 21-0.5 … won WY Trials (41-10.75), state Southern Section finals (41-0 and doubled in LJ) and Texas Relays (40-11.5), and was 2nd at her state finals (41-6.75) and Arcadia (40-9.25, behind Okoronkwo) … also swept TJ and LJ at indoor states and won LJ at Simplot (4th in TJ behind NSAF trio) … also a 13.48 100m hurdler.
• Jasmine Moore, Lake Ridge, TX frosh, 1st year – 40-6.75w PR … coming off spectacular summer that saw her sweep national JO honors in TJ for 13-14s, with 3 national records … leapt 39-8.5w/39-7.75 at USATF Dist. 12 (and 19-1.5 LJ) for 1st record (topping Project TJ’s Saudia James-Heard’s mark), then topped it with 40-1.5 at nat’l JOs (also 19-4 LJ) … she then improved to 40-6.75w(+2.1) at AAU JO nationals, beating 17-year-old mark for age 14.

2014-15 Highlights

• Ja’Mari Ward swept the horizontal jumps at New Balance Nationals Indoor in March, a weekend performance that not only established him as the nation’s premier athlete in both events but was so spectacular that he was named top male athlete of the entire meet.  He leapt a US#1, meet and Armory record 25-7.25 in the LJ, good for #6 all-time, and then followed with a 51-7.75 in the TJ – also a new Armory mark, national leader and good for #11 all-time.
• Chinne Okoronkwo was also outstanding at NBNI, taking 3rd in both the TJ – with a US#3 PR of 41-10 – and LJ (19-2).
• Okoronwko, Saudia James-Heard and Allyson Weiss had an outstanding 1-2-3 sweep in the TJ at the Simplot Games in February, leaping 41-4, 39-0.25 and 38-8, respectively.  James-Heard and Weiss would rank 2-3 nationally indoors among freshmen.
• Jalen Seals bounded 47-5 to win the McNeese Open in late January, the best indoor jump by a Texan for the season and making him the nation’s #2 sophomore for the campaign.
• Okoronkwo scored a major victory as outdoor heated up in April when she captured the TJ at the Arcadia Invitational at 40-11.75.
• Ward had his furthest outdoor jumps of the year in April, hitting a 51-11 at the Belleville West meet (Apr. 11) that would stand all year as the national leader, then a 25-6.5 at the St. Clair County Champs (Apr. 28) that was US#2.
• Felicienne Axel won her 3rd straight Texas state title in the TJ, this one in 4A after two in 3A.  She topped the field with an all-conditions PR of 41-9.75w(+3.1).
• Arielle Mack punctuated a season of tremendous improvement in the Texas 5A state meet with a runner-up finish in the TJ at 40-3.25w and a 4th in the LJ at 18-3.75.  She set her PR in the triple two weeks earlier when she won her Region 1-5A meet at 40-6 – nearly four feet better than she’d jumped in 2014.
• Okoronkwo had an astonishing triple at the Washington 3A state meet, not only sweeping the horizontals (US#6 41-10.25 wind-legal PR, 18-0), but also taking the pole vault with 13-3.  She is thought to be the only prep ever to vault over 13 feet and triple jump over 41 feet.  Meanwhile, in the state’s 4A TJ battle, James-Heard triumphed at 39-11.75, #3 nationally among freshmen.
• At Great Southwest, Ward defended his LJ title at 25-4, his 2nd-best meet of the outdoor season, then took a solid 2nd in the TJ with 50-8 (into a 2.9 headwind).  For the girls, Axel was 2nd (wind-legal best of 40-2) and Mack 6th.  Also, while Seals struggled in the TJ, he had his first career 23-footer (23-2.75) for 7th in the LJ.
• Okoronkwo nearly got the TJ gold at NBNO, finishing 2nd by 4 inches with 41-5.75.  Mack was off form in the TJ, but leapt a PR 18-8.5 in the LJ.
• At USATF Juniors, Okoronkwo repped Project TJ and took 2nd with 41-10w – making her 2nd Team USA (also ’14 Youth Olympic squad) and extending her season into August.  At the Pan American Juniors in Edmonton, she was over 42 for the first time (42-1.25w) and won the bronze.

Imagine a culture where the pursuit of athletic excellence is the unequivocal goal of everyone around you; a campus filled with every facility and resource needed to train and prepare to compete in almost every sport; a weekly- and daily-life routine meticulously scheduled and structured to foster the development of the complete student-athlete.

That’s the environment in which more than a dozen Project Triple Jumpers, Head Coach Peter Pratt and Coordinator/Coach Macka Jones, and attendant NSAF staff found themselves enveloped during the recent October 15-18 weekend, as the Project trained for three days at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

“The IMG facilities are quite simply amazing,” said Coach Jones, after the clinic had drawn to a close.  “However, what impressed us the most was the staff.  Everyone that we encountered during the weekend was more than accommodating.”

This past summer, the coaches and NSAF staff connected with IMG Director of Track & Field and Director of Speed and Movement Loren Seagrave – for decades one of the great gurus of the sport, especially in sprinting and jumping – and the IMG staff to create the event.  While Coach Seagrave was unable to be present during the clinic, several other IMG coaches and staff members facilitated things all weekend – and were part of the teaching and training, too.

For example, IMG Strength and Conditioning Coach Tyler Peacock led a great session of instruction and light training at the Academy’s cavernous, 10,000-square-foot weight room Saturday.  Then on Sunday, Coach Joice Maduaka – a British Olympian in the sprints and relays herself not long ago – led the Project TJ’ers through an epic “warmup” that probably exceeded what any of them had ever seen or done.  And throughout the clinic Coaches Maduaka and Rob Jarvis, along with Program Director Lamont Thomas, were there to make sure everything ran smoothly and that everyone got to experience as much of the Academy as was possible in a weekend.

“We let them know that we have a great facility and the ability to provide them with all of the resources that they need to make this event possible,” said Coach Thomas regarding the NSAF’s original inquiry into working with IMG.  “We knew that you guys have a great group of athletes that you wanted to bring down here … so we said, hey, we could help you out, provide you with the facilities, the weight room, the meals, the facilities for you to reside – provide you with everything you needed to be successful at what you were planning to do.”

Perhaps the most unique opportunity of the weekend came when the athletes arrived on Thursday afternoon.  The Academy utilizes the Functional Movement Systems philosophy and all of its athletes undergo the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).  The website FunctionalMovement.com explains that the “exercise philosophy and corresponding set of resources is based on sound science, years of innovation, and current research.”

“Put simply,” it adds, “the FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function.  By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness.

“The FMS generates the Functional Movement Screen Score, which is used to target problems and track progress. This scoring system is directly linked to the most beneficial corrective exercises to restore mechanically sound movement patterns.  Exercise professionals monitor the FMS score to track progress and to identify those exercises that will be most effective to restore proper movement and build strength in each individual.”

So each Project athlete was able to experience a 15-minute individual sampling of the FMS, administered and scored by IMG’s on-site Hospital for Special Surgery professionals, Matthew Morgan and Jorge Giral.  The testing results will help Coaches Pratt and Jones to be able to pinpoint areas of physical strength and injury vulnerability in each athlete.

The Project athletes also had the tremendous bounty of spending time with 2004 Olympic gold medalist and 4-time IAAF World long jump champion Dwight Phillips, who is also working and coaching at IMG now.  Phillips was the special guest speaker during the opening evening Thursday, delivering an uplifting presentation that highlighted his own somewhat unlikely and amazing transformation into a world class athlete, while delivering great encouragement to all present.  He was also on hand and accessible to the Project jumpers much of the three days.

“My story is just to help inspire generations of athletes that look up to me,” he said as the clinic wrapped up.  “I wasn’t very good initially when I started off (as a young athlete), but I worked extremely hard, I was extremely dedicated, and I sacrificed a lot … It’s very important to have an excellent work ethic, an optimistic attitude and just be willing to learn.  If you can have those attributes, you can definitely be successful in sports and in life.  I’m more about teaching athletes to be that gold medal winner in life and not just in sports.”

“Having Dwight there added another component that took our event to another level,” said Coach Jones.

As always, Coaches Pratt and Jones trained and taught the kids for three days, mixing on-the-field lessons, drills and jumping with classroom work on all aspects of triple jumping.  The classroom sessions alternated between a special conference room and a classroom in the 40,000-square-foot fieldhouse, adjacent to the IMG Academy Stadium, which is used for track and field, football, lacrosse and soccer.  The field sessions were held, of course, in the stadium, utilizing the twin horizontal jump runways next to the scoreboard.

Naturally, much of the weekend focus was on pre-season preparation, appropriate given the fact that all of the athletes are at least a few months away from their competitive seasons.  In fact, Coach Pratt and the other coaches and staff placed particular emphasis on how important it is to maintain a base fitness level in the fall after the competitive season, so one isn’t “starting from zero” when serious training starts up again and so that an annual progression can best be facilitated.

The weekend’s lone jumping session – just a few attempts off a short approach – revealed some athletes closer to that base level than others at this point, though a few went far enough to indicate that significant PR-improvement might be in the offing not long after the season begins.

The athletes training with the NSAF over the weekend included veteran Project athletes Chinne Okoronkwo, Arielle Mack and Nashedah Mu’min (all starting their 3rd season with the Project); Saudia James-Heard, Allyson Weiss, Jordyn Lesh and Jalen Seals (all 2nd season); and Project newcomers Tara Davis and Jasmine Moore (check out the bios of all of the Project athletes HERE).

They were joined by a quartet of registered clinic athletes from points near and far – all with talent and potential – including Jaimie Robinson (Homewood-Flossmoor, IL junior), Katie Barnett (Admiral Farragut, FL junior), Marcus Floyd (Middleburg, FL freshman) and Amy Warren – a fast-rising Virginia middle-school athlete whose older brother John was the NBNO triple jump champ in 2014 and now competes at University of Missouri.  And then there was the accomplished Thomas Dale HS (Chester, Va.) head coach Jamarri Price, whose star pupil – Titiana Marsh, a 41-footer and indoor/outdoor state champ who paced all 9th graders nationally in 2015 – was unable to attend and he came to Florida to learn in her place.

“I gained so much valuable information from Coach Pratt,” said Coach Price.  “It wasn’t just learning new things …well, some things absolutely were new, but it’s also building upon the toolbox that you have … and it was a great atmosphere for the horizontal jumps.”

Suffice it to say that the NSAF’s athletes enjoyed and benefited from the weekend, learning a lot and very much wowed by what they were able to experience at IMG.

“This weekend’s been amazing,” said Jalen Seals.  “I can’t even explain how much they have here; they have everything you could possibly need and more.”

“I love IMG, the facilities, the coaches here … they’re all amazing,” added Saudia James-Heard.  “The kids here are so welcoming and so nice … it’s like family here.”

Track and field is actually a relatively new offering at IMG; the program started with a single athlete four years ago and now has 19 – and is growing fast.  Its international group includes Miguel van Assan of Suriname, who has triple jumped 53-8.5 and long jumped 25-0, and is one of the top horizontal jump medal contenders for the 2016 World Juniors.  In fact, he and the Project’s Ja’Mari Ward took turns beating each other in the Great Southwest LJ and TJ last June.

Project TJ athletes have had the opportunity to train in outstanding venues and with outstanding hosts the past few years, including the St. John’s School in Houston, with several Texas-based jump legends; Joseph C. Carter Park in Ft. Lauderdale, with St. Thomas Aquinas coaches and staff; and Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, one of the most impressive prep programs and facilities in the country (a January, 2016 return there is planned for the next clinic).

Even with that impressive list, this past clinic at IMG Academy stands as a truly special opportunity and may be the start of something long-lasting.  “I want to thank everyone at IMG,” said Coach Jones, “Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a real partnership that will allow us to realize our goal of American success in the triple jump.”

Finally, Coach Jones said he was excited to meet the new group of campers this year and is curious to see how everyone will develop, both the veterans and newcomers.  “Sometimes it just takes just the smallest suggestion or tweak that could turn a runner-up into a champion.  I would like to believe that something we showed them will make that type of difference in their training.”

At the end of 2014, the NSAF presented 10-deep rankings in each boys and girls track and field event for the 2014 season. For 2015, we've expanded our recap of 2015 to include an overall Athlete of the Year for each gender, an overall top 15 athletes (plus honorable mention) and will also follow with the top 10 rankings as we did in 2014. The series starts today with the Boys Athlete of the Year, Noah Lyles, plus the rest of the top 15 and honorable mention.

NSAF BOYS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Noah Lyles, T.C. Williams HS, VA, 2016

When making a case for Noah Lyles as the 2015 Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year, you could cite the entirety of his very successful indoor and outdoor seasons, from December through August ... or you could narrow it down to those successive weekends the second half of June, when he authored those blazing 100s and 200s at NBNO and USATF Juniors.

But if you really want to get down to it, it was the sizzling 20.18 seconds of racing in the Junior 200-meter final, with pre-meet national leader Michael Norman pushing him every step of the way, that was the definitive statement for the T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.) junior.  Norman was the consensus choice for AOY before the meet, coming in unbeaten and also sporting the US#1 in the 400 at 45.19.  But Lyles, with his 20.18-20.24 victory over the Californian, completed his second straight super-high quality sprint double and turned the tables.

At NBNO in Greensboro the previous weekend, Lyles had found himself the favorite in the 100 final after then-national leader Ryan Clark false-started in the semis, and he proceeded to blast a then-PR 10.21(+1.4w) – a rather stunning 0.17 faster than his previous best.  Then in the 200 final, he was challenged to the wire by Clark, but Lyles prevailed again with a 20.54 into a 1.0 headwind.

In Eugene, Lyles first took another big step in the century, with his 10.14(+2.0) taking the national lead and moving him to #5 all-time – not to mention beating Clark and collegian Christian Coleman, among others.  Then in the 200, Lyles’ victory advanced him even higher on the all-time list – #3 – beating Norman and, again, Clark.

One of the biggest motivators for the fantastic performances in those two meets may have been what happened the weekend before NBNO, when Noah and his brother, Josephus, represented Team NSAF for the Caribbean Scholastic Invite – held for the historic first time in Cuba.  As well as Noah would run there – PRs of 10.38 and 20.45 in the 100 and 200 – both races resulted in tough losses, with Clark ripping a then-US#1 10.18 in the century and Cuba's Reynier Mena nipping him by .03 in the furlong.

“After coming back from Cuba, I was happy that I got a new personal best in the 100 and the 200, but I was more hungry to run again than anything,” Noah remembers now.  “That was my first loss of the season, and in the 100 I wasn’t even close (.20 behind).  I truthfully couldn’t remember the time I had seen a gap like that in the 100.  When I got back, all I could think about was running faster than the last time.”

And so he did.  It’s also kind of noteworthy that until CSI (June 13), there was really nothing significant on Lyles’ outdoor resume that would have marked him for AOY consideration.  Of course, his indoor season (see below) had been spectacular … and there was also the Penn Relays in late April.  There, he and younger brother Josephus split 45.60 and 45.71 on their 3:12.17 qualifying race (a U.S. leader for much of the year), and 45.4 and 46.22 in the final (4th, 3:13.97).

But no really big individual outdoor marks until mid-June.  Not surprisingly, though, that was by design.  “As the outdoor season started, we had a meeting with the coaches and told them the goals and what teams we wanted to make,” said Noah.  “When we told them the goals, we all decided that running at small track meets and staying under the radar would be the best way to make sure we didn’t exhaust our bodies from running too much.  I think that my mom and coaches did a great job of this.  That is the biggest reason I think we were able to run so fast this year.”

Of course you notice that Noah says “we,” always speaking of both he and Josephus (ranked #11 on this list).  They are just over a year apart, age-wise, but both are seniors now this year and planning to announce their college choices and sign (either Florida or Texas A&M) on November 11.  This past season, Josephus defended his NBNO 400 title while Noah was winning the 100/200 double.  Then, instead of accompanying Noah to USA Juniors, he attempted to make his 2nd Team USA at the World Youth Trials, winning the 400 and getting 2nd in the 200.  In the World Youth Champs, Josephus won 400 silver (US#2 45.46), then 200 bronze (US#4 20.74).

They rarely race each other in major events, but when you see the results of some of their lower key indoor meets in Virginia, for example, and notice their finishing .01 apart in a few races, you see how close their talent level really is.  Josephus was injured for much of the early part of 2014, but by June he came into his own and won his first NBNO 400.  Then while Noah was prepping for the Youth Olympics, Josephus became one of the youngest preps to qualify for Team USA for World Juniors and won 4x400 gold.

The two obviously push each other in training, but Noah notes other ways his brother helps him.  “He is always pushing me to think bigger … whenever I think of a goal that’s too low or I don’t think I can do it, he always tells me to think bigger.”

In tracing Noah’s path to the top, you need to go back to at least 2013, his freshman year, when he finished 3rd in the World Youth Trials 200 and made the team for the WY Championships in Donetsk.  Pressed into duty after Kenzo Cotton was injured, Noah made it to the semis in the WY 200, with a then-200 PR of 21.28 along the way, then earned a silver medal on the medley relay.

The development continued in 2014, with an outstanding indoor season that culminated in a soph class record 21.50 for 3rd in the NBNI 200.  A month later, he won the Youth Olympic Trials 200 with his first sub-21 – 20.89 – and eventually was named to his 2nd Team USA.  At NBNO, Noah (and many others) were in the shadow of senior Trentavis Friday's stellar sprinting, but when Noah’s opportunity came at the Youth Olympics in late August, he shone brighter than ever before with a 20.71 for the gold.

All of that set up 2015.  Noah first excelled all winter long from the 55m to the 300m and, in a thrilling pair of duels at NBNI, was 2nd by .01 to Ryan Clark in the 60, then beat him by .02 in the 200.  Noah became #2 all-time in the latter with his 20.83, faster than Friday had run indoors the previous year.

As for wrapping up this year’s AOY outdoor campaign, Noah’s USA Junior double earned him his THIRD Team USA berth.  The Pan American Juniors in Edmonton was icing on the cake, even if it included a tough split decision vs. his new rival, Mena.  He was first beaten by the Cuban star by .01 in the 100, despite a near-PR 10.18 (and after a windy 10.07 all-conditions PR prelim).  But then Noah claimed his 2nd international title in the 200, this time beating Mena with a 20.27, also his 2nd-best mark of the year.

One can only wonder what high school, U.S. Junior or even World Junior records might be in the offing in 2015 for Noah … and/or Josephus.  But before all that (and the college decision Nov. 11), there’s people to thank. 

“I am very happy to have all the support that I have,” Noah said.  “My coaches (T.C. Williams head coach Mike Hughes and sprint coach Rashawn Jackson) are always there to help … They are a great part of the team and have me and Josephus’s best interest at heart.  My chiropractor and personal trainer are also great contributors to the team.  They get our bodies in shape and fix them when we break them.  But the best part is that everyone knows when to take a break, and is looking towards the future, and not just what we can do in the moment.”

2. Michael Norman, Vista Murrieta, CA, 2016, Sprints

The above-mentioned USA Jr 200 loss to Lyles should hardly be considered a blemish in Norman's season; after all, he broke his PR with a 20.24, which pushed him up to =#5 all-time.  He had previously been unbeaten in finals, including the epic 20.30 200/45.19 400 double at the California state meet.  That 400 was his 3rd sub-46 of the season and good for =#6 all-time.  His victories also included the Arcadia and Brooks PR 400s and, in a rare foray into the 100, he even won the big adidas race in 10.36.  Norman passed on the Pan Am Juniors.
 

3. Andrew Hunter, Loudoun Valley, VA, 2016, Distances

As outstanding as Hunter has been the past few years – including his 2015 triumphs in the NBNI 2M (US#1 8:48.22, #6 all-time), the Penn Relays mile (4:07.15) and runner-up finish (4:02.36) to Grant Fisher in the adidas Mile – he reached a new level in his final 2 meets.  First, there was a US#1 8:42.51-8:43.57 2M win over Fisher at Brooks, a landmark performance that propelled him to #6 all-time.  Then a week later, he sprinted to a runner-up finish in the USATF Jr 1,500, again beating Fisher and losing only to collegian Blake Haney.  Hunter, too, passed on the Pan Am Juniors.
 

4. Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc, MI, 2015, Distances

As was the case with #2 Norman, Fisher had two late-season losses (as mentioned, to Hunter) that hardly should be seen as diminishing his star power.  The 8:43.57 (#7 all-time) vs. Hunter at Brooks was an 8-second PR and the USA 1,500 was very close – it's just that Fisher had been unbeatable for so long.  His 2015 successes included prep history's 7th sub-4:00 mile – a 3:59.38 (=#3 all-time) in St. Louis – the adidas Mile (4:01.73) over Hunter and a great field, a 3:42.89 1,500 (#5 all-time) at Stanford (where he now goes to school), an epic 4:00.28 1,600/8:53.41 3,200 same-afternoon double at state and the NBNI mile (4:03.54, despite a major stumble).
 

5. Paulo Benavides, El Paso Franklin HS, TX, 2015, Pole Vault

Speaking of the difficulty of staying unbeaten against great competition, top-level consistency is very tough in the pole vault.  But Benevides was at his best when it mattered most, winning NBNO with 17-5, taking 2nd at USATF Juniors at a US#1 17-10.5 (1st prep/=#9 all-time) and winning Pan Am Jrs at 17-8.5.  Those more than made up for losses at Great Southwest, Texas Relays and TX Meet of Champs. He had a very impressive 13 meets over 17 feet outdoors ... AND this came after he set a 17-11 HSR indoors, then was 2nd to previous record-setter Deakin Volz’s new 17-11.25 mark at NBNO.
 

6. Norman Grimes, Canyon HS, TX, 2016, Hurdles/Sprints

Grimes had never run a 400H race before mid-June, when he dug deep for a 50.80 triumph at the Cuba CSI meet (though he was already US#1 at 300H with his 36.10 Texas Relays winner).  But his amazing summer had just begun: He was a strong 3rd at NBNO behind Raj Benjamin, then proceeded to make Team USA for both World Youths and Pan Am Jrs.  The peak came in Cali, an overpowering 49.11 triumph (33") that came within .10 of the World Youth record ... and the encore was a US#2 50.10 (36"/#13 all-time) victory in Edmonton over collegian Kenny Selmon and Jamaican Marvin Williams.
 

7. Donovan Brazier, Kenowa Hills HS, MI, 2015, 800m

Brazier, the 2014 NBNO 800 champ, declined a title defense opportunity but went to the Brooks meet and powered to a US#1 1:47.55, crushing a good field moving to #4 all-time.  Unfortunately, his attempt at Juniors to make his first Team USA ended with a DQ in a congested qualifying-round finish.  Still, Brazier broke 1:49 three other times, including a 1:48.07 at his regional meet, and showed 47.96 400/4:07.15 1,600 range.  He’s now a frosh at Texas A&M.
 

8. Matt Katnik, St. John’s Bosco HS, CA, 2015, Shot Put/Discus

Sorting out the shot putters was hard, given excellence displayed by different athletes with Junior, HS and Youth implements in different meets.  But Katnik’s long, dominant spring with the 12-lb. ball puts him highest on this list.  Now a USC frosh, Katnik came into 2015 as a 65-footer, but concluded the campaign with six meets at 70-11.5 or better, topped out by a US#1 72-3 (#10 all-time) and a 72-0 state title win.  His major victories included Arcadia and Mt. SAC.  The only disappointment came at USA Juniors, where he was 4th with the heavier 6k ball at 65-11.75 – 2nd prep behind Willie Morrison.
 

9. Carlton Orange, Memphis U. HS, TN, 2015, 800m

Orange’s season was sort of the flipside of Brazier’s in the 800.  He was a consistent 1:50-51 performer all spring, with some strong big-meet performances, but he took a distant 2nd (1:50.74) behind Brazier at Brooks.  But in the USA Junior 800 final, he finally had the breakthrough predicted for him for years with a victorious, jaw-dropping US#2 1:47.67 (#5 all-time).  There was considerable curiosity as to whether he could do it again at Pan Am Juniors, but Orange came through with flying colors and a 1:48.06 triumph.  He’s now an Arkansas frosh.
 

10. Rai Benjamin, Mt. Vernon HS, NY, 2015, 400H/Sprints

Though he shut it down after NBNO, Benjamin was “the man” at 400H through that point, highlighted by a sterling US#1 49.97 winner in Greensboro (#8 all-time) over a great field.  He also had a Penn Relays runner-up finish and a 50.45 to his credit, and sprint bests of 10.66, 21.05 and 46.19 (2nd at CARIFTA).  All of this followed a long, breathtaking indoor campaign that saw the current UCLA frosh nearly break the 300 HSR (US#1 33.17), and at NBNI win a crazy 400 final at 46.61 (US#1 46.59 in prelims) and then take 3rd (US#3 21.09) in a blazing 200 the same afternoon.
 

11. Josephus Lyles, T.C. Williams HS, VA, 2016, 200/400

Watching this younger of the Lyles, particularly in a few races where .01 separated he and Noah, informs you that Josephus has what it takes to top this Top 15 list himself.  Although he has great range from 55- to 500-meters, Joe mostly stuck to the 400 and really started surging with a 46.60 CSI Cuba win.  After bouncing back from illness, he defended his NBNI title with his first sub-46 (45.99), then qualified for the U.S. World Youth team in both the 200 and 400.  In peak form in Cali, he took silver in the 400 (US#2 45.46/#15 all-time) and bronze in the 200 (US#4 20.74).
 

12. Matthew Maton, Summit HS, OR, 2015, Distances

Maton decided to forego competing for Summit HS, choosing to compete in college/open meets after a 4:03.23 mile in 2014.  The heart of his season was compromised by injury, but his achievements before and after were considerable.  In mid-April, he ran US#1 3:42.54 in the 1,500 (#3 all-time), then 3 weeks later became prep history’s 6th sub-4:00 miler at 3:59.38 (also #3 all-time, later equaled by Fisher).  Post-injury, he moved up to the 5,000, winning a kicker’s race at USA Juniors, then PR’d at US#1 14:20.58 for the Pan Am Junior title.  He stayed home for college, now at U of O.
 

13. Ryan Clark, Banneker HS, GA, 2015, Sprints

Few elites had more high-quality marks and a longer season (December to August) than Clark.  A WYC 400 medalist in 2013, he revealed improved short sprint chops when he hit 6.25 for 55m in January and rode that to a NBNI 60m title (US#1 6.65) – and was just .02 short of making it a double in the 200 (20.85, #3 all-time).  Outdoors, he held the U.S. 100 lead through his 10.18 win at CSI (=#8 all-time), then rode out some tough, close losses to Lyles and Norman at NBNO and USA Juniors.  He wrapped it all up with a Pan Am Jr 200 bronze and is now a U. of Florida frosh.
 

14. Willie Morrison, Leavenworth HS, KS, 2015, Shot Put/Discus

Morrison – a 64-6.25 putter in 2014 – emerged as the nation’s best during the indoor campaign, going unbeaten, reaching 67-4, and winning NBNI at 66-5.25.  Outdoors, the Californian Katnik eclipsed him on the list, but Morrison was again unbeaten and made it an NBN indoor/outdoor double with his first 70-footer – US#2 70-2.5 – in Greensboro.  Then at USA Juniors, Morrison was 3rd, just missing Team USA for Pan Ams by ¾ of an inch.  But he was the 1st prep, beat Katnik by almost 2 feet in their only meeting, and set an all-time prep best with the Junior 6kg (13.2 lbs.) shot at 67-9.  He’s now a U. of Indiana freshman.
 

15. Adrian Piperi, The Woodlands HS, TX, 2017, Shot Put/Discus

If Piperi had ended his season at NBNO, it would have been an excellent soph campaign.  He was unbeaten in Texas, winning 6A, and took 2nd in Greensboro behind Morrison with a US#4 66-10 shot put PR.  But then came the World Youth Trials and a clutch 69-1.25 winner (smaller 5k kg Youth shot) on his final attempt for a Team USA berth.  Galvanized, Piperi went to Cali and blew everyone’s mind (including his own) capturing gold with a pair of 72-2.25 throws, 2nd only to Ryan Crouser all-time U.S. with that implement.  He was also good with the discus, getting 3rd at NBNO and 5th at World Youth.

• Honorable Mention briefs:  The nation’s two best hammer throwers were teammates at Barrington (R.I.) HS.  Junior Robert Colantonio hit 243-7 (#7 all-time) and won both USA Juniors and the Youth Trials, followed by 7th-place finishes at WYC and PAJ.  He also had an earlier 256-6 with the Youth hammer (#2 all-time).  Senior Adam Kelly, the 2-time NBNI weight champ, won NBNO, Chicagoland Throws (US#2 243-1, #8 all-time) and CSI, was 2nd at Juniors and 5th at PAJ … Michael Biddle (Williamsburg, PA sr) was US#2 at 213-10 with the best competitive record in the javelin, winning NBNO and the American JavFest … Soph Liam Christensen (Academic Magnet, SC) won the WY Trials (224-4, with lighter 700g Youth jav) and just missed the WY final, throwing further (238-2) than any U.S. Youth in meet history.  He then was 2nd (209-5) to Biddle at JavFest … Carlos Davis (Blue Springs, MO sr) was the nation’s best discus thrower, reaching a US#1 214-4, winning Great Southwest and repeating at Chicagoland.
• Chad Zallow (JF Kennedy, OH sr) was very close to ranking much higher on this list; he was 2nd by .01 to Grant Holloway in the NBNI 60H (7.59, #3 all-time), won the NBNO 110H with a windy 13.19(+3.8, #5 all-time/all-conditions), ranked US#2 over 110H with his legal 13.48.  Unfortunately a DQ at USA Juniors put an end to his season … Holloway had his ups and downs outdoors, ranking #1 in the long jump at 25-8.75 – part of a 6A state meet quadruple – but false-started the NBNO 110H and had nagging injury issues that hindered better post-season marks … Keshun Reed (Arlington Martin, TX jr) had a great season over 400, grabbing the U.S. lead with his 6A state title (45.75, US#3 by season’s end) and went on to win bronze at World Youths behind Josephus Lyles (plus relay gold).
• Armand Duplantis (Lafayette, LA fr) set and reset freshman class national pole vault records eight times during the year, finishing with a 17-4.5 to win the World Youth title – representing Sweden.  Facing the nation’s best several times indoors and out, he won the Millrose Games and was in the top 3 at NBNO, Great Southwest, Texas Relays and the Reno Summit … Ja’Mari Ward (Cahokia, IL jr) swept the NBNI horizontals in spectacular fashion in March, with US#1 and Armory record marks of 25-7.25 and 51-7.75.  His outdoor season was short-circuited by injury, but he achieved US#1 (51-11) and #2 (25-6.5) marks during the Illinois season … Jaron Brooks (Henry Clay, KY jr) won the NBNI (6-11.5) and NBNO (7-1.5) high jumps, as well as CSI (6-11.5).  Darius Carbin (Mt. Pleasant) came on huge at season’s end to edge Brooks in the WY Trials (6-11), then take the bronze in Cali (7-1) while Brooks was 5th (7-0.25).
• Jack Jibb (Monroe-Woodbury, NY sr) was clearly the year’s best steepler with a pair of US#1s.  He broke 9:00 with his 8:57.34 (#5 all-time) to win NY state over 3k, then ruled NBNO with a 5:50.71 (#7 all-time) over 2k … Mike Brannigan (Northport, NY sr) had some great distance achievements in 2015, winning the spectacular Loucks Games 3,200 (8:42.92, US#3 converted to 2M), taking 3rd in the Adidas mile (US#4 4:03.18), running 4:05.78 in the Pre mile and taking 2nd in the NBNI 5,000 … Cameron Haught (Yellow Springs, OH soph) dominated the walks, winning over 1M at NBNI and NBNO, taking 2nd over 10k at USA Juniors (1st prep) and topping the U.S. lists at every distance.
• Top decathlon returnee Travis Toliver (Episcopal, TX sr) was way off form at Arcadia in April, but razor sharp by late June in getting 2nd at USA Juniors behind collegian Harrison Williams with 7,440 – superior to any H.S. marks made during the year.  He finished 2nd to Williams at Pan Am Jrs as well, with a solid 7,346 … George Patrick (Brentwood Acad., TN jr) had a fine 7,282 in his first Youth 10-eventer at the WY Trials, then improved to a spectacular 7,493 in Cali for 4th – just missing bronze.

The NSAF's annual Chicagoland Throws event has a new home for 2016 and, hence, a new name.  The Chula Vistaland Throws will be held June 10-11, 2016 at the USOC Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. (near San Diego).

The venue change was necessitated by the fact that this coming year's event is about 3 weeks before the Olympic Trials begin (July 1) and many of the top elite throwers will be training at the USOC's Chula Vista facility.  This venue has become familiar to the NSAF and it's Project Javelin Gold and Performance Triple Jump Camp athletes the past two years due to summer clinics being held there.

Three high school athletes per throwing event (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin) for both boys and girls will be selected by the NSAF on or about June 1 -- based on 2016 performances through May.  The selection format varies for this event, with top performers from NBNO selected during years when Chicagoland has been held after NBNO.  The 2016 NBNO is set for June 17-19.

This unique event, developed with the NSAF and Chicagoland Throwers Series founder Tom Pukstys, allows prep throwers to experience competition with elite and Olympic-level throwers -- each using the implements for their level, but competing together.  The weekend is also structured to allow for clinics, mentoring opportunities and other social interaction.

It’s time to mark your calendar for the 2016 Caribbean Scholastic Invitational!

The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation and Team NSAF – expected to again be 28-strong – will return to Havana on May 27-28, following the extremely successful and historic first running of the meet this past June in the Cuban capital.  The majority of Team NSAF athletes – generally underclassmen – will be chosen at New Balance Nationals Indoor.  Early outdoor results will be considered for some selections, as well.  The NSAF started the meet in 2006 and was held for 8 years in Puerto Rico before the first running in Havana last year.

Two new developments promise to make the 2016 CSI extra special.  First, the track at Estadio Panamericano will be resurfaced for the meet.  Second, the meet will be held this year in conjunction with the Barrientos Memorial, the long-running elite-level invitational held annually in the late spring. 

The Barrientos Memorial has often seen some of the year’s best performances; this past May, for example, IAAF World Championships triple jump silver medalist Pedro Pablo Pichardo leapt 59-4, the #2 mark of the year globally behind Christian Taylor’s WC-winning and American record 59-9.

The NSAF also announced that it will host a quartet of top Cuban high-school-age athletes at both the NBNI and NBNO championships.

This initial list of outstanding Class of 2016 college recruits making their decision and completing the process during the early signing period (Nov. 11-18) includes Team NSAF members with us for the 2015 Caribbean Scholastic Invitational (CSI) in Cuba and our Project Javelin Gold and Performance Triple Jump Camp members. Those student-athletes who have indicated their choices and sent photos are included on this list. An updated list will be posted next week with additional signees and photos, including Team NSAF members from Chicagoland Throws, World Youth and Pan American Junior Team USA members and previous NBNO & NBNI champions.

BOYS
 

Jaron Brooks - Auburn Tigers

Henry Clay HS (Lexington, KY)
2015 NSAF/USA meets (all high jump): CSI-1st, NBNO-1st, NBNI-1st, WY Trials-2nd, WY Champs-5th

Norman Grimes - Texas Tech Red Raiders

Canyon HS (TX)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 400H/3rdQF 110H, NBNO-3rd 400H/11th 110H, NBNI-6th 200/13th 60H, USA Jrs-2nd 400H/4th 110H, WY Trials-1st 400H/2nd 110H, WY Champs-1st 400H/5thSF 110H, Pan Am Jrs-1st 400H

Josephus Lyles - Florida Gators

T.C. Williams HS (Alexandria, VA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 400, NBNO-1st 400, NBNI-3rd 400, WY Trials-1st 400/2nd 200, WY Champs-2nd 400/3rd 200

Noah Lyles - Florida Gators

T.C. Williams HS (Alexandria, VA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-2nd 100/2nd 200, NBNO-1st 100/1st 200, NBNI-1st 200/2nd 60, USA Jrs-1st 100/2nd 200, Pan Am Jrs-1st 200/2nd 100

Logan MacKay - BYU Cougars

Davis HS (Kaysville, UT)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 800/1st 1500, NBNO-3rd 1M(EE)/11th 2M(EE), NBNI-1st 4x800/2nd 4x1M
(photos coming)

Dylan Peebles - NC State Wolfpack

Wakefield HS (Raleigh, NC)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-3rd 200, NBNO-12th 200, NBNI-15th 200

Ja'Mari Ward - Missouri Tigers

Cahokia HS (IL) / Project Triple Jump
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-3rd LJ/7th TJ, NBNI-1st LJ/1st TJ

GIRLS

Brooklynn Broadwater - Tennessee Vols

Springside Chesnut Hill Acad. (Philadelphia, PA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-2nd 400H, NBNI-10th 400

Anna Cockrell - USC Trojans

Providence Day School (Charlotte, NC)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 100H(Jr)/1st 400H, NBNO-3rd 100H/3rd 400H, NBNI-2nd 60H, USA Jrs-1st 400H/3rd 100H, Pan Am Jrs-1st 400H
(photos coming)

Courtney Corrin - USC Trojans

Harvard-Westlake School (Studio City, CA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets (all long jump): CSI-1st, NBNO-2nd, NBNI-2nd, USA Jrs-1st, Pan Am Jrs-2nd
(photos coming)

Alexis Duncan - Texas Longhorns

DeSoto HS (TX)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 100H(Yth), NBNO-4th 100H, NBNI-3rd 60H, WY Trials-1st 100H, WY Champs-7th 100H

Emma Fitzgerald - Wisconsin Badgers

Thayer Acad. (Braintree, MA) / Project Javelin Gold
2015 NSAF/USA meets (all javelin): NBNO-5th, USA Jrs-3rd, Chicagoland-2nd, Am JavFest-3rd

Katelyn Gochenour - Oklahoma Sooners

Marian Catholic, NE (Logan, IA) / Project Javelin
2015 NSAF/USA meets (javelin unless noted): CSI-1st JT/5th DT, NBNO-4th, USA Jrs-9th, WY Trials-2nd, WY Champs-11th, Am JavFest-2nd

Cassondra Hall - LSU Tigers

Warner Robins HS (GA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st 100, NBNO-2nd 200/9th 100, NBNI-2nd 60/9th 200
(photos coming)

Tairyn Montgomery - Georgia Bulldogs

Redondo Union HS (Redondo Beach, CA) / Project Javelin Gold
2015 NSAF/USA meets (all javelin): NBNO-2nd, USA Jrs-5th, WY Trials-3rd, Am JavFest-4th

Chinne Okoronkwo - Wisconsin Badgers

Mountlake Terrace HS (WA) / Project Triple Jump
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-6th TJ/7th LJ, NBNO-2nd TJ/12th LJ, NBNI-3rd LJ/3rd TJ, USA Jrs-2nd TJ, Pan Am Jrs-2nd TJ

Kiana Phelps - Oregon Ducks

Kingsley-Pierson HS (Kingsley, IA)
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st DT/2nd SP, NBNO-2nd DT, Chicagoland-1st DT

Sophia Rivera - Wisconsin Badgers

Brentwood HS (St. Louis, MO) / Project Javelin
2015 NSAF/USA meets: CSI-1st SP/2nd JT/3rd DT, NBNO-1st SP/1st JT/6th DT, NBNI-1st SP, USA Jrs-2nd SP/7th JT, WY Trials-1st SP/1st JT/7th DT, WY Champs-2nd SP/7th JT, Am JavFest-1st, Pan Am Jrs-2nd SP

At the end of 2014, the NSAF presented 10-deep rankings in each boys and girls track and field event for the 2014 season. For 2015, we've expanded our recap of 2015 to include an overall Athlete of the Year for each gender, an overall top 15 athletes (plus honorable mention) and will also follow with the top 10 rankings as we did in 2014. The series continues today with the Girls Athlete of the Year, Candace Hill, plus the rest of the top 15 and honorable mention | Boys AOY Noah Lyles and Top 15

NSAF GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Candace Hill, Rockdale County HS, GA, 2017

She came into the mixed zone, at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Columbia, thrilled and flushed with excitement and wonder – or as excited as Candace Hill, an impressively even-keel young student-athlete, usually ever gets.  She had just completed her 100/200 double and the numbers on the clock had amazed her.

“When I crossed the line and they said ‘World Record,’ I was like, ‘Oh my God’ ... I thought I could run 22.9, but not 22.4, that’s way beyond what I expected.”

It has been like that a lot for Hill the past few years, as she kept taking chunks off her sprint times as a freshman back in 2014, as her marks started becoming historically great at Great Southwest this spring – 11.15 and 22.76, even if wind- and altitude-aided – and certainly when she clocked the first-ever sub-11 for a prep at the Brooks PR meet.  She has kept exceeding her expectations.

And maybe, in the end, that’s kind of what allowed Hill to finish off her NSAF 2015 Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year campaign the way she did, moving triumphantly through the rounds at the WY Trials and WY Champs.  She could have been obsessed with the clock in Lisle or Cali, the former just over a week after the 10.98 in Seattle, but she was just her same, consistent self – not overwhelmed with high expectations.

“At first, people were like, ‘Oh, let’s see what she'll run next, let’s see if she’ll run another 10.9,” she said after completing the 100/200 sweep at the Trials, “but I just told myself that the 10.9 might have been a once-in-a-lifetime thing and just to run the 100 like I’ve been doing and if I PR, I PR, but if I don’t, I don’t ... I just came out here and ran my best.”

It was basically the same thing at Worlds, taking the best shots from Florida prep Khalifa St. Fort (representing Trinidad&Tobago) in the 100 and teammate Lauren Rain Williams in the 200, winning with room to spare in both with those marks of 11.08 and 22.43.

When the meet (and Hill’s season) had wrapped, she was the World Youth record-holder in both dashes, with the 200 mark 2nd among U.S. preps only to Allyson Felix’s 22.11 from 2003 in the super high altitude of Mexico City – to go with that 100 HSR (which was also an American Junior Mark).  Her PRs also ranked #1 among World Juniors in 2015, and #3 and =#5 all-time, respectively.

Hill’s performances this year, especially that barrier-breaking century, were enough to get media attention from all over the sports world and even beyond – like features on CNN and Newsweek.  Gatorade honored her with their overall Girls High School Athlete of the Year, a rarity for a track performer and a first for a sophomore in any sport.

And, as many pundits imagined, it has been reported that Hill will become the 2nd prep girl in two years to “go pro” after her sophomore year, following in the footsteps, so to speak, of Kaylin Whitney.  After the Brooks meet, Hill told Jeff Hollobaugh at Track and Field News, “I don't want to go pro yet, if they were to ask me.”  But in late October a few sources noted she is now being is represented by professional agency Global Athletics & Marketing and is in negotiations with a trio of shoe companies.

It’s all been an amazing whirlwind for Hill, but it’s not like she came out of nowhere – this year or even in 2014.  No, she wasn’t someone who raced for “years and years” in age-group or Junior Olympic track, but she did run pre-high-school bests of 12.32 and 24.79 in 2012, then 11.81 and 23.95 in 2013 – the latter marks coming during prelims at USATF JOs in Greensboro, where she would win the Youth (13-14) 100 and take 3rd in the 200.

As a Rockdale County, GA freshman in 2014, Hill began to “arrive” nationally as a prep at the Mobile Challenge of Champions in early April, when she sprinted 11.69 in the 100, then followed with a 23.81 200 for an unlooked-for double and Athlete of the Meet honors.  In her 6A state meet a month later, she pushed those marks down to 11.44 and 23.21, for another sweep.  Hence, when she returned to Greensboro several weeks later for her first NBNO, she was certainly one of the favorites – but no one really knew what to expect in her first championship at that level.

But once again, she came through with flying colors: A photo-finish 11.34w triumph over New Yorker Brenessa Thompson, then a more decisive 23.14 victory.  She was close to freshman-class records at both distances.

As spring of 2015 dawned, Hill was consistently a little faster than the previous year, hitting a PR 11.30 and 23.57 at Mobile, then 11.34 and a PR 23.05 at her state meet – of course, sweeping both.  Three weeks later, she made her first trip West for the Prefontaine Classic, winning the prep 200 there in 23.65.  To that point, May 29, she’d had another great year – but there wasn’t really an indication of the truly historic performances to follow.

Great Southwest, then, was a big step forward, beating two more great fields with the aforementioned wind-aided times.  Then she got collective jaws to drop even further the next week in New York, when in the Adidas 100, she scorched an 11.21, into a 1.7 headwind and winning by a massive .29 over Teahna Daniels and the best field she’d faced yet.

THAT may have been when the possibility of Hill’s being able to break Whitney’s record – which was less than a year old – started coming into focus.  But who knew it would come the following week, on another trip to the West Coast, and with an unfathomable sub-11?

Which brings us back to the even-keel demeanor, humility and modesty that defines this 16-year-old.  She celebrated the 10.98, but didn’t let it define her as she prepared for the World Championships.  That eased some of the potential pressure and allowed her to run the way and for the reasons she always does.  No doubt at least some of that positive mental makeup comes from her family and her team of coaches – Venson Elder and Sayon Cooper at Rockdale County, and her “summer track” coach Dannette Young-Stone, a former world-class sprinter herself and leader of the Dynamics Speed Elite TC club with her husband Curtis Stone.

“My whole community is behind me ... they encourage me and that's what motivates me to do my best,” Hill says.  “If I keep on going the way I'm going, I can make it far.”

2. Vashti Cunningham, Bishop Gorman HS, NV, 2017, High Jump

There are not enough superlatives to describe Cunningham’s season, which became historic when she leapt her first HSR with 6-4.25 at Mt SAC, then legendary when she won Pan Am Juniors at 6-5, breaking the American Junior record and tying the World Youth mark.  While some hoped she would make the WY Champs her 1st international meet, the Edmonton result could hardly have been better.  It was her 4th meet of the season at 6-4 or better and 9th over at least 6-2.  Incredibly, Cunningham was the #1 female leaper in the U.S. – period – soaring 1.5" better than any American elite in ’15, and ranked =#11 globally (=#1 Junior).
 

3. Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic HS, NJ, 2017, Hurdles/Sprints

Ever since McLaughlin was “too young” for the ’14 World Juniors – after her runner-up 400H finish at USA Jrs – 2015 was anticipated for World Youth title and HS/WY record shots.  The former was achieved with a 55.94 in Cali.  Record-wise, McLaughlin’s US#1 (and World Jr leading) 55.28 best at the WY Trials came within .08 of those marks (she’ll try again in ’16).  She had a 3rd sub-56 with 55.87 at NBNO, and 2015 also included an NBNI 60H title (US#1 8.17, #3 all-time), US#1 53.72 and #3 52.59 in/out flat 400 bests, and multiple 51-point 4x400 legs for UC, the last one anchoring a 3:35.90 at NBNO for #4 a-t.
 

4. Kate Hall, Lake Region HS, ME, 2015, Long Jump/Sprints

There are several good candidates for a 2015 “performance of the year” for girls’ track and field, but perhaps the best was Hall’s mind-bending long jump on the final attempt of the competition at NBNO.  It looked really, really far and when 22-5 came up on the board, jaws dropped and heads snapped back in shock as Kathy McMillan’s HSR and American Junior record 22-3 from 1976 was finally surpassed.  She led all Juniors globally and is #10 all-time (#3 since 1988).  Hall – now an Iowa State frosh – was unbeaten indoors and out, also claiming NBNI, both New England titles, and had 8 meets at 20 feet or better. 
 

*5. Alexa Efraimson, Camas HS, WA, 2015, Distances

Some don’t include Efraimson in their prep rankings; we do so with an asterisk:  She did turn pro, but was still a prep senior in ’15.  Her results rivaled Mary Cain’s ’13 and ’14 seasons – the most impressive being her 4:03.39 1,500 at the Pre Classic (7th overall), surpassing Cain’s prep best and American Junior record – ranking #4 on the seasonal WJ list and among U.S. women overall.  She also ran 2:01-point for 800 (#3 WJ) three different times; just 3 preps have run faster.  Finally, she also clocked the best prep 5k in ’15 at 16:09.44.  The one disappointment was failing to advance to the USATF (Senior) 1,500 final.
 

5. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS, MO, 2016, Throws

NSAF Project Javelinist Rivera claims the jav as her favorite event, but the shot was where she had her greatest success – unbeaten vs. preps with US#1 throws both indoors (50-6.25) and out (53-5.75, #8 all-time), plus both NBN titles (49-1, 53-1).  She was superb in the jav, too, with a US#2 175-10 (#6 all-time) and major wins at NBNO, Penn Relays (over eventual nat’l record-setter Madison Wiltrout) and others.  She made Team USAs for both World Youth (JT/SP with US Youth record 59-4.25) and Pan Am Jrs (SP only), and in Cali famously contested both finals simultaneously (SP silver, JT 7th).  Finally, she finished off ’15 with Pan Am SP silver.
 

6. Lexi Weeks, Cabot HS, AR, 2015, Pole Vault

If you combined what both Lexi and twin Tori did in the PV, you’d have a great AOY candidate; as it is, both are top 10, with Lexi a bit higher.  With a 14-0 PR entering ’15, she hit that or better 3 times indoors including a HSR 14-3.25 (beaten by Tori in June (!)) in splitting 6 meets with her twin.  Outdoors, Lexi was 2nd to Tori at Great Southwest and NBNO, but won 7 of 10 matchups and broke the HSR with 14-7.5 (#4 WJ) at the 4th of July Freedom Vault.  She was also outstanding at a state level in the sprints, hurdles and LJ – unusual for an elite vaulter.
 

7. Jasmyne Graham, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, CA, 2015, Hurdles

Graham didn’t contest either NBNO or USA Juniors, but what she did in the tough state of California and in one meet beyond was enough to rank her high on this list.  She topped the U.S. lists at both 100H and 300H, with her 13.17 (#5 all-time) and 40.73 (#9 a-t) good for a pair of state titles (the former by just .01 over Mecca McGlaston).  Her triumphs included a 100H/300H double at Mt. SAC and an Arcadia 100H triumph (13.21).  Graham’s lone post-season outing was a good one, too – a 13.36 victory in the Brooks PR meet.  Finally, she won the Simplot 60H in a US#7 8.41.
 

8. Tori Weeks, Cabot HS, AR, 2015, Pole Vault

Tori had trailed her twin Lexi in the PV nearly all of ’14, but with a mighty 14-0.5 to start ’15 indoors in January, her confidence was boosted.  Tori wasn’t quite as successful during the rest of indoor and early outdoor, but found her groove again in June, winning the two biggest meets – Great Southwest (US#2 14-1) and NBNO (13-7.25).  In-between, when their Arkansas Vault Club went to their indoor facility for a meet on June 14, she broke her sister’s indoor HSR with a 14-4.  And like Lexi, Tori was stellar in state competition in other events: the 300H, long jump, triple jump and even 800.
 

9. Sammy Watson, Rush-Henrietta HS, NY, 2017, Long Sprints/Middle Distances

As great as Watson was individually this past season, especially over 800, it might be relay carries she’s remembered for most.  During an epic downpour at NBNO, she threw down a 2:03.08 anchor – mostly alone – as her Rush-Henrietta squad crushed the sprint medley HSR at 3:47.65.  They did the same at NBNI (sans rainstorm) at 3:52.68.  Without the stick, she “merely” showed strategic savvy beyond her years in sweeping the NBN 800s, then claiming the World Youth title in US#2 2:03.54 (trailing only Efraimson).  Then there’s her incredible range: From a US#4 52.69 400, to US#1 2:47.27 over 1k (indoors) and US#9 4:25.25 at 1,500.
 

10. Ryen Frazier, Ravenscroft HS, NC, 2015, Distances

Frazier didn’t always win the big ones, but the combination of quality and quantity of her performances was something to behold – no more so than in Greensboro, where she matched older sister Wesley’s feat of tripling the NBNO 5k (US#2 16:20.72), 2M (US#6 10:07.16) and mile (4:45.23).  She was nearly as good at NBNI, winning girls’ Athlete of the Meet with a US#2 (#2 all-time) 16:12.81 5k (2nd), a devastating US#1 10:02.86 2M (#5 a-t) and a 4:44.48 1M (2nd) – where she ranked #1 for the season at 4:41.56.  She also traded 1M wins with Christina Aragon, winning Adidas (4:39.84) and taking 2nd at Brooks (US#2 4:38.59).
 

11. Christina Aragon, Billings HS, MT, 2016, Distances

The latest of a great family of distance runners in Big Sky country, Aragon had a big breakthrough with a 4:16.36 1,500 at Stanford’s Payton Jordan meet – US#2 behind only Efraimson and #5 all-time.  After taking 3rd in the Pre Classic HS mile, she came back and won the big Adidas race with a US#1 4:37.91 (#7 a-t).  At 800, she won Great Southwest and Brooks PR, the latter in a US#3 2:04.00.  Aragon’s fine range was evident in her Class AA state meet, where she swept the 400, 800 and 1,600 and was 2nd in the 3,200.
 

12. Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville HS, PA, 2017, Javelin

Few prep T&F athletes have ever had a greater regular-season sequence of marks than Madison Wiltrout did during a 16-day stretch of May, the soph improving her javelin PR from a US#2 168-5 to a HSR 185-8 at her section qualifier – then following it up with 181-0 and 182-8 in her district and AAA state meets.  It was heartbreaking, then, that she injured her elbow at state and was done for the year – unable to face out-of-state elites (These rankings are weighted to head-to-head competition and honors won) and to try to avenge her only loss, to Sophia Rivera at the Penn Relays.  Here’s hoping for a full recovery for her junior year.
 

*13. Kaylin Whitney, East Ridge HS, FL, 2017, Sprints

Like Efraimson, new pro Whitney is included here with an asterisk.  Interestingly, she seemed to compete almost “under-the-radar” in compared to ’14, when she set a 11.10 100m HSR and also ran 22.49.  But she improved her 200 best to 22.47 (4th in USA Seniors) – ranking #2 globally behind Hill among both Youth and Juniors – and was under 23 an impressive 8 times during the year, including a 22.65 victory in the Pan Am (Senior) Games in Toronto.  In the 100, she didn’t improve her legal PR, but did clock an 11.01w(+5.4).  She also raced several 4x1s with Team USA, including their then-world leading 41.96 at Monaco.
 

13. Courtney Corrin, Harvard-Westlake HS, CA, 2016, Long Jump

It was an exemplary year for the girls’ long jump, with three different athletes combining for a national record and two international championships.  Corrin did none of those things, yet ranks high with consistency and a plethora of great performances.  She was 2nd behind Hall at both NBNI (US#2 20-7, #10 all-time) and NBNO (21-5.25w), then notched a huge win at USA Juniors with 21-6.25w (#7 a-t, all-conditions).  She was then 2nd to Junior runner-up Samiyah Samuels at Pan-Am Juniors.  A great season with 8 meets at 20-8 or better also included an unbeaten California slate, with 3 wins over World Youth champ-to-be Tara Davis, and a CSI Cuba triumph.
 

14. Anna Cockrell, Providence Day HS, NC, 2016, Hurdles

Like a few others on this list, Cockrell wasn’t #1 in her event(s) – but still became one of the best ever.  Her year-long improvement curve caught fire at NBNI, where she lowered her 60H time from 8.43 to 8.21 (#5 all-time), taking 2nd behind McLaughlin.  Three months later, her outdoor peak began with a 13.21 100H in NC (#8 a-t), then continued with a 400H win at CSI.  She was 3rd in both events at NBNO (then-PR 57.70 at 400H), but then with no McLaughlin at USA Juniors, she reached a new level with a 56.67 triumph (#5 a-t).  Cockrell completed her wondrous campaign with a 57.10 win at Pan Am Juniors.

• Honorable Mention briefs:  In the throws, Haley Showalter led the hammer again at 194-1 (#7 all-time), then swept post-season honors with triumphs at Great Southwest, NBNO, USA Juniors and Pan Am Juniors … Gabrielle Kearney (Roseburg, OR sr) was 3rd at NBNO, then had a monster win at USA Juniors, beating an even more stellar field.  She improved further to US#3 167-6 for 4th at Pan Am Jrs … Elena Bruckner (San Jose Valley, CA jr) had the year’s best discus throw at 182-8 and was within ¼ inch of the best shot with US#2 53-5.25.  She swept Arcadia titles and won her state shot … In the shot, Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park, NJ jr) won Penn, then was 2nd at both NBN and the WY Trials behind Rivera, then finally took 6th in the WY Finals … Kiana Phelps (Kingsley-Pearson, IA jr) was the US#2 discus thrower at 172-9 and took CSI and Chicagoland titles sandwiched around a mild upset 2nd at NBNO.
• The national 100/200 scene was hot (4 under 11.30) and very high quality behind Hill … Teahna Daniels (1st Acad., FL sr) started the year with an NBNI US#1 7.33 60 dash win and went on to the USA Jr title at US#3 11.24 and Pan Am Jr bronze.  She was also 2nd behind Hill at Adidas and had an 11.15w to her credit … Khalifa St. Fort (St. Thomas Aquinas, FL jr) was beaten by Daniels at Texas Relays and Adidas, but improved in the summer for 2nd behind Hill at WY Champs in US#2 11.19 – then avenged losses to Daniels with Pan Am Jr gold … In California, Zaria Francis (Rio Mesa, CA jr) had a great state meet double triumph (11.31/US#4 23.09), then was 2nd at Brooks behind Hill’s HSR 100 (US#4 11.26).  Lauren Rain Williams (Oaks Christian, CA soph) was 2nd behind Francis in both dashes at state, but went on to make Team USA for World Youths and captured 200 silver behind Hill with US#3 22.90 … In the 400, Sharrika Barnett (Oak Ridge, FL sr) was unbeaten, blazing to the NBNO title at US#2 52.25, and also winning Golden South and Great Southwest … Lynna Irby (Pike, IN soph) got her 1st sub-54 at the WY Trials, then improved all the way to US#1 51.79 in Cali to take the silver.
• The scene in the 100H was crazy, with 8th-grader Tia Jones (Dickerson MS, GA) pulling a shocker at NBNO, her 13.08w beating Texans Tonea Marshall (Arlington Seguin, TX jr) at 13.12w, with Alexis Duncan (DeSoto, sr) in 4th.  Jones didn’t have a lot of other creds, but TX 6A and CSI champ Duncan beat 5A and Texas Relays champ Marshall at WY Trials, then went to Cali and set a US Youth record (#2 WY all-time) at 12.95 (30” hurdles) in the semis.  In the WY final, however, Duncan was 5th behind Brittley Humphrey’s (Hoover, AL jr) stunning silver medal run … Four went under 58 in the 400H, led by McLaughlin and Cockrell.  Super soph Reonna Collier (Vacaville, CA) hit US#3 57.27 for 2nd behind Cockrell at USA Jrs, while Brandee’ Johnson took WY bronze at US#4 57.47 trailing McLaughlin.
• In the distances, Destiny Collins (Great Oak, CA jr) clocked a stunning US#1 9:53.79 3,200 to win her state title (#7 all-time, combined 3200/2M), then was 2nd at Brooks behind Anna Rohrer’s US#2 9:59.96.  Rohrer (Mishawaka, IN sr) had earlier set the indoor 5,000m HSR at NBNO with 16:10.79 … Allie Ostrander (Kenai Central, sr) ran four 3,200s in Alaska between 9:58 and 10:03 … Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock, VA soph) was a 4:46 1,600 runner before USA Juniors, where she ripped a shocking US#3 4:16.98 for the win.  She followed that with a decisive Pan Am Jrs victory … In racewalking, Ashleigh Resch (Beavercreek, OH sr) captured both the NBNI and NBNO 1M titles, the former in national record time (7:00.33).  She was also the top prep over 5,000m and #2 over 3,000m.
• Nicole Greene (Ponte Vedra, FL sr) had a wonderful year in the HJ, taking both NBN titles (US#1 6-0.5, #2 6-1.5) and taking CSI.  She also hit 20-5 and 40-2.5 in the horizontals during an incredible state meet triple … Chinne Okoronkwo (Mountlake Terrace, WA jr) had a fine string of finishes in the TJ, winning Arcadia, taking 2nd’s at NBNO and USA Jrs, and bronzes at NBNI and Pan Am Juniors.

The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) is announcing a new partnership with Bullet Belt, which has now become the Official Provider of Explosive Speed for the NSAF’s Project Triple Jump.  As a part of the partnership, Bullet Belt has provided each of the Project athletes and coaches with a Bullet Belt Pop and Rip Model, along with other training equipment and ongoing support over the next year.

Additionally, when anyone orders from BulletBelt.com online (alternate link) and enters the code “NSAF” at checkout, Bullet Belt will donate 15 percent of the sale to NSAF’s Project Triple Jump.  Purchasers will also receive a small discount on their shipping costs as a thank you.

Bullet Belt provides excellent acceleration training for jumpers, sprinters, hurdlers, and middle distance runners!  Its patented Velcro Quick Release System creates contrast training within the same rep.  The Bullet Belt system uses a convenient and measurable resist-and-release protocol to increase applied force against the ground.  The additional force brings about increased recruitment and the release allows all recruited muscle fibers to fire and sequence at full-speed after the release.

“We are thrilled to have Bullet Belt named the Official Provider of Explosive Speed for NSAF’s Project Triple Jump!” said Bullet Belt Brand Manager David Mitchell.  “It is a model program with world class coaching, but mostly it is made up of outstanding student-athletes that we’re proud to support.”  Mr. Mitchell can be contacted with questions, comments, or for speed training discussions at David@BulletBelt.com.

Elite track and field athletes who have trained with Bullet Belt include:

• Brittney Reese, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist and 5-time World Champion long jumper
• Will Claye, 2012 Olympic Silver (triple jump) and Bronze Medalist (long jump), 2012 IAAF Indoor World Champ (TJ) and 2011 Outdoor Bronze Medalist (TJ)
• Dee Dee Trotter, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2004, 2012)/3-time World Champ in the 4x400m Relay, plus 2012 Olympic 400m Bronze Medalist
• Manteo Mitchell, 2012 Olympic 4x400m Relay Silver Medalist
• Brenda Martinez, 2013 IAAF Outdoor World Champs 800m Bronze Medalist and 2014 IAAF World Relays 4x800m Gold Medalist
• Kim Collins, 5-time Olympic sprinter with 7 medals over 11 indoor/outdoor World Champs
• Dwain Chambers, 2010 IAAF Indoor 60m World Champ and 3rd fastest man ever at 60m
• Tiffany Porter, IAAF Indoor World Champs 60m Hurdles Silver (2012) and Bronze (2014) Medalist, plus 2013 Outdoor 100m Hurdles Bronze Medalist
• Jeff Porter, 2012 Olympian/2-time USA Champs 100m Hurdles Bronze Medalist
• Tom Barr, World University Games 400m Hurdles Gold Medalist
• Amanda Scotti, Masters W50 4x100m Relay World Champ and US Record Holder
• Octavious Freeman, 2013 IAAF Outdoor World Champs 4x100m Relay Silver Medalist, 3-time New Balance Nationals Outdoor champ (2010-100m/200m, 2011-100m)
• Brooks Beasts TC
• Big Bear TC
• NSAF's Project Triple Jump

Get the world’s top explosive speed training device and support Project Triple Jump all at the same time!  Order from BulletBelt.com today and be sure to enter code NSAF at checkout.

We've had so very much to be thankful for throughout 2015 not the least of which is the pleasure and honor of serving the youth track and field community. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives and we look forward to bringing you even more exciting competition, events and coverage as we move into the 2015-16 season!

Until then, here are some of our highlights and upcoming events.

Noah Lyles and Candace Hill  headline our Top 15 Male and Female Athletes for 2015. Both had extraordinary seasons this year culminating with Noah's committing to the University of Florida and Candace entering the professional athlete realm.  

At the end of 2014, we presented 10-deep rankings in each boys and girls track and field event. For 2015, we've expanded our recap to include an overall Athlete of the Year for each gender, an overall top 15 athletes plus honorable mention and will also follow with the top 10 rankings as we did in 2014. Top 15 Boys   Top 15 Girls

Congrats to our Early Signees.  Several of our Team NSAF members who were with us for the 2015 Caribbean Scholastic Invitational (CSI) in Cuba and our Project Javelin Gold and Performance Triple Jump Camp members made early college decisions. Check out our story featuring those who have indicated their choices and sent us photos.  We'll continue to add to the list. So if you're not included please send us your choice and photos.

 Project Javelin Gold moves down south to Baton Rouge, LA and the LSU campus January 28-31.  The clinic is open to all levels and ages. It will be led by our Project coaches Tom Pukstys (two-time Olympic finalist), Duncan Atwood (two-time Olympian) and Barry Krammes (active elite thrower & aspiring 2016 Olympian). Entry information, hotels, directions and schedule are posted on the event website.

Project Triple Jump heads back to Phoenix, Arizona in January.  Our host will be Desert Vista High School January 14-17.  We are expecting large numbers of athletes at this one so get your registration in early.  

And in related news- we welcome BulletBelt on board (alternate link) as our Official Provider of Explosive Speed for  Project Triple Jump.  As a part of the partnership, Bullet Belt is providing our Project athletes and coaches with Bullet Belt Pop and Rip Models and other training equipment and ongoing support over the next year.

Additionally, when anyone orders from BulletBelt.com online (alternate link) and enters the code “NSAF” at checkout, Bullet Belt will donate 15 percent of the sale to Project Triple Jump.  Purchasers will also receive a discount on their shipping costs as a thank you. Read all about this special partnership and benefits here.

Registration is open for the 2016 New Balance Nationals Indoors slated for March 11-13, 2016 at the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory in New York.  Full meet information is available including hotels, travel, schedules and more.  Please read the Entry Guidelines carefully before registering and note that the Junior High events have been discontinued.

The NSAF Board met recently with the Cuban Athletics Federation in Havana to finalize the details for the 2016 Caribbean Scholastic Invitational.  The dates are May 27-28.  The NSAF will again take a strong team of 28 athletes most of whom will be selected based on performances at the New Balance Nationals Indoors as well as from the early outdoor season.  The team will be finalized and announced in April so as to have sufficient time for travel arrangements to Cuba which are still a bit difficult.  It will be held at the National Stadium in Cuba which is being resurfaced.  Meet information will be posted soon.  In the meanwhile you can read about past CSI events and the 2015 CSI which was also held in Cuba.

Don't Miss Out.  Stay in Touch with the NSAF on our Website, Facebook,  Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Girls Javelin: Rivera’s big meet wins get it done

1. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS (MO) junior, US#2 175-10
1st NBNO, 1st Penn R, 1st Kansas R, 1st Great SW, 1st WY Trials, 1st Am JavFest, 2nd CSI, 7th WY Champs, 7th USA Jrs, 7th USA Srs

2. Gabby Kearney, Roseburg HS (OR) senior, US#3 167-6
1st USA Jrs, 3rd NBNO, 4th Pan Am Jrs, 1st Chicagoland, 1st 6A state, 1st Oregon R

3. Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville HS (PA) soph, US#1 HSR 185-8
2nd Penn R, 1st AAA state, 1st District 7 AAA, 1st WPIAL qualifier

4. Katelyn Gochenour, Marian Catholic HS (NE) junior, US#4 167-2 (#2 167-7Y)
4th NBNO, 1st CSI, 2nd WY Trials, 2nd Am JavFest, 2nd Great SW, 9th USA Jrs, 11th WY Champs

Tie-5. Tairyn Montgomery, Redondo Union HS (CA) junior, US#5 164-4
2nd NBNO, 3rd WY Trials, 4th Am JavFest, 5th USA Jrs, 1st Mt SAC, 1st Arcadia (hept JT)

Tie-5. Emma Fitzgerald, Thayer Academy (MA) junior, US#8 159-5
5th NBNO, 3rd USA Jrs, 3rd Am JavFest, 2nd Chicagoland, 2nd USA JOs(17-18), 1st ISTL

7. Brooke Hinderlitter, Redbank Valley HS (PA) junior, US#9 158-9
7th NBNO, 1st AA state, 1st Oil Co. Inv, 1st District 9 AA, 1st Redbank Inv

8. Danielle Collier, Hickory HS (PA) senior, 156-5
6th NBNO, 2nd Redbank Inv, NM AA state, 1st District 10 AA, 1st Hermitage Inv

9. Samantha Zelden, St. Scholastica (LA) junior, 150-4
1st AAU JOs(17-18), 1st AAU Club, 1st 4A state, 1st Mobile CoC, 1st Sugar Bowl

Tie-10. Keiryn Swenson, Maize HS (KS) senior, =US#6 162-5
1st 6A state, 2nd Kansas R, 1st Hutchinson Inv, 1st AVCTL, 1st Wichita SE Inv

Tie-10. Peyton Montgomery, Barbe HS (LA) senior, =US#6 162-5
1st 5A state, 1st Walker R, 1st Oil City R, 1st Taussig R, 1st Region 1-5A

Analysis:  It’s tough to rank a national record-setter like Wiltrout down at #3, but honors won, big-meet finishes and head-to-head matter most and – due to her unfortunate elbow injury at state – the super-talented soph lost her post-season while Rivera and Kearney shone on the big stage.  Wiltrout did battle Rivera in a great Penn showdown, with the Missourian taking it on the final throw, 169-6 to 168-5.  Then 2 weeks later, Wiltrout exploded to 185-8 to top Haley Crouser’s HSR by 4+ feet.  She followed with 181-0 at districts and 182-8 at state before the injury.  Meanwhile, Rivera won several majors, including NBNO and World Youth Trials.  Kearney avenged her NBNO loss (3rd) with a huge Juniors triumph, then PR’d in 4th at Pan Ams.

Also hard to separate were the next three – all Class of 2016 NSAF Project Javelinists, like Rivera – as Gochenour, Montgomery and Fitzgerald took turns beating each other at NBNO, Juniors and American JavFest.  But Gochenour also won CSI (over Rivera), joined Rivera on the WY Team USA and had a better slate of marks.  Montgomery and Fitzgerald tie for #5, with the former getting NBNO runner-up and a seasonal-best 5 feet further, and the latter coming up huge in Eugene – just missing the Pan Am team in 3rd.  Hinderlitter edges fellow Pennsylvanian Collier for #7, her AA state title and invite matchup win overcoming a spot-lower finish at NBNO.  Zelden’s PR was further down the list, but she takes #9 with a consistent competitive slate, winning 2 AAU titles and the major Mobile and Sugar Bowl meets.  Swenson and Montgomery – experienced seniors each at =US#6 162-5 – passed on post-season meets and tie for #10 here.

Girls Shot Put:  Unbeaten Rivera a clear choice

1. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS (MO) junior, US#1 53-3.75 (#1 59-4.25Y)
1st NBNO, 1st NBNI, 2nd USA Jrs, 2nd Pan Am Jrs (both 1st prep), 1st WY Trials, 2nd WY Champs, 1st CSI, 1st Great SW

2. Elena Bruckner, Valley Christian HS (CA) junior, US#2 53-3.5
1st state, 1st Arcadia, 1st CCS Finals, 1st Stanford, 2nd Chicagoland, 1st CCS Top 8

3. Nickolette Dunbar, Whippany Park HS (NJ) junior, US#4 51-2.75 (#2 56-11.5Y)
2nd NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 6th WY Champs, 1st NJ MOC, 1st Penn R, 3rd NBNI

4. Alyssa Wilson, Msgr. Donovan (NJ) sophomore, US#3 51-7.75 (#5 52-9.25Y)
1st Chicagoland, 3rd NBNO, 5th WY Trials, 2nd NJ MOC, 1st NP-A state, 1st Earth Fed Open

5. Meia Gordon, Cypress Creek HS (TX) senior, US#8 48-11.5i (#4 54-7.25Y)
4th WY Trials, 1st 6A state, 1st Texas R, 1st Victor Lopez, 1st Region 3-6A, 1st Dist 17-6A

6. Nia Britt, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) HS (CA) senior, US#9 48-10.75
2nd state, 2nd Arcadia, 2nd Mt SAC, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS D3 Finals, 1st SS D3 Prelims

7. Leilyn Miles, Justin NW Nelson HS (TX) junior, 48-6
1st USA JOs(17-18), 1st TX MOC, 2nd 6A state, 4th Texas R, 1st Region 1-6A

8. Khayla Dawson, Olympic HS (NC), 48-1 (#6 51-11Y)
4th NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 6th WY Trials, 8th NBNI, 2nd USA JO(17-18), 1st Taco Bell

9. Kathleen Young, Warrensburg-Latham HS (IL) soph, US#5 50-10
2nd Great SW, 6th NBNO, 4th Chicagoland, 7th WY Trials, 1st USA JO(15-16), 4th NBNI

10. Jessica Molina, Westwood HS (NJ) junior, US#10 48-10i (#3 54-10.25Y)
3rd WY Trials, 6th NBNI, 12th NBNO, 6th Penn R (3rd U.S.), 1st Eastern States (i)

Analysis:  Compared to the javelin, the top spot in the shot is a slam dunk for Rivera.  For starters, she was unbeaten (by U.S. preps) through a busy campaign, in and out, and won both NBN titles.  She made Team USAs for both Pan Am Juniors and World Youths, with big PRs in both qualifiers and crushing the U.S. Youth standard (3kg shot) in the latter.  She famously won WYC silver in Cali while also contesting the jav, then closed it out with silver (behind collegian Raven Saunders) in Edmonton.  Bruckner held the U.S. lead at 53-5.5, before Rivera nipped it in Eugene, and takes the runner-up spot.  She was well past her peak and a distant 2nd in her only post-season meet, but the strength of her California season – 9 meets at 49-7 or better – was enough.

A pair of Jersey putters take the next two spots.  Dunbar was NBNO runner-up, then joined Rivera on Team USA for the WYC – taking 6th in Cali.  The soph Wilson was 3rd in Greensboro, then after taking “only” 5th at the WYT, she began a summer surge that started with a Chicagoland win (over Bruckner) and ended with a 51-7.75 at a club meet.  What a future she has.  Next is Gordon, who was unbeaten in Texas and a solid 4th at the WYT.  Following her is the #2 Californian and #2 Texan.  Britt was runner-up to Bruckner at state and Arcadia, and swept through the Southern Section.  Miles trailed only Gordon at their state clash and had big wins at the new Meet of Champs and USA JOs.  At #9, Young had some huge throws, but didn’t come up as well in the biggest post-season meets.  Dawson, despite a PR of "only" 48-1, finished ahead of Young at NBNO, Chicagoland and WYT, so ranks #8.  And in #10, Molina had ups and downs, indoors and out, but peaked with a huge 3rd at WYT.

Girls Discus:  Phelps most consistent; avenges only loss

1. Kiana Phelps, Kingsley-Pierson HS (IA) junior, US#2 172-9
1st Chicagoland, 1st CSI, 2nd NBNO, 1st AAU JO(17-18), 1st Drake R, 1st 2A state

2. Kaylee Antill, Tri-Valley HS (OH) senior, US#4 169-3
1st NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 1st MW MOC, 1st D1 state, 1st region

3. Haley Showalter, Valor Christian HS (CO) senior, US#6 163-4
2nd Chicagoland, 5th NBNO, 4th USA Jrs (1st prep), 1st Great SW

4. Elena Bruckner, Valley Christian HS (CA) junior, US#1 182-8
4th Chicagoland, 3rd state, 2nd CCS Finals, 1st Arcadia, 1st CCS Top 8, 1st WCAL

5. Josie Schaefer, Baraboo HS (WI) soph, US#3 169-4
1st WY Trials, 5th WY Champs, 1st USA JO(15-16), 1st AAU JO, 2nd D1 state, 1st Baraboo Inv

6. Ronna Stone, Valley Christian HS (CA) senior, US#8 161-9
1st state, 1st CCS Finals, 2nd Arcadia, 2nd CCS Top 8, 2nd WCAL

7. Kendall Mader, Newbury Park HS (CA) senior, US#5 164-4
9th USA Jrs (2nd prep), 2nd state, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS Finals, 1st Don Green Inv

8. Samantha Noennig, Hartford Union HS (WI) junior, US#9 161-6
3rd NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 10th(q) WY Champs, 13th USA Jrs (3rd prep), 1st D1 state

9. Oyesade Olatoye, Dublin Coffman HS (OH) senior, US#7 162-8
4th NBNO, 2nd MW MOC, 2nd D1 state, 1st region, 1st Smith Inv

10. Meia Gordon, Cypress Creek HS (TX) senior, US#10 160-7
1st 6A state, 1st Texas R, 1st CFISD Inv, 1st region, 8th WY Trials,

Analysis:  You don’t have to throw the furthest or win every meet to be #1, not when you have the consistency that Phelps had.  The small-school Iowa standout threw the discus 162 feet or better in six different meets; no one else surpassed that mark more than twice.  She came into NBNO the favorite, as she had in ’14, and left with the silver after Antill’s PR beat her by three feet.  But she avenged the loss at Chicagoland, where she also defeated national leader Bruckner.  Antill was 3rd at Chicagoland, with NBNO her only meet beyond 160.  Still, with consistency in the high 150s and also having a major win at Midwest Meet of Champs, it was good for #2.  In the #3 spot is hammer leader Showalter, who beat Bruckner and Antill at Chicagoland and was the top prep at Juniors, offsetting a slightly lesser showing at NBNO.

Bruckner – also the US#2 (list) putter – had that monster 182-8 DT at her league meet, but her next best meet was 160-9 and she had a few losses … mainly to teammate Stone, who won the state and section titles – but was still 2nd to Bruckner more often than not.  So they are #4 and #6 here, with Schaefer splitting them.  Schaefer faced few of the top contenders, but won the World Youth Trials, was 5th at the champs, took both age 15-16 JO titles, and had a somewhat outlying 169-4 PR plus a couple losses.  The final 4 spots go to Mader, the California runner-up and #2 prep at Juniors; Noennig, the Wisconsin D1 champ (over Schaefer), then WYT runner-up and non-finalist in Cali; Olatoye, the Ohio D1 and MW MOC runner-up (to Antill), and 4th at NBNO; and Gordon, a 160-footer who was unbeaten in Texas. 

Girls Hammer:  Overwhelmingly dominant season for Showalter

1. Haley Showalter, Valor Christian HS (CO) senior, US#1 194-1
1st NBNO, 1st USA Jr, 1st Pan Am Jr, 1st Chicagoland, 1st Great SW, 1st Landsharks Inv

2. Sabrina Gaitan, Sprayberry HS (GA) senior, US#2 185-3
2nd NBNO, 4th Pan Am Jr, 1st prep all Throw 1 Deep meets

3. Emelda Malm-Annan, Monterey Trail HS (CA) senior, US#3 182-6
1st USA JO(17-18), 1st USA Pacific JO, 1st Golden West, 1st Hamp-Phil, 1st state

4. Courtney Jacobsen, Toll Gate HS (RI) junior, US#4 178-6 (#1 193-10Y)
4th NBNO, 2nd Chicagoland, 2nd Hammerama, 1st New Englands, 3rd state, 2nd K of C Relays

5. Alyssa Wilson, Msgr. Donovan (NJ) soph, US#9 170-3
6th NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 3rd Chicagoland, 4th NJ Int’l Inv (1st prep), 1st Osprey Open

6. Kaylee Antill, Tri-Valley HS (OH) senior, US#6 172-0
7th NBNO, 4th Chicagoland, 1st John Glenn Inv, 1st state, 1st Kasper Inv

7. Makena Thomas, Narragansett HS (RI) junior, US#10 170-0(#4 181-4Y)
3rd NBNO, 1st Hammerama, 5th Chicagoland, 14th USA Jrs (2nd prep)

8. Carly Timpson, Narragansett HS (RI) senior, 164-6
5th NBNO, 3rd Hammerama, 5th New Englands, 4th state

9. Meagan Molloy, Smithfield HS (RI) junior, 168-9
10th NBNO, 4th New Englands, 3rd USA JO(17-18), 1st state

10. Kamryn Brinson, Marist HS (GA) junior, 168-8 (#3 186-2Y)
15th NBNO, 1st WY Trials, 2nd USA JO(17-18), 2nd CSI

Analysis:  You could hardly have a better season in an event than Showalter had, leading the nation at 194-1 with 3 meets beyond 190 and winning every major available title.  That included defending her Great Southwest, Chicagoland and USA Junior titles, avenging her ’14 NBNO loss to Gaitan, and finishing her career with a Pan Am Juniors triumph.  Gaitan is #2, taking 2nd to Showalter at NBNO this time and 4th for her native Guatemala at Pan Am Jrs – in addition to several strong Throw 1 Deep meet performances.  At #3 is Malm-Annan, a Ghanaian citizen prepping in California.  She set a USA JO(17-18) mark and hit over 180 four times. 

In 4th and topping the typically deep group of Rhode Island throwers was Jacobsen, whose slate was highlighted by 4th at NBNO, 2nd at Chicagoland and the New England title.  It’s rare to escape Rhode Island competition unscathed, but Jacobsen made up for a few losses.  Wilson and Antill – fine hammer throwers despite the event being secondary for them to the shot and discus – respectively, follow in the #5 and #6 spots.  They were 6-7 at NBNO and 3-4 at Chicagoland.  In 7-8 are Narragansett, RI teammates Thomas and Timpson, who both had their best throwing in June and July.  Molloy, meanwhile, was up and down both in spring and summer, but came up big with a PR to win the coveted RI state meet and earn 9th.  The final spot goes to Brinson, who shone brightest at CSI and in the USATF meets.

At the end of 2014, the NSAF presented 10-deep rankings in each boys and girls track and field event for the 2014 season. For 2015, we've expanded our recap of 2015 to include an overall Athlete of the Year for each gender, an overall top 15 athletes (plus honorable mention) and will also follow with the top 10 rankings as we did in 2014. The series continues today with the Girls Athlete of the Year, Candace Hill, plus the rest of the top 15 and honorable mention | Boys AOY Noah Lyles and Top 15

NSAF GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Candace Hill, Rockdale County HS, GA, 2017

She came into the mixed zone, at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Columbia, thrilled and flushed with excitement and wonder – or as excited as Candace Hill, an impressively even-keel young student-athlete, usually ever gets.  She had just completed her 100/200 double and the numbers on the clock had amazed her.

“When I crossed the line and they said ‘World Record,’ I was like, ‘Oh my God’ ... I thought I could run 22.9, but not 22.4, that’s way beyond what I expected.”

It has been like that a lot for Hill the past few years, as she kept taking chunks off her sprint times as a freshman back in 2014, as her marks started becoming historically great at Great Southwest this spring – 11.15 and 22.76, even if wind- and altitude-aided – and certainly when she clocked the first-ever sub-11 for a prep at the Brooks PR meet.  She has kept exceeding her expectations.

And maybe, in the end, that’s kind of what allowed Hill to finish off her NSAF 2015 Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year campaign the way she did, moving triumphantly through the rounds at the WY Trials and WY Champs.  She could have been obsessed with the clock in Lisle or Cali, the former just over a week after the 10.98 in Seattle, but she was just her same, consistent self – not overwhelmed with high expectations.

“At first, people were like, ‘Oh, let’s see what she'll run next, let’s see if she’ll run another 10.9,” she said after completing the 100/200 sweep at the Trials, “but I just told myself that the 10.9 might have been a once-in-a-lifetime thing and just to run the 100 like I’ve been doing and if I PR, I PR, but if I don’t, I don’t ... I just came out here and ran my best.”

It was basically the same thing at Worlds, taking the best shots from Florida prep Khalifa St. Fort (representing Trinidad&Tobago) in the 100 and teammate Lauren Rain Williams in the 200, winning with room to spare in both with those marks of 11.08 and 22.43.

When the meet (and Hill’s season) had wrapped, she was the World Youth record-holder in both dashes, with the 200 mark 2nd among U.S. preps only to Allyson Felix’s 22.11 from 2003 in the super high altitude of Mexico City – to go with that 100 HSR (which was also an American Junior Mark).  Her PRs also ranked #1 among World Juniors in 2015, and #3 and =#5 all-time, respectively.

Hill’s performances this year, especially that barrier-breaking century, were enough to get media attention from all over the sports world and even beyond – like features on CNN and Newsweek.  Gatorade honored her with their overall Girls High School Athlete of the Year, a rarity for a track performer and a first for a sophomore in any sport.

And, as many pundits imagined, it has been reported that Hill will become the 2nd prep girl in two years to “go pro” after her sophomore year, following in the footsteps, so to speak, of Kaylin Whitney.  After the Brooks meet, Hill told Jeff Hollobaugh at Track and Field News, “I don't want to go pro yet, if they were to ask me.”  But in late October a few sources noted she is now being is represented by professional agency Global Athletics & Marketing and is in negotiations with a trio of shoe companies.

It’s all been an amazing whirlwind for Hill, but it’s not like she came out of nowhere – this year or even in 2014.  No, she wasn’t someone who raced for “years and years” in age-group or Junior Olympic track, but she did run pre-high-school bests of 12.32 and 24.79 in 2012, then 11.81 and 23.95 in 2013 – the latter marks coming during prelims at USATF JOs in Greensboro, where she would win the Youth (13-14) 100 and take 3rd in the 200.

As a Rockdale County, GA freshman in 2014, Hill began to “arrive” nationally as a prep at the Mobile Challenge of Champions in early April, when she sprinted 11.69 in the 100, then followed with a 23.81 200 for an unlooked-for double and Athlete of the Meet honors.  In her 6A state meet a month later, she pushed those marks down to 11.44 and 23.21, for another sweep.  Hence, when she returned to Greensboro several weeks later for her first NBNO, she was certainly one of the favorites – but no one really knew what to expect in her first championship at that level.

But once again, she came through with flying colors: A photo-finish 11.34w triumph over New Yorker Brenessa Thompson, then a more decisive 23.14 victory.  She was close to freshman-class records at both distances.

As spring of 2015 dawned, Hill was consistently a little faster than the previous year, hitting a PR 11.30 and 23.57 at Mobile, then 11.34 and a PR 23.05 at her state meet – of course, sweeping both.  Three weeks later, she made her first trip West for the Prefontaine Classic, winning the prep 200 there in 23.65.  To that point, May 29, she’d had another great year – but there wasn’t really an indication of the truly historic performances to follow.

Great Southwest, then, was a big step forward, beating two more great fields with the aforementioned wind-aided times.  Then she got collective jaws to drop even further the next week in New York, when in the Adidas 100, she scorched an 11.21, into a 1.7 headwind and winning by a massive .29 over Teahna Daniels and the best field she’d faced yet.

THAT may have been when the possibility of Hill’s being able to break Whitney’s record – which was less than a year old – started coming into focus.  But who knew it would come the following week, on another trip to the West Coast, and with an unfathomable sub-11?

Which brings us back to the even-keel demeanor, humility and modesty that defines this 16-year-old.  She celebrated the 10.98, but didn’t let it define her as she prepared for the World Championships.  That eased some of the potential pressure and allowed her to run the way and for the reasons she always does.  No doubt at least some of that positive mental makeup comes from her family and her team of coaches – Venson Elder and Sayon Cooper at Rockdale County, and her “summer track” coach Dannette Young-Stone, a former world-class sprinter herself and leader of the Dynamics Speed Elite TC club with her husband Curtis Stone.

“My whole community is behind me ... they encourage me and that's what motivates me to do my best,” Hill says.  “If I keep on going the way I'm going, I can make it far.”

2. Vashti Cunningham, Bishop Gorman HS, NV, 2017, High Jump

There are not enough superlatives to describe Cunningham’s season, which became historic when she leapt her first HSR with 6-4.25 at Mt SAC, then legendary when she won Pan Am Juniors at 6-5, breaking the American Junior record and tying the World Youth mark.  While some hoped she would make the WY Champs her 1st international meet, the Edmonton result could hardly have been better.  It was her 4th meet of the season at 6-4 or better and 9th over at least 6-2.  Incredibly, Cunningham was the #1 female leaper in the U.S. – period – soaring 1.5" better than any American elite in ’15, and ranked =#11 globally (=#1 Junior).
 

3. Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic HS, NJ, 2017, Hurdles/Sprints

Ever since McLaughlin was “too young” for the ’14 World Juniors – after her runner-up 400H finish at USA Jrs – 2015 was anticipated for World Youth title and HS/WY record shots.  The former was achieved with a 55.94 in Cali.  Record-wise, McLaughlin’s US#1 (and World Jr leading) 55.28 best at the WY Trials came within .08 of those marks (she’ll try again in ’16).  She had a 3rd sub-56 with 55.87 at NBNO, and 2015 also included an NBNI 60H title (US#1 8.17, #3 all-time), US#1 53.72 and #3 52.59 in/out flat 400 bests, and multiple 51-point 4x400 legs for UC, the last one anchoring a 3:35.90 at NBNO for #4 a-t.
 

4. Kate Hall, Lake Region HS, ME, 2015, Long Jump/Sprints

There are several good candidates for a 2015 “performance of the year” for girls’ track and field, but perhaps the best was Hall’s mind-bending long jump on the final attempt of the competition at NBNO.  It looked really, really far and when 22-5 came up on the board, jaws dropped and heads snapped back in shock as Kathy McMillan’s HSR and American Junior record 22-3 from 1976 was finally surpassed.  She led all Juniors globally and is #10 all-time (#3 since 1988).  Hall – now an Iowa State frosh – was unbeaten indoors and out, also claiming NBNI, both New England titles, and had 8 meets at 20 feet or better. 
 

*5. Alexa Efraimson, Camas HS, WA, 2015, Distances

Some don’t include Efraimson in their prep rankings; we do so with an asterisk:  She did turn pro, but was still a prep senior in ’15.  Her results rivaled Mary Cain’s ’13 and ’14 seasons – the most impressive being her 4:03.39 1,500 at the Pre Classic (7th overall), surpassing Cain’s prep best and American Junior record – ranking #4 on the seasonal WJ list and among U.S. women overall.  She also ran 2:01-point for 800 (#3 WJ) three different times; just 3 preps have run faster.  Finally, she also clocked the best prep 5k in ’15 at 16:09.44.  The one disappointment was failing to advance to the USATF (Senior) 1,500 final.
 

5. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS, MO, 2016, Throws

NSAF Project Javelinist Rivera claims the jav as her favorite event, but the shot was where she had her greatest success – unbeaten vs. preps with US#1 throws both indoors (50-6.25) and out (53-5.75, #8 all-time), plus both NBN titles (49-1, 53-1).  She was superb in the jav, too, with a US#2 175-10 (#6 all-time) and major wins at NBNO, Penn Relays (over eventual nat’l record-setter Madison Wiltrout) and others.  She made Team USAs for both World Youth (JT/SP with US Youth record 59-4.25) and Pan Am Jrs (SP only), and in Cali famously contested both finals simultaneously (SP silver, JT 7th).  Finally, she finished off ’15 with Pan Am SP silver.
 

6. Lexi Weeks, Cabot HS, AR, 2015, Pole Vault

If you combined what both Lexi and twin Tori did in the PV, you’d have a great AOY candidate; as it is, both are top 10, with Lexi a bit higher.  With a 14-0 PR entering ’15, she hit that or better 3 times indoors including a HSR 14-3.25 (beaten by Tori in June (!)) in splitting 6 meets with her twin.  Outdoors, Lexi was 2nd to Tori at Great Southwest and NBNO, but won 7 of 10 matchups and broke the HSR with 14-7.5 (#4 WJ) at the 4th of July Freedom Vault.  She was also outstanding at a state level in the sprints, hurdles and LJ – unusual for an elite vaulter.
 

7. Jasmyne Graham, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, CA, 2015, Hurdles

Graham didn’t contest either NBNO or USA Juniors, but what she did in the tough state of California and in one meet beyond was enough to rank her high on this list.  She topped the U.S. lists at both 100H and 300H, with her 13.17 (#5 all-time) and 40.73 (#9 a-t) good for a pair of state titles (the former by just .01 over Mecca McGlaston).  Her triumphs included a 100H/300H double at Mt. SAC and an Arcadia 100H triumph (13.21).  Graham’s lone post-season outing was a good one, too – a 13.36 victory in the Brooks PR meet.  Finally, she won the Simplot 60H in a US#7 8.41.
 

8. Tori Weeks, Cabot HS, AR, 2015, Pole Vault

Tori had trailed her twin Lexi in the PV nearly all of ’14, but with a mighty 14-0.5 to start ’15 indoors in January, her confidence was boosted.  Tori wasn’t quite as successful during the rest of indoor and early outdoor, but found her groove again in June, winning the two biggest meets – Great Southwest (US#2 14-1) and NBNO (13-7.25).  In-between, when their Arkansas Vault Club went to their indoor facility for a meet on June 14, she broke her sister’s indoor HSR with a 14-4.  And like Lexi, Tori was stellar in state competition in other events: the 300H, long jump, triple jump and even 800.
 

9. Sammy Watson, Rush-Henrietta HS, NY, 2017, Long Sprints/Middle Distances

As great as Watson was individually this past season, especially over 800, it might be relay carries she’s remembered for most.  During an epic downpour at NBNO, she threw down a 2:03.08 anchor – mostly alone – as her Rush-Henrietta squad crushed the sprint medley HSR at 3:47.65.  They did the same at NBNI (sans rainstorm) at 3:52.68.  Without the stick, she “merely” showed strategic savvy beyond her years in sweeping the NBN 800s, then claiming the World Youth title in US#2 2:03.54 (trailing only Efraimson).  Then there’s her incredible range: From a US#4 52.69 400, to US#1 2:47.27 over 1k (indoors) and US#9 4:25.25 at 1,500.
 

10. Ryen Frazier, Ravenscroft HS, NC, 2015, Distances

Frazier didn’t always win the big ones, but the combination of quality and quantity of her performances was something to behold – no more so than in Greensboro, where she matched older sister Wesley’s feat of tripling the NBNO 5k (US#2 16:20.72), 2M (US#6 10:07.16) and mile (4:45.23).  She was nearly as good at NBNI, winning girls’ Athlete of the Meet with a US#2 (#2 all-time) 16:12.81 5k (2nd), a devastating US#1 10:02.86 2M (#5 a-t) and a 4:44.48 1M (2nd) – where she ranked #1 for the season at 4:41.56.  She also traded 1M wins with Christina Aragon, winning Adidas (4:39.84) and taking 2nd at Brooks (US#2 4:38.59).
 

11. Christina Aragon, Billings HS, MT, 2016, Distances

The latest of a great family of distance runners in Big Sky country, Aragon had a big breakthrough with a 4:16.36 1,500 at Stanford’s Payton Jordan meet – US#2 behind only Efraimson and #5 all-time.  After taking 3rd in the Pre Classic HS mile, she came back and won the big Adidas race with a US#1 4:37.91 (#7 a-t).  At 800, she won Great Southwest and Brooks PR, the latter in a US#3 2:04.00.  Aragon’s fine range was evident in her Class AA state meet, where she swept the 400, 800 and 1,600 and was 2nd in the 3,200.
 

12. Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville HS, PA, 2017, Javelin

Few prep T&F athletes have ever had a greater regular-season sequence of marks than Madison Wiltrout did during a 16-day stretch of May, the soph improving her javelin PR from a US#2 168-5 to a HSR 185-8 at her section qualifier – then following it up with 181-0 and 182-8 in her district and AAA state meets.  It was heartbreaking, then, that she injured her elbow at state and was done for the year – unable to face out-of-state elites (These rankings are weighted to head-to-head competition and honors won) and to try to avenge her only loss, to Sophia Rivera at the Penn Relays.  Here’s hoping for a full recovery for her junior year.
 

*13. Kaylin Whitney, East Ridge HS, FL, 2017, Sprints

Like Efraimson, new pro Whitney is included here with an asterisk.  Interestingly, she seemed to compete almost “under-the-radar” in compared to ’14, when she set a 11.10 100m HSR and also ran 22.49.  But she improved her 200 best to 22.47 (4th in USA Seniors) – ranking #2 globally behind Hill among both Youth and Juniors – and was under 23 an impressive 8 times during the year, including a 22.65 victory in the Pan Am (Senior) Games in Toronto.  In the 100, she didn’t improve her legal PR, but did clock an 11.01w(+5.4).  She also raced several 4x1s with Team USA, including their then-world leading 41.96 at Monaco.
 

13. Courtney Corrin, Harvard-Westlake HS, CA, 2016, Long Jump

It was an exemplary year for the girls’ long jump, with three different athletes combining for a national record and two international championships.  Corrin did none of those things, yet ranks high with consistency and a plethora of great performances.  She was 2nd behind Hall at both NBNI (US#2 20-7, #10 all-time) and NBNO (21-5.25w), then notched a huge win at USA Juniors with 21-6.25w (#7 a-t, all-conditions).  She was then 2nd to Junior runner-up Samiyah Samuels at Pan-Am Juniors.  A great season with 8 meets at 20-8 or better also included an unbeaten California slate, with 3 wins over World Youth champ-to-be Tara Davis, and a CSI Cuba triumph.
 

14. Anna Cockrell, Providence Day HS, NC, 2016, Hurdles

Like a few others on this list, Cockrell wasn’t #1 in her event(s) – but still became one of the best ever.  Her year-long improvement curve caught fire at NBNI, where she lowered her 60H time from 8.43 to 8.21 (#5 all-time), taking 2nd behind McLaughlin.  Three months later, her outdoor peak began with a 13.21 100H in NC (#8 a-t), then continued with a 400H win at CSI.  She was 3rd in both events at NBNO (then-PR 57.70 at 400H), but then with no McLaughlin at USA Juniors, she reached a new level with a 56.67 triumph (#5 a-t).  Cockrell completed her wondrous campaign with a 57.10 win at Pan Am Juniors.

• Honorable Mention briefs:  In the throws, Haley Showalter led the hammer again at 194-1 (#7 all-time), then swept post-season honors with triumphs at Great Southwest, NBNO, USA Juniors and Pan Am Juniors … Gabrielle Kearney (Roseburg, OR sr) was 3rd at NBNO, then had a monster win at USA Juniors, beating an even more stellar field.  She improved further to US#3 167-6 for 4th at Pan Am Jrs … Elena Bruckner (San Jose Valley, CA jr) had the year’s best discus throw at 182-8 and was within ¼ inch of the best shot with US#2 53-5.25.  She swept Arcadia titles and won her state shot … In the shot, Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park, NJ jr) won Penn, then was 2nd at both NBN and the WY Trials behind Rivera, then finally took 6th in the WY Finals … Kiana Phelps (Kingsley-Pearson, IA jr) was the US#2 discus thrower at 172-9 and took CSI and Chicagoland titles sandwiched around a mild upset 2nd at NBNO.
• The national 100/200 scene was hot (4 under 11.30) and very high quality behind Hill … Teahna Daniels (1st Acad., FL sr) started the year with an NBNI US#1 7.33 60 dash win and went on to the USA Jr title at US#3 11.24 and Pan Am Jr bronze.  She was also 2nd behind Hill at Adidas and had an 11.15w to her credit … Khalifa St. Fort (St. Thomas Aquinas, FL jr) was beaten by Daniels at Texas Relays and Adidas, but improved in the summer for 2nd behind Hill at WY Champs in US#2 11.19 – then avenged losses to Daniels with Pan Am Jr gold … In California, Zaria Francis (Rio Mesa, CA jr) had a great state meet double triumph (11.31/US#4 23.09), then was 2nd at Brooks behind Hill’s HSR 100 (US#4 11.26).  Lauren Rain Williams (Oaks Christian, CA soph) was 2nd behind Francis in both dashes at state, but went on to make Team USA for World Youths and captured 200 silver behind Hill with US#3 22.90 … In the 400, Sharrika Barnett (Oak Ridge, FL sr) was unbeaten, blazing to the NBNO title at US#2 52.25, and also winning Golden South and Great Southwest … Lynna Irby (Pike, IN soph) got her 1st sub-54 at the WY Trials, then improved all the way to US#1 51.79 in Cali to take the silver.
• The scene in the 100H was crazy, with 8th-grader Tia Jones (Dickerson MS, GA) pulling a shocker at NBNO, her 13.08w beating Texans Tonea Marshall (Arlington Seguin, TX jr) at 13.12w, with Alexis Duncan (DeSoto, sr) in 4th.  Jones didn’t have a lot of other creds, but TX 6A and CSI champ Duncan beat 5A and Texas Relays champ Marshall at WY Trials, then went to Cali and set a US Youth record (#2 WY all-time) at 12.95 (30” hurdles) in the semis.  In the WY final, however, Duncan was 5th behind Brittley Humphrey’s (Hoover, AL jr) stunning silver medal run … Four went under 58 in the 400H, led by McLaughlin and Cockrell.  Super soph Reonna Collier (Vacaville, CA) hit US#3 57.27 for 2nd behind Cockrell at USA Jrs, while Brandee’ Johnson took WY bronze at US#4 57.47 trailing McLaughlin.
• In the distances, Destiny Collins (Great Oak, CA jr) clocked a stunning US#1 9:53.79 3,200 to win her state title (#7 all-time, combined 3200/2M), then was 2nd at Brooks behind Anna Rohrer’s US#2 9:59.96.  Rohrer (Mishawaka, IN sr) had earlier set the indoor 5,000m HSR at NBNO with 16:10.79 … Allie Ostrander (Kenai Central, sr) ran four 3,200s in Alaska between 9:58 and 10:03 … Kate Murphy (Lake Braddock, VA soph) was a 4:46 1,600 runner before USA Juniors, where she ripped a shocking US#3 4:16.98 for the win.  She followed that with a decisive Pan Am Jrs victory … In racewalking, Ashleigh Resch (Beavercreek, OH sr) captured both the NBNI and NBNO 1M titles, the former in national record time (7:00.33).  She was also the top prep over 5,000m and #2 over 3,000m.
• Nicole Greene (Ponte Vedra, FL sr) had a wonderful year in the HJ, taking both NBN titles (US#1 6-0.5, #2 6-1.5) and taking CSI.  She also hit 20-5 and 40-2.5 in the horizontals during an incredible state meet triple … Chinne Okoronkwo (Mountlake Terrace, WA jr) had a fine string of finishes in the TJ, winning Arcadia, taking 2nd’s at NBNO and USA Jrs, and bronzes at NBNI and Pan Am Juniors.

The following is the third of a series ranking the top athletes for the 2015 high school track and field season – from the first indoor meets back in December '14 through the final post-season affairs in August (but with a focus primarily on the outdoor season).  It also represents an attempt to create some of the deepest prep rankings available with some of the most detailed analysis.  These NSAF rankings, published for the first time last year, were produced by Steve Underwood, with input from Jim Spier.  They are generally based on the honors won, head-to-head competition and fastest times criteria popularized and used by Track and Field News, as well as other compilers, throughout the years.  This third entry in the series, Girls Throws, was preceeded by Boys Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15 and Girls Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15.
 

Girls Javelin: Rivera’s big meet wins get it done

1. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS (MO) junior, US#2 175-10
1st NBNO, 1st Penn R, 1st Kansas R, 1st Great SW, 1st WY Trials, 1st Am JavFest, 2nd CSI, 7th WY Champs, 7th USA Jrs, 7th USA Srs

2. Gabby Kearney, Roseburg HS (OR) senior, US#3 167-6
1st USA Jrs, 3rd NBNO, 4th Pan Am Jrs, 1st Chicagoland, 1st 6A state, 1st Oregon R

3. Madison Wiltrout, Connellsville HS (PA) soph, US#1 HSR 185-8
2nd Penn R, 1st AAA state, 1st District 7 AAA, 1st WPIAL qualifier

4. Katelyn Gochenour, Marian Catholic HS (NE) junior, US#4 167-2 (#2 167-7Y)
4th NBNO, 1st CSI, 2nd WY Trials, 2nd Am JavFest, 2nd Great SW, 9th USA Jrs, 11th WY Champs

Tie-5. Tairyn Montgomery, Redondo Union HS (CA) junior, US#5 164-4
2nd NBNO, 3rd WY Trials, 4th Am JavFest, 5th USA Jrs, 1st Mt SAC, 1st Arcadia (hept JT)

Tie-5. Emma Fitzgerald, Thayer Academy (MA) junior, US#8 159-5
5th NBNO, 3rd USA Jrs, 3rd Am JavFest, 2nd Chicagoland, 2nd USA JOs(17-18), 1st ISTL

7. Brooke Hinderlitter, Redbank Valley HS (PA) junior, US#9 158-9
7th NBNO, 1st AA state, 1st Oil Co. Inv, 1st District 9 AA, 1st Redbank Inv

8. Danielle Collier, Hickory HS (PA) senior, 156-5
6th NBNO, 2nd Redbank Inv, NM AA state, 1st District 10 AA, 1st Hermitage Inv

9. Samantha Zelden, St. Scholastica (LA) junior, 150-4
1st AAU JOs(17-18), 1st AAU Club, 1st 4A state, 1st Mobile CoC, 1st Sugar Bowl

Tie-10. Keiryn Swenson, Maize HS (KS) senior, =US#6 162-5
1st 6A state, 2nd Kansas R, 1st Hutchinson Inv, 1st AVCTL, 1st Wichita SE Inv

Tie-10. Peyton Montgomery, Barbe HS (LA) senior, =US#6 162-5
1st 5A state, 1st Walker R, 1st Oil City R, 1st Taussig R, 1st Region 1-5A

Analysis:  It’s tough to rank a national record-setter like Wiltrout down at #3, but honors won, big-meet finishes and head-to-head matter most and – due to her unfortunate elbow injury at state – the super-talented soph lost her post-season while Rivera and Kearney shone on the big stage.  Wiltrout did battle Rivera in a great Penn showdown, with the Missourian taking it on the final throw, 169-6 to 168-5.  Then 2 weeks later, Wiltrout exploded to 185-8 to top Haley Crouser’s HSR by 4+ feet.  She followed with 181-0 at districts and 182-8 at state before the injury.  Meanwhile, Rivera won several majors, including NBNO and World Youth Trials.  Kearney avenged her NBNO loss (3rd) with a huge Juniors triumph, then PR’d in 4th at Pan Ams.

Also hard to separate were the next three – all Class of 2016 NSAF Project Javelinists, like Rivera – as Gochenour, Montgomery and Fitzgerald took turns beating each other at NBNO, Juniors and American JavFest.  But Gochenour also won CSI (over Rivera), joined Rivera on the WY Team USA and had a better slate of marks.  Montgomery and Fitzgerald tie for #5, with the former getting NBNO runner-up and a seasonal-best 5 feet further, and the latter coming up huge in Eugene – just missing the Pan Am team in 3rd.  Hinderlitter edges fellow Pennsylvanian Collier for #7, her AA state title and invite matchup win overcoming a spot-lower finish at NBNO.  Zelden’s PR was further down the list, but she takes #9 with a consistent competitive slate, winning 2 AAU titles and the major Mobile and Sugar Bowl meets.  Swenson and Montgomery – experienced seniors each at =US#6 162-5 – passed on post-season meets and tie for #10 here.

Girls Shot Put:  Unbeaten Rivera a clear choice

1. Sophia Rivera, Brentwood HS (MO) junior, US#1 53-3.75 (#1 59-4.25Y)
1st NBNO, 1st NBNI, 2nd USA Jrs, 2nd Pan Am Jrs (both 1st prep), 1st WY Trials, 2nd WY Champs, 1st CSI, 1st Great SW

2. Elena Bruckner, Valley Christian HS (CA) junior, US#2 53-3.5
1st state, 1st Arcadia, 1st CCS Finals, 1st Stanford, 2nd Chicagoland, 1st CCS Top 8

3. Nickolette Dunbar, Whippany Park HS (NJ) junior, US#4 51-2.75 (#2 56-11.5Y)
2nd NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 6th WY Champs, 1st NJ MOC, 1st Penn R, 3rd NBNI

4. Alyssa Wilson, Msgr. Donovan (NJ) sophomore, US#3 51-7.75 (#5 52-9.25Y)
1st Chicagoland, 3rd NBNO, 5th WY Trials, 2nd NJ MOC, 1st NP-A state, 1st Earth Fed Open

5. Meia Gordon, Cypress Creek HS (TX) senior, US#8 48-11.5i (#4 54-7.25Y)
4th WY Trials, 1st 6A state, 1st Texas R, 1st Victor Lopez, 1st Region 3-6A, 1st Dist 17-6A

6. Nia Britt, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) HS (CA) senior, US#9 48-10.75
2nd state, 2nd Arcadia, 2nd Mt SAC, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS D3 Finals, 1st SS D3 Prelims

7. Leilyn Miles, Justin NW Nelson HS (TX) junior, 48-6
1st USA JOs(17-18), 1st TX MOC, 2nd 6A state, 4th Texas R, 1st Region 1-6A

8. Khayla Dawson, Olympic HS (NC), 48-1 (#6 51-11Y)
4th NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 6th WY Trials, 8th NBNI, 2nd USA JO(17-18), 1st Taco Bell

9. Kathleen Young, Warrensburg-Latham HS (IL) soph, US#5 50-10
2nd Great SW, 6th NBNO, 4th Chicagoland, 7th WY Trials, 1st USA JO(15-16), 4th NBNI

10. Jessica Molina, Westwood HS (NJ) junior, US#10 48-10i (#3 54-10.25Y)
3rd WY Trials, 6th NBNI, 12th NBNO, 6th Penn R (3rd U.S.), 1st Eastern States (i)

Analysis:  Compared to the javelin, the top spot in the shot is a slam dunk for Rivera.  For starters, she was unbeaten (by U.S. preps) through a busy campaign, in and out, and won both NBN titles.  She made Team USAs for both Pan Am Juniors and World Youths, with big PRs in both qualifiers and crushing the U.S. Youth standard (3kg shot) in the latter.  She famously won WYC silver in Cali while also contesting the jav, then closed it out with silver (behind collegian Raven Saunders) in Edmonton.  Bruckner held the U.S. lead at 53-5.5, before Rivera nipped it in Eugene, and takes the runner-up spot.  She was well past her peak and a distant 2nd in her only post-season meet, but the strength of her California season – 9 meets at 49-7 or better – was enough.

A pair of Jersey putters take the next two spots.  Dunbar was NBNO runner-up, then joined Rivera on Team USA for the WYC – taking 6th in Cali.  The soph Wilson was 3rd in Greensboro, then after taking “only” 5th at the WYT, she began a summer surge that started with a Chicagoland win (over Bruckner) and ended with a 51-7.75 at a club meet.  What a future she has.  Next is Gordon, who was unbeaten in Texas and a solid 4th at the WYT.  Following her is the #2 Californian and #2 Texan.  Britt was runner-up to Bruckner at state and Arcadia, and swept through the Southern Section.  Miles trailed only Gordon at their state clash and had big wins at the new Meet of Champs and USA JOs.  At #9, Young had some huge throws, but didn’t come up as well in the biggest post-season meets.  Dawson, despite a PR of "only" 48-1, finished ahead of Young at NBNO, Chicagoland and WYT, so ranks #8.  And in #10, Molina had ups and downs, indoors and out, but peaked with a huge 3rd at WYT.

Girls Discus:  Phelps most consistent; avenges only loss

1. Kiana Phelps, Kingsley-Pierson HS (IA) junior, US#2 172-9
1st Chicagoland, 1st CSI, 2nd NBNO, 1st AAU JO(17-18), 1st Drake R, 1st 2A state

2. Kaylee Antill, Tri-Valley HS (OH) senior, US#4 169-3
1st NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 1st MW MOC, 1st D1 state, 1st region

3. Haley Showalter, Valor Christian HS (CO) senior, US#6 163-4
2nd Chicagoland, 5th NBNO, 4th USA Jrs (1st prep), 1st Great SW

4. Elena Bruckner, Valley Christian HS (CA) junior, US#1 182-8
4th Chicagoland, 3rd state, 2nd CCS Finals, 1st Arcadia, 1st CCS Top 8, 1st WCAL

5. Josie Schaefer, Baraboo HS (WI) soph, US#3 169-4
1st WY Trials, 5th WY Champs, 1st USA JO(15-16), 1st AAU JO, 2nd D1 state, 1st Baraboo Inv

6. Ronna Stone, Valley Christian HS (CA) senior, US#8 161-9
1st state, 1st CCS Finals, 2nd Arcadia, 2nd CCS Top 8, 2nd WCAL

7. Kendall Mader, Newbury Park HS (CA) senior, US#5 164-4
9th USA Jrs (2nd prep), 2nd state, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS Finals, 1st Don Green Inv

8. Samantha Noennig, Hartford Union HS (WI) junior, US#9 161-6
3rd NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 10th(q) WY Champs, 13th USA Jrs (3rd prep), 1st D1 state

9. Oyesade Olatoye, Dublin Coffman HS (OH) senior, US#7 162-8
4th NBNO, 2nd MW MOC, 2nd D1 state, 1st region, 1st Smith Inv

10. Meia Gordon, Cypress Creek HS (TX) senior, US#10 160-7
1st 6A state, 1st Texas R, 1st CFISD Inv, 1st region, 8th WY Trials,

Analysis:  You don’t have to throw the furthest or win every meet to be #1, not when you have the consistency that Phelps had.  The small-school Iowa standout threw the discus 162 feet or better in six different meets; no one else surpassed that mark more than twice.  She came into NBNO the favorite, as she had in ’14, and left with the silver after Antill’s PR beat her by three feet.  But she avenged the loss at Chicagoland, where she also defeated national leader Bruckner.  Antill was 3rd at Chicagoland, with NBNO her only meet beyond 160.  Still, with consistency in the high 150s and also having a major win at Midwest Meet of Champs, it was good for #2.  In the #3 spot is hammer leader Showalter, who beat Bruckner and Antill at Chicagoland and was the top prep at Juniors, offsetting a slightly lesser showing at NBNO.

Bruckner – also the US#2 (list) putter – had that monster 182-8 DT at her league meet, but her next best meet was 160-9 and she had a few losses … mainly to teammate Stone, who won the state and section titles – but was still 2nd to Bruckner more often than not.  So they are #4 and #6 here, with Schaefer splitting them.  Schaefer faced few of the top contenders, but won the World Youth Trials, was 5th at the champs, took both age 15-16 JO titles, and had a somewhat outlying 169-4 PR plus a couple losses.  The final 4 spots go to Mader, the California runner-up and #2 prep at Juniors; Noennig, the Wisconsin D1 champ (over Schaefer), then WYT runner-up and non-finalist in Cali; Olatoye, the Ohio D1 and MW MOC runner-up (to Antill), and 4th at NBNO; and Gordon, a 160-footer who was unbeaten in Texas. 

Girls Hammer:  Overwhelmingly dominant season for Showalter

1. Haley Showalter, Valor Christian HS (CO) senior, US#1 194-1
1st NBNO, 1st USA Jr, 1st Pan Am Jr, 1st Chicagoland, 1st Great SW, 1st Landsharks Inv

2. Sabrina Gaitan, Sprayberry HS (GA) senior, US#2 185-3
2nd NBNO, 4th Pan Am Jr, 1st prep all Throw 1 Deep meets

3. Emelda Malm-Annan, Monterey Trail HS (CA) senior, US#3 182-6
1st USA JO(17-18), 1st USA Pacific JO, 1st Golden West, 1st Hamp-Phil, 1st state

4. Courtney Jacobsen, Toll Gate HS (RI) junior, US#4 178-6 (#1 193-10Y)
4th NBNO, 2nd Chicagoland, 2nd Hammerama, 1st New Englands, 3rd state, 2nd K of C Relays

5. Alyssa Wilson, Msgr. Donovan (NJ) soph, US#9 170-3
6th NBNO, 2nd WY Trials, 3rd Chicagoland, 4th NJ Int’l Inv (1st prep), 1st Osprey Open

6. Kaylee Antill, Tri-Valley HS (OH) senior, US#6 172-0
7th NBNO, 4th Chicagoland, 1st John Glenn Inv, 1st state, 1st Kasper Inv

7. Makena Thomas, Narragansett HS (RI) junior, US#10 170-0(#4 181-4Y)
3rd NBNO, 1st Hammerama, 5th Chicagoland, 14th USA Jrs (2nd prep)

8. Carly Timpson, Narragansett HS (RI) senior, 164-6
5th NBNO, 3rd Hammerama, 5th New Englands, 4th state

9. Meagan Molloy, Smithfield HS (RI) junior, 168-9
10th NBNO, 4th New Englands, 3rd USA JO(17-18), 1st state

10. Kamryn Brinson, Marist HS (GA) junior, 168-8 (#3 186-2Y)
15th NBNO, 1st WY Trials, 2nd USA JO(17-18), 2nd CSI

Analysis:  You could hardly have a better season in an event than Showalter had, leading the nation at 194-1 with 3 meets beyond 190 and winning every major available title.  That included defending her Great Southwest, Chicagoland and USA Junior titles, avenging her ’14 NBNO loss to Gaitan, and finishing her career with a Pan Am Juniors triumph.  Gaitan is #2, taking 2nd to Showalter at NBNO this time and 4th for her native Guatemala at Pan Am Jrs – in addition to several strong Throw 1 Deep meet performances.  At #3 is Malm-Annan, a Ghanaian citizen prepping in California.  She set a USA JO(17-18) mark and hit over 180 four times. 

In 4th and topping the typically deep group of Rhode Island throwers was Jacobsen, whose slate was highlighted by 4th at NBNO, 2nd at Chicagoland and the New England title.  It’s rare to escape Rhode Island competition unscathed, but Jacobsen made up for a few losses.  Wilson and Antill – fine hammer throwers despite the event being secondary for them to the shot and discus – respectively, follow in the #5 and #6 spots.  They were 6-7 at NBNO and 3-4 at Chicagoland.  In 7-8 are Narragansett, RI teammates Thomas and Timpson, who both had their best throwing in June and July.  Molloy, meanwhile, was up and down both in spring and summer, but came up big with a PR to win the coveted RI state meet and earn 9th.  The final spot goes to Brinson, who shone brightest at CSI and in the USATF meets.

The following is the fourth of a series ranking the top athletes for the 2015 high school track and field season – from the first indoor meets back in December '14 through the final post-season affairs in August (but with a focus primarily on the outdoor season).  It also represents an attempt to create some of the deepest prep rankings available with some of the most detailed analysis.  These NSAF rankings, published for the first time last year, were produced by Steve Underwood, with input from Jim Spier.  They are generally based on the honors won, head-to-head competition and fastest times criteria popularized and used by Track and Field News, as well as other compilers, throughout the years.  This fourth entry in the series, Girls Jumps, was preceeded by Girls Throws, Boys Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15, and Girls Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15.
 

Triple Jump: Okoronkwo always near the top

1. Chinne Okoronkwo, Mountlake Terrace HS (WA) junior, US#7 41-10.25/42-1.25w
2nd NBNO, 3rd NBNI, 2nd USA Jrs (1st prep), 3rd Pan Am Jrs, 1st Arcadia, 1st Simplot, 1st 3A State

2. Tara Davis, Agoura HS (CA) soph, US#3 42-8.25
1st WY Trials, 9th WY Champs (3rd qf), 2nd State, 2nd Arcadia, 1st Texas R, 1st SS Masters

3. Kennedy Jones, Castro Valley HS (CA), US#4 42-5.25
1st USA JOs(17-18), 6th USA Jrs(3rd prep), 1st State, 1st NCS MOC, 2nd Mt SAC, 5th Arcadia

4. Asa Garcia, Texas City (HS) TX senior, US#2 43-2.25i
1st NBNI, 2nd Texas R, 1st 5A State, 3rd USA JOs(17-18), 1st TX MOC, 1st Reg. 3-5A

5. LaJarvia Brown, Alton HS (IL) junior, US#10 41-9.5
2nd WY Trials, 14th (qf) WY Champs, 1st Great SW, 1st AAU JOs(17-18), 1st 3A state

6. Christina Chenault, Carondelet HS (CA) senior, US#8 41-10
3rd USA Jrs (2nd prep), 3rd State, 2nd NCS MOC, 2nd Sac MOC, 3rd Arcadia, 9th Simplot

7. Bria Matthews, Forest Park HS (GA) senior, US#1 43-5.5
1st 5A State, 1st AAU Club, 1st Panther R, 1st Clayton Co., 1st Coaches Inv, 1st Reg. 4-5A

8. Kiara Williams, Homewood HS (AL) senior, US#9 41-9.75
1st NBNO, 1st 6A State (in/out), 1st Hewitt-Trussville Inv

9. Marie Josee’ Ebwea-Bile’, Benjamin Cardozo HS (NY), US#5 42-1.25
4th NBNI, 3rd Penn R (1st U.S.), 1st Loucks, 1st Mayor’s Cup, 1st State (i)

10. Domonique Panton, Freehold Twp HS (NJ) senior, 40-4i
3rd NBNO, 6th NBNI, 4th Penn R (2nd U.S.), 1st NB Games(i)

Analysis:  A few of the year’s furthest jumpers, namely Matthews and Garcia, competed very infrequently in the post-season or outside their state.  So it came down to who compiled the most consistent slate in the biggest meets and that was Okoronkwo – even if she really had just one big victory.  The NSAF Project Triple Jumper was in the top 3 in half a dozen major meets, including Arcadia and Simplot victories, had podium finishes at both NBN meets, and medal-winning performances at both USA Juniors and Pan Am Juniors.  All that came despite being just #7 on the combined indoor/outdoor list.  Davis was the best of 3 Californians, with a good string of 1st- and 2nd-place finishes, then peaking at the World Youth Trials and Champs, winding up US#2 outdoors.

Jones had a few invitational losses, but beat Davis and Chenault at state with her PR – and jumped well in the summer – to take the 3rd spot here.  Splitting Jones and Chenault are Garcia and Brown.  Garcia had the monster PR with her NBNI victory and won her state meet impressively, but lost at Texas Relays (to Davis) and JOs.  Brown – like Davis – PR’d at WY Trials and Champs, though she missed the final in Cali.  She also won Great Southwest and AAU JOs.  While Chenault beat Garcia at JOs and jumped well at Juniors, her overall record didn’t quite match the others.  Then comes Matthews in the #7 spot, with the big jump at state, but not facing any other contenders.  The final three here are Williams, who had a huge breakthrough to win NBNO; Ebwea-Bile’, who was consistently strong in and out before a late-season injury; and Panton, who shone at both NBN meets and Penn.

Long Jump:  Hall does it all

1. Kate Hall, Lake Region HS (ME) senior, US#1 HSR 22-5
1st NBNO, 1st NBNI, 1st New Englands (in and out), 1st Class B state (in/out), 1st RI Classic(i)

2. Courtney Corrin, Harvard Westlake HS (CA) junior, US#3 20-11/21-6.25w
2nd NBNO, 2nd NBNI, 1st USA Jrs, 2nd Pan Am Jrs, 1st State, 1st CSI, 1st Arcadia, 1st Mt SAC, 1st SS Masters

3. Samiyah Samuels, Cypress Springs HS (TX) junior, US#4 20-6.5/20-7.75w
2nd USA Jrs, 1st Pan Am Jrs, 1st 6A state, 1st Texas R, 1st TSU Relays

4. Tara Davis, Agoura HS (CA) soph, US#2 21-0.5
1st WY Champs, 1st WY Trials, 3rd State, 2nd Texas R, 1st SS Finals (D2), 2nd SS Masters

5. Margaux Jones, Redlands HS (CA) senior, US#7 20-4.25
3rd USA Jrs, 2nd State, 3rd SS Masters, 2nd SS Finals (D2), 2nd Mt SAC

6. Sydnei Murphy, Apex HS (NC) senior, US#9 20-3/20-4.5w
3rd NBNO, 4th NBNI, 1st 4A State (in/out), 1st Carolina R, 1st Apex R

7. Jeryne Fish, National Cathedral (DC) senior, 18-11.25/19-10.5w
4th NBNO, 8th USA Jrs (5th prep), 4th Penn R (2nd U.S.), 1st Va. Tech Inv(i), 15th NBNI

8. Taylor Woods, Riverdale Baptist (MD) junior, 19-6.5i
5th NBNO, 5th NBNI, 9th Penn R (6th U.S.), 6th AAU JOs(17-18), 7th WY Trials

9. Daloria Boone, Baldwin HS (GA) frosh, US#8 20-4
6th NBNO, 1st Taco Bell, 1st 4A State, 5th AAU JOs(15-16), 13th USA JOs, 1st USA Youth(i)

10. Kaylee Hinton, Rockwall HS (TX) senior, 19-6.5/19-10.5nwi
1st TX MOC, 4th 6A state, 3rd Texas R, 1st USA Jr (hept), 1st Rockwall R

Analysis:  If there was a single moment that blew away national followers of prep track and field in 2015, it was probably when Hall soared 22 feet and 5 inches on her final attempt of the NBNO girls’ LJ – topping Kathy McMillan’s 39-year-old prep record and coming from behind to capture a super battle with Corrin.  In a great year for the event, Hall didn’t have quite as many high-profile meets as some others, but claimed both NBN titles with her impressive leaps (US#1 indoors as well), as well as a pair of New England crowns.  Corrin, twice relegated to runner-up status behind Hall despite formidable jumps, won almost everything else.  She ruled the extremely tough California scene without a loss through, then after NBNO went on to prevail at Juniors before USA teammate Samuels prevailed at Pan Ams.  Samuels, in turn, was nearly perfect in Texas before her impressive post-season and gets #3 here.

It’s hard to believe that World Youth champ Davis merits “only” #4 on this list.  The soph’s final jump triumph in Cali was as impressive in its own way as Hall’s record leap.  She just wasn’t quite at the level of Corrin and Samuels when she met them, head-to-head.  Bearing more evidence of the brutal Golden State competition is Jones, coming in at #5 despite a 20-4.25 best and 4 meets over 20 feet.  Next is Murphy, who leapt well in both NBN meets.  In fact, the next three rankings spots after Murphy follow NBNO order, with Fish, Taylor and Boone all having some good backup on top of their 4-5-6 finish in Greensboro.  Finally, there’s Hinton, who’s best-known as the heptathlon leader but went 19 feet or further on 9 different occasions.

High Jump:  Unforgettable season for Cunningham

1. Vashti Cunningham, Bishop Gorman HS (NV) junior, US#1 HSR 6-5
1st USA Jrs, 1st Pan Am Jrs, 1st Arcadia, 1st Mt SAC, nh 4A state

2. Nicole Greene, Ponte Vedra HS (FL) senior, US#2 6-1.5
1st NBNO, 1st NBNI, 1st CSI, 1st Golden South, 1st 3A State, 1st Bob Hayes, 1st Florida R

3. Alexandria Florent, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) senior, US#6 5-11.25
2nd USA Jrs, 3rd NBNO, 5th Pan Am Jrs, 4th State, 4th Arcadia, 5th Mt SAC, 1st Mt Carmel

4. Janae’ Moffitt, Oak Hill HS (IN) senior, US#5 5-11.75
1st State, 1st MW MOC, 1st USA Yth(i), 1st Hoosier State R, 1st Marion R

5. Tyra Gittens, Ensworth HS (TN) soph, =US#3 6-0
1st AAU JOs(17-18), 1st D2 state, 1st Great 8 Inv, 1st Hartman R, 1st Hill Center

6. Alexus Henry, Bridge City HS (TX) senior, =US#3 6-0
1st Texas R, 1st 4A State, 1st Vidor R, 1st Reg 4A-3, 1st 4A Area 23-24

7. Erin Beattie, Buena HS (CA) senior, =US#9 5-10
1st State, 2nd Arcadia, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS Finals (D2)

8. Madison Yerigan, Stanwood HS (WA) junior, =US#9 5-10
1st WY Trials, 2nd USA JOs(17-18), 1st 3A state, T-15th (q) WY Champs

9. Faith Penny, East Islip HS (NY) senior, 5-9.75
2nd NBNO, 5th NBNI, 2nd State, 5th Penn R (3rd U.S.), 1st State (i)

10. Ellyanna Long, The Woodlands HS (TX) junior, 5-9.5
6th USA Jrs(3rd prep), 1st 6A state, 1st Reg 2-6A, 4th Texas R

Analysis:  After a few years of passing up international opportunities, Cunningham made her Team USA debut special with her 2nd HSR of the year in Edmonton.  It capped off a stellar 2015 where she also claimed the USA Junior gold, defended her Arcadia and Mt. SAC titles (the latter with her 1st HSR at 6-4.25) and had a mind-boggling 9 meets at 6-2 or better.  Cunningham’s spectacular campaign dovetailed with a mediocre year for U.S. women in the event, such that the Bishop Gorman junior was the highest-jumping American female – period – in 2015.  Greene is an equally easy pick at #2, sweeping the NBN championships, CSI, and establishing great consistency over 6-0.  At #3, Florent had a great end-of-year flourish, making top 3 at both NBNO and Juniors, and joining Cunningham at Pan Ams in 5th.

Moffitt and Gittens rank 4-5, with Gittens’ having a slightly better PR, but Moffitt prevailing on depth of performances and doing a bit more at the multi-state level.  Henry and Beattie ruled Texas and California, respectively (Beattie lost only to Cunningham at Arcadia), but did not venture beyond – and Henry had better marks to rank #6.  Penny is #8, with the best combination of NBN finishes after Greene.  Her best was short of 5-10, but she PR’d in both nationals.  Yerigan won the WY Trials and was 2nd at JOs.  Long rounds out the top 10, with a solid USA Juniors finish backing up her work in Texas.

Pole Vault:  Lexi edges Tori

1. Lexi Weeks, Cabot HS (AR) senior, US#1 HSR 14-7.5
1st July 4 Freedom, 1st AR MOC, 2nd NBNO, 2nd Great SW, 1st McDonnell Inv, 1st 7A state, 1st AR USATF(i), 1st Arkansas Inv(i)

2. Tori Weeks, Cabot HS (AR) senior, US#2 14-4i HSR
2nd July 4 Freedom, 2nd AR MOC, 1st NBNO, 1st Great SW, 1st School’s Out(i), 1st 7A state(i)

3. McKenzie Shell, Port Huron Northern HS (MI), =US#3 13-9
3rd NBNO, 6th USA Jrs (3rd prep), 1st MW MOC, 1st D1 state, =1st Reno Summit, nh NBNI

4. Kristen Denk, North Royalton HS (OH) senior, US#5 13-8.5i
1st NBNI, =3rd USA Jrs (1st prep), 4th NBNO, 1st D1 State, 5th Reno Summit (#2), 2nd MW MOC

5. Kaitlyn Merritt, Santa Margarita HS (CA), =US#6 13-7
1st Arcadia, 8th USA Jrs (4th prep), 1st State, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS D3 Finals, =1st Reno Summit

6. Meagan Gray, Buda Hays HS (TX) senior, =US#3 13-9
2nd NBNI, 10th USA Jrs (6th prep), 1st 6A state, 3rd Texas R, 4th Reno Summit

7. Laura Marty, Blanchet HS (WA) junior, =US#6 13-7
5th USA Jrs (2nd prep), 2nd 3A state, 1st Pasco Inv, 4th Texas R, 1st Metro

8. Margaret Ollinger, McGill-Toolen Catholic (AL) junior, US#10 13-6.25
=5th NBNO, 1st Mobile CoC, 1st 7A state (in/out), 1st Mtn Brook Inv, 1st Sugar Bowl

9. Carson Dingler, 1st Presbyterian (GA) soph, =US#11 13-6
1st WY Trials, 10th WY Champs, nh NBNO, 1st AAU JOs(15-16), 1st USA JOs, 2nd Mobile CoC

10. Anna Eaton, Apex HS (NC) senior, 13-3.5
=5th NBNO, 4th NBNI, 1st Carolina R, 1st 4A state, 4th Taco Bell, 5th Golden South

Analysis:  The Weeks twins ruled the pole vault in ’15, from the first weekend of the year when they each cleared 14 feet to the final attempts in Greensboro when they closed out their careers.  It took until June when they finally ventured beyond their home state, but their two trips were very successful, with 1-2 finishes at both Great Southwest and NBNO.  And speaking of those two meets, Tori Weeks’ victories there made the rankings very close.  But Lexi earned the top spot for 3 reasons:  Her 14-7.25 outdoor HSR in their final meet of the year, her 11-5 advantage in head-to-head competition, and her consistency of performances (Lexi was over 14 feet seven times and 13-6 fourteen times, compared to 3/10 for Tori). 

Shell and Denk are also very close for the 3-4 spots.  Denk had a massive NBNI victory while Shell no-heighted, and was ahead of her on misses at Juniors.  But Shell similarly had the upper hand at NBNO and two other occasions.  Merritt is #5, having a near-perfect record in California and a better-than-it-seems 8th at Juniors (2nd-8th all cleared 13-5.25).  Gray scaled 13-9 and was 2nd behind Denk at NBNI, but her outdoor slate wasn’t quite as strong.  Marty, 5th in the Juniors logjam and with a few losses, takes the next spot.  Ollinger and Eaton tied for 5th at NBNO, but the Alabamian’s better overall slate landed her two spots higher.  Dingler, the World Youth Trials champ, 10th in Cali, and with a sweep of the JOs (15-16), takes #9.

The following is the fifth of a series ranking the top athletes for the 2015 high school track and field season – from the first indoor meets back in December '14 through the final post-season affairs in August (but with a focus primarily on the outdoor season).  It also represents an attempt to create some of the deepest prep rankings available with some of the most detailed analysis.  These NSAF rankings, published for the first time last year, were produced by Steve Underwood, with input from Jim Spier.  They are generally based on the honors won, head-to-head competition and fastest times criteria popularized and used by Track and Field News, as well as other compilers, throughout the years.  This fifth entry in the series, Boys Throws, was preceeded by Girls Jumps, Girls Throws, Boys Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15, and Girls Athlete of the Year and overall Top 15.
 

Biddle consistent; avenges only loss

1. Michael Biddle, Williamsburg HS (PA) senior, US#2 213-10
1st NBNO, 1st Am JavFest, 2nd Chicagoland, 1st AA state, 2nd Penn (1st US prep)

2. Hudson Keffer, Central Kitsap HS (WA) senior, US#4 210-0
5th USA Jrs (1st prep), 1st 3A state, 1st Pasco Inv, 1st Shelton Inv, 1st 3A District

3. Liam Christensen, Academic Magnet (SC) soph, =US#5 209-5 (#1 238-3Y)
2nd Am JavFest, 1st WY Trials, 13th(q) WY Champs, 5th NBNO, 2nd USA JO(17-18)

4. Mike Marsack, Stroudsburg HS (PA) junior, US#3 210-10
2nd NBNO, 1st Chicagoland, 8th Am JavFest, 25th AAA state, 1st Red & Black Inv

5. Cole Sunkel, South Kitsap HS (WA) senior, =US#5 209-5
1st USA JO(17-18), 1st 4A state, 2nd Shelton Inv, 1st Dist III

6. Jeff Ast, Andale HS (KS) senior, US#1 226-2
1st 4A state, 1st Kansas R, 1st Andale Inv, 1st Pre-State

7. Grant Jones, LaSalle College HS (PA) senior, 199-11
3rd NBNO, 1st AAA state, 3rd Chicagoland, 9th Am JavFest, 1st PCL, 7th Penn (5th US prep)

8. Grayson Hill, Cathedral Prep (PA) junior, 200-3
4th NBNO, 4th Chicagoland, 5th Am JavFest, 3rd WY Trials, 5th AAA state, 1st CSI, 1st TSTCA

9. Andrew Manz, North Allegheny HS (PA) senior, 196-5
4th Am JavFest, 7th NBNO, 3rd AAA state, 2nd AAA District 7, 2nd TSTCA

10. William Petersson, Frisco Centennial HS (TX) junior, 198-3 (#2 200-1Y)
3rd USA JO(17-18), 2nd WY Trials, 1st Texas R

Analysis:  Biddle, with five meets at 209 or further, is a clear choice despite being more than a dozen feet off the national lead.  Said national leader – Ast at 226-2 – had just that one meet further than 202 feet and didn’t compete outside of his home state or in the post-season.  Meanwhile, Biddle was unbeaten through his triumphant performance at NBNO.  He was then defeated by Marsack at Chicagoland, but enjoyed sweet redemption with a season-ending victory at the first American JavFest.  Choosing #2 on the list is a challenge; most of the other top contenders met each other multiple times and had their ups and downs.  So while Keffer didn’t throw outside the Northwest, he had half-a-dozen meets over 200 feet and was the top prep at Juniors in 5th place – like Biddle, his consistency is rewarded.

Christensen – one of a few ranked whose state HS association does not contest the jav – earned #3 with his summer.  After a 5th at NBNO, he uncorked massive throws with the lighter Youth jav (700g) to win the WY Trials (224-4) then take 13th (238-3) in the WY Champs qualifying –the latter the best-ever by an American at the meet.  He backed it up with runner-up performances at USA JOs and JavFest.  Marsack had some off days, but was runner-up at NBNO and his PR at Chicagoland made him the only thrower to beat Biddle.  Then in #5 is #2 Evergreen Stater Sunkel, who beat Christensen at JOs and lost only to Keffer.  Ast – a solid 190-200 thrower typically – then takes #6.  Pennsylvanians Jones, Hill and Manz go #7-8-9, with Jones competing very well at NBNO and Chicagoland.  #10 Petersson had a fine trio of big-meet efforts at Texas Relays, WY Trials and JOs.

Shot Put:  Katnik rules 12#, with 6 over 71

1. Matt Katnik, St. John Bosco HS (CA) senior, US#1 72-3 (#2 65-11.75J)
1st state, 4th USA Jrs (2nd prep), 1st Arcadia, 1st Mt SAC, 1st SS Masters, 1st SS D3 Finals

2. Willie Morrison, Leavenworth HS (KS) senior, US#2 70-2.5 (#1 67-9J)
1st NBNO, 1st NBNI, 3rd USA Jrs (1st prep), 1st Great SW, 1st 5A state, 1st Kansas R

3. Adrian Piperi, The Woodlands HS (TX) soph, US#4 66-10 (#1 72-2.25Y)
1st WY Champs, 1st WY Trials, 2nd NBNO, 5th NBNI, 1st 6A state, 1st TX MOC

4. Jordan Geist, Knoch HS (PA) soph, US#3 69-1
1st Chicagoland, 1st Penn R, 4th NBNO, 4th NBNI, 4th WY Trials, 1st AAA state

5. Eric Favors, North Rockland HS (NY) senior, US#5 66-7
3rd NBNO, 2nd NBNI, 2nd Chicagoland, 3rd Penn R, 1st state, 15th USA Jrs

6. Isaiah Rogers, Campbell HS (GA) junior, US#10 63-11.25 (#2 66-4.25Y)
5th NBNO, 6th NBNI, 2nd WY Trials, 10th WY Champs, 1st USA JO(17-18), 1st CSI, 1st 6A state

7. Daniel Guiliani, South Portland HS (ME) junior, US#6 66-5
1st New Englands, 1st Class A state, 1st Vacation Inv, 1st SMAA meets, 1st Dartmouth R(i)

8. Nathan Bultman, West Ranch HS (CA) senior, US#7 64-5
2nd state, 2nd Arcadia, 2nd Mt. SAC, 2nd SS Masters, 1st SS D1 Finals, 1st Mo Greene Inv

9. Rashad Manning, Riverdale Baptist HS (MD) senior, US#11 63-11(i)
3rd NBNI, 5th Penn R (3rd U.S.), 1st Montgomery Inv(i), 1st Private Sch Inv(i)

10. Cole Van Lanen, Bay Port HS (WI) junior, US#9 64-0
1st D1 state, 1st Ashwaubenon Sect, 1st Bay Port Reg, 1st Marinette Inv

Analysis:  These rankings are usually about head-to-head and national (and sometimes international) honors won – but sometimes it has to be about top marks and depth of performances.  That’s what did it for Katnik, as he had 6 meets at 70-11.5 or better – or 6 more than the rest of the country combined.  Also, a slate that includes a state title in California, plus Arcadia and Mt SAC wins isn’t anything to sneeze at.  His lone loss was a tough one – 4th at USA Juniors and 2nd prep behind Morrison – but that wasn’t enough to deny him #1.  Morrison, whose 67-9 for 3rd at Juniors was the furthest throw ever by a prep with the 6kg Junior implement, was a clear choice for 2nd.  He won both NBN titles and was the nation’s only other 70-footer. 

The #3-4 spots go to a pair of sophs.  Geist hit 66 feet indoors, was 4th at NBNI, had a magnificent triumph at Penn, then reached 69-1.  But fellow 10th-grader Piperi exploded in the summer.  He hit 66-10 at runner-up at NBNO (Geist 4th), produced a last-throw triumph at WY Trials, then soared to a World Youth title with an American Youth record 72-2.25 (5kg shot).  The next two spots go to Favors and Rogers, both with consistent bodies of work; Favors especially at the NSAF meets and Rogers joining Piperi in Cali.  At #7 is Guiliani, who improved from 54 feet to 66-5; his lone major was a New Englands victory.  Bultman in 8th was the clear, consistent #2 in the Golden State behind Katnik.  Manning was injured the latter half of outdoor season, but was tremendous through April, highlighted by 3rd at NBNI.  The final spot goes to Wisconsin’s 64-footer Van Lanen.

Boys Discus:  Davis twins go #1-2

1. Carlos Davis, Blue Springs HS (MO) senior, US#1 214-4
1st Great SW, 1st Chicagoland, 1st Kansas R, 1st Class 5 state, 1st Parker Inv

2. Khalil Davis, Blue Springs HS (MO) senior, US#2 205-8
2nd Chicagoland, 3rd Great SW, 3rd Kansas R, 2nd Class 5 state, 1st Sectional

3. Christian Smith, McDonald HS (OH) senior, US#3 203-9
5th NBNO, 1st MW MOC, 1st D3 state, 1st Western Reserve R, 1st Optimist, 1st D3 Reg. 9

4. Lucas Ribiero, Belmont Hill HS (MA) senior, 193-6
1st NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 1st NEPSTA D2, 1st ISTL Champs

5. Kenneth Brinson, Marist HS (GA) senior, US#8 195-8
2nd NBNO, 1st Armed Forces Inv, 1st 4A state, 1st 4A Sect B, 4th Taco Bell

6. Ryan Camp, Archer HS (GA) junior, US#7 198-3
1st USA JOs(17-18), 1st CSI, nm NBNO, 1st Taco Bell, 1st 6A state

7. Trevor Detillion, Unioto HS (OH) senior, US#4 203-6
1st Penn R, 2nd MW MOC, 1st D2 state, 8th USA Jrs (1st prep), 1st Mansfield R

8. David Lucas, Warwick HS (PA) senior, US#5 199-7
2nd Penn R, 2nd 3A state, 1st Henderson Inv, 1st District 3-3A, 1st league champ

9. Charles Lenford, Oceanside HS (CA), US#9 195-4
1st state, 1st AAU JOs(17-18), 4th USA JOs, 1st SD Section, 15th Mt SAC

Tie-10. Adrian Piperi, The Woodlands HS (TX) soph, 188-2
3rd NBNO, 1st WY Trials, 6th WY Champs, 1st 6A state, 1st TX MOC, 1st Victor Lopez

Tie-10. Willie Morrison, Leavenworth HS (KS) senior, 193-9
2nd Great SW, 2nd Kansas R, 9th NBNO, 14th USA Jrs, 1st 5A state, 1st Topeka R

Analysis: Chicagoland was the clincher for this event, as twins Carlos and Khalil Davis backed up their season-long form with a 1-2 finish (Carlos defending his 2014 title).  That capped off a superlative campaign for Carlos (only loss was 2nd at sectional to Khalil), who had the year’s furthest throw and also won the Great Southwest showdown.  Khalil was #2 on the performance list and lost only to his brother (several times) and Morrison – who actually beat Khalil twice (GSW and Kansas Relays), but ranks no higher than =#10 due to a rough NBNO and USA Juniors.  Indeed, the NBNO results could not have been further off the form charts.  Just one of the seven 190-footers entered reached even as far as 180 feet (the winner Riberio) and only he and Smith finished in the top 6. 

Smith still earns #3 here, however, as he was otherwise unbeaten with 4 meets beyond 195 and 8 over 190.  Riberio had the stunning upset win at NBNO after his off-the-national-radar prep school season in MA, where he had gone over 190 once.  He was a distant 3rd behind the Davis twins at Chicagoland.  #5 Brinson was also great in the clutch at Greensboro and otherwise in the 180s save for a 195-8 at one of his Throw 1 Deep meets.  Camp is next, having no mark at NBNO, but big wins at USA JOs, CSI and Taco Bell.  Detillion and Lucas had a great 1-2 finish with PRs at Penn, but plateaued a bit beyond that.  Lenford emerged as the California champ.  He had some losses mixed in, but also won AAU JOs.  Finally, Piperi shares #10 with Morrison (see above).  The Texan’s best was “just” 188, but he was 3rd at NBNO and 6th at World Youths. 

Boys Hammer:  Kelly edges teammate Colantonio

1. Adam Kelly, Barrington HS (RI) senior, US#1 245-4 (#2 230-4J)
1st NBNO, 2nd USA Jrs, 5th Pan Am Jrs, 1st Chicagoland, 1st CSI, 2nd state, 1st Sons of Italy

2. Robert Colantonio, Barrington HS (RI) junior, US#2 243-7(#1 256-6Y, #1 232-5J)
2nd NBNO, 1st USA Jrs, 7th Pan Am Jrs, 1st WY Trials, 5th WY Champs, 1st USA JO(17-18)

3. Tyler Merkley, Los Osos HS (CA) senior, US#3 232-3 (#4 211-10J)
6th USA Jrs (3rd prep), 1st state, 1st Oxy Inv, 2nd Ben Brown (1st prep), 1st CSULA Twi

4. Owen Russell, Moses Brown HS (RI) senior, US#5 230-5 (#3 215-8J)
3rd NBNO, 1st New Englands, 3rd NY Relays, 3rd K of C Relays, 1st Falcon Inv

5. Jacob Beene, Gilbert HS (AZ) senior, US#4 231-11 (#5 209-0J)
7th USA Jrs (4th prep), 1st Mesa T-Bird, 1st Grand Canyon

6. Seth Whitener, North Paulding HS (GA) senior, US#6 218-8 (#6 206-3J)
4th NBNO, 2nd Chicagoland, 1st state, 1st Memorial Day, 1st Southern Challenge #4

7. Joshua Hernandez, El Paso Del Valle HS (TX) junior, US#10 211-3 (#3 214-9Y)
2nd USA JO(17-18), 2nd WY Trials, 1st Great SW

8. Kenneth Brinson, Marist HS (GA) senior, US#11 210-10
8th NBNO, 1st Mother’s Day, 1st GA WT champs, 2nd Memorial Day, 2nd Armed Forces

9. Michael Alvernez, Barrington HS (RI) senior, US#12 207-4
5th NBNO, 3rd Chicagoland, 3rd state, 3rd New Englands, 4th NY Relays

10. Jared Briere, Woonsocket HS (RI) soph, 202-8
6th NBNO, 1st USA JO(15-16), 2nd New Englands, 6th state, 2nd Sons of Italy

Analysis:  As is often the case, the nation’s best hammer throwers came out of Rhode Island, with Barrington HS producing the top two for the second straight year.  Kelly closed out a great prep career, again edging younger teammate, Colantonio.  The duo took turns beating each other, but Kelly held the edge and wound up with the year’s top mark – thanks to a late-summer 245-4.  He won NBNO and Chicagoland, and finished ahead of Colantonio at Pan Am Juniors, too.  Colantonio swept the USA Junior, Youth and JO titles, repped Team USA in 5th at the World Youth Champs and won their state meet showdown, too.  A third Barrington thrower, Alvarnez, was 5th at NBNO, 3rd at Chicagoland and takes the #9 spot.

Three others went over 230 feet, nationally, and they were hard to separate.  West Coasters Merkley and Beene were 3-4 on the performance list and finished in that order as the next two preps behind the RI duo at USA Juniors.  Another Rhode Islander, Russell (not from Barrington) was #3 in that hammer-rich state all year and also took that spot at NBNO.  Given the overall slates, it seems fair that he splits Merkley and Beene.  The Throw 1 Deep club out of Georgia, another center of hammer excellence, has the #6 and #8 spots with Whitener and Brinson.  It’s an obvious rank for Whitener, with his US#6 position and big meet record; for Brinson, he didn’t have his best meet at NBNO (8th), but had a better overall season than Greensboro 5-6 finishers Alvarnez and Briere.  Hernandez, out of El Paso, TX, didn’t have a lot of opportunities, but made the most of them at GSW and USATF meets.  Briere is the final Rhode Islander and the only soph on the list.

This periodic series (shooting for twice monthly beginning in January) will catch readers up with NSAF stars who excelled at our events in the past and reveal what they're doing now.  The first installment of the series catches us up with Shalina Clarke, the Evanston Township, IL (Class of 2006) hurdle/sprint queen who ran with us on our first Team NSAF at the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational.
 

Followers of the Illinois prep track and field scene for the past 10-15 years will never forget Shalina Clarke … and national-level high school hurdle fans of the same vintage should remember her pretty well, too.  From Chicagoland to Charleston, from Albuquerque to Puerto Rico to Greensboro, Indianapolis and more, the amazing Evanston Township High School hurdler and sprinter made quite an impact wherever she raced.

On the Illinois stage during her 2003-06 career, Clarke led an unbeatable Wildkit girls’ track and field squad to four straight Class AA state titles, winning eight gold medals, two silvers and a bronze during her historic career.  She captured the 300 hurdles four straight times, setting state meet records in three of those.  As a senior, she won the 100, 200, 100H and 300H.  Not only was Clarke elected to her school’s Hall of Fame in 2012, but the 2003 Wildkit team she starred on was also elected in 2015. 

Nationally, Clarke first became well-known for her success at the Great Southwest Classic.  She was first invited to compete there as a sophomore in 2004 and won eight individual races over three years there.  Three of those victories came in the 300H – the final one particularly memorable as an outstanding 40.40 might have been an even faster national record had it not been for a stumble in the final meters.  She also won back-to-back 100H titles in ’05 and ’06, plus other unseeded 100 and 200 races. 

During her memorable senior season, Clarke was 2nd in our Nike Outdoor 100H, then made Team USA for the 2006 World Juniors in Beijing with her runner-up finish at USA Juniors.  She was selected for Team NSAF for the first Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Puerto Rico in July, where she won the 100H and contributed legs to both winning relays.

    
Above photos: Shalina Clarke shown at 2006 CSI in Puerto Rico: Her position in the top group photo is indicated by the cropped version at above right (white shirt). Above left, Clarke warms up (left) with Elizabeth Olear; above center, she hands off to Olear during the winning 4x100 relay. Photos below: Shalina with her high school Coach Fenton Gunter at 2005 Great Southwest (courtesy of DyeStat.com); in front of her restaurant, the Mad Men Cafe; with some of her Mad Men Cafe team.
 

Then it was on to Southern Cal, where she starred for the Trojans during 2007-2010.  There she was a three-time All-American and earned a nomination for the NCAA Woman of the Year as a senior for her efforts on the track, the classroom (she earned her degree in Business) and in the community.  She continued her track career for two more years, making a bid for the Jamaican Olympic team for 2012 before refocusing her attention on her career in business.  She currently owns and operates the Mad Men Café, a Los Angeles restaurant.

NSAF:  You’ve been named to the Evanston Township High School Hall of Fame ... not just once, but twice: Individually in 2015 and with your 2003 team (freshman year) three years earlier.  Tell us about “coming home” for those events, getting together with old teammates and what those ceremonies were like.

Shalina:  It is such an honor to be inducted into my high school’s Hall of Fame twice.  I was only able to make it home when I was inducted individually.  Coming home for this great celebration I was able to walk the halls of my old high school and reflect on the countless hours I spent there.  I was able to catch up with my two favorite coaches, Fenton Gunter and Jesse Sibert.  We talked about my accomplishments back in high school and, of course, joked about embarrassing moments.

NSAF:  You had an amazing career at Evanston Township ... and in July of 2006, as your senior year was ending, you came with us to our first Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Puerto Rico –and won the 100m hurdles and ran on two winning relays with some other amazing gals.  Tell us your memories of that weekend and how that international experience benefited you as you moved to the next level.

Shalina:  When running internationally as an athlete you go through a lot of changes that can put stress on your body.  The time change, the food, the climate, the environment, all things that are different than what you’re used to.  I was lucky to have this experience before running on the collegiate level because I knew what to expect when traveling to big meets. 

At this meet in Puerto Rico, I ran with some fast girls.  I remember being thrown on the 4x4 relay at the last minute.  I ended up running one of the fastest legs of my life!  This was a time I was in some of the best shape.  Everything just flowed.

NSAF:  Another of your races we’ll never forget was the 300 hurdles race at Great Southwest your senior year.  You came thisclose to breaking the national record.  What are your memories of that race?

Shalina:  Man, I still dream about this race.  Wanting to go back and change things.  I clipped the second-to-last hurdle and almost stopped running completely, but someone in the crowd yelled for me to keep going.  So I did.  I ran pretty fast, but I didn’t break the record – so I believe I was pretty upset.  That was my last opportunity to break the 300m hurdle record, because the next year I would be running the 400m hurdles in college.  My coach was there for me, like he always is, with a smile on his face and told me I ran well. 

But the Great Southwest meet is a great meet that top high school athletes come and run their fastest.  The people that host the meet are always very kind and make you feel like at home.  They also give out big trophies! 

NSAF:  Of course, CSI and GSW were just a couple of the many championships you contested at the state level, as well as at the national level.  What are some of your favorite races, meets and memories over those 4 years?  And who were the coaches, family or others who were your biggest influences?

Shalina:  The meet that I will never forget was our sectionals in 2006.  It was very cold, raining, dark, and grim.  It was the worst weather we could hope for.  The sun barely came out.  In addition to the terrible weather, three days earlier I had clipped a hurdle in practice and fallen down pretty badly.  I scraped my shoulder in the fall and to this day I still have a scar.  So the day of the meet I was still very sore.  But if I didn’t compete I couldn’t go on to the state meet.  I ran all my races not moving my left arm.  I looked like Captain Hook running hurdles.  It was funny because all of my teammates knew how bad I felt and really encouraged me. 

Over the years I’ve run many races.  But there is no bigger competition than our state meet.  It’s the meet that my teammates and I worked the hardest to get to.  It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time competing or your 4th time competing at the state meet, you always get knots in your stomach, and can’t sleep the night before.  The thing that I remember the most are all of the ETHS Alumni that come out and support us.  We got so many calls and pep talks by girls who had competed at the same meet years before us.  Even today, I give pep talks to girls getting ready to compete at their first state meet.  That’s what I loved so much about ETHS is that we were such a close-knit family. 

The biggest influences through all my years of competing were my two coaches, Fenton Gunter and Jesse Sibert.  It’s years later that I realize how lucky I was to have coaches like them.  They are knowledgeable, smart, and so passionate about track and field.  The most important thing is that they nurtured us as we grew up over the years.  Yes, they taught us about track, but they also taught us about life and the importance of going to college.  I couldn’t tell you how many girls they helped get to college on scholarship.  Who does that???  If it wasn’t for them I would have never accomplished the things I did in track. 

I also need to thank my mother, Sharon, who is my biggest and number-one supporter.  She made sure I had a roof over my head, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in.  Now that I’m older, I realize the simple things that people take for granted were the foundation to my success.  She gave me everything I need to be successful, which was support and a lot of pep talks.  She was at all of my biggest meets with food and Gatorade. 

NSAF:  You went on to USC, where you excelled at the PAC 12, regional and national level.  What are your thoughts on your competitive career in college as you look back?

Shalina:  My collegiate career I experienced much success.  I was a 3-time All-American and a 2-time Olympic hopeful.  I ran some of the fastest times in my career and I couldn’t be happier with my experience.

NSAF:  I read where you were a member of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Council from 2008-2010.  What was that experience like?

Shalina:  On the SAAS (Student Athlete Advisory Council) I was able to work with a group of athletes from different sports and help make decisions to better the conditions of student-athletes. 

NSAF:  Tell us about your hurdling career, post-USC, and your quest to make the Jamaican Olympic team in 2012.

Shalina:  Ever since I was a little girl, it was my dream to go to the Olympics.  I remember being in the living room with my family watching track and field at the Olympic Games.  I saw how proud my family was when they saw Jamaican athletes crossing the line in victory.  Both my mother and father are from Jamaica.  Being able to run for Jamaica would be a great honor and would make my parents proud. 

After graduating from college, I made it my goal to get ready for the 2012 Olympics.  I did experience a little struggle because I switched coaches three times before the Trials.  I also worked several jobs to support myself.  It was a challenge because I didn’t get a contract out of college that would have given me the support to focus only on track. 

A year after graduating, I found Coach Larry Wade.  Coach Wade was a successful 110m hurdler himself, and also worked with top athletes like Dominique Arnold, who was a previous American Record holder for the 110 hurdles, and athletes like Carmelita Jeter early in her career.  I trained everyday with him and was able to meet the qualifying standard to try out for the Jamaican team.

At the Jamaican Trials, I placed 4th in the prelims, but after the second heat I had the 9th fastest time… not making it to the finals.  It was a crushing feeling and I felt like I let everyone down.  But when I look back at things, I realized I traveled on a journey some people only dream of being able to have.  I’m thankful for all the support I received from my coaches and family.

NSAF:  Now please catch us up on what you’ve been doing the past 3+ years.  Did you continue to compete after 2012?  A LinkedIn profile of you said you were an aspiring systems analyst.  Is that the career path which you’ve pursued?

Shalina:  After completing my Business degree at USC, and a very successful career in track and field, I finally decided to get focused on what I wanted for my life.  And that was becoming an entrepreneur.  For the past 3 years I’ve owned and operated a restaurant in Los Angeles (Mad Men Café).  It’s been a great success.  Being an entrepreneur is an incredible experience and gives me a lot of satisfaction.  I create almost 15 jobs, and provide healthy meals to many customers.  At the rate I’m going, I will become the #1 delivery service in Los Angeles serving healthy meals and sandwiches.

Today we lost a pioneer in Track and Field and a great friend.  Mike Byrnes, co-founder of the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, died peacefully in his sleep at 645am this morning, the day after Christmas, at his Culpeper, VA home.  He was 83, survived by Joan, his wife of 35 years, and children and grandchildren.

Below is an obituary written by one of Mike’s former athletes at Wantagh High School (NY), Gordon Peterson.  Mike was a graduate of John Marshall HS in Richmond and University of Virginia, where he captained the cross-country team.  While this story focuses on what he did beyond Wantagh, Mike was an extremely successful coach at the school for 31 years.

Mike Byrnes formed the Long Island Striders (later the Long Island Athletic Club) in 1964 to provide high school and college track-and-field athletes an opportunity to compete during their off-season summer months.  The club prospered in the years that followed.  During the early 1970s, he and Jim Spier initiated “The LIAC Meet of Champions” on Long Island.  “At the time,” Mr. Spier explained, “the public, private, and Catholic schools were not allowed to compete against each other.  Mike took the lead, and I created the format so that this new opportunity for wider competition could happen.”

As the LIAC’s membership and popularity increased, the club soon began to win multiple championships in the National Amateur Athletic Union’s junior team competitions.  “It reaches into every community,” Mr. Byrnes told the newspaper Newsday at the time.  “We have college kids, and we have working kids.  I got a kid a scholarship the other day, and he’d been out of high school a year working in a factory.  That’s why this thing is so important to me.”

Mr. Byrnes renewed his collaboration with Mr. Spier during the early 1980s at the time Mr. Tracy Sundlun began to transform the Metropolitan Athletics Congress.  The “MAC” was the New York City branch of the USA Track and Field organization, the U.S. national governing body for track and field, long-distance running, and race walking in the United States.  “The MAC would eventually put on 70 track and field meets annually in the New York City metropolitan area,” Mr. Spier said.

When Mr. Sundlun decided to create the first national high school indoor track meet in 1984, Mr. Byrnes and Mr. Spier joined forces with him to ensure it would be a success.  “I told Tracy that I could create a ‘hit list’ of the best U.S. athletes to recruit,” said Mr. Spier, “but we needed a salesman to recruit them.  Mike Byrnes was that man.” The National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field Championship was the first meet to offer travel-expense reimbursement to high school athletes.

Mr. Spier and Mr. Byrnes became the meet’s assistant directors for the next 13 years.  When Mr. Sundlun joined the Competitor Group in 1998, the two became the indoor meet’s co-directors of what was, by that time, the Nike Indoor Classic.

In 1989, Mr. Byrnes and Mr. Spier established the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (originally named the National Scholastic Sports Foundation).  The non-profit, tax-exempt foundation was created to generate funds for Junior athletes who could not otherwise afford travel expenses to participate in major national and international track-and-field competitions.  In so doing, the Foundation sought to develop high school track and field to the highest levels.

Funds were raised initially for athletes’ travel from membership dues and the publication of Track Digest.  Mr. Byrnes was the publication’s primary editor.  As noted in the Foundation’s history, “All of the work done by Spier and Byrnes was done on a voluntary basis with the ‘up-front’ money necessary to found the Foundation funded by them as well.”

In 1991, the Birmingham High School Dads Club in California approached the NSAF to run a de facto national high school outdoor championship meet with a budget to recruit athletes.  Again, Mr. Byrnes did all of the recruiting for that meet and those that followed in California and North Carolina.  The nation’s top high school athletes competed.

“It was mainly a two-man show in the early years in Raleigh, with Mike, me, and our wives running the meets,” Mr. Spier recalled.  “Little by little, we added staff.  As the meets grew, we finally brought in enough money to make a serious impact on helping athletes to attend Junior championships.  None of this could have been done without Mike.  He was the soul of the organization for all those years.”

These two national indoor and outdoor track and field national championship meets continue to the present day as the New Balance Indoor National Championships and the New Balance Outdoor National Championships each March and June, respectively, and the Great American Cross Country Festival each autumn.

From a total of 500 athletes who competed in the first outdoor championship in 1991, more than 10,000 athletes from across the country competed in the Foundation’s sponsored meets, cross country competitions, and two national championships in 2014.  Since 1991, the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation has raised more than $2.7 million to put on its competitions and assist Junior athletes compete at the national and international levels.

The New Balance championship meets have grown into two of the premier scholastic track-and-field sporting events in the country.  The 2014 and 2015 indoor contests, for example, are considered by some track enthusiasts as the best high-school indoor meets ever, with seven national records set at this year’s event at New York City’s “The Armory” National Track & Field Hall of Fame facility.

Writing about the Foundation’s work and the sponsorship provided by Nike and, later, New Balance, Mr. Byrnes observed in 2007, “Together we have done something spectacular.  We have changed the face of track and field in our nation.”

To honor Mr. Byrnes’ distinguished coaching career and the pioneering role that he played in establishing the Foundation and helping to create the national championship meets, the NSAF bestows its “Mike Byrnes Coach of the Year” award annually to the most-deserving high school track and field coach in the country.

Photos: At top right, Mike Byrnes in 2011, by Vic Sailer, photorun.net.  Above left (from left) NSAF Co-Founder Mike Byrnes, COO Joy Kamani and Co-Founder Jim Spier.