"New York, New York, big city of dreams/and everything in New York ain't always what it seems/ you might get fooled if you come from out of town." These prophetic words were bellowed by the legendary pioneer hip hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. That was 1983 and I was just a youngster back then. It was also a time that I had to make a choice in life. Either keep hanging with lowlifes or start taking sports seriously. Thankfully I fell with love with my girlfriend known as track and field.
For those that don't know this about me. I was born in south Florida but raised in Indiana. My mother and father separated when I was an infant. I am very proud of growing up in the Hoosier state- it has made me who I am today. But I am also happy to say that I have a New York passport. I have several close family members from the mean borough of Brooklyn who shaped my well-being. I cut my teeth on some of the toughest streets in the United States when I was away from the Hoosier state. This would also include my baptism in early days of hip hop, sports, and critical thinking.
This weekend in New York City, my adopted city, there will be a few visitors from Illinois hoping to cement their goals into reality inside the famed New Balance Armory Track & Field Center. If you are in town near the venue check out Coogan's. It is a true Irish Pub and restaurant located on 169th Street- a short walking distance from NBATF It is the Who's Who spot after a long day of track and field. I had the good fortune of meeting the owner of Coogan's a few years ago. A great time for sure. Just make sure take in the scene of New York City.
Here is what is going on Illinois style:
Girls-
200m (Saturday- 4pm)-
Jayla Stewart (Sr., Homewood-Flossmoor)- Stewart will be a premier 100HH when the outdoor season emerges after clocking a scorching wind legal 13.81 last summer. In the meantime Stewart's personal best 200m of 24.32 may be good enough to make the final if she can duplicate that in her prelim. Stewart's best so far this campaign is 25.85. Unless she can get her mark down to her personal best, she will have to chalk up the NBIN experience as a learning tool and a great run for her specialty. Her teammate Angel Broughton is entered as well and will have her hands more than full. She will have to get past New Yorker Zola Golden. Golden is just getting started this season later than normal running unattached but her personal bests of 52.81 and 23.91 should be a cause for concern. Broughton has big game experience and a few championship medals in her trophy case. She should be able to handle her own this weekend. Her personal best in the 200 is 24.31.
800m (Section 1 at 9:10am; Sections 2 & 3 at 1:49pm)-
Karina Liz (Jr., Aurora Central Catholic)- Liz will be in section one of three in what should be a hot item event Sunday morning. By the time the afternoon participants roll out of bed or finish their breakfast they will know they have to lace their spikes up tight and race. Liz is a top notch competitor with a big personal best of 2:10.73. Hopefully she can improve on her 2:16.17 season best and perhaps put a scare into her virtual rival's mark that is a state best 2:13.12. Cassie Mundekis (Sr., Midwest Central) happens to be US#12 at the moment. She is not in the championship section but rather the penultimate one.
Girls Pole Vault (Sunday; Flight 2 at Noon)-
Brooke Catherine (Sr., Normal Community)- The US#5 Catherine is among big company with her 13-4 personal best. She will face off with US#3 Mackenzie Shell (Sr., Port Huron Northern, MI, US#4 Kristen Denk (Sr., North Royalton, OH), Co- US #5 Meagan Gray (Sr., Hays Buda, TX), Olivia Gruver (Sr., Franklin, MD). Even without the top ranked Weeks twins Lexi and Tori, the fight for the national title should be a very exciting one. Catherine has been waiting for her rematch with Gray. She defeated Gray on less misses at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, NV. The winner of this match-up could very well be wearing the gold medal.
Shot Put (Saturday at 12:30p)-
Kathleen "KD" Young (So., Warrensburg-Latham)- The championship flight will be amazing in that all 12 entrants are ranked in the top 15 in the country. In fact, Young will be surrounded by 9 of the top 10 girls- she is ranked #5 and will be ready to avenge her new found nemesis and #1 Sophia Rivera (Jr., Brentwood, MO). Young and Rivera have met twice and Rivera has had the upper hand. The 50-6.25 leading mark is pretty stout but so is the 48-6.75 that Young owns. Young has competed in a lot of competitions this indoor season but she comes from a very small school whose scheduling is not very competitive. So whenever a big competition arises she will take it.
Pentathlon (Saturday & Sunday)-
Maya Neal (Sr., Naperville Neuqua Valley)- The University of Tennessee bound Neal has been a mainstay in her favorite event for all four years of high school. Neal has placed fifth in the last two championships and will be in position to equal or better after having such a fine individual output this indoor season. Neal has fine marks in the 200, LJ, and hurdles. Let's hope she can put together favorable marks in her no so favorite events.
4x200m relay (prelims/Saturday at 10:20am)-
Homewood Flossmoor- The Vikings draw US#1 Medgar Evers College Prep out of Brooklyn, NY. The Cats come in sporting a 1:37.96 on their resume. Union Catholic, NJ is in heat 5 as well. Union Catholic has the impressive Sydney McLaughlin in their ranks. Homewood-Flossmoor ran 1:43.83 at the tight turned Lewis University several weeks ago. They will need to get a new state best in order to make the final. Lincoln-Way East holds that at 1:41.90. The Vikings are good when leaders Angel Broughton and Jayla Stewart are in tow.
Emerging Elite 800m (Friday 5:10p)-
Michaela Hackbarth (Jr., Downers Grove South)- Michaela is coming along just fine after missing a good portion of the winter training season due to injury. She won her first race at North Central College last week followed by a solid lead off 4x8 relay for her team this past Monday at the DGS Mustang Relays. The emerging elite race is a perfect fit in terms of testing her overall psyche and fitness. Tired legs, travel, and getting fit aside, Hackbarth could still surprise herself and a few of her future rivals with a good mark. Let's call for 2:16 and change.
Freshman 60m (Prelims/Sunday 9:40a)-
Olivia Oliver (Fr., Homewood-Flossmoor)- The emerging freshman gets her first taste of big time racing against girls of her own class.
Middle School mile-
Lauren Garriques (Lake Forest)- The 8th grader is someone we hope that will emerge in the near future. In the meantime, the youngster has put up an impressive club running resume include running 2:29 for 800m. As well she has hit 4:55 for 1500m and 10:57 for 3000m.
Zach Dale of Conant
Boys-
2miles (Sunday Section 1 @ 8:55am)-
Zach Dale (Sr., Hoffman Estates Conant)- Mr. Dale wants to be in the championship section but the penultimate section will be very represented in its own right. Footlocker National Cross Country finalists Ben Veatch (Jr., Carmel, IN) and Zack Snider (Sr., Indy Brebeuf) are more than capable of pushing the pace and posting some very fast times. Snider has run 9:13 this season while Dale owns a 9:14.6 mark. The All-American Veatch has clocked 9:05.20 in the past track season. Dale indicated that he wants to push the 9:00 barrier. He has also run 4:21 for 1600. In his only 3200m this season, Dale got out well and led lap to lap. He may try it again but it certainly is not a requirement for running fast.
Ja'mari Ward (Jr., Cahokia)- Last year at this time Ward was in New York preparing for the NBIN without his primary coach Mr. Leroy Millsap. The connection between pupil and master
was lost. Ward did not hit his steps and ultimately finished 7th. Coach Millsap indicated that he would not let his star athlete travel again without him. Ward comes into this championship calm and confidently ranked US#1 in the long jump. His season best of 24-7.25 is a great accomplishment so far no doubt. But it is not safe. US#2 Charlie Lambert (Sr., Xavier; New York City) is just 1.25 inches back. US#4 Harrison Schrage (Jr., Grant, OR) has leaped past 24-feet too. This trio will push one another to a different level on Saturday at 11am. In the triple jump Ward is just as formable with US#2 50-5 best. The only person to consider is standing in his way. That young man is Marcellus Fletcher (Sr., William Byrd; Vinton, VA). Fletcher cleared 51-0 at the end of January. He has not been near that mark since. The question has he leveled off or just going with the flow and waiting for nationals to get back to the supreme level. Fletcher is undefeated despite not topping 48-feet. Ward will either bring the best out of him or he will go home with a silver medal.