AAU Club Nationals: Day 8 Boys Summary (Final Day)



Alright, here’s the absolute final recap of the AAU Club Championships: Boys Edition. Even though this meet from a boy perspective was very competitive and a strategic week long competition because you had to make sure you gave just enough to get into the next round, but still have enough for your other races during the rest of the week. The boys were no different, because they also started off with the steeple chase; it’s just 3,000m instead of 2,000m. The 15-16 boys steeple was dominated by the 16 year olds, as they would have more experience. But, in the 17-18 boys steeple it was all about who wanted it more. It came down to three boys, and they were only separated by a few strides. Here are your top 3 in each event.

15 and 16

1.      Khalil Gray 7:00.23

2.      Nicholas Sperger  (Jenkintown, PA) 7:08.42

3.      Tyler Malloy (Wilmington, DE) 7:19.03

17 and 18

1.      Sean Stovall (Erdenheim, PA) 6:37.23

2.      Brandon Bejerano (Westminster Academy – Fort Lauderdale, FL) 6:39.76

3.      Clifton Casurra (Conyers, GA) 6:40.50

After the steeple chase was over, it was right into the sprints with the 110m hurdles. The hurdles were dominated by the kids from out of state rater than Florida, but the thing is the races were close first through third. These guys were really running, and I can actually say are probably some of the fastest times in the nation. Since, when you’re running against the fastest you run faster. Here are your top 5 guys in the 110m hurdles:

15 and 16

1.      Grant Holloway (Chesapeake, VA ) 14.33

2.      Chad Zallow (Warren, OH ) 14.39

3.      Sidney Gibbons (East Elmhurst, NY ) 14.79

4.      Brent Carroll ( Pace HS – Pace, FL) 15.23

5.      Jordan Washington (Cypress Creek HS – Orlando, FL ) 15.32

17 and 18

1.      Aaron Mallet  14.10

2.      Spencer Dunkerley-Offor (Austin, TX ) 14.12

3.      Craig Rock (Hammond, LA ) 14.94

4.      Daron Mitchell 15.27

5.      Elijah Boyce 15.30

Continuing with the sprints, we moved onto the 100m dash, where the underestimated came out on top in the 15-16 age group. As for the older boy the top three when under :11 seconds and no one went over :11.11. If I were to weigh out the races, in terms of excitement, the 15-16 boys would come out on top. Because from where I was standing, the person who won the race looked like they lost until they called it out. Here are your top 5 guys from each age group:

15 and 16

1.      Andrew James (Westminster Academy – Fort Lauderdale, FL) 11.09

2.      Kirklin Varnado 11.14

3.      Chandler Nicholas 11.18

4.      Ian Peterson (Round Rock, TX) 11.19

5.      Grant Holloway  (Chesapeake, VA) 11.25

17 and 18

1.      Devon Lewis (Mt.Holly, NJ) 10.77

2.      Maurice Eaddy (Silver City, NC) 10.85

3.      Bennie Wesley 10.96

4.      Darius Watkins (Grovetown, GA) 11.02

5.      Jeremy Harden (Evans, GA) 11.06

After the 100m dash, the next race of the day was the 400m dash. Sad thing is that, for the people that go 100m, 200m, and 400m there races are somewhat back to back. Then, they don’t even get to go to the awards stand and enjoy their moment. Somehow, majority of the boys from the 100m dash took on the challenge and gave the 400m their all. The winner of the 15-16 boys 100m, Andrew James came back to run the 400m.  Even though, most of the boys ran the 100m dash probably 25 minutes before no one slower than :51 seconds in the 15-16 age group; then in the 17-18 age group no one ran slower than :50 seconds. So, that’s how you know these guys were very determined. Here are your top 5 guys:

15 and 16

1.      Jamal Walton (Miami, FL) 47.65

2.      Josephus Lyles 47.72

3.      Andrew James (Westminster Academy – Fort Lauderdale, FL) 48.04

4.      Terry Brown Jr.  48.35

5.      Ari Cogdell (American HS – Gainesville, FL) 48.86

17 and 18

1.      Jimmy Brooks 48.18

2.      Michael Cheeks (Hoschton, GA) 48.40

3.      Kenric Young (Gainesville HS – Gainesville, FL )  48.47

4.      Luis Rivera (Puerto Rico ) 49.55

5.      Ian Barrett (Newport News, VA) 49.58

Now, it’s time for the last major event of the day, the 200m dash. This event was a very fast race and included the 100m winner, Andrew James of Plantation H.E.A.T. as well as, Josephus Lyles, Kirklin Varnado, Terry Brown Jr., Kenric Young and Devric Foster. Here are your top 3 finishers in each age:

15 and 16

1.      Andrew James (Westminster Academy – Fort Lauderdale, FL) 21.71

2.      Josephus Lyles 21.88

3.      Nigel Brown (Atlanta, GA) 22.13

17 and 18

1.      Devon Lewis (Mt. Holly, NJ) 21.17

2.      Grant Swinton (Snellville, GA) 21.29

3.      James Drummond (Lexington, NC) 21.54

That wraps it up for the AAU Club Championship Recap: Boy Edition. Keep running fast!
 

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