The Scoop: Jaw-Dropping Performances Open Up February

* Michael Woolery takes the 800m win at Ocean Breeze.

- - -

Countless Meet Records Highlight Ocean Breeze Invitational

Meet Page - Results - Race Videos - Photos

The excitement began on Saturday as the boys fields produced new state-leading marks, thrilling matchups and a handful of meet records.

One of the most anticipated boys competitions -- the 800m -- saw Episcopal Academy's (PA) Michael Woolery win an exciting race to the finish in 1:53.28, which was just a fraction of a second ahead of Union's Gabriel Rodriguez in 1:53.30 as the runner-up. That made for a slew of achievements for Woolery, including a new meet record, US #8 performance and a personal best.

The distance events continued to impress, with Hatboro Horsham's (PA) Brian DiCola continuing the Pennsylvania success and winning the boys mile in a meet record 4:11.25 and Hunter College Campus' (NY) Shane Murphy taking the two-mile title in an all-time meet best 9:12.39.

Perhaps the top boys performance, though, came from Jadon Spain of James I. O'Neil (NY) as he won the 55m in a meet record 6.33, which also ranks as the sixth-best performance seen in the event this season and ties the New York Section XI event record.

Then on Sunday on the girls day of competition, more state-leading times went down.

Begin with Cate DeSousa, who ran a 10:36.19 two-mile effort to lead six girls under 11 minutes in the event. The Red Bank Catholic (NJ) senior ran her way to a New Jersey No. 1 in the race in her debut at the distance in 2023.

One of the most thrilling competitions of the day came in a nail bitter in the 55mH as Damira Allen of Chester (PA) sneaked out a win in 8.29, which was only 0.02 ahead of Eastern Regional's Johnay Stilley in 8.31 for second.

And in a similarly-close race in the girls mile, Abigail Kowalcyzk of RCK (NY) and Claire Zubey from Owen J. Roberts (PA) both clocked 4:58, but it was Kowalcyzk who earned the slight advantage with a final time of 4:58.63 ahead of Zubey's 4:58.83.