HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Gillian Bushee, Allie Zealand and Nicki Southerland.
The top three girls entered in the girls mile on Saturday at the RunningLane Track Championships found themselves squaring off in the final 250 meters and under the lights at Milton Frank Stadium.
As with any elite mile, the winning move came at just the right time as Delta's Southerland, who is headed to her Indiana State Outdoor Championships this week, made the pass on Zealand on the final curve and then headed home, clocking a new career best time of 4:45.02.
It culminated a night of miles at RunningLane and a crescendo of fast times and big performances, with Southerland earning her first overall victory at the competition since debuting at the meet last year.
Zealand, who had her own memorable moment on Friday with a 3,200m win, finished second overall in 4:47.91, while Bushee was third in 4:48.74.
A total of 21 athletes broke five minutes for the distance on the night.
| GIRLS ONE MILE RUN FINALS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE | ATHLETE | TEAM | RESULT | WIND | H# | |||
| 1 | Nicki Southerland | 11 | Delta High School | 4:45.02 | 1 | |||
| 2 | Allie Zealand | 11 | Unattached-SC | 4:47.91 | 1 | |||
| 3 | Gillian Bushee | 12 | Herndon | 4:48.74 | 1 | |||
| 4 | Lily Guinn | 11 | Unattached VA | 4:49.88 | 1 | |||
| 5 | Alli Crytser | 12 | Hanover | 4:50.36 | 1 | |||
| 6 | Tilly O'Connor | 12 | Unattached - NJ | 4:51.25 | 1 | |||
| 7 | Alyson Johnson | 9 | Creekside HS | 4:52.66 | 1 | |||
| 8 | Alyssa Sauro | 10 | Williamstown | 4:52.81 | 1 | |||
| 9 | Kinley Wolfe | 10 | Cherry Creek High School | 4:54.41 | 1 | |||
| 10 | Justine Preisano | 11 | Cuthbertson High School | 4:55.32 | 1 | |||
| 11 | Ava Wyant | 11 | The Master's Academy (Oviedo) | 4:55.58 | 1 | |||
| 12 | Ryann Aycock | 12 | Cary Christian | 4:55.64 | 1 | |||
| 13 | Cady McPhail | 12 | Unattached - AL | 4:55.97 | 1 | |||
| 14 | Ava McIntosh | 12 | Unattached - AL | 4:57.51 | 1 | |||
| 15 | Sadie Adams | 10 | Unattached VA | 4:57.68 | 1 | |||
| 16 | Katelynn Dollar | 11 | Creekview | 4:57.99 | 1 | |||
| 17 | Maddie Gardiner | 11 | The Covenant School | 4:58.31 | 1 | |||
| 18 | Maggie Whitham | 9 | Cardinal Gibbons | 4:58.93 | 1 | |||
| 19 | Hannah Schemmel | 12 | St. Pius X | 4:59.18 | 1 | |||
| 20 | Kasey Dingman | 9 | Lake Norman | 4:59.38 | 1 | |||
| 21 | Claire Shelton | 11 | Dunwoody | 4:59.58 | 1 | |||