* An athlete poses after winning her event at New Balance Nationals Indoor on Friday in Boston
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit
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by Maxx Bradley - MileSplit
BOSTON -- It was another day in Boston and another epic performance in high school track and field history. Over the second of four days at New Balance Nationals Indoor, there were once again national records, accompanied by major upsets and statement wins.
Just like they did on Thursday, the ladies of Cuthbertson (NC) found themselves breaking the tape following a historic performance, this time in the DMR.
Charlotte Bell, who miraculously split 4:41 in the 4xmile less than 24 hours earlier, hammered down a 4:37 to bring the Cavaliers home in 11:17.5, beating Flower Mound once again, the Texans runner-ups again in 11:30.65.
The boys DMR had a finish that came down to the very last lap, too, as Ridgefield (CT) standout Steven Hergenrother pulled out all the stops, splitting 4:04 during his 1,600m split.
Ridgefield won over Westfield in 10:01.13 ... by less than a second.
In the first full day of the championship meet, there were a lot of athletes who stepped up to the plate and lived up to the pressure of competing on the biggest stage in the sport.
Get caught up on all of Day 2 of New Balance Nationals Indoor.
Related Links:
MVA and IMG are in the Spotlight at NBNI
STORY OF THE DAY
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One national record wasn't enough for Cuthbertson (NC), as the Georgetown recruit Charlotte Bell stole the show for the second straight day, this time anchoring her team home in 4:37 in the distance medley relay.
Bell and her Cuthbertson squad are 2-for-2 this week in national record attempts.
* Union Catholic's Paige Sheppard anchored the team's winning SMR
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit
STAT OF THE DAY
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Union Catholic Finishes 1st, 3rd in SMR
Not only did Union Catholic add to its legacy by winning another national title in the sprint medley relay, but the program had two separate girls teams finish on the national podium, as each respective squad finished in 3:54.62 and 3:59.99. No one quite does it like Union Catholic..
MVP OF THE DAY
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Abby Faith Cheeseman, The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tennessee)
Cheeseman didn't just win the 5,000m ... she absolutely dominated it, taking down a talented field of distance runners.
However, winning wasn't even her most impressive feat. It was the fact that she finished over half-of-a-minute ahead of the runner-up, as she solo'd a good chunk of the race.
Boys Championship 1 Mile RW: One of the top racewalkers in the nation broke the tape yet again, as Bonny Eagle's (ME) Rowan McDonald won his third straight New Balance Nationals title. McDonald lowered his PB down to 7:05.96, as Dumont's (NJ) Colin Graham was runner-up in 7:18.24.
Girls Championship 1 Mile RW: Up until yesterday, just eight girls had ever gone sub-7:10 in the mile racewalk, and none had done so since 2019. Enter Taylor Farrell, the senior out of Corning (NY). Crossing in 7:05.14, Farrell elevated herself to No. 5 in high school history. Episcopal's (TX) Madison Morgan was second in 7:15.88.
Boys MS 60m: In our first glimpse at the middle school sprint field, Steffon Lyon, representing Southern Sprinters Elite, had the fastest qualifying time of the day, running 7.27. MetroCobras TC's (MA) Ramar Thomas and IMG Academy's (FL) Winston Schroder ran the second and third fastest times of the day, 7.40 and 7.41, respectively.
Gils MS 60m: It was only the prelims, but that didn't prevent Hope Preparatory's (FL) Vanessa Waite from shattering the Alexia Jones; previous meet record of 7.65. Waite was completely alone in her heat, with half of a second separating her and the field. Parker Coes and Camryn Dailey ran 7.66 and 7.68, rounding out the top three times.
Boys Freshman 60m: University Academy Charter's Christian Davis and St. Frances Academy's (MD) Christopher Quick clocked the two fastest times in the prelims, running 7.06 and 7.13 as the two favorites heading into finals.
Girls Freshman 60m: Representing the coveted ATL Zoom group, star freshman Skylar Cunningham clocked the fastest time in prelims, running 7.70 with ease. Kalia Bing and Caitlin Ly of Bishop Snyder (FL) and Phillips Academy (MA) ran 7.81 and 7.83, respectively.
Boys MS 800m: After shocking the field with a 4:25 performance in the mile on the opening day, 8th grader Sean Reith completed the double, winning the 800m in 2:00.4 over Donald Wright's 2:01.
Girls MS 800m: In one of the closest finishes we've seen this season, 8th graders Grace Smith and Janae Coleman fought until the very end in their half mile battle. Smith, representing the Chino Hills Flash (CA) edged out Motor City TC's (MI) Coleman 2:11.74 to 2:11.76.
Boys Freshman 800m: As the lone 8th grader to go sub-two, Kingsway TC's Ryan Duffy won a NBNI title in 1:59.72, with Isaiah Davis of the Homewood Track Club right behind in 2:00.15.
Girls Freshman 800m: Durham Dragons Athletics' Alexandra Jackson overcame an 84 person field of freshman, winning the title in 2:16.83, with Bullis (MD) Destiny Fruge over half-of-a-second back in 2:17.44.
Boys Championship 4x200: In the prelims of one of the most anticipated races of the meet, IMG Academy (FL), Archbishop Carroll (DC) and Bullis (MD) had the three fastest qualifying times, clocking 1:26.82, 1:27.47 and 1:27.89, respectively.
Girls Championship 4x200: Some of the sport's biggest sprint powerhouses qualified for another national championship final, as Montverde Academy (FL), Bullis (MD) and Archbishop Carroll (DC) will meet again in the final after running 1:36.21, 1:36.95 and 1:38.21 in prelims.
Boys Championship DMR: In a thrilling last-lap effort that saw Steven Hergenrother surge into the lead, the Ridgefield boys edged out Westfield for the title, 10:01.13 to 10:01.92.
Girls Championship DMR: Just like Thursday, the Cuthbertson ladies took down Flower Mound (TX), in a new national record as Charlotte Bell brought them home. They lowered the record down to 11:17.5, as Flower Mound was runner-up in 11:20.65.
Boys MS 60m: When the lights are the brightest, don't expect Gideon Newton to shy away. The Hoover Elite star won the title in 7.19, with Southern Sprinters Elite's Steffon Lyon finishing runner-up in 7.23.
Girls MS 60m: After coasting in the prelims, Vanessa Waite didn't miss a beat in the final, taking down Camryn Dailey (Raleigh Wildcats) and Havyn Smith (St. Louis Blues Track Club) in 7.60 to the duo's 7.64 and 7 .66.
Boys Freshman 60m: St. Frances Academy's Christopher Quick more than lived up to his name, winning the national title in 7.02, as Christian Davis of University Academy Charter (MO) was oh-so-close in 7.03.
Girls Freshman 60m: With two-fifths of a second behind her, Greater Atlanta Christian's Skylar Cunningham won big in the final, breaking the tape in 7.59, as Phillips Academy's (MA) Caitlin Ly was 2nd in 7.79.
Boys Championship SMR: Winning at New Balance Nationals isn't always easy, but when you've got Brady Danyluk bringing you home in 1:53.02, it's a little easier. The Newburgh Elite boys out of New York took down Union Catholic (NJ) and Bishop McNamara (MS), as the podium finishers ran 3:29.15 and 3:29.26, respectively.
Girls Championship SMR: The legend of Union Catholic continues to grow year-after-year, as they won gold in the Sprint Medley Relay yesterday evening. Stopping the clock at 3:54.62, they didn't just win, but took up 2/3 of the podium, as a separate relay finished 3rd. Motor City Track Club (MI) was runner-up in 3:57.66.
Girls Championship 800m Wheelchair: A freshman out of Notre Dame Academy (MA), Madelyn Wilson clocked 2:54.25 to win the 800m wheelchair final.
Boys Championship Mile Wheelchair: Brighton's (MA) Delmace Joseph Mayo won the the wheelchair final in 4:35.6.
Girls Championship 5K: Welcome to the sub-16:20 club Abby Faith Cheeseman! The Webb School of Bell Buckle (TN) junior put on a clinic, winning by 33 seconds. Valley's (IA) Addison Dorenkamp was runner-up in 16:52.77. Cheeseman now sits No. 13 in high school history.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
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"I'm not gonna take it for granted. I just kind of took a risk a little bit and put it out there"
Abby Faith Cheeseman, The Webb School (TN)
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The junior was planning on a few competitors taking the pace out hot in the 5000m on Friday evening, but after realizing that wasn't the case this time, she seized the moment and took control.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
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An athlete uses the railing to help catch his breath after a hard-fought effort on the track
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit
* Montverde Academy's Adaejah Hodge in a prelim on Friday
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit
* An athlete poses after winning her event at New Balance Nationals Indoor on Friday in Boston
Photo Credit: David Nguyen/MileSplit