Cream rises to the top out West at Simplot

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Cerake Geberkidane of Denver East CO ran a US#1 9:01.13 to win the 3,200 meters on Saturday and defeated a couple of top-10 finishers from the Foot Locker cross country championships in the process at Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

Elijah Armstrong of Pocatello ran US#2 9:10.93 and Conner Mantz of Sky View UT ran US#3 9:12.99. 

Meanwhile, a fourth Rocky Mountain state, Montana, produced the girls' 3,200 winner: Makena Morley of Big Fork ran US#6 10:34.03 to win by a wide margin.

In the girls 60 hurdles, where Dior Hall CO has flirted with the national record repeatedly, she was just a little short once again. Hall ran 8.20 for the win. 

In a huge girls shot put competition, Stamatia Scarvellis CA threw 53-8.25 and moved into a US#1 tie with Raven Saunders of South Carolina. In second place, Ashlie Blake NV threw US#3 52-3.50.

Gabriella Cantrell CA scored a big sprint double, taking the 200 with US#1 23.77 and also the 60 in US#9 7.50. Yet another US#1 came in the girls 400 with Madeline Price CA running 54.69.

Among the top boys' performances were Isaac Penner CA's US#10 800 in 1:54.87, Bayron Manuel CA's US#5 8.00 in the 60 hurdles and Cravon Gillespie CA's US#12 6,86 in the 60. Garrett Lynch WY threw US#19 58-11 to take the shot put. Adoree Jackson CA jumped to US#2 in the LJ with 24-1.25.

Sarah Feeny UT won the 1,600 in 4:46.97 for a nearly four-second personal best. Carly Smiedala MT won the girls 800 in 2:13.24. 

The Fort Collins girls turned in a US#2 in the SMR with 4:04.61.

Chyna Ries CO won the long jump in 20-3, close to her season's best mark.

Top highlights from Friday included:

- Dior Hall CO ran 8.30 in the prelims of the 60-meter dash and could be in position to shoot for a national record in that event on Saturday.

- Gabriella Cantrella CA ran 7.60 to lead qualifying in the girls 60-meter dash. 

- Taylor Cox UT ran 2:18.01 for the fastest qualifying time in the girls 800 meters.

- Kossi Tchnawou CO was the fastest qualifier in the boys 60, running 7.05.

- Jordan Wallin ID ran 1:58.00 to top the qualifying round of the boys 800.

- Madeline Price CA sped through her 400 qualifying round in 56.92 and also led the 200 meters with 25.10.

- Trevor Leavitt UT ran 50.45 to top all qualifiers in the boys 400.

- Bayron Manuel CA ran 8.07 in the boys 60-meter hurdles qualifying.

- David Mewborn CA ran the 200 in 22.36 for the fastest qualifying time.

Here is a look at Thursday's opening session at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho:

- The 3,200 meters is a two-round affair at Simplot, and in qualifying Denver East's Cerake Geberkidane ran US#4 9:15.38. Conner Mantz of Sky View UT ran 9:27.77 and local hero Elijah Armstrong of Pocatello played it a bit more conservative and ran 9:28.12. Look for this field to re-write the US list come Saturday.

- Meanwhile, in the girls 3,200, Makena Morley of Bigfork MT cruised to 11:02.57. 

- Haley Showalter CO threw US#2 59-0 to win the girls weight throw, while Kamryn Brinson GA upped her season best to US#3 58-8.75 for second.

- In the boys weight throw -- bolstered by the presence of the Throw 1 Deep Club in Georgia -- Daniel Waugh GA won it with 74-2.25. Brock Eager of Renton WA was second with US#4 69-7.