Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

Featured (178)
News (0)
Roads (0)
All (743)
 

 

Year In Review 2013-14 - The Girls Stole The Show - DyeStat

Published by
DyeStat.com   Aug 23rd 2014, 12:22am
Comments

Year In Review: The Girls Stole The Show

 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor


While major media outlets across the country got swept in the story of Mo'ne Davis and her ability to throw fastballs past some of the top 12-and 13-year-old baseball players in the U.S., anybody who followed high school track and field in 2013-14 knows that young female athletes are pushing boundaries and raising expecations on a far wider scale.


In track and field, where the measuring sticks are time, distance and speed -- and comparable from one year to the next -- girls are inspiring one another to do more and better.


To begin with, there was Mary Cain.


For the final year and a half of her high school career, she was a Nike-sponsored professional. That's something that she earned by becoming the best high school distance runner -- with records spanning from 800 meters to 5,000 -- of all-time. Along the way, that also included a spot on the U.S. World Championship team in 2013.


And while her 2014 was comparatively more quiet, the sight of Cain accelerating away from two Kenyans to win the gold medal in the 3,000 meters at the World Juniors in Eugene (8:58.48) left an indelible final impression.


Cain's achievements had a direct impact on Alexa Efraimson and Elise Cranny, who are now the second-and third-fastest prep 1,500 meter runners of all-time.


Efraimson and Cranny both said they were inspired by Cain.


Cranny's coach, Jason Hartmann, compared the three girls to the Big Three distance-running boys in the Class of 2001: Alan Webb, Dathan Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall.


It's an appropriate comparison. Efraimson and Cranny showed that while Cain may be an outlier, she's not alone. There are a wave of girls in tow that have been inspired to go after bigger and better goals.


Here is a list of active (or 2014 graduates) female distance runners who are now state record holders:


Alaska - Allie Ostrander (senior): State record holder in the 1600, 3000, 3200 and 2-mile
California - Bethan Knights (class of 2014): State record holder in the 2-mile
Colorado - Elise Cranny (class of 2014): State record holder in the 1500, 1600; Katie Rainsberger (junior): State record holder in the mile
Connecticut - Hannah DeBalsi (junior): State record holder in the 3200 and 2-mile; Claire Howlett (class of 2014): State record holder in the 5000.
Idaho - Emily Hamlin (senior): State record holder in the 800, 1600 and Mile
Indiana - Anna Rohrer (senior): State record holder in the 3200 and 5000
Iowa - Stephanie Jenks (junior): State record holder in the Mile, 3000 and 2-Mile
Maryland - Ellie Gonzalez (class of 2041): State record holder in the Mile
Missouri - Taylor Werner (junior): State record holder in the 1600 and 3200; Hannah Long (senior): State record holder in the Mile
Montana - Bryn Morley (freshman): Fastest 1500 in state history; Christina Aragon (junior): State record holder in the Mile; Makena Morley (senior): State record holder in the 3000, 3200, 2-Mile and 5000
New York - Mary Cain (class of 2014): State record holder in the 800, 1500, Mile, 3000 and 5000
Ohio - Annie Heffernan (senior): State record holder in the 3200 and 2-Mile
Oregon - Ella Donaghu (junior): State record holder in the 1500, 3000 and 2-Mile
Pennsylvania - Brianna Schwartz (senior): State record holder in the 3200
Rhode Island - Maddy Berkson (class of 2014): State record holder in the 1500, Mile and 3000; Eliza Rego (junior): State record holder in the 2-mile
Utah - Sarah Feeny (class of 2014): State record holder in the 1600 and Mile
Washington - Alexa Efraimson (senior): State record holder in the 800, 1500, 1600, 3200
West Virginia - Amelia Paladino (class of 2014): State record holder in the 800, 1600, Mile, 3200

 

Yes, girls distance running is in the midst of an upswell in this country. The above list doesn't even include two-time NXN champion Sarah Baxter or 2013 Foot Locker champion Tessa Barrett. And the influence extends beyond Cain, to the Fayetteville-Manlius dynasty, to Jenny Simpson and Shalane Flanagan, etc.


But even setting aside distance running, 2014 was full of historic, record-breaking performances for girls.


Dior Hall broke the 35-year-old record in the 100 hurdles (12.92).


Raven Saunders came out of virtually nowhere to dismantle the all-time record in the shot put.


Desiree Freier lifted the lid on HS pole vaulting -- by six inches. Twelve state records fell in the girls pole vault this year.


St. Thomas Aquinas broke the national 4x200 record -- twice.


Kaylin Whitney, who has two years until graduation, broke the all-time record in the 100 and is No. 2 all-time behind Allyson Felix in the 200.

 

Regionally, California (Ariana Washington) and New Jersey (Olivia Baker) graduated instant legends.


Speaking of sprinters, another of the storylines for 2014 was the emergence of a young, deep crop of potential superstars.


Kaylin Whitney (Florida) was a World Junior champion in the 200 and won three gold medals; 11.10 national record in the 100 as a sophomore.

 

But what about these athletes who emerged in the Class of 2017?


Freshman Candace Hill (Georgia) was NBNO champion in the 100 and 200; 11.44/11.34w,
Freshman Jayla Kirkland (Alabama): State champion in the 100-200-400
Freshman Lynna Irby (Indiana): State champion in the 100-200-400
Freshman Janie O'Connor (Louisiana): State champion in the 400, 2nd in the 200
Freshman Demi Washington (Mississippi): State champion in the 100 and 200
Freshman Symone Mason (Florida): AAU national champion in the 100 and 200 (15-16)
Freshman Kaelin Roberts (California): State champion in the 400


This list is just the tip of the iceberg. The Class of 2017 also includes Sydney McLaughlin and Reonna Collier, both of whom held US#1 rankings in the intermediate hurdles.


Before it's too late, let's also give the boys their due.


Any time the 100 meters record falls, as it did for Trentavis Friday, that's a notable year. Friday, of Cherryville, N.C., ran 10.00 wind-legal and also owns the two fastest 200s under all conditions (20.03w and 20.04w).


Bailey Roth may have finished cross country season ranked 44th in the final DyeStat 100, but his exploration in the steeplechase continued to bear fruit. He broke national records in both the 2,000-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase. The latter record had stood since 1979.


Additional boys achievements that merit singling out include Devin King's 18-0.50 vault at World Juniors, Andrew Hunter's sophomore class record in the 3,000 at Penn Relays and the historic miles turned in by Garrett O'Toole (4:01.89) and Grant Fisher (4:02.02). Nate Moore's big jump at CIF finals (25-8.75) and Harrison Williams' record decathlon (jr implements) were standout performances among many others in 2014.

 

Recaps of every state championship:

 

California | New York  | Ohio  | Indiana | Virginia | Minnesota | Wisconsin

| Massachusetts | Connecticut | New Hampshire | Rhode Island | Maine | Vermont |

New Jersey | Washington  Illinois | Michigan | Missouri | South Dakota | Kansas

| Montana | Oregon Tennessee | Pennsylvania | Kentucky | Nebraska | Wyoming

| Maryland | Iowa | Nevada Alaska | North Dakota | West Virginia | Colorado | Utah | New Mexico | Idaho Oklahoma North Carolina  | South Carolina  | Delaware  | Texas

Mississippi | Arizona  | Arkansas  | Georgia | Hawaii | Louisiana Alabama | Florida

 



More news

History for DyeStat.com
YearVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024 991 320 12408  
2023 5382 1361 77508  
2022 4892 1212 58684  
Show 25 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!