By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

SIMPLOT GAMES: THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS

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Elijah and Levi electrify the crowd

The most anticipated race of the weekend also became the most memorable.
Pocatello's Elijah Armstrong, a runner-up on the Idaho State indoor track the past three years, finally enjoyed his Simplot Games moment in the boys 3,200-meter championship Saturday.
With Levi Thomet of Kodiak, Alaska pushing him every step of the way, Armstrong nearly eclipsed the 2013 meet record of 9:00.62 set by Ben Saarel of Utah, before winning in a personal-best 9:01.04, the No. second-fastest time in the U.S. this year.
Thomet, who spent the weekend staying at Armstrong's house, was also within striking distance of Saarel's standard, but finished second in 9:02.18, the No. 3 mark in the nation.
The final two laps of the race produced the most emotional crowd reaction of the meet in support of both athletes.
Although there were no records set at this year's competition, the battle involving Armstrong and Thomet was one of the most unforgettable in the meet's 37-year history.

Golden State's gold rush

Thirteen might be an unlucky number to some, but it was the most impressive number for California.
Of the 34 events that produced gold medals -- not including the all-Idaho relays -- California athletes or relays combined for 13 championships. Colorado, Utah and Canada combined for 12 titles.
Los Osos' Tyler Merkley secured the first win in dramatic fashion Thursday, producing a lifetime-best effort of 73 feet, 8 1/2 inches in the final round of the weight throw.
California added a dozen more gold medals Saturday, with Agoura's Tara Davis and Rio Mesa's Greg Vann sweeping the long jump titles to start the day and the meet concluding with another sweep in the 4 x 400 relays, as ISC International Empire Athletics secured the girls title and New Image Training Club captured the boys championship.
Roosevelt's Jasmyne Graham and Upland's Joseph Anderson swept the 60-meter hurdles titles, Oaks Christian's Lauren Rain Williams captured the girls 60-meter dash and Carson's Brandon Hasson won the boys 200 to add to the success on the track.
Stuart Hall's Drew Xandrine Anderson won the boys triple jump in his indoor debut and Mount Pleasant's Darius Carbin went from just missing the podium last season to winning the boys high jump this year.
New Image added a victory in the boys 4 x 200, with Hasson the only athlete at the meet to win three titles. ISC International also triumphed in the girls 4 x 800, with Clovis North's Mikaela Smith and Las Lomas' Anaya Alexander contributing to both relay titles.

International impact

Canada's Victoria Tachinski and Australia's Amelia Mazza-Downie delivered two of the most memorable performances of the meet, with the two countries combining to win five gold medals.
Tachinski set the Canadian Youth record by winning the girls 400 in 54.05 -- ahead of California standout Carolyn Wilson of Thousand Oaks, who took runner-up in 55.47 -- and Mazza-Downie challenged the meet record in the girls 3,200 on her way to victory in 10:33.25, defeating Foot Locker cross country national finalist Makena Morley of Bigfork, Montana, who clocked 10:41.94.
Canada added titles with Rachel Rosin in the girls 200, Shane Dillon in the boys 800 and Ryan Smeeton in the boys 1,600.

The power of Powell

With U.S. Olympian Mike Powell, the long jump world-record holder, in attendance at the meet as an awards presenter, there were several stellar performances in the jumping events.
Chinne Okoronkwo of Mountlake Terrace, Washington produced a national-leading mark in the girls triple jump with a leap of 41-4, which followed Davis taking over the U.S. lead with an effort of 19-10 to prevail in the girls long jump.
Vann's 24-3 3/4 in the boys long jump ranks No. 3 in the U.S. this year, with Anderson winning the triple jump with a mark of 46-8 3/4 in his indoor debut.

Rocky Mountain high marks

Haley Showalter of Valor Christian produced Colorado's first gold medal Thursday by winning the girls weight throw with a mark of 57-11 3/4 -- No. 3 in the U.S. this year -- to defeat national-leader Sabrina Gaitan of Sprayberry, Georgia, who was second at 57-9.
Tabor Scholl of West Grand, who was second as a freshman in the 1,600, secured her first Simplot Games gold by outlasting a deep field to prevail in 4:56.32, the No. 4 mark in the country this year.
Miguel Molas of James Irwin Charter won the boys 60-meter dash in 6.91 and Fort Collins Track Club secured the girls 4 x 200 title in the 1:39.78, the No. 5 time in the U.S. this year.

Middle-distance mastery

Kaley Ciluffo will race again in March at the New Balance National Indoor meet at The Armory in New York, but the Iowa standout captivated the Simplot Games crowd with her performance in the girls 800.
Ciluffo became only the fourth female runner this year to clock under 2:10 -- joining Michigan's Ersula Farrow, New York's Sammy Watson and New Jersey's Catherine Pagano -- by clocking 2:09.73 to move up to No. 3 in the U.S. on the indoor list.
Ciluffo doesn't have many races against high school competition remaining in her prep career, so her Simplot Games achievement ranks as one of her most satisfying.

Dynamic dozen

Twelve states or countries were represented by at least one champion, with California, Canada, Colorado, Utah and Idaho all producing multiple gold medalists.
Australia, Georgia, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming all captured one title.