Defending champions close competition with three consecutive wins

Robertson Jr. outlasts McBride in men’s high jump, Burks prevails in women’s long jump and Fields caps comeback with 1,500 triumph in first Summer Series meet at Stanford

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For Hannah Fields, it was a redemption run.

For Ricky Robertson Jr., it was shifting the outcome in his favor.

And for Quanesha Burks, it was the ability to deliver a clutch jump when it mattered most.

None of the San Francisco Surge trio won titles June 22-25 at the USATF Outdoor Championships, but with the opening meet of the TrackTown Summer Series hanging in the balance Thursday at Stanford’s Cobb Track and Angell Field, all three members produced individual wins to help the defending team champions rally for a 90-86 victory over the Portland Pulse.

Robertson Jr. prevailed in a jumpoff in the high jump against Portland’s Bryan McBride, Burks produced her best long jump since May 12 and Fields lowered her personal best in the 1,500 meters by more than five seconds to help San Francisco rally from a 16-point deficit with four events remaining.

Fields, who didn’t advance past the 800 semifinals June 23 at nationals, rebounded by clocking 4 minutes, 5.30 seconds in the 1,500 to hold off the Philadelphia Force’s Amanda Eccleston in 4:05.44.

Fields was supported by a third-place finish from Alexa Efraimson (4:06.16) and eighth-place effort from Lauren Paquette (4:14.67) to give San Francisco 16 points, allowing them to overcome an eight-point deficit against Portland entering the final event.

Robertson, who had lost Sunday to McBride based on more misses in the high jump after both individuals cleared 7-6.5 (2.30m) at nationals, came through with a 7-4.25 (2.24m) clearance in the jumpoff to secure nine points for winning the event.

After placing fourth in the long jump Saturday at nationals, Burks won the competition Thursday with a sixth-round, wind-legal leap of 22-2.25 (6.76m) to give San Francisco another nine points, placing the Surge within striking distance with only the 1,500 remaining.

New York, which placed third with 84 points, started strong behind victories from Queen Harrison and Aaron Mallett. Harrison prevailed in the 100-meter hurdles in 12.73 and Mallett, a former Iowa star, ran a personal-best 13.37 in the 110 hurdles.

Dutch star Sanne Verstegen secured a win in the 800 in 2:01.20 to give New York its final lead with four events remaining, before Portland took over in the 400. Although Paul Dedewo ran 45.63 to finish behind Australian Steven Solomon (45.20) – not part of the Summer Series competition – he was awarded the nine points and San Francisco’s Brycen Spratling (45.64) received seven.

Portland opened the meet with Gwen Berry and Colin Dunbar-Hatton winning the combined hammer throw competition with 472-1 (143.88m), securing 18 points. Berry, the American women’s record holder and reigning national champion, threw 239 feet (72.84m) in the second round and Dunbar-Hatton followed in the third round with his best mark of 233-1 (71.04m).

Paul Chelimo (7:48.58) and Lopez Lomong (7:51.20) placed first and third in the men’s 3,000 to give Portland its most points in any track event.

Philadelphia Force, which finished fourth with 69 points, led after two events. Janay Soukup clocked 12.86 in the 100 hurdles to place second, which followed a combined runner-up finish in the hammer throw at 461-3 (140.58m) from Amber Campbell and Sean Donnelly.

Before the final event, one of the meet’s highlights came with the showcase of the high school boys mile, looking to produce a sub-four effort in their final opportunities before making the transition to college. St. Joseph Notre Dame CA graduate Cooper Teare, an Oregon signee, won in 4:01.92 and Northern Arizona-bound Luis Grijalva of Armijo CA ran a personal-best 4:02.64. 

The second meet in the series is Sunday at Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon, before the competition concludes July 6 at Icahn Stadium in New York.