Payamps Keeps The St. Anthony's Mojo Rolling At Yale

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

NEW HAVEN, Ct. -- St. Anthony's High School of Melville, N.Y., has produced some fast times in recent years the Yale Track Classic in New Haven. 

A year ago, Mason Gatewood won the 800 meters and was part of a winning distance medley relay. On Saturday, senior Matthew Payamps added to that tradition at Coxe Cage. The Georgetown commit won the boys 3,000 meters in 8 minutes, 31.01 seconds, the fastest time in the country for a prep so far this year. 

"We have one of the best coaches (Tim Dearie) in the country, I believe, and he proves it year in and year out," Payamps said. "We just work really hard under him."

Second place went to Michael Keehan of Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.) in 8:33.53, while Camden Gilmore of Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.) finished third (8:35.24).

Payamps said the plan for the race was to let Tyler Berg (Burnt Hills NY) take the lead and then basically move his way up with about 1,000 meters to go. Payamps, who will run in the Virginia Showcase next and then the mile at the New Balance Grand Prix (Jan. 26), said he's feeling really fit right now.

"I'm happy with it," he said of his time. "Any race I go into, I want to win."

In the girls 3,000, West Chester NY freshman Jenna Mulhern, was the only runner to go under 10 minutes, winning the race in 9:55.35. 

Coming off a seventh-place finish at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, Pomperaug CT sophomore Kate Wiser shook off the rust as she won the girls mile (5:01.18). It was her first mile of the season.

"I want to get some speed after cross country, and I haven't really focused on the mile before," Wiser said. "I got boxed in pretty badly for like three laps (of the race). On the third lap I was able to sneak by and catch up to the leaders."

Wiser, who went undefeated in the state of Connecticut during cross country season and won the New England XC Championships, said she feels like she has a lot more to offer in terms of faster times this season.

In the girls 1,000, Nikki Merrill, a senior from Portsmouth RI, easily won in a US#4 time of 2:53.27.

"The game plan was to get out fast, try to stay fast," Merrill said. "I think the first two laps were strong. That was right about where I wanted to be, and then after 600 meters I slowed down a little bit and I think I coasted a little bit, and there's definitely more of a kick that I think I'll be able to get at the end of the season."  

Merrill will also run in the mile at the Grand Prix in Boston.

Miller Anderson of Hall CT won the boys 1,000 in 2:30.98.   

Other highlights included Shepherd Hill (Dudley, MA) junior Bryan Santos winning the boys 55-meter dash in a meet record and US#1 time of 6.33 seconds. Edward Williams of Sacred Heart CT won the boys 55 hurdles in 7.39.

In the girls 55 dash, transgender sprinter Terry Miller of Bloomfield CT ran 7.00 seconds in the semifinals, a personal best and current US#2, but a false start led to a DQ in the finals. Paul Robeson NY senior Toshel Goffe won the dash in 7.07, edging out teammate Shawnakay Peart (7.26). Miller went on to win the 300 in a time of 38.9, another personal best.

In the boys 600, Danbury CT senior Malcom Going clocked 1:20.77, US#2.

Friday evening, Hall CT DMR team clocked 10:22.96, U.S. No. 1. The Burnt Hills girls DMR won the championship race in 12:10.41, US#2.