Who’s Coming - Relays

Highlighting the top New Balance Nationals Indoor commitments leading up to the championships on March 8-10

By Steve Underwood of the NSAF | Watch #NBNationals LIVE March 8 - 10

St. Benedict’s, NJ – Flexing middle distance power

If you mention “St. Benedict’s” to a veteran prep distance-running fan, they’ll probably think first of Edward Cheserek – the all-time great who come to the New Jersey school from Kenya in 2010-11 and did it all during three glorious years of cross-country, indoor and outdoor track. That included four NBN individual titles but, lest one forget, also four championship relay victories as well. Ches wasn’t the only talented runner Coach Marty Hannon had. Now, six years later, St. Bene’s has its best group since then and while there’s no one as fast as the New Jersey/Kenyan legend, Alfred Chawonza does currently lead a group of middle distance runners that have some balance and depth. They’ve led the U.S. in the 4x800 since late December, when they ran 7:47.6h, then improved their US#1 with a 7:43.68 in the Millrose Games.

Chawonza was a 1:53.65 runner two years ago as a soph, then it’s not been until this winter that he’s had a big jump again – to 1:50.57 at 800m, 1:19.61 600 and 2:25.77 for 1k. That 800 PR was from an elite open “Last Chance” meet in Boston week before last, where teammates Jackson Burnett (1:53.97) and Lewis Ngwenya (1:54.06) also ran their career bests. All three are seniors, having progressed through the program the past three years, as is Ronald Kigen – more of a long distance runner but with a 1:57.33 best. All four ran exceptionally well last spring as St. Bene’s blazed a 7:35.61 4x8 at NBNO … but that was good “only” for 4th in the super fast and deep race won by Cow Harbor, NY. But now indoors St. Bene’s is the clear national leader and, if they run to or beyond their potential, as they did last spring, then Albemarle, VA’s 7:36.99 indoor HSR could be in jeopardy.

Bullis School, MD – The boys’ turn for record-setting

Coach Joe Lee has always had a lot of talented, hard-working athletes on both his boys and girls teams at the Bullis School (Potomac, MD). But through last spring, as his sprinters, hurdlers and relay teams continued a multi-year surge of rising to the most elite levels of prep track and field, the girls were definitely moving highest up the all-time lists. That surge reached a peak during the last indoor season as Bullis twice set 4x200m relay national records (1:35.39 and 1:34.75) and also claimed the 4x55m shuttle hurdle standard (30.44). The 2nd 4x200 and SHR marks were both set at NBNI. Meanwhile, the Bullis boys had plenty of success – including last year’s 4x200 NBNI runner-up after a US#1 1:26.77 in prelims (#3 all-time) – just not any records or national titles yet.

That could change this weekend at NBNI. That Bullis would achieve some improved results this winter became apparent early on, with the progress of juniors Ashton Allen, Jay Pendarvis, and Ryan Willie – plus the addition of transfer Andre Turay. But no one was quite prepared for what happened at the VA Showcase in mid-January. The quartet took down both the 4x200 and 4x400 national records that weekend. Their 3:12.53 in the longer race that Friday topped the 3:13.06 set by New Bern, NC in 2009. Then their 1:25.60 in the shorter race Saturday erased the 1:26.09 by Long Beach Poly at The Armory back in 2005. For several weeks since, Bullis has refrained from an ‘A’ team, all-out effort in those events for various reasons – but there’s no doubt they’ll be going for it all this weekend.

Western Branch HS, VA – Looking for SHR redemption

The 2018 NBNI girls’ 4x55 meter shuttle hurdle relay will be best known for the first of two national record performances over the weekend by the Bullis School, MD girls as they crushed the previous standard with a time of 30.44 seconds. But for those from a certain track powerhouse from Chesapeake, VA, that race will be remembered for what could have been. Western Branch had a discernable lead after two legs, but was “left in the blocks” on the third carry and lost valuable time. It’s impossible to say for sure that the Bruins would have won if not for the hesitation – they finished 2nd in 31.94 – but the finish would have at least been much, much closer.

Twelve months later, the entire Western Branch quartet is back and, with Bullis having replaced two key legs, the Bruins should be considered the favorite. Shadajah Ballard, a senior, is the national leader by a ways at 55H with her 7.61. Fellow senior Jazmine Tilmon is also in the top ten with her 7.92 best. Shadajah’s younger sister Na’Taja, a soph, is at 8.06 and senior Adriana Shockley is at 8.29 with a career best of 8.11. Bullis still has three girls in the 7.9s and will be eager to show last year was no fluke, so they won’t go down easily. Neither team has shown its hand as a group this winter, adding to the anticipation. With three seniors, though, the time is now for Western Branch.

Loudoun Valley, VA – The Jungle is back

Loudoun Valley’s club nickname “The Jungle” is one of the cooler monikers for any U.S. prep team in national competition and track fans of a certain vintage can’t help but think of the menacing hard-rock tune from the 90s by Guns and Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle.” Maybe for this group, however, it should be “No Respite from the Jungle” (an extra syllable, but still works) because despite graduation losses each year, the Joan- and Marc Hunter-coached squad keeps reloading – and continues to be a national championship threat in the long relays. That this could be another great year on the oval for the team goes almost without saying after they nabbed their second straight XC national title last fall.

The Jungle’s biggest achievement at NBNI last year was taking down the national HS record in the 4x1 Mile Relay and nearly going under 17:00 at 17:01.82. It’s a time that would have been unthinkable not long ago, but with three of the four legs having come back, LVHS could beat it again. Seniors Sam Affolder (4:09 mile), Jacob Hunter (4:16) and Connor Wells (4:16 1,600m) lead the way, and junior Kevin Carlson (4:21 1,600) is expected to be the other leg – with Colton Bogucki having graduated. Bogucki’s surprisingly fast 4:09 anchor was a big reason The Jungle went as fast as it did last year. If they can get steady legs plus a breakthrough here or there again, sub-17 could go down.

Union Catholic, NJ – Fresh faces in longer races

For most of the “Sydney McLaughlin Era” – those years between 2013-17 when Union Catholic was led by the 2-time Track and Field News Athlete of the Year – the school was known in the relays namely as a 4x400 power. There were also the shorter speed relays – 4x100, 4x200 – and some shuttle hurdles and sprint medleys thrown in. But it was generally all about the long sprint speed. But Union Catholic coach Mike McCabe has also been known for developing middle distance runners along with those long sprinters and this winter the school leads the nation in the girls’ distance medley (11:59.38 Eastern States win), is US#2 in the 4x800 (9:07.44 Millrose Games win) and clearly has the talent to contend in the sprint medley relay.

Leading the middle-distance crew is senior Jerika Lufrano and junior Leena Morant. Lufrano was the NJ Meet of Champs 1,600 winner in a PR 4:59.26 and she has also run 10:49 outdoors for 3,200. Morant was NJ MOC runner-up in the 800 with a PR 2:13.08 – and has clocked 2:10.61 outdoors. She has also run 1:34.07 in the 600. Soph Morgan Williams (2:18.34 800) and junior Ashleigh Patterson (2:21.69 800) also figure to be keys. In fact, seven UC girls have run 2:25 or better this winter. 400 specialist Chidumga Nkulume will be important in both medleys as well. Not surprisingly, UC is still outstanding in the 4x400, set to be in the NBNI final section with their 3:50 seasonal best. But don’t forget to look for them in the long relays.

Fayetteville Manlius, NY – The Stotans finally return

It’s been a long time since the Stotan girls have battled for a national relay title on the track. Coach Bill Aris’ Fayetteville-Manlius HS (NY) squads have dominated the prep cross country scene for most of the past 13 years – winning 11 national titles, including seven in a row. During a good chunk of this dynasty, particularly between 2010-12, they were also a national relay powerhouse – taking a trio of NBNI crowns. The Stotans won the 2010 and 2012 4x800s in 9:02.80 and 8:58.18, respectively. In between, they captured the 2011 DMR at 11:39.58. They had a few even greater relay performances outdoors: In 2010, they won the NBNO 4x8 with an 8:46.98 that’s still #3 all-time, and in 2011 were runner-up in the NBNO DMR at 11:25.13 – still #2 all-time.

Now F-M has a quartet entered in Friday night’s distance medley relay that might be able to relive some of that 2011 indoor magic. Juniors Phoebe White and Claire Walters are likely to bookend the effort. White’s range and creds include 2:11.39 for 800 up to 9:56.01 for 3k. Perhaps most important, since she’s probably running the 1200m leg, is her 2:51.29 1k PR. Walters is more of a long-distance specialist, having run 9:36.31 for 3k and placed 5th in XC nationals last fall. Her 4:34.91 1,500m PR indicates she can probably run under 4:55 for a mile. Soph Grace Kaercher (1:43 600m, 3:00.03 1k) will likely handle the 800 leg and senior Susan Bansbach (43.82 300m) the 400 leg. North Rockland, of course, is the 3-time defending champ and at least three other schools have the talent to run between 11:45 and 12:00. But look for the Stotans to have a great shot.