Kessler Kicks Out 55-Second Final Lap To Run Under 8:40 In Myrtle Beach

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor/Photos Natasha Swanson

Hobbs Kessler's legend continued to grow Saturday in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with a tremendous run in the boys 2-mile championship at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions. 

Kessler turned in a 55-second final lap and ran 8:39.04 for the full two miles, the No. 4 performance of all-time outdoors. 

The Northern Arizona signee from Ann Arbor, Mich. (Skyline) became the fifth prep in U.S. history to run under 8:40 for the 2-mile. 

He joins an illustrious list that includes Lukas Verzbicas (2011), German Fernandez (2008) and Jeff Nelson (1979) -- all previous national high school record holders outdoors. The only runner to do it indoors, Edward Cheserek, ran 8:39.15 in 2013. 

Gavin Sherry from West Hartford, Conn. was the one driving the early pace, including a 64-second fifth lap. But Sherry paid for that burst and dropped from first to fifth over the final lap. 

MEET VIDEOS | SUNDAY'S LIVE WEBCAST

PHOTOS by Natasha Swanson

Ben Shearer from Conroe, Texas held it together late and finished second in 8:48.90. Larry Josh Edwards from Morgantown, W.V. was third in 8:55.64 and Aidan Puffer from Manchester, Conn. was fourth in 8:55.66.

There were fast times in the sprint finals. 

Autumn Wilson from Liberty Hill, Texas ran a US#2 time of 11.51 seconds to win the girls 100-meter final, which broke the track record.

Gavin Schurr of Lafayette, Colo. pulled out a close victory over Nyckoles Harbor of Washington, D.C., 10.36 to 10.38. 

For Schurr, that's a US#5 time and one of the fastest in Colorado history.

Audrey DaDamio of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. led throughout the girls 2-mile and was able to maintain a three-to-six second advantage on Riley Stewart of Englewood, Colo. all the way to the finish line. DaDamio ran 10:23.08 and Stewart was next in 10:27.96. Angelina Perez from Ringwood, N.J. finished third in 10:33.86.

Collin Burkhart of Nazareth, Pa. sent the hammer flying 221-6 (67.52m) on his sixth and final throw to complete a great six-throw series that produced six 200-foot throws. All six were long enough to win the competiton. 

Sheridan Wheeler from Saratoga Springs, N.Y. won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in 6:57.41. That's good for No. 14 on the all-time list. 

Peter Visser, who made the trip out from Afton, Wyo., won the boys 2,000-meter steeplechase in 6:09.81. Visser pulled away a bit over the final lap to hold off Brendan DiStefano of Ridgefield, Conn., who ran 6:11.60.

Giovanni Wearing (Leesburg, Va.) won the boys 110-meter hurdles with a wind-aided 14.19 seconds (+2.9).

Katherine Duren of Haverhill, Mass. won the girls 100-meter hurdles final, which had just two finishers, in 14.23 seconds. 

Paige Sommers from Westlake Village, Calif. had no misses through 12-11.50 (3.95m), which was good enough to win the competition. Hana Moll of Olympia, Wash. also made that bar but had two misses at lower heights. Both vaulters were unable to scale 13-5.25 (4.10m).

Riley Ammenhauser of Naperville, Ill. won a competitive girls triple jump competition with 40-9 (12.42m), good for US#2. Rieko Wilford from University Place, Wash., was next with US#3 40-5.50 (12.33m). 

Gary Moore Jr. of New Haven, Ct. won the boys shot put with US#3 60-4 (18.39m). He came back later to fnish fourth in the hammer. His sister, Leah, won the girls shot put with 41-10.50 (12.76m). 

Cheyla Scott of Matthews, N.C., competing alone in the girls high jump championship, cleared 5-8.75 (1.75m). 

Greenwich TC of Connecticut won the girls 4x800 relay in 9:17.42. Valley Project Track Club of New Jersey took the boys 4x800 with 7:49.25. 

Union Catholic Track Club NJ won the girls spring medley relay with 4:13.34. 

Aren Spencer from Canada (Club Morgan) won the boys triple jump with 49-6.25 (15.09m). 

FRIDAY

On Friday night, Charlotte Bednar and Riley Hough both won titles in the 5,000 meters. 

Bednar, of Princeton, N.J., pressed through the 12.5-lap race in 16:44.21 as she won by 32 seconds. 

Hough, who beat Kessler in a two-section Michigan state cross country final last fall, won the boys race in 14:47.99. 

In the boys decathlon, Maxwell Stakun-Pickering from Massachusetts won the competition with a score of 6,893. 

Jahnelle Saunders of Aerial Supreme (VA) leads the girls heptathlon after the first day with 3,127 points. Bryanna Craig is close behind at 3,074 points. Shaina Zinter is third with 2,891.