Montverde Academy Standouts Take On Big Weekend At New Balance Nationals Indoor; Shawnti Jackson, Lex Young, Sadie Engelhardt, Ellie Shea, Connor Burns, India Alix And Cast Of Thousands Ready For Boston

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Photos by John Nepolitan

New Balance Nationals Indoor will stretch over four days, March 9-12, at The TRACK at New Balance in Boston, which opened in 2022. 

It will mark the first time that New Balance Nationals Indoor has been held in Boston, or in the new facility.

There are more than 10,700 entries across the busy four-day schedule, including middle school, rising stars, freshman and championship divisions. 

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Here is a breakdown by event group:

Distance

As loaded as this meet is, it's difficult to imagine any event this weekend bringing together more future NCAA Division 1 talent than the boys mile. 

Connor Burns owns the US#1 time and is the first high school boy this year to dip under the four-minute barrier, with 3:59.11 on Feb. 26 at the BU Last Chance Qualifier. 

But Burns, from Southern Boone MO, is certainly not a lock in a field that includes another sub-four miler in Simeon Birnbaum of Rapid City Stevens SD, Rocky Hansen of Christ School NC, Kole Mathison of Carmel IN, Devan Kipyego of St. Raphael's RI and Aaron Sahlman of Newbury Park CA. 

Sahlman is intriguing because in the biggest cross country race of the year last December, he pulled away and beat everyone on this list. He ran 1:50.25 for an early US#1 time in the 800 meters last weekend. 

Deep as that top line is, there are additional milers in the field who could be factors. Jackson Heidesch from Dowling Catholic IA, Clay Shively from Trinity Academy KS, Tayson Echohawk from Orem UT, Collin and Brian Boler from Delbarton NJ, Noah Breker from Robbinsdale Armstrong MN, Byron Grevious from Exeter NH, Wes Shipsey from Central Catholic OR, Antonio Camacho-Bucks from Centennial MD, Brian DiCola from Hatsboro-Horsham PA, Marcus Reilly from Northbridge MA, Aidan Ross from Uxbridge MA, Josiah Tostenson from Crater OR and a resurgent Jimmy Wischusen from Union Catholic all deserve to be mentioned in this incredibly deep field. 

The boys 2-mile includes some of those listed above and also the NXN second-and third-place finishers in Daniel Simmons of American Fork UT, who ran 8:53.80 at altitude for a meet record at the Simplot Games, and Crater OR senior Tyrone Gorze, who ran 8:05.11 for 3,000 meters in January. 

The boys 5,000 meters also has the potential to be historic. Newbury Park's Lex Young ran the second-fastest prep time in history last year when he ran 13:43.95 at Sound Running's THE Track Meet last June. He'll race against the talented Simmons, Zack Munson of Sehome WA and Aidan Cox of Coe-Brown NH. 

The girls mile is also filled with national-class talent and many who competed at NXN and/or the Champs Sports Cross Country Championships. 

Sadie Engelhardt, a sophomore from Ventura CA, lost an epic mile last year to Juliette Whittaker at the New Balance Nationals Indoor final, running 4:37.40 and losing by less than two-tenths of a second. She is back to try and win it this year and opened her outdoor season last weekend by running 9:51.49 for 3,200 meters.

Joining Engelhardt in the mile: Ellie Shea of Emerging Elites Club MA, Isabel Conde de Frankenberg from Cedar Park TX, Abby Faith Cheeseman from The Webb (Bell Buckle) TN, Tatum David of Olney (Richland County) IL, Gretchen Farley from Park Tudor IN, Nicole Humphries from Lewisville Flower Mound TX, Allison Ince of Normal (Community) IL, Ciara O'Shea from Madison Central KY, Kate Putman from Cicero North-Syracuse NY, Alyssa Sauro from Williamstown WV and Allie Zealand of Pacers Homeschool VA.

Shea, who was the top placer for the U.S. women in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships, will be running at home for nationals for the first time. She recently ran 9:02.02 for 3,000 meters and nearly broke the national high school record. She is entered in every event from the 800 to the 5,000 meters, but will likely not run all four. 

Karrie Baloga of Cornwall Central NY and Abbey Nechanicky of Wayzata MN are due to run in the 2-mile in Boston before moving to New York to compete in the mile and on relays.  

In the boys 800 meters, Andrew Regnier of Waunakee WI is one to watch after running the second-fastest 600 meters of all-time in Chicago. US#2 Miguel Pantojas de Jesus of Hagerty FL, US#4 Collin Boler of Delbarton NJ, US#5 Carter Cutting of Wilsonville OR and US#8 Tinoda Matsatsa of St. Andrew's Episcopal MD are all in the mix. 

Ince, ranked US#2, Chelsea McPhail of Chelsea AL (US#3) and Layla Haynes of IMG Academy FL (US#4) are the top entries in the girls 800. 

Sprints/Hurdles

Shawnti Jackson has done just about everything imaginable as a high school sprinter and she's got a final weekend to add to her indoor accolades. She is the national record holder in the 60 meters and 300 meters and No. 2 all-time in the 200. 

Jackson of South Granville NC will face serious competition in the 60 meters from US#2 Micayah Holland and US#4 Adaejah Hodge, who are teammates at Montverde Academy FL. Sandwiched betwen Holland and Hodge in the rankings is Pennsylvania indoor champion Avery Lewis, a standout in the sprints and long jump. 

In the 200 meters, Jackson, who has run 22.91, will face US#3 Madison Whyte of Heritage VA, US#4 Hodge, US#5 Holland, US#6 Elise Cooper from the McDonogh School MD, and US#7 Lewis. 

Another of Montverde's standouts, Issam Asinga, is poised for a big potential weekend in the 60, the 200 and as a member of title-contending 4x400 relay lineup. 

Asinga ran 6.59 seconds to match No. 2 all-time and come within .02 seconds of Casey Combest's 1999 national high school record. 

One giant obstacle standing in the way of the sprint double is Nyckoles Harbor II of Archbishop Carroll, a 6-foot-5 5-star football recruit to the University of South Carolina. Harbor has run a nation-leading time of 20.78 in the 200 meters. 

The lineups in the 400 meters are compelling as well. Zaya Akins from Raytown South MO, a member of the U.S. U20 team, will race for the first time since last summer in the girls championship. She has best from 2022 of 53.06 seconds. 

Akins will take on US#2 Madison Gardner of Woodward Academy GA and US#4 KaMyya Haywood from Bishop Kenny FL. 

The boys 400 meters features a clash between Montverde's Zyaire Nurridin, US#3 at 47.06 seconds, and Bullis MD freshman sensation Quincy Wilson, US#6 at 47.30.

They will both have to contend with Tyler Floyd of GLS Speed out of Seattle (Seattle Prep), who has the US#1 time of 46.81. Another Washingtonian, Jacob Andrews of Ready-Set-Go (Sehome WA), is US#5 with 47.28. Xavier Donaldson of Seton Hall Prep NJ is US#7 with 47.35.

Andre Korbmacher from Ready-Set-Go WA (Squalicum WA) will attempt to defend his national title in th 60-meter hurdles. He competed last weekend in Spokane, but only ran the prelim. 

Korbmacher will have company with US#3 Abdoul Sy-Savane (Parkview GA), US#4 Jayden Douglas (Beechcroft OH), US#5 Bradley Franklin (Thompson AL), US#6 Broderick Davis (Scotlandville LA) and US#7 Kai Graves-Blanks of Montverde Academy FL.

Nonah Waldron of Motor City TC (Oak Park MI) is the defending champion in the girls 60-meter hurdles and also was a member of the championship Sprint Medley Relay. She is currently US#8 as she takes on a hurdles field that includes US#2 Skyye Lee of St. Louis Blues TC (Parkway Central MO), US#3 Myla Greene of Bullis MD and US#4 Camden Bentley of Lincoln OH. 

Jumps

India Alix of Northwest Flyers Track (Klein TX) comes into the meet ranked No. 1 in both the long jump and triple jump. Her best marks, 20-11.50 in the long jump and 42-5.50 in the triple jump, came three months ago at the North Texas Jumps Showcase. 

If she has an advantage it isn't much, especially in the long jump where she will take on Lewis, who has gone 20-7.75. 

Juliette Laracuente-Huebner of Mars Hill Academy (Highland OH) is ranked fourth nationally in both the long jump and triple jump. 

Montverde Academy's Micah Larry, who is also in the 60 dash and the 4x400, is the top entrant in the long jump with US#2 25-1.25. His teammate, Kyle Johnson, could win the triple jump. Johnson is US#2 with a best this season of 48-6. 

Although the Moll sisters are not competing this weekend, there is still a competive girls pole vault brewing. Jathiyah Muhammad from San Jose TC (Dublin CA) is the reigning California state champion and has cleared 14 feet this winter. Ella McRitchie from Northwest Pole Vault Academy is US#7 and has cleared 13-11.50. 

Wyatt Stewart of Madison Central KY and Maddox Hamm of Scottsboro AL are the top two boys pole vaulters in the country and will go head to head. 

National leader Carmryn Cole of Webster Schroeder NY is the lone 6-foot jumper in the country and will try to win that event in addition to the long jump. Cole won both events at the recent New York state meet. 

There hasn't been a 7-foot clearance yet this season, but US#1 Cooper Williams of BC Athletics (Fayetteville AR) has gone over 6-11.50 and US#2 Jonathan Koger from Reagan NC has cleared 6-11. 

Throws

It'll be home ring advantage for the nation's top shot putter as Jacob Cookinham, a University of Kansas recruit, tries to win the national title. Cookinham has thrown four feet farther than anyone else this season and has a best of 67-4.50. 

US#2 Hayden Dixon from Schuyler County MO and US#4 Rodney Lora of Woodberry Forest VA are also entered in the boys shot put. 

Four of the top six in the boys weight throw will be on hand: US#2 Christian Toro of Lincoln Senior RI, the Rhode Island state champion, US#3 Keith Daigneau of Bishop Hendricken RI, US#4 Ryan Johnson of Springboro OH and US#6 Dillon Morlock from Norwayne OH.

In the girls shot put, US#3 Shelby Wingler from Center Grove IN and US#4 Tyler Glover of Ardrey Kell NC are the top entries.

The top athlete in the girls weight throw is US#7 Mary Ella Brooks from Ralston Valley CO.

Relays

The relays are a particular source of pride for coaches as well as athletes and the competitions across seven different events will re-write the national leaderboard. 

The Archbishop Carroll DC team that features Harbor ran No. 4 all-time 1:26.42 for a US#1 time that makes the Lions the clear favorites in that event. 

Montverde Academy FL owns the US#1 in the boys 4x400 at No. 8 all-time 3:15.31, with Seton Hall Prep NJ (3:15.73) and Pennsauken NJ (3:15.83). Montverde's all-star level talent should put the national record (3:12.53) if the group decides to go for it. 

Hinsdale Central of Illinois, with a lineup that includes Aden Bandukwala and Daniel Watcke, is the current U.S. leader in th 4x800 relay with 7:45.73. Episcopal Academy of Pennsylvania, winners of the 4x800 at the Millrose Games, are a close second. Union Catholic NJ could get into that mix as well. 

A competitive field in the boys distance medley relay, where Phillips Exeter NH is the current US#1, could see teams push for a sub-10 minute clocking. Crater Distance Club from Oregon, with Tostenson and Gorze in the lineup, could be one to watch after placing fourth at Nike Cross Nationals. 

Crater could also be the favorite in the 4x1 Mile relay. 

Carolina Cavalier (Cuthbertson NC) brings a strong lineup to the girls 4xMile, 4x800 and distance medley. But Flower Mound TX (4xMile) and Purple Track Club of Michigan (4x800 and DMR) are back to defend their titles.  

Bullis MD ran US#1 1:37.06 to win the 4x200 at the Millrose Games and has a talented quartet capable of going faster. They'll probably need to in order to win. 

Montverde Academy is going to use Holland and Hodge on the 4x400 relay together and could be the team to beat in that event. The group already ran US#3:48.89 without Holland in the lineup.