Jones (8:51.40), Brooke Wilson (10:15.95) Win 2-Mile Titles At The Armory

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

NEW YORK – Hunter Jones figures he's been inside logging his miles on a treadmill "70 percent" of the winter at his home in Western Michigan. 

Still, the senior from Benzie Central MI has turned in some of the top distance performances in the country. 

On Friday at Nike Indoor Nationals, Jones ran away from the field early and rolled to a vcitory in the boys 2-mile in 8:51.40. Herriman UT's Noah Jenkins tried to narrow a huge gap in the second half of the race but still finished nine seconds back in 9:00.04.

For Jones, who has another big effort coming in the 5,000 on Saturday, track meet successes feel a bit like redemption. 

Jones was the toast of the cross country season after crushing the meet record at NXR Midwest, but he came up short of his goals at Nike Cross Nationals and the Champs Sports Cross Country finals. 

"It was really tough," he said. "It was heartbreaking for me. I took that (feeling) to heart and amplified my training even more so that I can be ready for bigger things."

In the girls 2-mile, eighth grader Sophia Rodriguez from Pennsylvania stuck her nose into the lead in the second half of the race and Valor Christian CO's Brooke Wilson had to summon some senior pride in order to pull away for a five-second victory. 

Wilson ran 10:15.95. Rodriguez finished second in 10:20.68 and Real Training (Niwot CO) freshman Addison Ritzenhein was third in 10:21.03. 

"I kept listening to the (announcers) and was like 'Oh my gosh, she's actually an eighth grader?" Wilson said of Rodriguez. "Come on Brooke, we gotta go now."

Real Training's Anna Prok withstood a challenge from Kinetic (Saratoga Springs) senior Emily Bush before pulling away with a big kick to win the girls distance medley relay in 11:41.46. Kinetic, the defending champions, finished three seconds back in 11:44.67. 

EA1785, the handle used by Episcopal School of Pennsylvania, won the boys distance medley in 10:08.93. Michael Woolery saved a burst for the end to get to the line ahead of Monroe-Woodbury's Colin Gilstrap and hard-charging Rahway NJ anchor Micah Lawson. 

Huntington NY (3:33.08) won the boys sprint medley relay and the Hoover AL girls took the girls SMR title in 4:06.08. 

Kya Crooke from Indiana won the girls high jump with a clearance at 5-8.75. 

In the weight throws, national leaders Angela Schykerynec from Golden State Throwers (Orland CA) and Max Herman from Throw 1 Deep (Marietta GA) prevailed. 

Herman threw 78-11.75 and survived a challenge from Christian Toro of Lincoln RI. Schykerynec won with 57-10.25.