Nike Outdoor - State Record for Motor City!!

Wow! At Rockford, Brandon Jiles told me that the Mumford guys would be going for the all-time state record of 7:40.68 at Nike. Did they ever! The Motor City foursome stormed to a 7:37.99 to win the national title, and cut 2.69 from Saline's 2004 record, set at the same meet. Mumford now ranks among the top 15 teams in U.S. history! I'm awaiting the splits anxiously, but the math is easy. Mumford's men averaged a pinch under 1:54.5 each!

The highlight of Thursday belonged to Tiffany Abrahamian. Always a smart racer, the Rochester senior managed to hold a solid pace to run the 5000m in 17:20.07, becoming the #3 performer in Michigan history, after Marissa Treece (16:36.34) and Emily Anderson (17:06.98). Kristen Smith of Clarkston (17:43.59) and Rockford's Katie Haines (17:46.16) also ran great. A fourth Michigan prep also broke into the top 10 all-time: Erin LaFave of Lahser clocked 18:09.32, a time that is being hailed as a world junior deaf record. She is reportedly planning to run in the World Deaf Championships in Turkey later this summer.

On Friday, Brooke Eilers of Holland Christian continued her fabulous improvement, clocking 10:37.93 for 11th in the two mile. That converts to 10:34.24, a state-leading mark, making her the #5 performer in state history behind some memorable names: Morgan, Van Tuyl, Bews, and Boyd.

In the boys two mile, Maverick Darling and Bobby Aprill renewed their rivalry, both placing well, behind German Fernandez's national record 8:34.40. Darling ran 6th in 8:57.80 (converts to a list-leading 8:54.69, moving to #6 all-time, a hair ahead of Olympian Doug Brown's 8:54.7+). And Aprill missed Dan Jackson's Dexter school record, but clocked 8:59.50 in 7th (8:56.38+), which moves him to #8 all-time, ahead of Foot Locker XC champ Brian Grosso.

I should also point out that Rochester soph Megan Goethals won the emerging elite mile in 4:59.26 (4:57.23+). The state record in the mile for sophs? Still 4:54.7 by current EMU coach Sue Parks, 36 years ago at the Drake Relays.

In the girls 4 x 800, Breen TC, made up of Troy students, ran 9:29.64 in the first heat. Then in the fast section, Spirit of Pre from Saline ran 9:13.63 for 4th (in an 8:55 race!). That ranks #11 all-time, and is 0.44 behind Mumford's D1 winning time. Motor City (all Mumford students) placed 6th in 9:15.25.

Meanwhile, at the USA Juniors, Joe Wesley tied for 5th in the vault, with his opening (and only) clearance of 15-11. Brandon VanDriel, who ran a 10.52 at the state finals that I called wind-aided (and got a lot of grief for) ended up running 10.95 in the 100 heats with a very legal 0.2 wind. I truly hope that next year there is a wind gauge at all of Sparta's meets (and all the meets of every top sprinter/hurdler/long jumper in the state), so we can all start being more honest with kids about the significant effects of wind in the speed events.

Let's not forget Irene Cooper. Two years ago she won the Oakland County shot put at 43-1 for Lahser. Today she captured the USA junior championship in the hammer throw, hitting 186-3. Only six former Michigan preps have ever thrown better.