Christine Scott ran 24.86 (-4.9) to upstage Chyna Ries and Mary Beth Sant in the 200 meters. Photo by Jeff McCoy.
We have grown accustomed to the Mullen Runners Roost meet annually producing many of the best marks in the state. It did not disappoint this year, although some late afternoon winds definitely messed with what could have been some stellar times in the 200 meters.
Both invitational 200s were marquee kind of events. The girls 200 matched Chyna Ries, Mary Beth Sant, and Mullen's own Christine Scott. Dior Hall and Zainab Sanni were slated to compete in the 200 meter invitational in lanes 4 and 3, but scratched the event. With the kind of day Chyna Ries was having, it figured to be her event. Someone forgot to slip that note into Scott's hand at the start line, however. Nearly dead even with Ries and Sant coming off the turn, Scott had just a bit more coming down the stretch. Her 24.86 mark is a great time under any conditions, but especially so straight into the teeth of a -4.9 wind.
For anyone figuring the afternoon's big thrills were done with the girls' 200, the boys' 200 would start the hearts pounding again--maybe even harder this time. With Cyler Miles not coming to the start line, the race figured to belong to Eaglecrest's Marcus Harris. It is no secret that Harris is flat-out fast. Earlier in the day, Harris had won the 100 convincingly in 10.68 (+0.3). What everyone learned in just a little over 22 seconds, however, was that Nolan Mayhew was a hair faster, at least into a stiff -8.2 wind. The Cheyenne Mountain middle distance ace stunned Harris and just about everyone in the stands with a 22.95 to 22.97 victory over Harris. Under better conditions, that 22-flat mark in Mayhew's dreams may have tumbled over into reality.
In a way, it's a shame that arguably the two best races of the day had to come after the winds had picked up, but competition doesn't honor standard of "wind legal." Competition works on its own time schedule. Those who don't answer competition's call on account of conditions are bound to miss out on many of life's best moments.
Which isn't to say that we didn't see a lot of fine performances under the near-perfect conditions of the morning and early afternoon as well.
Some of the more notable performances from earlier in the day included Nolan Mayhew gaining a big victory over 4A rival Trent Ireland in the 400, 48.13 to 48.68. Kirk Webb won a blustery 800 meters in 1:55.58. Jake Schneeberger doubled the shot and discus with throws of 54-2 and 176-0, respectively (for a few moments, Schneeberger may have owned the state's best mark of the year in the shot put, but--at the end of the day it was back in the hands of Daniel Weirich). Cameron Carter had a dead-wind 22-7.5 to win the long jump.
Keifer Johnson had a nice 1600/3200 double at 4:22.67 and 9:52.87. The generally uninspiring distance marks on the day may lend some support to a personal theory that barometric pressure has a great deal to do with big marks in distance events. Certainly, the wind was a factor for the 3200s, but the assembled fields figured to post bigger marks than the FAT system recorded (more on this issue of distance events and barometric pressure coming this summer).
In the girls' events, we've already alluded to the big day Chyna Ries enjoyed. A long jump of 18-10.75 (-2.3) makes you believe 20 feet has to be within the realm of possibility. A n 11.83 (+0.7) 100 was good enough to take top honors in a stellar cast of sprint talent.
While Eleanor Fulton didn't approach lifetime best marks in either the 800 (2:14.65) or the 1600 (5:00.59), she was clearly without peer in either race. Bigger battles await the Highlands Ranch senior.
And something must be said about the high school outdoor track and field debut of George Washington's Dior Hall. Hall was nearly flawless (and, for all my distance-trained eyes could tell, she was flawless) over the 100 hurdles. Hall finished the hurdle event in 13.98 (+1.5). Annie Kunz has never looked slow to anyone, but Kunz (in second at 14.38) was never really in this race.
Kunz, however, would go on to win the high jump (5-6) and 300 hurdles (45.53). For her efforts, split between the track and field as they were, Kunz was honored as the female field event athlete of the meet. Eleanor Fulton took female track athlete honors. On the boys' side, the recognition went to Jake Schneeberger in the field events and Nolan Mayhew in track events.