West Catholic's 4:06.70 SMR is a new US #2, while their 3:51.54 4x400, behind a 53.5 anchor by Nicole Leach, is a new US#3. Leach was the lead-off on the SMR, followed by Erica Ferguson, Ciarra Lawson and anchor Latavia Thomas. Bonner won the 4x800 in 8:04.77 (Dave McGuire 2:00.1/Rich Touey 2:03.8/Luke Henderson 2:00.9/Mark Simpson 1:59.7), a new US#4 (in photo by Dan Nelson), while the Hatboro-Horsham girls took their race in 9:17.46, new US#2. And O'Hara's Steve Hallinan, who took a brief lead at 3/4's in 3:10.8, solidified his place in the Millrose Mile field with his 5th place 4:12.72. West Chester Henderson made the finals of the 4x200, but a runner fell on a slippery spot, knocking them out of contention. They went 1:30.73 in the Trial, a new US#7, then 1:33.26 in the Finals. O'Hara went 1:33.18, all @ the New Balance Games @ the NY Armory.
In other PA action... in the 4x400, O'Hara clocked 3:31.40. And Conwell Egan Long Jumper Steve Slayton long-jumped 21-11.50.
O'Hara coach Tom Kennedy was thrilled with Hallinan's performance. With the 4:12-72, Hallinan is into the Millrose Mile. Kennedy said he had been to the Millrose Games as a spectator, but this will be his first athlete in the prestigious event. "Steve stayed in my ear on this, letting me know what races he had to be in. If he hadn't raced so well today, he may not have made it. He's excited about going. He even took the lead with a quarter to go. That shows something. Then the other guys said, 'nice move, watch this.' But he ran a great race."
With Chris Spooner's misfortune in not making the New Balance Games race, the state championship mile at Penn State should set up as a legitimate crack at the 4:11.57 state record set in 1981 by North Penn's Blair Mancini.
West Catholic's SMR squad is a new US#2 with their 4:06.70 (Photo by Dan Nelson)