Message to Readers NEW 09/7/08
Bentonville CC Invite, Memorial Park, 9/6/08 .... NEW 09/7/08
Bentonville Girls took a 1-4 sweep to beat Rogers Heritage and Rogers by 17-42-81 in a 6-team meet. Katie Dalton led the Lady Tigers with a 14:15 over the 4k (2.48 miles) course followed by teammates Shannon Sullivan and Mackenzie Bloom, both under 15 minutes. Brittany Dart became the first Heritage girl to finish a CC race taking 5th place in 15:12. Rogers edged Heritage and Bentonville in the Boys 4k race winning by 32-43-64 in the 8-team meet. Jeremiah Fleeman led the Mounties with a win at 12:31 (5:02 per mile) ahead of Scott Compton (Bentonville) in 12:47. Tyler Heitz became the first Heritage boy to finish a CC race taking 3rd in 12:55. In th Girls 2k junior high race, Rogers nipped Bentonville Washington, Bentonville Black and Rogers Kirksey by 50-59-71-77 in the 10-team Girls meet. Tayler Estrada (Bentonville Black) won in 9:01 over the 2k (1.24 miles) course. Springdale Central won the 12-team Boys junior meet by 37-59-93-118 over Rogers, Siloam Springs and Bentonville Washington. Will Aenchenbacher (Bentonville Black) easily won the Boys race in 7:47. For complete meet results, go here.
Cross Country Preview NEW 09/3/08
Check out our preview for this fall here.
Rogers Eliminator, Lake Atalanta and Downtown Rogers, 8/23/08 .... NEW 08/24/08
A record 418 runners took part in the 24th annual Lake Atalanta 5K and the 8th annual 1K Elementary Races. Mild temperatures and overcast provided near ideal conditions for the grueling 5k over the hills around the lake and then up the Eliminator Hill for 800m+ for the final 600m+ to the finish. Rogers senior Cameron Efurd took the men's division in 16:59, good enough for the 2nd best time ever on the course. Senior and fellow Mountie Courtney Efurd won the women's race in 21:15. Rachel Hardgrave, 12 years old from Fayetteville placed 3rd overall in an excellent time of 22:08. Hardgrave holds the K-2 1K course and meet record in 3:09.53 set in 2003. Click here for complete meet results.
Spearmon makes Oly 200m finals ...
NEW 08/23/08
Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville/Arkansas) won Heat 6 on 8/18/08 with the 3rd best qualifying time of 20.46, then took 3rd in Heat 2 of the semi-finals on 8/19/08 with 20.14, 4th best semi time. In the finals on 8/20/08, Spearmon finished 3rd in what seemed to be a Bronze Medal but minutes later was disqualified for stepping on the lane marker coming out of the curve into the homestretch. Spearmon, uncharacteristically, sped out of the blocks in hot pursuit of Usain Bolt and was being swept along in the world record pace race but took the curve too close. Spearmon is now 9-7 in races against Bolt. Although unofficial due to the DQ, Spearmon's time was something less than 19.96, well off his PR of 19.65 set at Daegu on 9/28/06.
Kostetskaya competes at Beijing ... NEW 08/16/08
Katya Kostetskaya (Jonesboro/Texas State/Russian Federation) claimed 3rd in Heat 5 of the W800m with a quick clocking of 2:00.54 on 8/15/08 to advance to the semifinal round. On 8/16, Kostetskaya posted a 1:58.33 good enough for 3rd in Heat 2 of the semis but did not advance to the finals. Her PR is 1:56.67 set on 7/18/08.
Spearmon, Hicks excel at US Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, 6/27-7/6/08 .... NEW 08/08/08
Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville/Arkansas) led the contingent of former Arkansas high schoolers at the US Trials by securing the 3rd spot on the USA 200m squad and just missed making the finals in the 100m. Antwon Hicks (Hot Springs/Ole MIss) barely missed making the USA team after a superb run through the qualifying rounds. Lauren Hagans (LR Christian/Baylor) made a strong statement in the W1500m missing out on the finals by one spot with strange finish. Katie Stripling (Jonesboro/Arkansas) competed in the WPV. Spearmon started his quest on 6/28 with a 2nd place in Heat 3 of the M100m prelims at 10.117 and improved to 10.069 to take 6th in Heat 1 of the quarterfinals. On 6/29, Spearmon was 5th in Heat 2 of the semis at 10.179, just .001 from making the finals. His run for the 200m team stated on 7/4 with a win in Heat 5 of the prelims at 20.81 with the 5th best overall time. On 7/5 he improved to 20.59 to take 2nd in Heat 3 of the quarterfinals and came back later that day in Heat 1 of the semis to place 2nd at a strong 20.05. In the finals on 7/6, Spearmon improved yet again to a speedy 19.90 for 3rd overall and good enough to make the USA team. Hicks, after a stellar career at Ole Miss as one of the nation's elite college high hurdlers, won Heat 1 in the opening round on 7/5 in the M110H at a pedestrian 13.40 and later advanced to the semis with a win at a quicker 13.28 in Heat 1 of the quartefinals. On 7/6, he tore up the track with a 2nd place in the semis at 13.09 but could only manage a 13.33 in the finals later that day for a still excellent 5th place finish. Lauren Hagans has run in near obscurity at sprint power Baylor but announced loudly at the Trials how far she has come with two PRs and a near miss in the W1500m at the finals. In the prelims, Hagans ran a very credible 4:17.94 in Heat 2 on 7/3 to advance to the finals. Looking like she belonged at the starting line on 7/4, Hagans found herself minutes later boxed in down the back stretch of the gun lap but put on a fabulous last 200m to pass runners in the curve and seemingly moving into position to advance when the runner in front fell causing Hagans to nearly halt before crossing the finish at 4:15.01 in a terrific time (4:32 pace for 1600m). Hagans splits were a very solid 69.54-68.63-66.79 with a 50.06 for the last 300m even with the mishap. Her last 400m was a strong 66.19. Katie Stripling ran into a buzz saw of competitors and could only clear 4.10m (13' 5.25") on her 3rd attempt and miss all three attempts at 4.20. Congratulations are in order to all of these alumni and best wishes to Wallace Spearmon as he pursues a medal in Beijing starting with qualifying rounds in the 200m on Monday, 8/18.
Stripling,Hagans star at NCAA D1 Outdoor Meet, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 6/11-15/08 ..... NEW 06/15/08
Sophomore Katie Stripling (Jonesboro/Arkansas) and senior Lauren Hagans (LR Christian/Baylor) grabbed All-American honors at the D1 championships to lead the former Arkansas high school performers. Stripling took 3rd in the WPV finals at 4.20m (13' 9.25") as the Top 4 each cleared the same height. Stripling also was tied for 1st after the prelims with a mark of 4.10m (13' 5.25"). Meanwhile, Hagans concluded a college career of steady improvement with a 7th place finish in the W1500m at a very fine 4:15.43 clocking. Hagans was qualified in the prelims with a 4:15.69 time. Hagans time is a 4:35 mile pace. Senior B. J. Parish (Magnet Cove/Arkansas State) tallied 7033 points to place a solid 14th in the Decathlon. Parish scored 806 in the 100m as his best event and finished 8th in the DT for his highest finish. Spencer McCorkel (Bryant/ Arkansas) was tied for 10th in the MPV at 5.10m (16' 8.75") after being tied for the lead in the prelims at 5.25m (17' 2.75"). Others participating were Junior Courtenay Brown (Sylvan Hills/Arkansas) and senior Paige Farrell (Springdale/Arkansas) running 2nd and 3rd legs on the 4 x400m relay team that finished 14th in the prelims. Senior Mychael Stewart (Bentonville/Arkansas) ran the 3rd leg on the 4 x100m relay team that was 12th in the prelims. Complete meet results are posted at www.flashresults.com.
