New York State Championships Highlight Spring Season's End



Boys 4x800m
Event Info: 2014 Winner: Warwick 7:44.25, State Record: 7:35.65, Meet Record: 7:38.78, State Qualifier Mark (FAT): 7:53.04 (D1) - 8:05.94 (D2)

State of the Action

This may have been one of the deepest 4x800m fields in State Meet recent history. The field refused to break apart through the first two legs, a blanket exchange from the top teams. Into the third leg, Shenendehowa began to break away, with a tail of storied programs right on their tail. With the final exchange to Colin Rowe, Shen knew the name of the game: outrun Jimmy Asselmeyer's kick. They had a two second advantage, crossing the line with Guilderland at the same exchange. Asselemeyer moved past the Guilderland anchor, closing on Rowe, who was putting in a lifetime best on his own anchor leg. Eating up the distance into the final turn, the pair came flush down the final straightaway. Neck and neck the pair surged, neither gaining any ground. With the finish line inches away, Rowe had made up the slightest amount of distance ahead, as Asselmeyer leaned forward. Each would push through the line, as Rowe finished first. However, for Asselmeyer, leaning as well, leaned a little too far, taking a tumble to track, cracking his collarbone in the process, as he rolled across the line. And yes, his anchor split was still 1:49.66, even with a stutter in the final steps, to chase Shen's NY #19 All-Time.