War of the States, or the Empire State Strikes Back

After the tempest they unleashed at indoor nationals, there was no doubt who would be the favorites at outdoors. The points storm continued outdoors for the NY girls as they ran and threw to nine 1st places in the thirty events and 182 points, 68 more than any other state. One of those 1sts was by Alex Harris in the 3K steeplechase, an event in which the NYers swept up all 31 points. NY athletes also pulled in all the 1sts in the 800-5K range, with Sammy Watson winning the 800, Katelyn Tuohy the 1600, Kelsey Chmiel the 2 Miles, and Jessica Lawson the 5000. Jillian Shippee tossed in a second national championship for 2017, this time in the hammer throw, West Babylon took the 1600 sprint medley relay, and Katherine Lee and her Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats captured the 4x800 on Saturday evening and then got up doubly early on Sunday morning to take the 4xMile.

One of the usual wins that NY did not get was in the 3K race walk as Lauren Harris was not at NBNO, but NY athletes led by Audrey Fox did take 2nd through 6th. Other 2nd places for NY included Amanda Vestri in the 5000, Payton Capes-Davis in the 2K steeple, Shenendehowa had a 2nd in the 1600 SMR and then along with Corning helping to complete a 1-2-3 NY sweep of the 4xMile. With four more 3rds from Jessica Lawson in the 2 Miles, Kelly Iocca in the steeplechase, Margaret Atwood in the race walk, and Ward Melville in the 4x800, NY just dominated the action even though it was without its top scorer from the NY state championship, Lanae-Tava Thomas.

Like the New York guys, the New Jersey girls came from farther back at indoor nationals to capture the 2nd spot outdoors, though their 114 points trailed NY by a lot. The one constant factor for NJ was Alyssa Wilson repeating her indoor shot put win, but outdoors she added a discus 1st and a 2nd in the hammer throw, two events that for some reason she was not permitted to do indoors. Sydney McLauglin also grabbed the indoor-outdoor crown combo, though this time she added the word "hurdles" to her 400 meter indoor triumph. The Jersey girls also got wins from a McLaughlin-anchored Union Catholic 1st in the Swedish relay and Jenna Rogers in the high jump to edge into the runner-up spot at NBNO.

Only 3 points behind NJ in 3rd at 111 was a Florida contingent that took the first two places in the 100 meters behind Symone Mason and Twanisha Terry, tops in the long jump with Sophia Falco, 1st in the heptathlon by Kaitlyn Kirby, and a win in the 800 sprint medley relay by Mason's Miami Southridge team. In 4th falling a point short of the century mark was Virginia behind 1sts by Kate Murphy's Lake Braddock distance medley relay team and the Western Branch shuttle hurdle relay team. Of special note for 6th place Maryland was the Bullis team's capture of both the 1st and 4th places (A and B squads) in the 4x100.