US Girls No. 1 Fayetteville Manlius shows their dominance while a powerful Arlington squad overtakes US Boys No. 4 Shaker in light of recent injuries.

MIDDLETOWN – Ryan Brennan kept looking over his shoulder. It didn’t matter how fast the Monroe-Woodbury junior ran. He knew Newburgh’s Randy Patterson was coming. “He makes a living out of walking people down,” Brennan said. “I couldn’t believe I hadn't seen him yet.”

WARWICK – Warwick Valley senior Charlie Armand turned to Ryan Brennan of Monroe-Woodbury and set the tone for the race with a few quick words. “I’m taking out really hard and I want you right with me,” Armand said.

Newburgh coach Malcolm Burks felt like senior Randy Patterson had become a forgotten man.  Patterson enjoyed a breakthrough indoor season, where he clocked 1:19.92 for 600 meters, the second-fastest time in the state, yet he hadn’t quite broken into the elite class of long sprinters. Worst yet, college coaches weren’t biting. Not like he wanted them to.

Neither Blake Heriot nor Brady Gehret had raced 300 meters before. Yet, in two different sections of the junior boys 300 they notched the two fastest times in the country this season.

When Melissa Kurzdorfer let the weight go, she let out the sort of primal yell that accompanies throwing events as a matter of custom. But the scream turned from a release of tension to a signal of terror while Lancaster’s star thrower started to tip out the throwing circle.

Photo courtesy of ArmoryTrack.com

Delbarton’s Pat Schellberg had led the entire race. He controlled every aspect. He decided the pace and when the field would move. But when Marco Bertolotti of Port Washington tried to relieve him of that burden with three laps remaining in the boys mile, Schellberg felt that he had let the field hold on to him long enough.

Maybe because it’s the holiday season Methacton’s Calton Lavong had everyone but himself on his mind at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic.

They’d been in the same position a bunch of times before. With the finish line approaching and Hempstead’s Charlene Lipsey straining to hold onto a lead, Phyllis Francis of Catherine McAuley fought to snatch it away. This season it seemed impossible to take down Lipsey in the home stretch of any race. Until impossible happened.

A preview of the boys NY State Championships this weekend in Ithaca, NY.

The best of NY State come together at Cornell University this weekend for the NY State Federation Championships. The best athletes from the CHSAA, PSAL, AIS, and NYSPHSAA will battle for the state championships.

The Fordham Prep boys and Benjamin Cardozo girls are the top ranked teams overall in NYS right now, based on the events contested at the NY State Championships.

Morris Hills didn’t have a goal in mind time-wise. They wanted t run fast. Mission accomplished.

Charlene Lipsey pounded her chest with her right hand. The adrenaline hadn’t subsided yet. The motion displayed an affirmation of the Hempstead senior’s heart, although she didn’t really need another display. Her race said enough.

Farrell’s James Farley took the baton. His strides were decisive and aggressive but somehow still smooth and methodical. Fordham Prep’s Carlos Petrovich had 40 meters on him and it was down to the anchor leg of the CHSAA boys 4x800 at the Millrose Games Trials.

  Newburgh Free Academy assistant coach Malcolm Burks has helped produce some of the premier sprint relay teams perennially.  From Elize Coleman to Akino Boone to now Randy Patterson Newburgh has consistently been home to some to the top long sprinters in the state. At the Marine Corps Classic in December Newburgh set the top times in the country this season in both the 4x200 and 4x400.

When Sheepshead Bay’s Naquan Alexander zipped by the Westlake (Md.) anchor leg – on the inside of all places – by most accounts the race should have been over. But while Alexander was trying to hold on to the lead, there was Newburgh’s Randy Patterson tacked on to their heels looking for an opportunity.

McGovern just misses state PV record By Christopher Hunt BUFFALO – The way Pat DuPont torn down the back straight it looked like the Fairport senior must have forgot how many laps were left. This was a full gallop – a challenge to the field to match him at their own peril. “I knew that if I could make (the pace) hurt myself then I could make it hurt everyone else,” DuPont said. FULL STORY HERE

Results from around the country keep pouring in and what we've seen so far is mighty impressive. Numerous U.S. top five marks have been established this weekend, starting with Chanelle Price's (PA) big 2:03.98 800m win at the New York Relays Saturday. Following Price's lead, Jacquelyn Coward (TN) (pictured left by Brandon Miles) ran the most impressive hurdle double of the season by winning the 300m hurdles in 41.26 and 100m hurdles in 13.11w at the Volunteer Classic at the University of Tennessee. Read what else took place this weekend. Boys Weekend Top Performances - Roman Holmes (CO) soars 24-05 LJ, 47-03 TJ at Littleton (CO) - Maurice Mitchell (MO) goes 10.40 for 100m at Kansas Relays - Michael Shaw (OH) wins 100m dash in 10.39w at Tennessee - Chris Derrick (IL) runs 8:48.9 for 3200 at Downers Grove (IL) - Germantown Friends (PA) goes 7:47.50 4x8 at CB West Relays - Kenny McClain (FL) runs 37.21 for 300m hurdles in FL - Dan Block (IL) throws 199-08 discus, 63-05 shot put in IL - James White (MO) high jumps 7-00 at Kansas Relays - Kevin Williams (CO) runs 9:02.29 to win 3200m in Kansas Girls Weekend Top Performances - Anna Jelmini (CA) tosses discus 183-11 in CA, U.S.#4 all-time - Karen Shump (PA) throws shot put 47-09 at Great Valley Relays - Kelly McNamee (WA) leaps 5-10 to win high jump at Pasco (WA) - Neely Spence (PA) U.S.#2 4:48.51 at 1600m, 2:15.38 800m in PA - Megan Frausto (TX) leaps 19-03.5 to win long jump at Kansas Relays - Chanelle Price (PA) runs 2:03.98 for 800m at the NY Relays - Jacquelyn Coward (TN) goes 41.26 300mH, 13.11w 100mH in TN - Roxi Grizzle (KS) throws javelin 163-11 at Kansas Relays, U.S.#7 A-T - Emily Sisson (NE) wins 3200m at Kansas Relays in 10:25.42