BOYS TRIPLE JUMP (Friday, 5 p.m.): The watch for Erasmus senior Shane Green to jump 50 feet is still going. Green claimed he fouled a 51-footer at the state meet. He could become just the third jumper in PSAL history to clear 50 feet – company that would include former long jump world record-holder Bob Beamon (Jamaica High). Green has jump consistently beyond 49 feet since December with an personal best of 49-9.25 at the Loucks Games in May.
BOYS POLE VAULT: Arlington senior Jordan Yamoah said that it’s about time he join the other 17-foot vaulters in the country. Here’s his chance. Yamoah has been battle-tested and marred by injury this season but still managed to take down his own state record again at the state meet, clearing 16-7. There’s no doubt that Yamoah can push his state record even higher. The real question is can be become the only New York vaulter to clear 17 feet indoors and outdoors.
BOYS 2,000 STEEPLECHASE (Saturday, 12:20 p.m.): Packer Collegiate senior Eddie Owens has admitted to feeling run down toward the end of the season. But in a New York-laden championship race, Owens will go in as a heavy favorite. Only New Jersey superstar Edward Cheserek, who is not entered in the race, has run faster than Owens in the 3,000 steeple. If Owens is on his game, the way he was when he clocked 8:59.53 for the 3K steeple, he could take a shot at John Gregorek’s state record of 5:47.1 for the 2,000 steeplechase.
BOYS LONG JUMP (Saturday, 2:30 p.m.): The way Sheepshead Bay’s Rolyce Boston has been jumping, the senior will be right in the thick of the competition at nationals. The senior proved that he can be a consistent 24-foot jumper this season, posting 24-footers three times. He leaped a personal best 24 feet, 6.50 inches at the state championships, which would likely put him on the medal podium at nationals.
BOYS 400 (Saturday, 6 p.m.): Middletown’s Mel Mosley has never seen competition like the senior will see Saturday. That could mean Mosley, who will head to Southern University, could see the better side of 47 seconds for the second time this season. Mosley clocked 46.88 three weeks ago at his home invitational and posted a 46.0 relay split at the state meet. It’ll take a low-46 to contend with the likes of Florida’s Arman Hall and Najee Glass of St. Peter’s Prep (N.J.).
BOYS 800 (Saturday, 5:40 p.m.): The race will give Liverpool junior Zavon Watkins another chance to join the short list of New York harriers with sub-1:50 performance to their credit. Watkins amazed people around the country when he posted a 1:47 relay split at the national meet last year as a sophomore. Watkins has clocked 1:50.61 this season. A slow start robbed him of any chance to break 1:50 at the state meet but the junior shouldn’t run into that problem at the state meet. Waktins will line up against the top three-ranked half-milers in the country this season, all with personal-best of 1:49. Only seven high school boys in New York history have broke 1:50.
BOYS DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY (Saturday, 6:57 p.m.): OK, so any race that St. Benedict Prep’s Edward Cheserek (N.J.) is in is worth watching, New York runners of not. He will make an anchor leg exciting no matter where he gets the baton. But we can’t forget about Warwick Valley. The team will looking to rebound from a poor showing in the Penn Relays DMR, but if Dan Paez can deliver the kind of leadoff leg that helped Warwick to the indoor national title, the Wave will have a solid chance. Stanford-bound Tim Luthin has also shown he his best shape. There’s also Shaker, which will be looking to prove the Bison haven’t fallen off the DMR map. If winning the state 4x800 title in 7:41.47 is an indication, the Bison are ready to roll.
BOYS 4X400 (Saturday, 7:20 p.m.): This will be the perfect race for Middletown to take a crack at the New York State record of 3:12.27 set by Newburgh in 2003. That relay was highlighted with a 45.1 anchor leg named Elzie Colman. Middletown will have Mel Mosley, who is capable of a 45-second relay split. Together with Web Pierre, Adam Abdur-Rahman and twin Manny Mosley, the Middles claimed the state title in 3:13.98. It doesn’t come often to find a squad this balanced with a superstar anchor.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisHuntArmory
