12th New Balance Games 2007

Dakota headed to the NY Armory.

It was an attack of the sub 11 two milers from the Virginia girls this weekend with three runners dipping well under the 11 minutes this weekend. Homeschooled junior star Aurora Scott ran a US #1 time of 10:29.12 at the Asics Invitational in Lynchburg, while Deep Run senior Courtlin LaReau challenged her through a 5:12 first mile and held on for a US #3 time of 10:45.86. Incredibly both were newbies to the event indoors with this weekend being Scott\'s first indoor meet. Meanwhile, Chantilly sophomore Lia DiValentin clocked a US #5 time of 10:49.11 on Friday evening at UNC\'s Eastern Challenge.

Highlighting the weekend... Mid-week there were two shot put competitions in western PA, the TSTCA MEET at Thomas Jefferson on Wednesday, and the SPARTAN FIELD & TRACK SHOT PUT MEET on Thursday at Hempfield. On Friday at the DVGTCA INDOOR MEET #6, Penncrest\'s Karen Shump improved her US#1 mark in the Shot Put to 49-04.25, a meet record. With the addition of the DMR to the state events this indoor season for the first time, teams are going after it with a vengeance. Eleven squads were under 13 minutes on the flat track at Lehigh, led by a PA#2 by Henderson. Upper Darby\'s Bintou Dibba improved to PA#4 with a long jump. On Friday, at the TFCAGP D2 INDOOR MEET #7 at Widener, Wissahickon set a track record in the DMR, while Penn Charter set a meet record idn the 4 x 1 lap. At week #4, the final qualifier before the semis of the COLGATE WOMEN\'S GAMES Engineering & Science\'s Syeeda Gee won two events, the 800 and 1500. Teammate Kasia Taylor was 2nd in the 1500. On Saturday at the NEW BALANCE GAMES in New York on Saturday, Easton\'s Chanelle Price takes 2nd in the girls elite mile at the New Balance Games in NY, to Danielle Tauro\'s 4:46.13, running a 4:50.65! VIDEO LINK AVAILABLE. Also at the meet, Bradford took the 4x800 in a PA#1 time. There were also PA#1\'s from the Swenson\'s girls and O\'Hara boys in the 4x200; and the Chester girls in the sprint medley relay. Methacton also became the 2nd squad under 4 in the 4x400. Early Saturday morning, Clayton NC sr Johnny Dutch broke Deworski Odom\'s (Overbrook HS) 1995 55H USR. At the YALE TRACK CLASSIC in CT, Great Valley\'s boys won the small school DMR. On Saturday, Downingtown West\'s Christen Arnold took over PA#2 in the long jump. Downingtown West ran a PA#3 mark in the 4x400. At the LAVINO RELAYS in New Jersey at the Lawrenceville School, Glen Mills\' Semaj Spencer leapt nearly 47\' in the triple jump; went 21-03.25 as part of the winning long jump relay; contributed to the winning high jump relay, and ran a leg on the winning 4x200. At the POLE VAULT SUMMIT in Reno, Nevada, Abby Schaffer of Easton upped her PA#1 mark with one-inch PR. At the KENT STATE HS OPEN #1, McDowell\'s Brice Myers took over PA#1 in the 55 hurdles. At the TFCAGP D1 INDOOR MEET #7 @ Glen Mills Schools, Boyertown\'s Jason Weller tuned up for his upcoming Millrose Games mile with sub-2 in the 800. Teammate Mark Dennis dipped under 9 again in the 3000. On Sunday at the MARIETTA COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL MEET #2 in Marietta, OH, Scott VanKooten, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, posted a PA#2 in the 3200. (Cover photo: Council Rock North won the DMR at the Lawrenceville School\'s Lavino Relays in NJ

West Springfield senior Mike Spooner found himself stuck in a strategic and kicker\'s race in the elite high school mile at New Balance Games halfway through the race. He decided to go for it and shoot to the lead on the back stretch of the banked 200 meter track found at the New York Armory with less than a half mile left in the race. However, Spooner\'s leading duties were short lived as he was over taken a pack of runners on the next lap. He was still able to hold onto a sixth place finish and run an indoor personal best time of 4:20.45 for a full mile (converts to a 4:18.85 1600 meter time).