Knight & Neale represent Washington at New Balance

       The state of Washington’s distance strength this year was on display once again at the New Balance Meet in North Carolina.   Washington had two representativ in the Girls’ Mile Run, as Katie Knight of North Central in Spokane and Amy-Eloise Neale of Glacier Peak.    Mary Cain of New York & Hannah Meier Michigan took the lead early and led the field through a first lap of 71.80.    Meier, who ran on the inside, & Cain continued doing the pace work through a half mile time of 2:226.91 but they were closely pursued by six other runners.

     Kelsey Margay of Huntington, NY moved into third on the ensuing turn but then was quickly replaced by Wesley Frazier.   As they rounded the turn towards the 1200 meter mark there were still seven runners with a distinct chance of winning and for a brief time Hannah Meier was joined at the front by her twin sister Haley.   They reached the 1200 in about 3:40 with five runners still in contention.   The leaders spread out a bit during the last lap with Hannah Meier leading Molly Seidel by about three yards with Haley Meier & Mary Cain running in third and fourth.  

      Wesley Frazier, who was running her third distance race in three days, appeared to be out of the race as they rounded the final turn but just before coming out of the final turn she put in a surge, which quickly moved her into third place.   She then closed with a rush to pass Seidel & then Meier.  Her winning margin of about a second in a time of 4:44.76 made her victory seem easier than it was.  Hannah Meier (4:45) held second over Molly Seidel of Wisconsin, who was clocked in 4:46.   Haley Meier earned fifth with4:46.86 by edging Mary Cain (4:46.91) and Kelsey Margay took sixth.   

      Katie Knight, who was always in the hunt garnered eighth in a time of 4:48.48 nipping Megan Moye of Virginia.   Amy-Elosie Neale claimed ninth, as the Snohomish runner ran 4:51.   Maria Seykora of Pennsylvania rounded out the top ten with a time of 4:52.  Rachel paul of New York finished eleventh and was the last runner to crack the five minute barrier (4:52).

     The young men’s mile had been billed as another attempt for Jantzen Oshier of California to break the four-minute barrier but the runner, who worked so hard and setup  Lukas Verzbicas at the Adidas Jim Ryun Mile.   Unfortunately a very hard spring left him a bit short & Josh Lampron of Massachusetts surprised with a triumph in a time of 4:05.99.  Oshier  placed second with a time of 4:06 and Daniel Everett of St. Louis placed third.  Blake Williams of N.C. and Omar Kaddurah of Michigan secured fourth & fifth respectively & New Yorker Chad Noelle came home in sixth.