Husky Classic & UW High School Invitational
Dempsey Indoor was the place to be last weekend for college and high school action with the Husky Classic and UW High School Invitational.
Husky Classic
The Husky Classic gave college athletes a great chance to run times and qualify for NCAA Indoor Championships. Friday night New Mexico’s Amelia Mazza-Downie outlasted Utah’s Emily Venters to win in 15:18.84 which is the fourth fastest NCAA indoor 5000 this season. Venters’ second place finish of 15:20.37 places her fifth of the NCAA indoor 5000. Jackson Mestler, former University of Oregon runner, won the men’s 5000 wearing the Oregon Track Club kit in 13:41.11. Montana State’s Ben Perrin finished second in 13:41.44 and is now ranked 46th on the NCAA indoor 5000 list.
Local favorite Taylor Roe, who prepped at nearby Lake Stevens High School, caught Arkansas’ Lauren Gregory for thein the women’s 3000 with a time of 8:56.94. The 1-2-3 finish of Roe, Simone Ploude of Utah and Ella Baran of Colorado now ranks them 14, 15, 16 on the NCAA indoor list.Oklahoma State teammates Fouad Messaoudi and Ryan Schoppe finished 1-2 in the men’s 3000. Messaoudi’s time of 7:41.63 is the third fastest indoor time and Schoppe’s 7:41.99 ranks him fifth this year in the NCAA indoor list for the 3000.
For photos from Friday evening’s distance races, click HERE
Saturday’s meet brought more fast times in the distance events. Sophie O’Sullivan of Washington won the women’s mile in 4:33.23 and now has the 15th fastest mile time on the NCAA list. Six athletes broke the four-minute mile barrier including early heat winners Garrett MacQuiddy of California in 3:59.96 and Alex Stitt of Oklahoma State in 3:59.14. In the final heat of the mile four athletes broke four-minutes with Abdirizak of New Mexico taking the victory in 3:57.21. Freshman Isaiah Givens, who ran last year for Pasadena High School, ran 3:59.57. His high school mile PR was 4:11 set back in the eleventh grade.
Carley Thomas (2:03.68) and Anna Gibson (2:04.47) of Washington ran 1-2 in the 800. Sam Ellis running unattached, but from Washington won the 800 in 1:46.77 and Nathan Green ran 1:46.99 for second. Green’s time broke the school indoor record and places him eleventh of the NCAA 800 indoor list.
For women athlete photos from Saturday’s distance races, click HERE
For men athlete photos from Saturdays' distance races, click HERE
UW High School Invitational
After a three year break due to Covid-19, high school athletes returned to the Dempsey Indoor. Saturday night included the 3000-meter races. Emily Lamontagne of Arapahoe High School in Colorado and Gioana Lopizzo of La Costa Canyon of California fought for the win with a lap to go. Lopizzo came out victorious with a time of 9:35.60 to Lamontagne’s 9:35.62. Lopizzo now holds the meet record in the 3000. Jacob Nenow of Jesuit (OR) pulled away from a deep pack to win in 8:19.09 and break the meet record. Nenow announced his commitment to Tennessee recently. Cruize Corvin of Lakes High School (WA), who will run for Washington next year, finished second in 8:26.12.
For photos from Saturday’s 3000 races, click HERE
Saturday athletes returned for the mile. Bethany Michalak of Air Academy (CO) led with a lap to go in the mile and Dana Hills (CA) Allurra Markow ran a big last lap for the win in 4:49.16. Markow will run for Oregon next year. The boy’s mile went out slow and then Bellingham’s William Giesen took the pace out. Bishop Blanchet’s Vincent Recupero then took the lead and pulled away for the 4:23.15 win.
For photos from Sunday’s mile races, click HERE
Maya Baechler of Vancouver BC had the lead with a lap to go in the girl’s 800. Orange County California rivals Georgia Jeanneret of JSerra and Allura Markow of Dana Hills caught Baechler on the turn and Markow won her second event in 2:11.76 for a new meet record. Jeffrey Hellman of Crater (OR) took off at the bell and never looked back for the win in the boy’s 800 with a time of 1:56.10. Alexander Naehu of Palos Verdes (CA) took second in 1:56.80.
