Husky Classic – February 10 & 11
Dempsey Indoor, University of Washington – Seattle, WA
The two-day Husky Classic starts Friday evening with fast heats of the 5000 and 3000. In the women’s 5000, Sydney Thorvaldson of Arkansas enters the meet with the fastest seed time of 15:59 and Amelia Mazza-Downie of New Mexico is next with 16:00. Ruby Smee of San Francisco, Emma Venters of Utah and India Johnson are also threats in the 5000. In the men’s 5000, Seth Hirsch of Colorado, Daniel Abdala of Portland and Jackson Mestler of Oregon Track are the top athletes.
After the 5000, the fast heats of the 3000 will be competed. Kaylee Mitchell of Oregon State has the top season time in the 3000 in 8:55.10. Teammate Grace Fetherstonhaugh of Oregon State has a time of 8:55.71. Other women’s 3000-meter athletes of note are Lauren Gregory of Arkansas, Taylor Roe and Natalie Cook of Oklahoma State. In the men’s 3000, Duncan Hamilton of Montana State has the fifth fastest time of the season in 7:43.28 and Fouad Messaoudi of Oklahoma State has the eighth fastest time of the season in 7:44.26. Wil Smith of Gonzaga has a top 50 time of 7:55.98 and last week broke the four-minute mile.
In Saturday’s women’s mile, Kaylee Micthell (4:32.95) and Grace Fetherstonhaugh (4:35.72) of Oregon State are some of the top entries as well as Portland’s Laura Pellicoro (4:34.27), New Mexico teammates Elise Thorner (4:37.27) and Samree Dishon (4:37.68). Nehemia Too of Iowa State has the fastest mile time of 3:57.46. In earlier mile heats will be Central Catholic High School athlete Wes Shipsey and Northern Arizona athlete Colin Sahlman.
Carley Thomas of Washington (2:02.15) has the fastest time in the 800. Carley’s teammates Anna Gibson and Marlena Preigh are also contenders. Kentucky teammates Jenna Schwinghamer and Sydney Steely have top 50 times in the 800. In the men’s 800, it should be a battle between Lorenz Herrmann of Idaho (1:48.07) and Ethan Brouw of New Mexico (1:48.07).
Photo gallery of the Husky Classic will be available after the meet.
UW HS Invitational – February 11 & 12
Dempsey Indoor, University of Washington – Seattle, WA
The last time the University of Washington hosted their high school meet at the Dempsey Indoor facility was back in February 2020. Starting Saturday night, the meet returns. Here are some athletes highlighted in the distance events.
The girl’s 3000 is the first distance event competed on Saturday night. Maura O’Scannlain of Jesuit (OR) has one of the top seed times after a successful cross-country season where she led her team to a team state title and a 12th place team finish at NXN. Gioana Lopizzo of La Costa Canyon (CA) is racing the 3000 and qualified for Champs Sports Cross Country Championship. Sydney Collier of Skyline (WA), who finished third in the 3200 4A Washington State Meet as a freshman last year, is also listed in the race.
The boy’s 3000 features NXN qualifier and Oregon 4A state cross country champion Alexander Garcia-Silver of Marshfield (OR), Oregon 6A cross country champion and Jacob Nenow of Jesuit (OR). The top three finishers of the Washington 3A Cross Country State Meet will be on the track: Cruize Corvin of Lakes, Brody Hartley of Walla Walla and Vincent Recupero of Bishop Blanchet.
On Sunday athletes compete in the mile and the 800. In the girl’s mile, look for Emma Bennett of Jesuit (OR) to be one of the top runners after a stellar track season last spring. Several Californians head north to race the mile including Champs Sports Cross Country qualifiers Holly Barker of Laguna Hills, Allura Markow of Dana Hills and Gioana Lopizzo of La Costa Canyon. Washington teammates Rebecca O’Keefe and Sydney Collier of Skyline are also entered in the mile. Bethany Michalak of Air Academy (CO), who finished third at NXN, is also listed in the mile.
Washington 1600 3A champion Will Schneider of Bishop Blanchet is entered in the boy’s mile along with this teammate Vincent Recupero. Will Heslam of Roosevelt, who placed second in the 6A Oregon State Meet in the 1500, and Samy Anderson of Lincoln, who qualified for NXN last fall, are also entered in the boy’s mile.
In the girl’s 800 JSerra from California, who qualified for NXN and had one of the top 4 X 800 teams last spring, have entered Brook O’Brien, Anastasia Snodgrass and Georgia Jeanneret. Emma Bennett of Jesuit finished second in the 6A 800 meters last spring and is entered. Ella McGillis of Central Catholic (OR) and Alexa Matora of Lake Washington are other top runners in the 800.
Boy’s 800 has several runners of note including Will Giesen of Bellingham (WA), Jeffrey Hellman of Crater (OR) and Alex Naehu of Palos Verdes (CA).
Photo gallery of the UW HS Invitational will be available after the meet.