Leachman Runs No. 2 All-Time 9:44.16 And Outlasts Hedengren's No. 3 All-Time 9:49.45; Nathan Neil Wins Boys 2-Mile; Crater OR Boys Win Second DMR Title; Dillard FL Girls Squeeze Past South Lakes VA

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Elizabeth Leachman and Jane Hedengren waged a 2-mile race for the ages Friday on the first day of Nike Indoor Nationals at The Armory in New York.

Never before have two high school girls gone under 9:50 in a 2-mile race, indoors or out. 

Hedengren chased after Leachman, who closed with a 4:41 mile on the way to a victory in 9:44.16. The sophomore from Boerne, Texas, the Foot Locker champion, has already run faster than the previous national record in the 3,200 meters three times in February. 

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Only Mary Cain has run faster for two miles among high school girls. 

Hedengren, a junior from Timpview UT, who missed the cross country postseason with an injury, ran No. 3 all-time 9:49.45 for second. 

"I feel so blessed to have all these girls pushing me," Leachman said. "Jane was out that second half of cross country season, so I missed the opportunity to race her but she's incredible and she pushes me every time."

Last September in a memorable early season cross country showdown at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Southern California, Hedengren outsprinted Leachman to win a 3-mile race by a tenth of a second. 

Leachman's inexperience with indoor 200-meter ovals caused her to pick up the pace a lap too soon. 

"I thought we had two laps left when we had three," she said. 

It all worked out. Leachman will race the 5,000 meters Saturday. 

Nathan Neil of Bozeman MT won the boys 2-mile in a US#3 time of 8:47.96. He was one of six boys to break the 9-minute barrier. Will Conway of Floyd Central IN was second in 8:51.40 and Ethan Edgeworth from Cold Springs AL was third in 8:51.63.

The Scarsdale NY girls won the sprint medley relay title from the third section out of four, clocking 4:03.75 to edge out Phoenix TC of Pennsylvania (4:03.93). 

Another New York team, Newburgh Elite, won the boys SMR title with US#4 3:30.58. 

The Crater boys of Central Point, Ore. won a DMR national championship and scored a US#1 in the event for the second straight year. Josiah Tostenson split 4:07.40 and had enough left for a sprint over the final 50 to win in 10:00.06. 

It's slightly faster than the 10:00.20 that Crater won NBNI with last year. 

Dreamville TC (Buchholz FL) was a close second in 10:00.25 and got a 4:02.87 anchor 1,600 from Riley Smith. Graveyard Los Angels (Cathedral CA) was there as well. Manny Perez took the lead and held it until the final 200 and his 4:06.21 brought his team home third in 10:00.67.

"I stayed strong, trusted my kick and closed it down on that (final) backstretch," Tostenson said. 

Dillard FL edged out South Lakes VA to win the girls DMR, 11:49.08 to 11:49.17. Christiana Coleman passed Caroline Elliott in the final stride to eke out victory. 

Abigail Russell from Michigan Elite won the weight throw with a US#1 56-5.25.

Phillips Moore of Marietta GA also threw a US#1 in the boys weight throw, with a big fifth-round mark of 78-5.75. Tahir Hines of Acworth GA was second with 75-11.

Mackenzie Dagrosa (San Antonio Reagan) prevailed in a tiebreaker with defending champion Kya Crooke of Soca Speed IN to win the high jump after both cleared 5-10.50. 

Likewise in the boys high jump, Kameron Franklin of Major Impact TX (Red Oak) and Khalil Antoine of Hillhouse CT both cleared 7-0.50. Franklin won the competition by virtue of making the 7-foot bar on his first attempt.