The Weekend Review (3/25/18)

USC Power 5 Invite

800

In a field that was crowded with young talent, it was veteran Robert Ford (USC) emerging as the victor with an excellent time of 1:48.97 (NCAA #1). This is a great mark for Ford who was unable to get under that 1:49 mark this past winter.

Ole Miss freshman Cade Bethmann was 2nd in a time of 1:51. He was able to hold off rising-star Alex Lomong from Ohio State.

1500

The Ole Miss men continued to stay at the top of the results as Trevor Gilley secured the win in a time of 3:47. After a non-existent indoor track season, this is a strong result for Gilley in his spring debut.

3000

Mississippi's Parker Scott and Trevor Gilley went 1-2 with times of 8:25 and 8:27.

Vanderbilt Black & Gold Invite

800

The winner in this one was Butler's Johnny Leverenz who threw down an excellent time of 1:49.11 (NCAA #2) to take the win. The junior was ahead of the next finisher by almost three entire seconds. Oh and did I mention that this was his 2nd event and 2nd win of the weekend?

1500

Leverenz had a great 800 performance, but his 1500 was equally as impressive. The Butler Bulldog pulled away from the field and established a phenomenal time of 3:43.61. That time now leads the NCAA. This is one of the most impressive doubles I have seen in a long, long time. Is this guy a future breakout star? Based off of this weekend, it certainly seems that way.

The runner-up in this one was Jack Anstey (Illinois State). He finished the day with a 3:45 to complement his 2nd place finish in the 800 (1:51.98). That's a nice pair of performances for the sophomore.

5000

MTSU graduate student Sampson Laari ran unattached and took the win with a time of 14:34. Illinois State's Cody Baele was 2nd with a 14:41.

Weems Baskin Relays

800

Appalachian State's Ryan Hastings began his senior campaign with a winning time of 1:49.85. After a quiet winter track season where he failed to crack 1:50, Hastings appears to be ready for a strong spring.

Settling for 2nd was Abbas Abbkar (Savannah State) who ran a time of 1:50.72.

1500

Alex Milligan (UNC) secured the win in a time of 3:54.

3000

Wesley Kirui (Hampton) was 3rd in the 1500 with a time of 3:55. That was one of his two events of the weekend after winning the 3000 in a time of 8:24.

5000

East Carolina's Dean Abushouk was the first to cross the line in 14:46. UNC's Mitch Resor and Matt Thornton rounded out the top three with times of 14:47 and 14:48. All three of these names are sophomores while the 4th and 5th place finishers are freshmen.

Florida State Relays

800

Former Florida Gator Andres Arroyo was the winner with a time of 1:49.05. He was able to bring Georgia Tech's Andres Littig under the 1:50 mark with a time of 1:49.98.

Florida's Jack Guyton rounded out the top three with a time of 1:50.44.

1500

He's typically seen racing the 800, but Georgia Tech's Avery Bartlett was still impressive as he moved up in distance. The junior was first to cross the line with a personal best time of 3:44.95.

Bartlett was able to fend off Auburn's Wesley Curles who was 2nd with a time of 3:45.18.

5000

Dartmouth's Kyle Dotterer and Sean Laverty took the top two spots in this one with times of 14:51 and 14:58, respectively.

PAC 12 + BIG 10 Invite

800

In one of the tightest races of the weekend, we saw Indiana's Cooper Williams emerge victorious. Williams' time of 1:50.19 was enough to fend off a trio that included Nebraska's Ty Moss (1:50.32), Michigan's Anthony Berry (1:50.43), LSU's Jack Wilkes (1:50.47).

1500

Indiana didn't stop their success with just the 800. Joseph Murphy and Teddy Browning were simply too much for the competition to handle as they grabbed the top two spots with times of 3:44.24 and 3:44.84, respectively.

Rounding out the top three was Colorado freshman Eduardo Herrera who ran a great time of 3:45.10. Herrera appears to be a better long-distance guy, so you can't help but be impressed to see the freshman pull off a quick time in an off-distance event.

Garrett Corcoran (California) and Connor Mora (Michigan) rounded out the top group with a pair of 3:45's.

3000

Colorado's Ryan Forsyth and Ethan Gonzales finished 1-2 with times of 8:14 and 8:17.

Michigan freshman Andrew Lorant was 3rd in a time of 8:18.

Arkansas Spring Invite

800

Christopher Conrad (Missouri) pulled away from NAIA National Champion Issac Clark (Friends University) and Grey Howard (Tulsa) to take the win. Conrad's time of 1:50 flat was enough to edge out Clark's 1:50.27 and Howard's 1:50.35.

1500

After a quiet, yet underrated, indoor track season, Luis Martinez (Oklahoma State) returned to the outdoor oval. He walked away with a win and time of 3:45.93. He was able to convincingly defeat Drake's Kevin Kelly who finished 2nd with a 3:49.

3000

Tulsa freshman Peter Lynch was able to defeat Utah State's Scott Beattie (running unattached), 8:26 to 8:33.

Victor Lopez Classic

1500

On his home track, Rice's Matthew Murray ran away with the win (literally). He defeated Ryan Dohner (formerly of Hoka One One), 3:45 to 3:47. For Murray, this is a huge win but an even bigger time. The sophomore just dropped six seconds off of his personal best in his season debut.

3000 Steeple

Should we really be surprised anymore? Ever since the 2016-2017 indoor track season, Brian Barraza has been on fire with times of 3:58, 7:53, 13:52, 29:04, and now an 8:41 steeplechase! The Houston senior dominated the field and won be nearly 40 seconds to secure an NCAA #1 time of 8:41.58. If he was trying to make a statement, he certainly did just that.

UNF Spring Break Invite

1500

North Florida's Nick Morken was on his home track and made the most of it. The junior threw down a great time of 3:46 to defeat Clemson's John Lewis who was 2nd in 3:47. This is a nice win for Morken, but it's still four seconds off from his personal best. Don't sleep on this guy as the outdoor season progresses.

2000 Steeple

James Quattlebaum (Clemson) is one of the more underrated steeplechasers in the nation with a personal best of 8:53. Sure enough, he walked away with a win in this meet with a time of 5:42 (a strong time for the awkward distance).

The Princeton duo of Ed Trippas (freshman) and Perrin Hagge (sophomore) rounded out the top three with times of 5:58 and 5:59.