This weekend in New Haven, CT the Yale Classic brought a changing of the guard at US#1 for the 4x800 meter as St. Benedict's Prep replaced Union Catholic atop the nation running 7:55.11. St. Benedict's is just the third team to break eight minutes so far this season and New Jersey is ranked US#1 and #2 in the event!
The St. Benedict's squad took over the 4x800 meter heading into the first hand off, fought with Lowell HS during the second leg for a bit, and then never looked back en route to their nation leading performance. Split wise the breakdown went as follows: Adrian Ceballo 2:01.9, Ronald Kigen 2:00.4, Byron Simmons 1:56.5, Alfred Chawonza 1:56.3. Lowell HS who they battled with early on would end up finishing around 13 seconds later at 8:09.40 in second.
Watch the 4x800 meter race right here!
That wasn't St. Benedict's only national ranked performance either, in the distance medley on the Friday portion of the meet they won running 10:32.37 ranking NJ#6 US#16. This is an event that New Jersey has a strong old on so far this season. You can watch that race right here.
Splits for their distance medley team went as follows: 1200m - Ronald Kigen 3:13.7, 400m - Kaylan Depas 51.0, 800m - Byron Simmons 2:02.7, 1600m - Alfred Chawonza - 4:24.8.
New Jersey had others compete well at this meet also. In the boys 3000 meter run Colts Neck's Jordan Brannan finished fourth runnign 8:33.23, that ranks him US#5 this season. The Lawrenceville School boys had the fourth fastest time of the meet in the 4x400 meter running 3:29.07 and Michael Troup won the long jump with a 22-06 NJ#2 mark.
For more state highlights at this meet check out the national elite performances posted below.
NJ MileSplit National Elite Performances
| Girls (9) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400m | F 3 8th | 59.34 | Julia Healy | Northern Highlands Reg. HS | |
| 400m | F 1 9th | 59.57 | Ariel Claxton | The Lawrenceville School | |
| 3000m | F 2 18th | 10:30.27 | Daisy Liljegren | Northern Highlands Reg. HS | |
| 3000m | F 2 26th | 10:38.16 | Jesse Brewer | The Lawrenceville School | |
| 3000m | F 3 44th | 10:58.11 | Monica Hebner | Northern Highlands Reg. HS | |
| 4x200m | F 1 2nd | 1:47.24 | The Lawrenceville School | ||
| 4x200m | F 1 3rd | 1:49.02 | Ramsey HS | ||
| 4x400m | F 1 1st | 4:08.24 | Ramsey HS | ||
| DMR | F 1 6th | 12:17.28 | New Milford High School | ||
| Boys (8) | |||||
| 3000m | F 1 4th | 8:33.23 | Jordan Brannan | Colts Neck HS | |
| 3000m | F 1 11th | 8:46.09 | Joey DeFeo | Delbarton School | |
| 3000m | F 1 16th | 8:47.44 | Anthony Russo | Colts Neck HS | |
| 3000m | F 1 21st | 8:52.01 | Kevin Berry | Colts Neck HS | |
| 4x400m | F 1 2nd | 3:29.07 | The Lawrenceville School | ||
| 4x800m | F 1 1st | 7:55.11 | St. Benedict's Prep | ||
| DMR | F 1 1st | 10:32.37 | St. Benedict's Prep | ||
| LJ | F 1 1st | 22-6 | Michael Troup | The Lawrenceville School | |