1600 Meter Finals Report
A Public 1600-
Ok, my bad here, was sent a cover pic of Mark Brannen, however, Dylan Smith from Gordon Lee actually won the race going 4:46, besting Mark Brannen (pictured) from Jenkins County (4:49)
A Private 1600-
After a restart due to a tumble by an Athens Academy runner, the race got off to a clean start with defending champ Robby Keough taking an early lead and only Reilly Friedman of Galloway went with him. Both athletes hit the gun lap at 3:21, but Keough's 800m speed overcame Friedman's endurance strength for a narrow win at 4:21 with Reilly just a second back at 4:22. The finish for top places was incredible....
2A 1600-
Jordan Flowers from WEstminster was the defending champ, but Sam Geha of Benedictine Military gave the outgoing Flowers all he could handle. 4 runners separated after lap 2 including Flowers, Dhillon, Kettle and Geha..Flowers and Geha broke away the last lap with Jordan taking the win defending his title in 4:21, Geha was a close 2nd in 4:22.
3A 1600-
Austin Sprague has dominated the 3A didtance scene the past 3 years, but allowed the 1600m finals to be interesting as he yo-yo'd between 1st and 3rd for 1500 meters before passing teamate Andrew 'Nasty' taking the win in 4:18. Anastasiades took the Silver medal in 4:22. Munns of Blessed Trinity showed some guts taking the lead with 600 meters to go, but McClay's Navy battened down the hatches regrouping making it a Lions' sweep.
4A 1600-
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise as USMC Gomer Pyle used to exclaim, as Andrew Coggins waited for the perfect moment, executing his race strategy to perfection seizing the 1600m title besting Marist's strong tandem of Navarro and Thurston taking the Gold medal in 4A at 4:19. Navarro led the first 2 laps with positions 2-5 interchanging spots. Bowie of Lagrange surged, but settled into 6th. Coggins began to make a run at Navarro with 200m to go, swinging wide around the final curve and sprinted away for the Gold.
5A 1600-
This had all the makings of being a showdown betwixt Poteet from Kell and Bowles from Lakeside Evans, but soon became Logan Poteet's masterpiece as he just dominated the race from start to finish clocking a 4:15. Poteet took it out early never looking back posting a 4:15. Corey Jones from Richmond hung tough for 2nd in 4:19, Josh Salter of Northview was a surprising 3rd at 4:21.
6A 1600-
Kenan Farmer of Walton must have decided that he just wasn't going to settle for anything less than a Gold medal in this race. Many others had faster pr's, but Farmer (and just maybe Coach Gower saw an opportunity) As always, this was the 'Big Boy's race', Brookwood's duo split the 1st lap near 1:04. Farmer bided his time, slowly moving into 4th with 950 meters left., but snaked his way into the lead a few meters before the 800 mark splitting 2:10 and began to press the pace. The top 5 began to settle a bit with 500 meters left, anticipating a mad 400m kick coming up. At the gun lap, it was as if Farmer was shot out of a cannon, throwing that 'Hurst' shifter down to 3rd gear and speeding away for the Gold medal...in 4:11.47beating Josh Ingalls of Brookwood in 4:12.82. Tyler Woodrome of Mill Creek placed 3rd in 4:13 and Will Henderson from Parkview was 4th in 4:14.