High School Stars Head to Nike Nationals

The cream of Minnesota's high school crop will face some of the blue ribbon winners from the rest of the nation at the Nike Outdoor National meet in Greensboro, North Carolina this weekend.

Last year, the meet played host the 1o:10 to 10:12 two mile duel between Bria Wetsch and Elizbeth Yetzer, Tressa Beckel's 5-10 3/4 high jump victory, and Mike Torchia's Minnesota all-time two-mile best of 8:50.80.

Looking to make hay at this year's meet are:

Minnesota's fastest prep quarter-miler ever Quinn Evans in the 400, Rosemount's Obai Hussein in the 800, Lakville South's Paul Hilsen and Burnsville's Rob Finnerty in the mile, and Finnerty, Class AA 3200m champ Elliott Heath, and Class AA XC champ Hassan Mead in the two mile. Lakeville North's Tyler King will compete in the meet's "emerging elite" mile.

In the field, Mounds View's Tommy McNamara will compete in the long and triple jumps, shot putters Casey Dehn of Owatonna, Class AA champ Tyler Kleinhuizen of Forest Lake, and Trey Davis of Farmington will throw, as will Owatonna's Michael Shaver in the discus.

In girls competition, Class AA winner Megan Smith will race over 800m, Class AA 3200 champ Alex Gits will run the 5000m, and Lakeville South's Felisha Willaert will throw the discus. Class AA 1600m champ Michelle Volz will race in the "emerging elite" mile.

Also, statistics ... Chris Marshall offers his post-State listing of the top boys 800, 1600, and 3200 meter times of 2007. Changes since Sections are in bold.

800m
Andy Richardson Irondale 1:51.60 AA State (Prelims)
Zach Mellon Buffalo 1:52.66 AA State
Isaac Veldkamp Eden Prairie 1:53.62 AA State
Jordan Carlson Rosemount 1:53.88 AA State (Prelims)
David Pachuta Eastview 1:53.96 AA State (Prelims)
Obai Hussein Rosemount 1:54.04 AA State
Nick Hutton Apple Valley 1:54.09 Section 6AA
Mike Shelendich Mounds View 1:54.37 Section 4AA
Jon Stublaski Henry Sibley 1:54.51 AA State (Prelims)
Ben Blankenship Stillwater 1:54.58 Bob Stewart Invite
(10)
Mike Mueller Hopkins 1:54.99 Section 6AA
Nick Ranberg North Branch 1:55.08 North Suburban Conference
Alex Wrobel Mounds View 1:55.50 Section 4AA
Mustafa Yusuf Willmar 1:55.49 Section 2AA
Robel Kebede Minneapolis South 1:55.68 Section 5AA
Tyler King Lakeville North 1:55.73 AA State (Prelims)
Anthony Held Elk River 1:55.94 AA State (Prelims)
Abdi Mohamed Eden Prairie 1:56.10 Section 6AA
Ben Garbers North 1:56.23 Section 4AA
Tom Hoffman Mahtomedi 1:56.24 Section 4AA
(20)
Kevid Bradley Mounds View 1:56.70 SEC Conference
Kaafi Adeys Willmar 1:56.86 Central Lakes Conference
Rob Finnerty Burnsville 1:57.18 Carleton
John Vaith Hastings 1:57.25 AA State (Prelims)
Doug Debold Hopkins 1:57.42 State TT
Mitch Lorenz Brainerd 1:57.62 AA State (Prelims)
Luke Delaney Brainerd 1:57.64 AA State (Prelims)
Evan Kearney Mlps. South 1:57.87 6AAATT
Harun Abda Fridley 1:57.89 Section 5AA
Tom Burke Edina 1:57.95 EP Booster
(30)
Paul Hilsen Lakeville South 1:57.8* Rosemount Tri
Sam Shidla Mound-Westonka 1:57.9* Mound-Westonka
Dominick Rosario Edina 1:58.54 Section 6AA

1600m
Ben Blankenship Stillwater 4:09.10 AA State
Elliott Heath Winona 4:10.27 1AAATT
Rob Finnerty Burnsville 4:10.39 AA State
Andy Richardson Irondale 4:10.78 AA State
Paul Hilsen Lakeville South 4:11.85 AA State
Ryan Little Eden Prairie 4:13.54 Section 6AA
TC Lumbar Edina 4:13.98 Section 6AA
Hassan Mead Mlps. South 4:14.17 AA State
Jordan Carlson Rosemount 4:14.98 State TT
Tom Burke Edina 4:15.44 7AAATT
(10)
Doug Debold Hopkins 4:16.70 Section 6AA
Matt Yak Northfield 4:16.85 1AAATT
Tyler King Lakeville North 4:17.25 Section 1AA
Jackson Wiley Eden Prairie 4:17.64 Section 6AA
Kaafi Adeys Willmar 4:17.9* STMA
Zach Mellon Buffalo 4:19.05 State TT
Mike Hutton Apple Valley 4:19.41 Lake Conference Relays
Jon Stublaski Henry Sibley 4:20.02 Hamline Elite
Travis Burkstrand Eastview 4:20.37 Lake Conference
Jackson Wiley Eden Prairie 4:21.58 Lake Conference
(20)
Pieter Gagnon Minneapolis Washburn 4:21.76 Section 5AA
Mike Howard North 4:22.00 AA State
Harry Backlund Highland Park 4:22.24
Nick Saucedo Henry Sibley 4:22.25 Section 3AA
Jackson Wiley Eden Prairie 4:22.34 Lake Conf. Relays
TC Lumbar Edina 4:22.52 7AAATT
Mahad Hassan Willmar 4:22.69 Eden Prairie Booster
Mike Schelendich Mounds View 4:22.88 6AAATT
Matt Volz Lakeville South 4:22.99 1AAATT

3200m
Elliott Heath Winona 8:57.65 Section 1AA
Hassan Mead Mlps South 9:03.29 AA State
Rob Finnerty Burnsville 9:04.42 AA State
TC Lumbar Edina 9:06.69 Hamline Elite
Ryan Little Eden Prairie 9:11.19 AA State
Tom Burke Edina 9:11.36 Section 6AA
Jackson Wiley Eden Prairie 9:13.00 Section 6AA
Ben Blankenship Stillwater 9:15.46 Lakeville Invite
Kaafi Adeys Willmar 9:16.92 AA State
Matt Yak Northfield 9:18.90 1AAATT
(10)
Mike Hutton Apple Valley 9:22.05 Section 6AA
Jon Stublaski Henry Sibley 9:23.71 2AAATT
Andrew Quinn BSM 9:26.79 Hamline Elite
Mahad Hassan Willmar 9:29.96 Central Lakes Conference
Pieter Gagnon Minneapolis Washburn 9:30.10 AA State
Travis Burkstrand Eastview 9:32.53 Lake Conference
Danny Docherty Cretin-Derham Hall 9:32.83 AA State
Mohammed Bedel Willmar 9:35.21 Section 2AA
Jon Lambert Wayzata 9:39.26 Hamline Elite
Danny Docherty Cretin-Derham Hall 9:39.41 SEC Conference
(20)
Kaafi Adeys Willmar 9:39.59 EP Booster
Mike Howard North 9:40.91 Section 4AA
Wade Hassel Mounds View 9:41.10 Hamline Elite
Tyler King Lakeville North 9:41.39 Lake Conference

*hand-timed