The Scoop: New York Performances, CARIFTA, Plus Sydney's 5K


It Was A Wild Night At Palantine

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Very rarely does an array of underclassmen talent perform at the level in which five athletes did on Saturday at Palantine High School. 

The girls elite mile at the Distance Night in Palantine featured national 800m indoor champ Roisin Willis of Stevens Point (WI), Batavia (IL) freshman Katrina Schlenker, Chicago Latin (IL) first-year Ava Parekh and sophomores Campbell Peterson of Naperville North (IL) and Samantha Poglitsch of Wheaton Warrenville (IL). 

All five absolutely battled. 

And while the pre-race favorite had to be Willis -- who ran confidently for 1500 meters -- Schlenker was having none of it over the final 100 meters. She hammered down the line toward the finish in a winning time, and US No. 1 freshman effort, of 4:51.36, while Willis scored a runner-up nod in 4:53.26. 

Parekh was third (4:53.75), Peterson was fourth (4:54.46) and Poglitsch was fifth (4:54.81). A total of nine girls went under 5 minutes. 

O'Keefe Upends Bosley At The Line: Granite Senior Andrew O'Keefe certainly earned a huge win on Saturday in the boys mile. And it was hardly surprising. 

Having run 4:11 at states last spring in Illinois, O'Keefe lowered his all-time best at 1-mile to 4:08.98, snatching a win away from Homestead (WI) senior Drew Bosley, who was second in 4:09.02. Tommy Shilgalis was third in 4:09.63, while Texan Carter Cheeseman was fourth in 4:10.14 and Zach Albrecht was fifth in 4:10.16. Seven runners went under 4:11.

Morris Takes The Win In The 3200m: The Naperville North senior scored a smooth and impressive win at 2-miles in 10:25.95, which is a US No. 2 time at the full distance (no conversions).