Best high-school runners that disappeared in college?

walter j wrote:

Yong Sung Leal.

To be fair, I didn't think he went to college. I lived in the same area as him , and he would warm up with us at dual meets. He told us as a freshman in high school that he already had an arranged marriage set up once he graduated. If i remember correctly, he was really in to drumming, and played in a band too. I think my sister and her friends went to watch him play. He was pretty friendly and a tough competitor.

Someone mentioned Augie Escobar--- he posted on here circa 2006 about his running, so a search of his name will tell you what happened.

I saw Victoria Chang mentioned and I agree. Another young lady, (forget her name) graduated Hoover HS (LA or Burbank or something) also went to Standford and got lost in the shuffle. Stanford's recruiting roster in 2000 and 2001 was outstanding. It's almost as if Stanford recruited the top girls, simply so they wouldn't have to race against them.

Most of the Latin guys, Franklyn Sanchez, etc. None seem to run well in college

FTW though, I have to go old school and say Rodney Giles.

Kai wilmot

Section 2 bishes!

I go to the same high school you went to Alan. Crazy to see you posting on the same boards I spend so much time reading and trying to learn from. Every day we walk by that record board and awe at the times, 4:07 and 8:40 which for some reason isn’t the state record maybe because it’s converted from a two mile? Still crazy whatever the case.

Patrick Roos - 2016 MN state champ - quit the team at UMN in January 2019

Total BS wrote:

Alan Scharsu wrote:

I ran 4:00.2 mile, 7:50 3k, 13:33 5k, 28:37 10k, 47:39 10 mile, 2:19 marathon

Injuries slowed me down but still ran some descent times

Just felt the need to defend myself!!

You didnt run any of those times in college.

Duzn't matter....

Alan was still very visible in college.....

dfsdf wrote:

Melody Fairchild has to be on the last.

In 1991, she set the American Junior and National High School record in the indoor 3,000 meters.

Won Footlocker twice. Was the first sub10 2 miler

And while still in high school, she finished third in the 1991 World Junior XC.

Then went to Oregon and did almost nothing.

That’s sort of thing is tragic, and should never happen with competent coaches.

William reed wrote:

Most of the Latin guys, Franklyn Sanchez, etc. None seem to run well in college

FTW though, I have to go old school and say Rodney Giles.

Frankly Sanchez finished 5th in NCAA XC as a true frosh and then broke Steve Prefontaine's 31-year old AJR in the 5000 before he got injured. He did more as a frosh than most runners ever dream of doing in an entire career. Sorry that's not good enough for you.

Nominate . . . wrote:

I nominate my classmate from 1974. Jim Arriola.

Jim set a still standing age-15 WR for the mile in 1974 -- nearly 45 years ago! He was a sophomore. That WR was his PR. Although, in the California State Meet, he placed 2nd in 1975, and won in 1976.

In college, poof. His focus was else-place. He is currently the CEO of a heath plan provider. So, should he have focused on running? Or making some serious money?

How long has he been the ceo of this company. A little while after the next election, he'll be out of business. Hope he saved up enough to retire on.

OneMore wrote:

Eric Hulst - He still holds Calif state records for the 2mile / 3200 for 9th, 10th & 11th grades.

Uh, yeah, he never did run the same after he died of brain cancer...

tacomafan wrote:

OneMore wrote:

Eric Hulst - He still holds Calif state records for the 2mile / 3200 for 9th, 10th & 11th grades.

Uh, yeah, he never did run the same after he died of brain cancer...

Not even BYU runners are in college at 34:) This list of runners (of all genders) that didn't make it in college is long.

This guy:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vZLbUyI7RQY

Alan u were a stud!! Appreciate u speaking up. Harry was a great man. Best of luck-- ur times and places speak for themselves!!

Marlee Starliper is on that path so far; hopefully things turn around from her. Haven't heard anything of what's going on with her at NC State

Aislinn Ryan

Zoe Nelson

Erin Keogh

Kira Jorgensen

Celeste Susnis

Amber Trotter

Laura Cummings

Joy Ripslinger. 9 time state champion. won the 400,800,1500,3000 first girl to do so in iowa history and just behind shelby houlihans state records in the 800 and 1500. signed with arkansas, never ran a race

What about this one wrote:

This year, Reed Brown (6th at NXN 2016 and sub 4 HS miler) was a distant #7 on his team at the NCAA D1 West Regional. At NCAA Champs, he did not run with Oregon.

I wouldn't say he disappeared, just never improved at the same rate as his peers. He was on the WR DMR team that won natty's this year if I'm not mistaken, so definitely didn't disappear. He's just not in the spotlight like he used to be.

I'll throw John Lewis into the hat. He was a NBN 800 champ, 1:48 guy his senior year and ranked second only to Donovan Brazier that year. You saw him in a few SEC finals, but I think he only managed a 1:47.

esteban1625 wrote:

Joy Ripslinger. 9 time state champion. won the 400,800,1500,3000 first girl to do so in iowa history and just behind shelby houlihans state records in the 800 and 1500. signed with arkansas, never ran a race

CasualRunnerHobbit wrote:

Laura Cummings

oh wow, she's still very involved in the Long Island running community, i've vaguely known her for like 10 years. knew that she ran at a pretty high level for albany, but had zero idea she was a multiple-time national champion in HS and ran for unc before albany