All-Time Massachusetts runnners

Johanna Forman, Falmouth HS 880y runner - Indoor AAU champion 1976 (2:07) on a 160y track. Held Mass All-State Meet record in the 880 for 23 years.

Gloucester DMR that was sub 10:00.

Ed Collymore went to Rindge Tech with Jenkins and followed him to Villanova. National champion in the 60y, and 3 time IC4A champion in the 220y, NCAA champion 4x440 (?). Ranked #3 in the world in the 200 in 1958 behind Morrow and Manfred Germar.

Recent female sprinters Alison Culley and Christine Moschella ended up just almost as successful as Monique Tubbs at the collegiate level. Both of them ended up running 23 seconds in the 200.

Tubbs 11.37/23.37

Culley 11.62/23.38

Moschella 23.77/53.37

and, dare I say it, there was that period when the Air-Time Athletics ladies dominated the HS pole vault circuit. The club had 3 national HS record holders (Melissa Feinstein, Sam Shepard, Molly Lederman). Feinstein and Shepard I think were both from Weston, Lederman from Newton.

Phil Reavis, national champion in the high jump, from Somerville MA.

ah.. it's good to hear that Mahon is alive and well. Two more names to add in: John Finn and George Grant .. probably getting away from "All-Time Mass Runners" but great runners none the less..

Sanchez v. Powell

The greatest race in indoor MA high school history.

Sanchez wasn't in better shape, he wasn't faster, but after x many losses to Powell, he just didn't want to lose. They were the first to touch 850 indoor for a long time if I recall. Webb and Ritz learned a thing from these 2.

One time before an invitational we were all doing strides on the starting line. We all met back at the line to do our pre-race cheer.

So we get back, and Mahon is in the middle of the team huddle. No one knew what to do. It was nine high school kids and an old grizzled dude with a beard. We were all confused, and Mahon yells,

"You've got Charlie Manson on your team! YYYYEAAAAH!"

Interesting character.

Also, to add something to this thread, Ari Lambie is the best female high schooler in Massachusetts history. No one is even close, even Jennings. Jennings didn't have any competition... women's running wasn't anything during her era. For Lambie to break all those records, it was unbelievable.

Interestingly, both Lambie and Jennings went to Bromfield HS.

I'd say it's a draw. Jennings won a national junior cross title. Lambie didn't. Lambie ran a faster mile. Jennings ran the 4:39 plus the 4:18. Also, she ran the 4:39 on Madison Sq. Garden's nasty old track. Lambie ran her mile on an outdoor track. They both won national junior 1500 titles. And it's Bromfield School not Bromfield High School. If Lambie can have even close to the adult career Jennings had then she is in for a great ride. She'll have a better NC record than Jennings because Jennings did nada in college.

When Lambie wins a few world cross country titles and an Olympic medal, get back in touch.

Dan Foley and Dennis Cullinane came in first and second at the 1984 World Cross Champs junior race and ran at worlds in Jersey. Both are from Mass!

Foley 9:06 solo two mile.

And if you want some symmetry Jennings is an active mentor and good friend of Lambie's. What an advantage for Lambie! Jennings has been at many meets to watch her including NC's last year. Pretty awesome.

Omar Simmons from Boston Tech - ran 1:50. and then ran 1:47.41 for Princeton - he was nasty!

Back to Mike Mike M.

He received a special award from the MSTCA this year.

Now that we've got names, lets narrow down the field. How about a 'best all time' by event.

I'll throw in one of my old athletes for the shot put. In 1986 Melody Johnson threw 48'9" indoors which led the nation and at the time was #5 prep in history. The most amazing part of it was that she also placed 3rd in the 55M at the indoor nationals.

She went on to Barton Community College where she won indoor JC nationals in shot put. She was running some incredible 100M times outdoors but a car accident ended her season. She left school and never went back thus ending her career.

Anyone who saw her compete was amazed at her talent. Too bad it ended so early.

Did you run in the Catholic Conference? I ran at Xaverian from 84-88.

perspective wrote:

When Lambie wins a few world cross country titles and an Olympic medal, get back in touch.

They were comparing HS accomplishments, don't be a douch.

Jennings was great, but with the emergence of the african women of late, jennings would have no chance to win anything.

She was born at the right time.

Also, go back and look at what races Lynn ran her best times in? They were for the most part done against open comp.

Lambie ran hers alone.

Your language is foul.

Sure. Same could be said of Joan Samuelson or Grete Waitz or Ingrid the K. Jennings defeated Tulu and McColgan, her peers in World Cross. Can't find many flaws in that. You can only run against the women born when you were. Jennings ran plenty of swift races (10:10 two mile, 4:18 1500) in high school comp. She did run in plenty of open races too like the 4:39 mile.

21st century wrote:

Jennings was great, but with the emergence of the african women of late, jennings would have no chance to win anything.

She was born at the right time.

Also, go back and look at what races Lynn ran her best times in? They were for the most part done against open comp.

Lambie ran hers alone.

Seems you have a problem with Jennings. What races did Lynne run best in? Her 10k p.r. came in the Olympic finals.

Could she deal with the great runners of today? I don't know. Could Benita Johnson of Australia? - she won a world cross country title two years ago. Can African women possibly lose a race. I don't know, ask Paula Radcliffe (won WC marathon for UK) or ask Zulia Calatayud (won WC 800 for Cuba).

Um, I started my statement by saying Jennings was great.

There is no denying that, times have changed, that's all.

So you did. Forgive the over reaction.

I failed to identify what was bugging me - which seems to be the thread's drift of equating high school success with all-time success. To me that is over rating high school while at the same time under rating national or international competition. It's the difference between hitting homeruns down the schoolyard and hitting homeruns in the major leagues. Big, big difference.