Who were your state's high school running stars when you competed/were still in high school? How far did they go in the sport?

Scott Fry

He was far and away the best in Ohio and the country in fall 1984, spring 1985. No one else was even close. 1984 Kinney National Cross Country champion.

He went on to a very good career at Wisconsin and I think still holds the Big Ten 5,000 Championship meet record of 13:30 something.

Ran against Scott in a very hot humid road race in WVA.

No one from my state did much in 1986 Erin Keogh won the state 3200 in VA in around 10:02 which was amazing at the time. I won the 3200m boys race. Have had much more success coaching than I ever did running.

Lucky to coach such talented Aussie athletes.

um, ever heard of meb? wrote:

not too shabby wrote:

Michael stember, Michael Granville, Jason Balkman, Julia stamps…and Sara Bei. At least one of them is pretty well known!

Brah, Balkman won boys DI Cali XC in 1992…do you recall who won boys DI Cali XC in 1993? Admittedly slower than Balkmans time but that dude was Meb.

Balkman won DIII in 92 and DI in 94.

Other than Steve Lewis, who won Olympic gold, I’m coming up blank for my own years. With the internet not existing then, I mostly followed more locally. The local distance runners that I remember, probably because I went to the same school/university, weren’t quite top in the state in high school and didn’t much an impression in college (Laurie Chapman, Victor Santamaria, Jen Ashe, everyone mentioned including Lewis went to UCLA).

Aldrich Bailey was Texas' star when I was there. Looks like his 400 PR is still from 2012, his high school days. He ran a 48.55 for 400H this year.

jamese1045@hotmail.com

wrote:

Leroy Neal. 1954 Fullerton CA. Ran 4:12 as Junior. I think 4: 08 next year (I was gone ) then went on to run 4:04 in college in CA. His bro Grady ran track too, but not at that level.

-Leroy Neal ran 4:22.5 in 1958 at Fullerton HS. I can't find a faster HS mark for him. ...He couldn't have run 4:12 or 4:08 in high school as Dyrol Burleson set the High School record in the mile at 4:13.2, then 4:12.2 in 1958, then Dale Story at 4:11.0 in 1959, followed by Archie San Romani a week or so after Story. San Romani was the first prep under 4:10. His record was 4:08.9.

-I'm not sure what he did in 1959.

-At Fullerton Junior College (1960?-61?), an article says he had best of 48.3-400, 1:49.4-800, 3:48.9-1500, and a 4:09.1-mile

-After Fullerton, Neal moved on to Occidental College, where he ran 4:05.4 in 1963. Occidentals top 800m list goes 12 deep to 1:50.0, and Neal is not on it. The 1500m list is ten deep to 3:49.9, with no Neal. The mile list has him listed as 4th all time Oxy with a 4:05.4, set in 1963. He also ran a leg on the school record 7:21.6 two-mile relay team.

-He went on to coach at California Institute for Technology for 12 years, and then was the head coach at Biola University.

Rick Sanchez wrote:

Probably not the best, but this runner didn't make it far. One heck of a competitor.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=20010620&id=BllPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2wMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4485,1468955

My addition to this is interesting from my perspective, but maybe not yours and others.

I coached a junior in 1990 who had some classic races with Spears (senior) that season. They split but in each one they finished a step apart from each other. At state, Spears was the heavy favorite. In the 3200 my kid stayed within an arms length wherever Spears went. He blew up and faded to 10th or worse, over 60-70 meters back with my kid still right on him as though no one else was in the race. After laps of screaming "wake up" messages my kid finally broke out of it making up a lot of distance over the final 800. He finished third and looked like he would have had a legitimate shot at wining had he run a much smarter race, less focused on Spears. From that point I would joke with him to "quit following Spears" in practices and pushing him to be his own man.

I had no idea of Spears transgressions and feel bad about how things went for him.

Here's the LRC discussion about Rebekah Noble from over 10 years ago:

The thread posts to an article about Noble with Noble describing in her own words some of the issues, many of which all successful people face when the music starts to fade.

Bob Kennedy, Chris Nelloms, Robert Smith, Laurie Gomez...All turned out well, except for that Nelloms fellow

fansofonly wrote:

Steve Lewis (the 400 guy) made a big impression on me when I was a HS freshman. Think he won the 100/200/400 at some middling invitational meet in dominant fashion. Less than a year and half later he won gold in Seoul in an upset.

I saw Steve Lewis run at the 1987 CIF state meet in Sacramento. In the final he false started and was DQed. The sprint fans became enraged and it seriously looked like there was going to be a riot. The officials let him back in and he ran for the win.

You're most likely right. When he and his bro showed up for track we were told Leroy had the national record of 4:12 in 1953. My "source" is dubious memory. I don't recall the details very much. But he was most impressive as a track man in h.s. and after. Worthy I thought to bring in as an outstanding high school runner. If he doesn't meet your standards that's OK. But then I still think Gerry Lindgren was the greatest h. s. Distance guy -for more than just times and medals.

Rob Evans

2-Time Para-Olympic Gold Medalist, I believe.

2 x XC-1600-3200 State Champion

Kid barely lost.

CrispyChicken wrote:

M.C. Confusing wrote:

I won't tell you what happened to Becca specifically, but I will say she had a serious medical issue that made it so she couldn't compete anymore. I believe the U of O actually kept her scholarship the entire time she was there, even though she had to stop running after her sophomore year. She won a national title for Oregon at 800m with a 2:02 as a freshman.

Here's the LRC discussion about Rebekah Noble from over 10 years ago:

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=3594708

The thread posts to an article about Noble with Noble describing in her own words some of the issues, many of which all successful people face when the music starts to fade.

I probably read the same article and it was a serious foot injury that contributed to the end of her running at a top level.

If his HS time was "only" 4:22.5.....well, we are talking 1958. That time was 11th in the nation in 1958. Only 4 were under 4:20 that year, bringing the all-time total sub-4:20 performers to 9. Sub 4:20 became significantly less rare in the 60's.

info wrote:

jamese1045@hotmail.com

wrote:

You're most likely right. When he and his bro showed up for track we were told Leroy had the national record of 4:12 in 1953. My "source" is dubious memory. I don't recall the details very much. But he was most impressive as a track man in h.s. and after. Worthy I thought to bring in as an outstanding high school runner. If he doesn't meet your standards that's OK. But then I still think Gerry Lindgren was the greatest h. s. Distance guy -for more than just times and medals.

If his HS time was "only" 4:22.5.....well, we are talking 1958. That time was 11th in the nation in 1958. Only 4 were under 4:20 that year, bringing the all-time total sub-4:20 performers to 9. Sub 4:20 became significantly less rare in the 60's.

And it wasn't until when Pre set the 2-mile record in 1969 there were very many fast times and depth at that distance. Although Ryun probably could have run sub-8:30, he only ran one in 9:04.

I’m a WA guy as well! In my graduating class we had

Nathan Weitz- third at footlocker behind the big Cheese and Futsum. No idea what he accomplished at college.

Izaic York’s - the only guy in WA besides McNamara who ran post collegiate. Has had a pretty decent career.

Anthoney Armstrong- had a hell of a kick. First guy under 15 at the WA state course. Went to OK State and was plagued by injuries.

A few grades behind were Kai Wilmot and Nathan Anderson - both north central runners, both NXN champs.

Joe Hardy- 8:55 as a sophomore, ran at WI with McDonald and Hoare- big disappointment.

John Dressel who ran for Mt. Spokane. Famous for throwing some elbows at Grant Fischer at FL. Just signed with puma after a decent career at CO.

Paul Puma wrote:

Bob Kennedy, Chris Nelloms, Robert Smith, Laurie Gomez...All turned out well, except for that Nelloms fellow

Lol isnt he in prison?

Roger Ver

5000m race walk champ, today is shtcoin eater

https://youtu.be/oCOjCEth6xI

Craig Masback attended our rival HS, graduated in 1973. He didn’t run cross and his best HS mile was was 4:48. He was an outstanding 800 runner (low 1:50s) on like 5 miles/week training. 4:48 HS best to 3:52 is a pretty shocking improvement. I know he has had a controversial career, but he was a local legend, grew up less than a 1/2 mile from me.

I was a freshman at a very small, rural high school in Missouri in 2002. I qualified for the state cross country meet and finished near the back of the pack. The highlight for me was watching Adam Perkins from Liberty and Josh Harper from West Plains duel in the class 4 division. Perkins won, but West Plains win the team division.

Perkins skipped his senior year of track in pursuit of a sub 4 mile. They both went on to run at Arkansas and I think both were on a DMR that won the national championship.