Hispanic Games: Garland connects with a triple

By Brian Towey for DyeStat

NEW YORK -- Kyle Garland knew that taking a crack at his friend Dondre Echols' 7.36 meet record in the 55-meter hurdles at the U.S. Army Hispanic Games was an ambitious reach. But in the end, he couldn't help himself.

Garland, a senior at Germantown Academy PA and a Georgia commit, ran 7.28 seconds Saturday, just off of his personal-best 7.25.

"Dondre Nichols is actually a very good friend of mine," Garland said. "I'm going to text him right now."

The crushing Northeastern weather slowed Garland's practice routines, but it didn't stop him from the hurdles championship or a 6-8 win in the high jump (and a sixth-place finish in the 200 meters in 22.69, for good measure).

"I had to find the energy (to win the high jump) and I definitely did it, putting on a show like I always do," Garland said.

Girard College PA junior Thelma Davies used the big stage to her advantage. Rocketing through the preliminary heats, Davies won the 55 meters in a US#1 6.86, then won the 200 meters in US#2 23.89.

"I'm happy. I set a goal to break the meet record and to go back to the Millrose Games and I did that," Davies said. "I'm trying to win Nationals this year. My main focus was getting out of the blocks and reacting."

Benjamin Cardozo NY senior Paris Peoples took advantage of the platform to announce her college choice. The defending New York state 600-meter champion will attend the University of Arkansas.

"Growing up, when we would watch track (on TV) Arkansas was always the best," Peoples said. "They had big dogs. I wanted to be a Razorback."

Shoreham Wading-River senior Katherine Lee earned a return trip to the Millrose Games with a 5:01.08 win in the mile. Her counterpart in the boys race, Northport NY senior Isaiah Claiborne, staged an audacious come-from-behind surge for a 4:19.22 win and a Millrose Games berth.

"I usually stay in the lead pack but I never lead," said Claiborne, who split 60 seconds for the final 400 and said that he and twin brother Elijah will attend Penn State next year.

Franklin MD was dominant on the girls side in its return to New York. (The school's 4x400 relay was fourth at New Balance Nationals Indoor in 2016).

Senior Cameron Hinton, who will run for Auburn, won the girls 400 meters in 56.17 ahead of Peoples (56.66), while teammate Tylar Colbert was third in 57.09. Senior Nyjari McNeil, who is committed to San Diego State, won the 800 in 2:15.69. Then Hinton, Colbert and McNeil joined with Jasmine Johnson to win the 4x400 relay in 3:51.35.

"The top competition in our area comes from Hereford and Bullis," Franklin coach Paul Hannsen said. "They're good nationally and that's what we're trying to do, too."

In a standoff of Philadelphia runners, Armonte Paulk of Hill Freeman edged Miles Green of St. Joseph's Prep 49.42 to 49.47 in the 400 meters.

"We can represent," Green said. "Austin Kratz (and others). We have a good sprint base coming from Philadelphia, from Pennsylvania."

Another Philadelphia sprinter, Imhotep's Kristian Marche, won the 55 meters in US#9 6.38.

Salesianum DE junior Michael Keehan won the boys 2-mile run in 9:24.12.

"Delaware's actually more competitive than we get credit for," said Keehan, who said he'll face competition from Andrew Avila of the Charter School of Wilmington and Connor Nisbet of Wilmington Friends at the state level.

"Andrew Halley from my school won this event when I was a freshman. Coming out here today, that's what I was thinking about: winning this for Sallies."

In an exciting finish, senior Jeffrey Perdomo of DeWitt Clinton NY held off St. Benedict's NJ juniors Alfred Chawonza and Lewis Ngwenya to win the boys 800 in 1:54.68 to 1:54.78 (Chawonza) and 1:54.90 (Ngwenya).

"I want to set the (national) record in the 600 of 1:17," Perdomo said. "I've already run 1:21. I also want to run 1:49 in the 800."

Ngwenya is a recent arrival at St. Benedict's. The native of Zimbabwe (like Chawonza) came to the school from Pretoria, South Africa, in August. He brings 1:51.86 credentials in the 800.

Ngwenya and Chawonza combined with seniors Kaylan Depas and Ian Simmons to finish second in the sprint medley relay to East Orange Campus NJ at the Essex County Relays at Ocean Breeze Track on Wednesday in 3:30.90, good for US#2. (East Orange NJ is the national leader at 3:30.79).

West Side NJ senior Isaiah Green took a break from hurdling Saturday, where he owns a 7.55 PR in the 55 hurdles, to win the 200 in 22.19.

"I want to run 7.3 in the hurdles, 6.4 in the 55 and 21.8 in the 200 meters," Green said.