Friday has Sunday to make mark at NBNO

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Trentavis Friday goes through commencement ceremonies at Cherryville, N.C. at 9 a.m. on Saturday and nobody can fault him for making that his first priority this weekend.

It meant Friday couldn't accept an invitation to the Dream 100 in New York, and it limits his options at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, which runs June 13-15 at Greensboro, N.C..

But Friday, who bagged a pair of New Balance National titles at the indoor championships, is prepared to let it rip in the 200 meters on Sunday. And if he can go any faster than the 20.33 clocking he achieved on May 31, he could inch closer to national accolades as the boys athlete of the year.

He's going to have to earn that 200 title. The event includes US#7 Noah Lyles VA, an exciting sophomore, Leon Powell TX, Ivy Dobson NV and Robert Grant AZ.

NBNI 400-meter champ Richard Rose of Brooklyn's Boys and Girls High School missed the New York state championships because he had the SAT, so he's hungry to get into a race that can define his season. And he'll be pressed by Florida State recruit Zyaire Clemes NJ, and Floridians Cordell Lamb and Rasheed Tatham.

Ishmael Muhammad NJ ran 1:48.52 to win the New Jersey MOC 800. That makes him the favorite at nationals, but he could have company with Michigan champ Donovan Brazier, Derek Holdsworth VA and Joe White, who was second in the NJ MOC meet. A wild card is Garrett O'Toole, who will be flying down to North Carolina after competing at the Dream Mile in New York.

The best of the distance events looks like the 2-mile. Iowa champ Thomas Pollard ran the fastest non-Arcadia 3,200 of the year when he timed 8:50.43 at his state meet. He'll face one of the breakout stars from Penn Relays, sophomore class record holder (3K) Andrew Hunter of Loudoun Valley, Va. The race also features the trio from Northport NY (twins Tim and Jack McGowan and Mikey Brannigan). Northport is also entered in the 4xMile.

In the 5,000, Alex Ostberg CT, Aarom Templeton TN, Elijah Armstrong ID and Nicholas Elswick OH head the field.

California state champ and US#1 Misana Viltz (13.47) brings some star quality to the 110 hurdles, which also includes US#5 Jeremy McDuffie and US#8 Kenny Selmon of Georgia and US#6 Texan Chevis Armstead.

In the 400 hurdles, US#1 300 hurdler Robert Grant AZ (36.24) will have a go at the longer distance. He'll face Selmon, US#1 in the 400 hurdles (51.25).

Union Catholic of New Jersey will try to put its stamp on the meet in the relays. The New Jersey champs are primed to go after titles in the 4x400, the 1000-meter Sprint Medley Swedish relay, the SMR and the shuttle hurdles. Pushback in the 4x400 could come from Knightdale NC and Palmer Ridge CO.

The boys pole vault could be something special, with four 17-foot vaulters in the field. Indoor record holder Devin King LA faces Texas champion Brandon Bray (US#1 17-8.50), Illinois champion Luke Winder (17-5) and Paolo Benavides TX, who won Great Southwest last weekend and has a best of 17-2.50.

In the shot put, the nation's No. 1 and No. 3 throwers go head to head. Nick Demaline OH has the best throw of the year with 68-10.50 and Benjamin Bonhurst just threw 67-3 at the New York state meet.

John Warren VA could be in line for a double in the horizontal jumps. He was eighth (long jump) and third (triple jump) at New Balance Nationals Indoor. But he comes into Greensboro as a slight favorite in the long jump and a co-favorite in the triple jump with Deandre Bates, who jumped 50-9.50 at Great Southwest last weekend.

Likewise, Daniel Haugh GA could have a big weekend as a top contender in both the discus and hammer. He has thrown 204-0 in the discus and will be tested by Matthew Zajac of Virginia, who is also over 200 feet this spring. The hammer features the top four throwers in the country with Bobby Colantonio RI, Colin Minor NC, Adam Kelly RI and Haugh.

The javelin competition is a bi-coastal showdown that pits Oregon's John Nizich (222-9), No. 1 for most of the season, against Curtis Thompson NJ, who took over the top spot with a 224-10 throw last week.