Boys Distance Medley:
Kinetic TC (Saratoga NY) wins nail biter
This was a DMR that had a finish worthy of a sprint. With 30 meters to go, Kinetic anchor Steve Murdock had lost most of a big lead and was hanging on for dear life as Fork Union Military Academy VA's Alex Mostrag was charging. Murdock held on by three hundredths of a second as Mostrag ran a 4:13 anchor.
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photo by John Dye
text by Pete Cava
Boys distance medley relay (1200, 400, 800, 1600) – Junior Stephen Murdock held off a charging Axel Mostrag at the finish to give Kinetic Running Club (Saratoga, NY) a razor-thin edge over Fork Union (VA) Military Academy.
The Saratogans led early, thanks to Greg Kelsey’s opening leg. By the first exchange, Ben White had the Syracuse (NY) Chargers in the lead, with Kinetic second.
Mike Compson of Syracuse battled Kinetic’s Cameron Benidt on the second exchange. A the third exchange, Greg Kiley had the Saratogans in the lead with Mountain Brook (AL) TC second and Syracuse well back in third.
Murdock ran unchallenged most of the way, with Fayetteville Manlius (Manlius, NY), Mountain Brook, Stark Street AC (Portland, OR) and Fork Union waging an apparent battle for second.
On the final lap, Mostrag began surging like an avalanche, leaving the rest of the field behind in an all-out effort to overtake Murdock. At the finish, there was barely enough room for a shadow to pass through, but Murdock held on for the victory.
Kinetic’s winning time was 10:17.01 to 10:17.04 for the Virginians. Third was Fayetteville Manlius, winners of the 4xMile relay earlier Saturday. Fayetteville Manlius’s time was 10:20.00. Syracuse dropped to eighth place.
“Teamwork,” said Kelsey, the acknowledged leader of the Kinetic crew. “That’s what won it for us. I knew they were going to kick, but you can always count on Steve.”
The gallant Mostrag, an exchange student, is been one of Poland’s top junior middle distance runners. Fork Union coach Winston Brown clocked him in 4:13.68, including a jet-quick 28-second final 200.
Mostrag, who will remain in the U.S. through next year, has a brother who attended Virginia Commonwealth University.
Event 27 Boys Distance Medley
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National: N 9:59.94 3/10/2000 Gloucester, Gloucester, MA
Meet: M 10:03.70 3/2001 Atlantic, Delray Beach, FL
School Finals
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1 Kinetic RC 10:17.01
2 Fork Union M.A. 10:17.04
3 Fayetteville Track 10:20.00
4 Stark Street AC 10:20.62
5 Mountain Brook TC 10:21.48
6 West Springfield HS 10:28.09
7 Chardon HS 10:29.24
8 Battlefield HS 10:39.38
9 Mighty Mustangs 10:40.73
10 Syracuse Chargers 10:41.56
11 Ridgefield HS 10:42.56
12 Chaminade HS 10:45.13
13 McFarland TC 10:45.70
14 Brookline HS 10:45.93
15 Smiths Station 10:50.21
16 Hillsborough HS 10:55.70
17 Bay Shore TC 10:58.04
18 DE Striders 11:00.89
19 Quince Orchard 11:01.46
20 Beall TC 11:07.09
21 Unat-MD-Clinton 11:11.08
22 St. Xavier HS 11:13.24