Finally, Matthew Payamps could taste the fruits of a well-fought season. This wasn’t the case in the fall, when a peculiar November snowstorm wiped out the state Federation cross county championship and robbed the St. Anthony’s senior of the chance to win gold during a season where he dominated Long Island.

“After cross country, I was super disappointed,” Payamps said. “I was just so happy to use that as motivation, not let it keep me too down, and use it to really get after it in the winter season.”

It snowed again on Saturday morning, but this time it didn’t affect Payamps’ championship quest. The Georgetown-bound runner kicked his way toward an state indoor championship, winning the 1,600 meters in four minutes, 10.51 seconds at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.

Payamps found himself in a tight battle with Bronxville’s Alex Rizzo. Rizzo came into the meet with the fastest 1,600 time in the state, according to milesplit.com. But, even when passed by Rizzo with 400 meters left, Payamps kept his cool. With 100 meters to go, Payamps motored past his Saturday rival and cruised to victory. Rizzo was second in 4:13.21.

“I knew we were going to push each other to the line,” Payamps said of Rizzo. “When he took it with 400 to go, I kind of expected that just because of how strong he is and how much of a competitor he is. I just had to finish strong that last 200 and bring home the state championship.”

But once Payamps passed Rizzo, the race was virtually over.

“I just focused on finishing speed, getting my legs turning over, and focusing on what I’ve been doing all season,” Payamps said.

Elsewhere, Freeport’s Kevon O’Brien-Smith came from behind to win the 600 in 1:19.98. O’Brien-Smith battled with Huntington’s Johnathan Smith down the final back straightaway before the Freeport speedster took control on the turn.

“It was a lot of hard work. [Smith] is a really fast kid,” O’Brien-Smith said. “…I saw the finish line and wanted to win, so I had to push it and headed for another gear.”

Smith got out to a convincing start in the first 250 meters, but O’Brien-Smith never lost sight of him — or his confidence that he could catch him.

“My coach [Charles Gilreath] said, ‘on the last straightaway, just keep pumping and you’ll win,” O’Brien-Smith said. “I did what he said, and I won.”

Smith was able to get on the top of the podium later in the meet. Smith, along with his Huntington teammates, C.J. Kiviat, Justin Stevens and Anthony Joseph, won the 4 x 400-meter relay in 3:20.17 — a return to form for the Blue Devils who have, at times, dominated the event during the last five years.

Longwood’s Jaheim Dotson won the public school 300 in 34.87 seconds.

In the field, Uniondale’s Jadan Hanson won the triple jump, flying 49 feet, 7 ½ inches. Hanson, despite expressing some concern at his lack of practice time in the event during the regular season, had an unforgettable winter competing in it. He set the Nassau record last month, Uniondale coach Dennis Kornfield said, and came away with gold Saturday.

“I did well with my consistency,” Hanson said of his state championship performance. “Most of my jumps were near each other. I still didn’t hit 50 [feet] yet. Hopefully, I’ll do it next week at nationals. But, today, I was just very consistent.”

Hanson topped Jeremiah Willis from Cicero-North Syracuse, an athlete who is always at or near the top of the jumping leaderboards, and one that Hanson has immense respect for. Willis was second (49-6½).

“He’s the best competitor I ever went up against,” Hanson said.

Mount Sinai’s Kenneth Wei won the long jump, flying 23 feet, 5½ inches and placed second in the 55- meter hurdles in 7.45 seconds.

Matthew Payamps made an emphatic statement on Saturday, recording the No. 2 all-time high school performance for 1,000 meters at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships in Staten Island, New York, finishing 16th overall in the first round of the men's race in 2:23.46. 

While that time didn't qualify Payamps, a Saint Anthony's (NY) High School senior, out of the rounds and into the championship race on Sunday, it placed the future Georgetown University runner into the high school record books, slotting him just behind national record holder Robby Andrews.

That performance was a national Catholic's School record and broke a 36-year-old New York record at the distance, passing Miles Irish, who ran 2:24.1 in 1983. 

Payamps split 28.27, 28.77, 29.33, 29.04 and closed with a 28.07 lap. 

While it was Payamps first loss of the 2019 season, it formally ushered the New York middle-distance star into elite company, furthering a momentous season that will continue at New Balance Nationals Indoor in March. 

It was a big day of racing at Ocean Breeze, while only a select few were High Schoolers.  The USATF Indoor National Champs have come to Staten Island, and are making their names known amongst the pro's.

One such athlete was Matt Payamps (Saint Anthony's) who is currently undefeated against High School competition this winter.  Payamps was entered in the 1000m, after snatching a qualifying time in his win at the VA Showcase.  Entered in the largest field of the weekend, Payamps was slated for the final heat.  Opening up the event was Robby Andrews, who currently holds the HS Record for the event at 2:22.28, and now runs professionally for Adidas.  Among Payamps immediate competitors in his heat were former NY Prep Stars Ryan Manahan (Marcellus) and James Gowans (Mexico), who has the fame of being the first athlete under 4mins for the mile at the Ocean Breeze Facility.

The race went out fast, and Payamps dropped to the back of the pack.  He rode the pace through the first four laps, then made his move forward.  Passing through, he was still accelerating out of the final turn.  He would be caught behind the three-wide front pack, but would chase down that lead to a 5th place finish.

Payamps ran to a 2:23.46 performance, good for US #2 All-Time in the event, behind only Andrews.  He erases the previous New York State Record set by Miles Irish (Burnt Hills), set in 1983 at 2:24.1y.  The mark stood as the oldest State Record not measured in yards.  Payamps has committed to run at Georgetown next year, where Irish also ran Collegiately.

"We went into this race with the idea of running fast," Head Coach Tim Dearie told MileSplit.  "There was no set time in mind. It was understood that all Matt had to do was focus on being competitive and it would be fast. I was hoping he would be near the State 1000 record but he beat that pretty handily.  He's in some rarified air with this performance  and will ride that into the State and National meets."

 1000 Meters State Records
  ===============
   Fr:   2:34.12       BEN BULKELEY (Fairport)                      2015
   So:   2:27.59       ZAVON WATKINS (Liverpool)                    2010
   Jr:   2:26.12       JAMES ASSELMEYER (Arlington)                 2014
   Sr:   2:23.28      MATTHEW PAYAMPS (Saint Anthony's)             2019

https://ny.milesplit.com/articles/255300-matt-payamps-runs-41239-for-mile-win-in-boston

NEW BALANCE INDOOR GRAND PRI

Boston, MA - Senior Matt Payamps (Saint Anthony's) picked up another big win this weekend, taking home gold at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix.  He was invited to the Junior Boy's Mile, which pulled in several big names from the northeast.  After sitting just off the leader for much of the race, he kicked past for the win, much like he did en route to his 1000m win down at the VA Showcase.  Payamps crossed the line at 4:12.39, a new Indoor Personal Best.

The mark is now US #1, and makes him the odds-on favorite for the Millrose Games in two weeks.  There, he will likely face an equally challenging field, although the stakes may be a bit higher.  The Millrose Games are one of the oldest Track Meets around, Indoors or Out, and the HS Mile is stuff of legend.  Payamps raced their the year before, but only finished 8th.  Surely, he has higher aspirations this year.  A New Yorker hasn't won the prestigious event since 2015, while a NY State Catholic School athlete hasn't won since Vince Draddy (Iona Prep) back in 1979.  Plenty is on the line this year.

by Mile Split NY

Reda wins 1,000 meters, Payamps is double winner (600, and 1,600) and is named track MVP as Friars win 10th straight CHSAA league title, according to coach Tim Dearie.

By Jordan Lauterbach Newsday
Photo Credit: George A. Faella

Matt Reda heard the edict loud and clear. Well, as clear as you can when you’re running as fast as you can. Reda, a senior on St. Anthony’s strong distance squad, was midway through the 1,000 meters at the CHSAA league championships when he heard teammate Brendan Dearie bark out the order.

“You take this one.”

Dearie had won the 3,200 in 10 minutes, 3.15 seconds earlier in the meet and wanted to conserve his energy for the 4x800 meter relay later in the afternoon.

And, take it he did. Reda powered through the final 200 meters to win the 1,000 in 2:38.8, barely holding off St. John the Baptist’s Brian Healy, who finished second in 2:39.05 Sunday morning at St. Anthony’s High School.  

“I barely got the inside off [Healy] on the turn and just went for it,” Reda said. “I didn’t know it was going to end up with a sprint finish.”

The move to the inside eliminated Reda’s one concern about the race. He knew that if he could take the inside on the final straight away he would find his way to the winner’s circle.

“I just surged real hard, extended my elbows a little bit, and got it,” Reda said.

Reda was one of a host of St. Anthony’s victories that led them to the team title with 82 points. It was their 10th straight indoor league title, coach Tim Dearie said.

Matthew Payamps won the 600 in 1:22.42, holding off Kellenberg’s Erik Brown on the final lap in one of the best races of the meet. Brown was second in 1:23.51.

“He came to run fast,” Payamps said of Brown. “I just had to stay confident in my training – we’ve been doing strength and speed. Coming around the last turn, I kicked and finished strong. I knew he was going to be right there from the beginning. Keeping that in my mind pushed me to go faster.”

Payamps, who was named track MVP of the meet, also won the 1,600 in 4:37.95. He also joined Robert Doherty, Patrick Finegan and Michael Barbaro-Barnett to win the 4x800 meter relay in 8:30.9.

Payamps’ victories came one day after he ran 4:12.39 in the mile at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston. The Georgetown-bound senior appears primed for a strong final six weeks of the indoor season.

“I’m feeling really good,” he said. “I’m feeling happy with where I’m at, where my teammates are at, and am just excited for the rest of the season.”

In the field, St. John the Baptist’s David Amelemah won the triple jump (45 feet, 3/4 inches) and was named field MVP of the meet.

On the girls side, St. John the Baptist won the team title with 69 points in a meet that came down to the final two relays. Sacred Heart was second with 62 points. It was St. John’s first girls indoor league title in program history, coach David Wood said.

St. John the Baptist’s Kristen Rivenburg won the 55-meter hurdles in 9.58 seconds. The Cougars earned the top four places in the final. Maggie Scott was second in 9.6 seconds, Ann-Isabelle Eustache was third (9.63), and Meredith Haberfield was fourth (9.77).

“I run with them every day, so it made me feel so much better,” Rivenburg said.

Having teammates comfort you is one thing – having them beat you is quite another. Rivenburg made sure she finished strong, no matter how friendly the competition.

“I saw them coming up behind me and I just pushed off a little harder,” Rivenburg said.

St. John the Baptist jumper Zhanna Green won the long jump (16-9.25), triple jump (35-6.75) and was named field MVP of the meet.

Elsewhere on the girls side, Sacred Heart distance standout Maggie Maier won the 3,000 in 10:25.91, the 1,500 in 4:52.20, and was named track MVP of the meet. St. Anthony’s Melissa Cunningham won the 55 dash (7.39), the 300 (41.07), and was on the winning 4x400 meter team (4:12.75).

It's been quite a last few weeks for Matt Payamps of Saint Anthony's High School.

Within the past month, the senior star, who seems to be able to compete well at almost any distance, turned in the No. 11 all-time performance at 1,000 meters, winning in 2 minutes, 25.09 seconds at The Virginia Showcase in Lynchburg, Virginia. 

He followed that up with a 4:12.39 victory in the mile at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston, and two weekends ago, he ho-hummed his way to wins at the NSCHSAA championship meet.

This past Saturday, at the CHSAA Intersectional championship meet at Ocean Breeze in Staten Island, he was named the meet's Outstanding Athlete after winning the 600m in 1:20.45, and later taking the 1600m in 4:19.77.

Payamps, seemingly always smiling, said of his 600m performance, "It was a tough race. I actually wanted to go under 1:20, but my legs felt tired on the first lap. But I started to get into it later, and came out with the win, so I wasn't too disappointed."

The 1600m was "for the team," and Payamps is foremost a team man.

"We've never had a runner with the range that Matt has," St. Anthony's coach Tim Dearie said. "And he's a tremendous young man, maybe the best person I've ever coached. He's the type of senior who will talk and give encouragement to the lowliest freshman on the team. You don't see that too often."

The St. Anthony's tradition of cross country and track and field excellence goes back decades, and Payamps is the latest in a long line of stars to wear the black and gold singlet.

The Crooke brothers, Olympian John Gregorek, a legendary coach in Don Buckley, and modern-day stars such as Patrick Farmer and last year's ace, Mason Gatewood, are among the many notables.

Now Payamps is adding to the rich tradition and carving his own niche among the pantheon of St. Anthony's heroes.

There was some initial speculation concerning training and overall performance after the departure of Gatewood, but Payamps said "There was a little transition, but Brendan Dearie (the coach's son), Matt Reda, and I push each other in practice."

The Friars had a lot on their minds at Saturday's meet.

"It's been a crushing, hectic time," Dearie said of "my assistant coach and best friend" Bob Higgins, who ran the 400m leg on the championship distance medley at the Penn Relays in 1978.

Higgins was recently found to have a brain tumor and is now in hospice care.

There was a team meting prior to the Intersectional championship meet, with assistant coach Oliver St. Aude quietly giving the team additional motivation.

The message was simple -- "Do your best -- do it for coach Bob, and for yourselves."

Payamps took the message to heart. 

"A lot of us had coach Higgins' name on our spikes," he said. "I had 'Higs' on mine."

Despite the inspiration, St. Anthony's fell to Iona Preparatory by 0.5 points, 27.5 to 27.

"Some things didn't go our way during the meet," he said, "and it was tough to see the way the meet was unfolding at the end," but added that, "it will give us additional motivation for outdoors."

So what's ahead for the senior star?

In 10 days, he will compete in the USA Track and Field Indoor Senior Men's National Championships. His 2:25.09 in the 1K qualified at Ocean Breeze qualified him.

"It's a nice chance to run very fast," Dearie said, adding, "I think 2:23 is in his wheelhouse -- Why not give him a shot?"

Then it's off to the New York State Championships, where he will probably run the 600m and 1K.

"Whatever he (Dearie) wants me to do, I'll do," Payamps said. "I trust the coach to do what's best for me."

Outdoors is still a way off, but there's a DMR in late April at the Penn Relays, which both Payamps and Dearie are already thinking about. 

Last year Payamps ran 4:08.34 for his anchor 1600m leg at Penn, and St. Anthony's ran under 10 minutes (9:59.87), but the Friars came up short to Hopewell Valley, and specifically Sean Dolan's 4:07.57, which his squad the win in 9:57.77.

Also on Dearie's mind is the 4:05.4 school record in the mile, last set by Gregorek, New York State record of 4:02.7, which was set by Matt Centrowitz Sr in 1973.

"We're going to try to find a race where he can run fast," Dearie said, "but we're not going to chase the thing the whole season."

With personal bests of 1:52.51 in the 800m, 4:08.32 in the mile and 8:56.06 in the 3200m, plus excellent cross country credentials and a solid academic resume, the colleges came calling.

Next year, he'll take his talents to Georgetown University, where he'll join a talented stable of middle-distance runners.

Payamps said Hoyas men's distance coach Brandon Bonsey "laid out a four-year plan that appealed to me."

That, plus the academic reputation of Georgetown and it's location as a cultural center, also seemed like a good fit.

So Payamps might have a few good years ahead of him, too. 

https://videos.sp.milesplit.com/324546/videos/720p.mp4?premium=0&checksum=c1698cad5249c92e65186f558a9f6115

Finally, Matthew Payamps could taste the fruits of a well-fought season. This wasn’t the case in the fall, when a peculiar November snowstorm wiped out the state Federation cross county championship and robbed the St. Anthony’s senior of the chance to win gold during a season where he dominated Long Island.

“After cross country, I was super disappointed,” Payamps said. “I was just so happy to use that as motivation, not let it keep me too down, and use it to really get after it in the winter season.”

It snowed again on Saturday morning, but this time it didn’t affect Payamps’ championship quest. The Georgetown-bound runner kicked his way toward an state indoor championship, winning the 1,600 meters in four minutes, 10.51 seconds at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.

Payamps found himself in a tight battle with Bronxville’s Alex Rizzo. Rizzo came into the meet with the fastest 1,600 time in the state, according to milesplit.com. But, even when passed by Rizzo with 400 meters left, Payamps kept his cool. With 100 meters to go, Payamps motored past his Saturday rival and cruised to victory. Rizzo was second in 4:13.21.

“I knew we were going to push each other to the line,” Payamps said of Rizzo. “When he took it with 400 to go, I kind of expected that just because of how strong he is and how much of a competitor he is. I just had to finish strong that last 200 and bring home the state championship.”

But once Payamps passed Rizzo, the race was virtually over.

“I just focused on finishing speed, getting my legs turning over, and focusing on what I’ve been doing all season,” Payamps said.

Elsewhere, Freeport’s Kevon O’Brien-Smith came from behind to win the 600 in 1:19.98. O’Brien-Smith battled with Huntington’s Johnathan Smith down the final back straightaway before the Freeport speedster took control on the turn.

“It was a lot of hard work. [Smith] is a really fast kid,” O’Brien-Smith said. “…I saw the finish line and wanted to win, so I had to push it and headed for another gear.”

Smith got out to a convincing start in the first 250 meters, but O’Brien-Smith never lost sight of him — or his confidence that he could catch him.

“My coach [Charles Gilreath] said, ‘on the last straightaway, just keep pumping and you’ll win,” O’Brien-Smith said. “I did what he said, and I won.”

Smith was able to get on the top of the podium later in the meet. Smith, along with his Huntington teammates, C.J. Kiviat, Justin Stevens and Anthony Joseph, won the 4 x 400-meter relay in 3:20.17 — a return to form for the Blue Devils who have, at times, dominated the event during the last five years.

Longwood’s Jaheim Dotson won the public school 300 in 34.87 seconds.

In the field, Uniondale’s Jadan Hanson won the triple jump, flying 49 feet, 7 ½ inches. Hanson, despite expressing some concern at his lack of practice time in the event during the regular season, had an unforgettable winter competing in it. He set the Nassau record last month, Uniondale coach Dennis Kornfield said, and came away with gold Saturday.

“I did well with my consistency,” Hanson said of his state championship performance. “Most of my jumps were near each other. I still didn’t hit 50 [feet] yet. Hopefully, I’ll do it next week at nationals. But, today, I was just very consistent.”

Hanson topped Jeremiah Willis from Cicero-North Syracuse, an athlete who is always at or near the top of the jumping leaderboards, and one that Hanson has immense respect for. Willis was second (49-6½).

“He’s the best competitor I ever went up against,” Hanson said.

Mount Sinai’s Kenneth Wei won the long jump, flying 23 feet, 5½ inches and placed second in the 55- meter hurdles in 7.45 seconds.

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

NEW HAVEN, Ct. -- St. Anthony's High School of Melville, N.Y., has produced some fast times in recent years the Yale Track Classic in New Haven. 

A year ago, Mason Gatewood won the 800 meters and was part of a winning distance medley relay. On Saturday, senior Matthew Payamps added to that tradition at Coxe Cage. The Georgetown commit won the boys 3,000 meters in 8 minutes, 31.01 seconds, the fastest time in the country for a prep so far this year. 

"We have one of the best coaches (Tim Dearie) in the country, I believe, and he proves it year in and year out," Payamps said. "We just work really hard under him."

Second place went to Michael Keehan of Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.) in 8:33.53, while Camden Gilmore of Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.) finished third (8:35.24).

Payamps said the plan for the race was to let Tyler Berg (Burnt Hills NY) take the lead and then basically move his way up with about 1,000 meters to go. Payamps, who will run in the Virginia Showcase next and then the mile at the New Balance Grand Prix (Jan. 26), said he's feeling really fit right now.

"I'm happy with it," he said of his time. "Any race I go into, I want to win."

Teammate Brendan Dearie Finished 6th in 8:40.39  

In the girls 3,000, West Chester NY freshman Jenna Mulhern, was the only runner to go under 10 minutes, winning the race in 9:55.35. 

Coming off a seventh-place finish at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, Pomperaug CT sophomore Kate Wiser shook off the rust as she won the girls mile (5:01.18). It was her first mile of the season.

"I want to get some speed after cross country, and I haven't really focused on the mile before," Wiser said. "I got boxed in pretty badly for like three laps (of the race). On the third lap I was able to sneak by and catch up to the leaders."

Wiser, who went undefeated in the state of Connecticut during cross country season and won the New England XC Championships, said she feels like she has a lot more to offer in terms of faster times this season.

In the girls 1,000, Nikki Merrill, a senior from Portsmouth RI, easily won in a US#4 time of 2:53.27.

"The game plan was to get out fast, try to stay fast," Merrill said. "I think the first two laps were strong. That was right about where I wanted to be, and then after 600 meters I slowed down a little bit and I think I coasted a little bit, and there's definitely more of a kick that I think I'll be able to get at the end of the season."  

Merrill will also run in the mile at the Grand Prix in Boston.

Miller Anderson of Hall CT won the boys 1,000 in 2:30.98.   

Other highlights included Shepherd Hill (Dudley, MA) junior Bryan Santos winning the boys 55-meter dash in a meet record and US#1 time of 6.33 seconds. Edward Williams of Sacred Heart CT won the boys 55 hurdles in 7.39.

In the girls 55 dash, transgender sprinter Terry Miller of Bloomfield CT ran 7.00 seconds in the semifinals, a personal best and current US#2, but a false start led to a DQ in the finals. Paul Robeson NY senior Toshel Goffe won the dash in 7.07, edging out teammate Shawnakay Peart (7.26). Miller went on to win the 300 in a time of 38.9, another personal best.

In the boys 600, Danbury CT senior Malcom Going clocked 1:20.77, US#2.

Friday evening, Hall CT DMR team clocked 10:22.96, U.S. No. 1. The Burnt Hills girls DMR won the championship race in 12:10.41, US#2.

By Jordan Lauterbach 
January 11, 2019 10:50 PM

Matthew Payamps will continue his running odyssey in the nation’s capital. Payamps, a senior cross country and track standout at St. Anthony’s, committed to Georgetown University in November and is excited about the prospect of increasing his competitive stature.

“They’re one of the best middle distance and track programs in the country right now,” Payamps said.

Besides Payamps, the Hoyas recruiting class includes Saratoga’s Shea Weilbaker and Maine-Endwell’s Parker Stokes, two of the best runners in the state.

“It’s going to be a really good training group,” Payamps said. “I’m certainly excited for that. They’re really strong on the cross country side of the sport. Training with them and the other guys on the team is going to make me a stronger runner.”

Payamps' final four included Princeton, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgetown.

“I was hoping that after my official visits, I would kind of know where I wanted to go,” Payamps said. “It wasn’t like that at all. It ended up being a really tough decision. At Georgetown, I really fell in love with the campus, DC, and the Georgetown area.”

Payamps, who was more of a mid-distance runner last season, excelled at the longer distances this fall. His impressive cross country season earned him Newsday Runner of the Year honors. Payamps was the top Long Islander in the state speed ratings for most of the season, according to tullyrunners.com.

“As a runner, and a human, I think you want to learn not only what you’re best at, but what you struggle with as well,” Payamps said. “...Just to be a stronger athlete, I had to work harder at the longer distances and try to find some enjoyment in cross country.”

Payamps won the CHSAA Intersectional cross country championship in 12 minutes, 49.74 seconds (4k) and the CHSAA League title in 16:55.45 (5k). Payamps ran a 15:49.79 at the Ocean State Invitational in September, the second fastest individual time on Long Island this season.

His success has continued into the winter. In December, Payamps ran 1:25.53 in the 600 meters, 1:54.73 in the 800 and 9:33.62 in the 3,200.

“I’m feeling really fit and the team is looking really good,” Payamps said. “I’m getting back my leg speed with some speed workouts. It’s been really good.”

Payamps will join an impressive duo of Long Islanders at Georgetown. Huntington’s Lawrence Leake runs on the men’s team and Shorham-Wading River’s Katherine Lee runs on the women’s team. Leake won state and national championships as part of Huntington’s 4 x 400-meter relay team in 2016 and Lee won state public school Class B cross country championships in 2014, 2016, and 2017.

“A minute or two after I committed, Katherine texted me and said ‘I’m so excited to be your teammate,’ ” Payamps said. “It’s crazy how word spreads just like that. But I want to show that we have some really good runners coming out of Long Island and New York. It proves that our state and Long Island is so strong year in and year out. It shows how much work we put in and how much pride we have for where we live. It’s going to be super exciting and super fun.”

Coxe Cage remains an indoor facility where high school distance runners flock, for a lot of reasons. 

It's been known to create some magic on its 200 meter oval. 

But at the Yale Track Classic, which is going into its 37th year in 2019, there's also a pretty good guarantee that national-level runners will get all they bargained for in a deep-fielded 3K in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Few invitationals stock this distance race like Yale's annual track classic does. 

On Saturday, yet another elite distance race will go down within the confines of Coxe Cage. 

Related Links: 

• Watch The Yale Track Classic LIVE
• Check Out Yale Track Classic Entries Here
• Meet Information
  

* Tyler Berg set a US No. 3 time in the 2-mile at Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival in December

In the fast section of this year's event, it's anyone's game. 

The meet record was set back in 2016 when two blue-chippers, Fordham Prep (NY) graduate Conor Lundy and La Salle Academy's DJ Principe, battled for 15 laps, though it was Lundy who pulled away from the speedier Principe, a Stanford recruit who would later go on to run 4:00.97 in the mile at the New Balance Games. 

WATCH: The Elite Girls Race Begins At 11:48 a.m. EST; Boys Race Begins At 12:15 p.m. EST

That race was one of the meet's finest in its history, but there's reason to believe 2019's version could be just as competitive. 

The field features some remarkably talented distance athletes. 

Headlining the list is Saint Anthony's (NY) Matthew Payamps and Burnt Hills' (NY) Tyler Berg. 

While the pair hasn't faced head-to-head in a big matchup over the track season, each runner has his own strengths -- Payamps has trusted his speed to carry him in the 800m and mile over his career, while Berg's aerobic base has pulled him toward some truly great performances at 3K and beyond. 

Each runner's PR at 3K is nearly identical. 

Berg, a Nike Cross Nationals qualifier over cross country--he finished 32nd with a 5K best of 15:33.60--actually hasn't run an outright 3K since his sophomore year in 2017 at this same venue. But the New Yorker is coming off a US No. 3 effort at 2-miles at the Ocean Breeze complex in December, which translates to the fastest 3K time entering this race. 

Payamps finished third in this race last year, and just posted a 1:54.73 at 800 meters in December. 

Neither should overlook two of Delaware's finest runners. Keehan and Banko have the benefit of being on the same team--and that chemistry could prove fruitful in a race that often plays technical in the first 8 laps. 

Wildcards include Toolin, who laid down a US No. 1 time for 1-mile on Boston University's oval in December, and Gilmore and Cormier, who have the talent to stick with anyone up front. 

No doubt this race will turn into something special. 

BOYS WINTER TRACK AND FIELD
In the Student Center Fishbowl

First day of practice
Monday Nov. 13th 2:50 PM

Head Coach Mr. Dearie - tdearie@stanthonyshs.org