May 15, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz.- The Arizona State University track and field program’s top 2013 in-state signee Bernie Montoya ended his high school career with a bang, winning three titles at the Arizona State High School Track and Field Championships this past weekend at Mesa Community College.
Montoya capped a career of record-setting times as he clinched the top-spot in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:50.19, which would be a new record for the state of Arizona at any division, a record previously held by former ASU standout John Kline. The time would also ranks as the second-fastest prep time in the nation this season. And, for what it’s worth, the time would rank Montoya 12th in the Pac-12 Conference this season. Oddly enough, the 800 isn’t even Montoya’s primary event.
The top in-state runner would continue in his dominance as he finished 1,600m in 4:05.89 and the 3,200 in 8:56.60, winning the title in both. The 1,600-meter time for Montoya was also just six-tenths of a second off the state record.
The Arizona State University signee closed his outstanding career with eight state titles in track and field and three in cross country.
While there is no current video of Montoya’s state championship run, here is a feature on his workout routine from FloTrack, which has already received over 25,000 views. http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/249744-Workout-Wednesday-Season-7/video/707979-Bernie-Montoyas-Sub-4-Ladder-WOW
Montoya also holds the state record in the mile run, which is considered Montoya’s premiere event. He is expected to compete at the adidas Dream Mile later this month, where he is the defending champion.
Even with the great history Arizona State has had in the distance events, Montoya comes to Tempe as the most highly regarded recruit in Sun Devil history and has the potential to be just one of five high school runners in American history to break the four minute barrier this season in the mile.
Montoya will join Cody Brazael on ASU's distance squad next year, who was the nation's No. 7 returning miler in the high school ranks this year - giving ASU two of the top seven student-athletes in the event next season.
ASU Men’s Distance Coach Louie Quintana on Montoya’s State Performance:
“It was pretty tremendous. He raced four events, but to run a state record in the 800, which isn’t his main event was the biggest surprise. For him to break nine minutes in two miles in the state of Arizona is a really tremendous effort and to come back and run 1:50 in the 800 and 4:05 in the mile is one of the better distance triples in U.S. high school history. It is pretty sweet to see and I am excited to watch him compete in the Dream Mile here in a couple weeks. He is a big grab for our group in the distances. We have a nice young team and have a lot of people coming back next year but he is such a high profile national level runner, which - in terms of future recruiting - is a big deal. Having someone of his stature coming to ASU next year and him being a certain staple in the state of Arizona, he is huge. All the kids know who he is so that is going to help in-state recruiting in the future. We are really pumped.”
MORE ON SUN DEVIL RECRUITS
*Tatum Taylor clocked a wind-aided time of 10.26 at the Ken Shannon Invitational two weekends ago in Washington, competing unattached. The time ranks third nationally in all conditions amongst prep runners this season. He followed that with a windy 200-meter victory as well in 20.78. He won both events, despite competing amongst collegiate competition. The 20.78 ranks number one nationally in all conditions amongst prep runners this season. Tatum was recently featured in a MileSplitUS Interview, one of the top sources for prep track and field news in the country. The interview can be read here: http://usa.milesplit.com/articles/105796-2013-track-chats-tatum-taylor
*Kira Moreland recently soared 6.27m (20-07.00) at the CIF-SS Divison I Prelims in the girl’s long jump. The leap was the second-best prep jump in the nation this season and tops among 12th graders. To put the distance into perspective, she would rank 25th in the nation in the long jump at the NCAA level and would hold the third-best jump in the Pac-12 this season. It’s the third time this season the Los Osos high schooler has gone over 20 feet.
*La Troya Franklin clocked a time of 11.73 at the CIF-SS Divison I Prelims as well, a time that currently ranks 16th nationally and eighth among high school seniors. She also clocked the nation’s seventh-fastest time at 200 meters with her wind-aided mark of 24.00 at the same event.
*Maggie Ewen was recently featured in a TwinCities.com article as she continues her impressive season in Minnesota. A couple weeks ago, Ewen set records in the shot put and discus at the Hamline Elite meet, perhaps the top regular-season meet in the state. She won the shot put with a toss of 51 feet, 3 inches and the discus with a throw of 166-4. She followed that Tuesday, May 7, with an even better performance; setting a personal record in the discus -- 175 feet, 9 inches -- at the true team sectional meet at White Bear Lake. Her career best in the shot put is 54-1, set while winning the New Balance Indoor Nationals this winter in New York. The article can be seen here: http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_23193214/prep-track-magdalyn-ewen-throws-herself-into-spotlight
*Chelsea Totten clocked the sixth fastest time for a senior out of California at 1,600 meters a couple weeks ago, clocking a career-best time of 4:55.96 at the Foothills League Finals.
*Anna Long had a solid weekend at the Arizona High School State Championships this last weekend, finishing second at 1,600 and 3,200 meters and 12th at 800 meters in the Division 4 Championships.