NEW YORK -- Jessieville sophomore Noah Eskew, a multiple Arkansas state high school champion, broke the 1,500-meter record for boys 15 and 16 in the Hershey USA Track and Field Youth Indoor meet here last weekend.
Competing at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, Eskew was clocked in 4 minutes, 13.30 seconds -- bettering by .02 the meet record set last year by Anthony Gordon. Runner-up Tyler Senall finished in 4:13.82 and Melecio Gonzalez third in 4:14.75.
Eskew competed in New York two weeks after winning the Van Davis Memorial 5K in Hot Springs by more than a minute in 16:42.52. Competing for Jessieville High, he swept two long-distance events at the state Class 1A-4A indoor meet Feb. 5 in Fayetteville, taking the 1,600 meters in 4:38.94 and the 3,200 race in 10:19.57.
Since becoming eligible for varsity sports at Jessieville, Eskew has won back-to-back Class 3A cross country championships and the 3A 1,600 (4:36.29) and 3,200 titles (10:20.47) in his first state outdoor track meet.
Eskew is preparing for Jessieville's outdoor track season, hoping to meet qualifying standards for the May 3 Class 3A meet at Green Forest.
LH's Johnson earns
All-American for vault
NEW YORK -- Lake Hamilton senior Nick Johnson finished fifth place in the boys pole vault at the New Balance National Indoor championships Saturday at the historic Armory, earning an All-American honor.
Johnson, who broke the school record last month, cleared 16 feet, 5 1/4 inches. His personal best of 17-2 would've won the event, which was topped by senior Armand Duplantis of Lafatyette, La., at 17-1 for the only 17-foot vault of the meet.
Johnson looks to defend his Class 6A and Meet of Champs titles this spring.
Sports on 03/15/2016