Class of 2015 boys runners made huge impact

 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

 

High school boys distance running is as strong as it’s ever been – so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

The Class of 2015, in distances 800 meters and up, will leave a lasting collective impact on the high school record book.

 

Put simply, there has never been a class so deep, talented, and perhaps even influential, as the Class of 2015.

 

So boys, take a bow.

 

-          2015 is the first year where two boys broke four minutes for the mile (Matthew Maton and Grand Fisher) and also under 3:43 for 1,500 meters.

-          2015 is the first year where two boys broke 1:48 in the 800 meters (Donavan Brazier and Carlton Orange).

-          2015 is the first year where five boys broke 8:48 for 2 miles (Andrew Hunter, Grant Fisher, Mikey Brannigan, Alex Ostberg and Eli Moskowitz). (Four of the five are members of the Class of 2015). The old record was four by the Class of 1979.

 

A chunk of the 2015 success comes from a group of guys from the West who made multiple Foot Locker teams and developed a bond that led to a wide variety of matchups between Conner Mantz UT, Levi Thomet AK, Elijah Armstrong ID, John Dressel WA and Matthew Maton OR. These guys not only sought each other out during the indoor and outdoor seasons, they all drove each other to be better.

 

Grant Fisher of Grand Blanc MI was the most successful and most popular runner in this class, a product of back-to-back Foot Locker titles, a near-miss sub-four mile indoors, a sub-four outdoors and back-to-back Dream Mile victories in New York.

 

Mikey Brannigan of Northport NY penetrated the mainstream news with his remarkable story as an autistic athlete who thrives in the sports of cross country and track and field. Brannigan’s list of achievements and the impact he has on culture – and not just as a beacon of hope for millions of families with children on the autism spectrum – is a story that is ongoing.

 

Here is closer look at how the Class of 2015 impacts the all-time record book:

 

800 Meters

1:47.55 – Donovan Brazier, Kenowa Hills MI, No. 5 all-time

1:47.67 – Carlton Orange, Memphis University TN, No. 6 all-time

1:47.33 – John Lewis, Cheltenham PA, No. 20 all-time

 

1,500 Meters

3:42.54 – Matthew Maton, unattached OR, No. 3 all-time

3:42.89 – Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc MI, No. 4 all-time

 

Mile (with 1,600 conversions)

3:59.38 – Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc MI, No. 3 all-time; also 4:03.54 for No. 4 all-time indoors

3:59.38 – Matthew Maton, unattached OR, No. 3 all-time

4:03.18 – Mikey Brannigan, Northport NY, No. 33 all-time

(note, Andrew Hunter ran 4:02.36/8:42.51 but is in the Class of 2016)

 

 

2-Mile (with 3,200 conversions)

8:43.57 – Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc MI, No. 8 all-time

8:45.96 – Mikey Brannigan, Northport NY, No. 21 all-time

8:46.97 – Alex Ostberg, Darien CT, No. 28 all-time

8:47.84 – Eli Moskowitz, Souhegan Coop NH, No. 34 all-time

 

 

Here is a closer look at the achievements of the top members of the Class of 2015:

 

Grant Fisher, Grand Blanc MI (Stanford): Two-time Foot Locker champion; two-time adidas Dream Mile champion; Seventh member of the sub-four mile club; Michigan state record holder in the 1,500, 1,600, Mile and 2-Mile; PRs – 1:55.76 for 800, 3:42.89 for 1,500, 3:57.93 for 1,600, 3:59.38 for Mile, 8:43.57 for 2-Mile

 

Matthew Maton, Summit OR/unattached (Oregon): U.S. junior 5,000 meters champion; 2014 Brooks PR mile champion; Sixth member of the sub-four mile club; Oregon state record holder in the 1,500 and Mile; broke Galen Rupp’s OSAA cross country course record; PRs – 1:51.81 for 800, 3:42.54 for 1,500, 3:59.38 for Mile, 8:18.66 for 3,000, 14:47.10 for 5,000

 

Alex Ostberg, Darien CT (Stanford): Won the Manhattan Invitational in cross country with the second-fastest time ever; won the 2015 Penn Relays 3,000; ran 8:48.88 for No. 8 all-time indoor 2-mile; 2014 New Balance Nationals 5,000 meters champion; Connecticut record holder in the 3,200; PRs – 8:43.93 for 3,200; 14:16.61 for 5,000  

 

Mikey Brannigan, Northport NY (NYAC): Won the Loucks Games 3,200; won the 2014 New Balance Nationals 2-Mile PRs – 1:51.87 for 800, 4:03.18 for Mile, 8:42.92 for 3,200, 14:42.33 for 5,000 (indoors)

 

Levi Thomet, Kodiak AK (Germany study abroad): He ran 8:48.32 for No. 7 all-time for the indoor 3,200; PRs – 1:55.40 for 800, 4:07.60 for the mile, 8:54.24 for 3,200; 14:40.44 for 5,000

 

Caleb Webb, Big Bear CA (Portland): CIF 3,200 meters champion with 8:47.30; PRs – 1:54.80 for 800, 4:11.72 for 1,600, 8:47.30 for 3,200, 14:56.77 for 5,000

 

Conner Mantz, Sky View UT (BYU): 3-time Foot Locker qualifier; PRs – 1:56.80 for 800, 4:07.63 for Mile; 8:53.81 for 2-Mile

 

Elijah Armstrong, Pocatello ID (Boise State): Third place at Foot Locker and New Balance Nationals Indoor 5,000 meter champion; PRs – 1:54.42 for 800, 4:07.15 for Mile, 8:52.16 for 3,200; 14:28.97 for 5,000

 

John Dressel, Mt Spokane WA (Colorado): Three-time Foot Locker qualifier and 2015 Washington 3A champion in the 1,600 and 3,200; PRs – 1:56.55 for 800, 3:47.69 for 1,500; 4:12.70 for Mile; 8:20.58 for 3,000, 8:50.07 for 2-Mile

 

Tanner Anderson, North Central WA (Oregon): NXN Champion; PRs – 1:54.49 for 800, 4:09.75 for Mile; 8:56.80 for 3,200

 

Ben Barrett, Norman North OK (North Carolina State): The Oklahoma state record holder for 1,500, 1,600, 3,000 and 3,200; PRs – 1:57.05 for 800, 3:53.48 for 1,500, 4:09.97 for 1,600, 8:57.97 for 3,200

 

Carlos Villareal, Rio Rico AZ (Arizona): Won the inaugural Prefontaine Classic mile; PRs – 1:53.00 for 800, 4:03.97 for 1,600, 4:05.25 for the Mile, 8:59:09 for 3,200

 

Will Lauer, Sioux Falls Lincoln SD (Stanford): Won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor 5,000: PRs – 4:14.69 for 1,600, 8:58.49 for 3,200, 14:35.71 for 5,000

 

Joe Klecker, Hopkins MN (Colorado): Swept the 1,600/3,200 in the Minnesota AA state meet; PRs – 1:56.44 for 800, 4:06.54 for 1,600, 8:50.12 for 3,200

 

Olin Hacker, Madison West WI (Wisconsin): Runner-up in both the NXN and Foot Locker national champonship cross country meets; PRs – 4:09.37 for Mile, 8:58.99 for 3,200

 

Eli Moskowitz, Souhegan Coop NH (Brown): Placed third in fast 3,200 at Loucks Games; PRs – 1:54.05 for 800, 4:09.64 for 1,600, 8:44.79 for 3,200

 

Donavan Brazier, Kenowa Hills MI (Texas A&M): Won the Brooks PR Invitational 800 and also the 2014 New Balance Nationals Outdoor title; PRs – 47.96 for 400, 1:47.55 for 800, 4:07.15 for 1,600

 

Carlton Orange, Memphis University TN (Arkansas): Won the U.S. Junior title in the 800; PRs – 48.07 for 400, 1:47.67 for 800

 

Avery Bartlett, Lawton Chiles FL (Georgia Tech): He won double titles at the Florida 3A meet (800/1,600); PRs – 1:49.66 for 800, 4:08.01 for Mile

 

Jesse Reiser, McHenry IL (Illinois): Won the Arcadia 3,200 and also Illinois 3A title; PRs – 1:57.40 for 800, 4:09.50 for 1,600, 8:49.40 for 3,200

 

Jack Jibb, Monroe-Woodbury NY (Buffalo): Ran No. 5 all-time for 3,000-meter steeplechase and No. 7 all-time for 2K steeplechase; PRs – 8:57.34 for 3K steeple; 5:50.71 for 2K steeple

 

Jeremy Spiezio, Greenwich Central NY (Princeton): Finished fourth in the epic Loucks 3,200; PRs – 1:55.75 for 800, 4:09.39 for 1,600, 8:46.10 for 3,200, 8:52.07 for 2-Mile

 

Robert Brandt, Loyola CA (California): Was the US leader in 2015 in the 5,000 with 14:29.75; PRs – 4:08.44 for 1,600, 8:51.59 for 2-Mile, 14:29.75 for 5,000

 

 

Logan Wetzel, Saline MI (Villanova): Anchored his team to the DMR title at New Balance Nationals Outdoor; PRs – 1:52.53 for 800, 3:48.67 for 1,500, 4:04.60 for Mile