Phillips, Hicks Go Sub 9 At Arcadia 3,200m

Chiles senior and Syracuse signee Michael Phillips has logged his second sub nine minute performance in the last month. Two weeks after running 8:54.62 and finishing second behind Jacob McLeod of Georgia, Phillips headed out west to the Arcadia Invitational joined by fellow Floridians Charles Hicks of Bolles and teammate Matthew Newland, an FSU signee. Under the lights once again, the Timberwolves standout ran 8:55.53 just off a personal best by .91.

"It was a very different race," he explained. "I was not used to being in a race with 32 other guys. It was an awesome learning experience and super competitive. I was able to race some of the best guys in the country and that's such an honor."

Phillips went onto say the race didn't go the way he wanted. After all, the senior was in the lead with about 800 meters to go and negative split the second half of the race around 4:25s.

"Not every race goes as planned," he said. Now it's time to keep working and move on into the postseason."

Hicks also negative split the final half of the race and finished in 14th place with a time of 8:58.78 and  improving on his 9:01.11 from FSU Relays. According to statistician Ricky Quintana with that performance he becomes the 13th runner in state history to go under 9:00 for 3,200m joining a who's who of Sunshine state distance talent.

Rank Time (c=converted 2 miles times) First name Last Name School City County Year
1 8:49.91 c BRETT HOFFMAN St. Petersburg St. Petersburg Pinellas 1977
2 8:51.47 ANDRES ARROYO Colonial Orlando Orange 2013
3 8:52.67 CALEB POTTORFF Lincoln Park Academy Fort. Pierce St. Lucie 2017
4 8:52.75 STEVEN HASSEN Vanguard Ocala Marion 2003
5 8:53.87 c BRIAN JAEGER Winter Park Winter Park Orange 1983
6 8:54.38 c BILLY CONVEY Ransom Everglades Miami Dade 1983
8:54.62 Michael Phillips Chiles Tallahassee Leon 2018
8:55.53 Michael Phillips Chiles Tallahassee Leon 2018
7 8:55.75 MATT MIZERECK Leon Tallahassee Leon 2010
8 8:56.80 COLIN BARKER Bishop Kenny Jacksonville Duval 2010
CUT OFF FOR 9:00 2 Mile equivalent is 8:56.87
9 8:57.76 c HERB WILLS Leon Tallahassee Leon 1978
8:58.78 Charles Hicks Bolles Jacksonville Duval 2018
10 8:59.03 SEAN JEFFERSON Atlantic Delray Beach Palm Beach 2001


Phillip's teammate Matthew Newland was 7th in the boys seeded 3,200m with a time of 9:10.68.