LUCY CRAMER HEADS FOR THE FINISH LINE AND A LSU HS CLASSIC RECORD!
The Parkview Baptist Eagles were soaring in the 3200m as freshman Lucy Cramer and junior Aiden Monistere gave the school a sweep in the longest distance race at the LSU High School Classic.
Cramer started it off in dramatic fashion with a meet record 10:57.40, erasing Carmen Carlos' 13-year old record of 11:03.85.
"Honestly, I was just trying to relax," Lucy Cramer said. "I just wanted to come out here and make sure in the beginning I took it out relaxed and smooth. I just wanted to run and see what I could do."
The meet record was not on Cramer's radar.
"Honestly, I didn't know what the meet record was. I just came out here ready to run fast and see where I was at. When I heard the announcer say I could get the meet record, I was kind of surprised. Then I just tried to hang on to see if I could get it."
The time is No. 9 in the nation with only two freshmen in the country who have run faster times during this indoor season.
It also ranks No. 4 all-time in Louisiana history.
Then it was time for Monistere, coming off of his LHSAA D2 State Cross Country Championship in November. Saturday, he separated from the pack in the early part of the race and then continued to widen the gap, winning in 9:32.90, almost 20 seconds ahead of Catholic's Johnathan Thompson (9:51.71).
"I knew that most likely I was going to have to lead with the pace I wanted to get out to," Monistere said. "I knew I was getting off the pace a little in the beginning. I'm happy with my time...especially for the first race. My first race is usually awful."
Monistere's time was not far off John Brigham's 2004 meet record of 9:27.19. It didn't help that Monistere had to go it alone without anyone pushing him.
"There was good competition, but not as much as Louisiana has," Monistere said of the competition--or lack thereof.