Cherokee's McCluskey quick study in hurdling

 
Burlington County Times

TOMS RIVER - When he decided to try hurdling last year, Darren McCluskey didn't know much about the event.

"I knew what a hurdle was," he said. "But I didn't know how high it was."

The high school version of a high hurdle is 39 inches high, and McCluskey needed only 7.64 seconds to run over them and place fourth in the 55-meter hurdles Saturday the 42nd annual Meet of Champions at the Bennett Center in Toms River.

McCluskey's time matches the No. 10 time in county history. He was the top junior finisher.

"Early in the season I was running 7.8s and 7.9s, and Cal (coach Chris Callinan) told me I had to go into each race confident that I was going to win and not just go in and be content," McCluskey said. "Just be more confident that I can run with any of these guys, and it's really helped."

In just over a year, McCluskey has gone from a novice to the state's top junior.

"The first week I tried hurdling, I must have fallen down 10 or 15 times," he said. "But (Cherokee graduates) Major (Mobley) and (Mike) Brocco helped me out a lot. We went to nationals (last winter) and got ninth in the shuttles (with Mike Palmieri), and after that I thought maybe I had a chance to be pretty good. But I never thought I'd be good enough to be on this stage."

It was a great day all-around for the Cherokee boys, as Steve Burkholder broke 4:20 for the first time in the 1,600 and Ed Kramer tied for second in the high jump at 6-6.

Burkholder's 4:19.97 is fourth-fastest in county history and would have won the Meet of Champions nine of the last 15 years. He had run 4:22.40 for third at sectionals, 4:21.80 for second at states and 4:22.68 for a full mile and fourth place at Easterns.

"Getting under 4:20 has been my goal the last few meets, and I knew I had to do it today," Burkholder said. "At the half, I heard Shak (coach Steve Shaklee) yell out 2:10, so I knew I had to put on a surge somewhere, and I was able to put in a 31 and get under."

Kramer cleared 6-6, two inches below Mark Jones of Summit.

 

McCluskey takes 4th in Meet of Champions hurdles

 
Burlington County Times

When he started hurdling last year, Darren McCluskey didn't know a whole lot about the event.

"I knew what a hurdle was," he said. "But I didn't know how high it was."

They're 39 inches high - at least the high school hurdles are - and McCluskey needed only 7.64 seconds to run over them this afternoon and place fourth at the 42nd annual Meet of Champions at Bennett Center in Toms River.

McCluskey is the first Cherokee hurdler ever to place in the hurdles at the Meet of Champions, and his time in the final matches the No. 10 time in county history. McCluskey was the top junior in the race.

"I PR'd in the trials at states (7.75) and then PR'd in the finals (7.70) and then I PR'd in the trials today (7.66) and PR'd in the finals (7.64)," McCluskey said. "Early in the season I was running 7.8s and 7.9s, and Cal (coach Chris Callinan) told me I had to go into each race confident that I was going to win and not just go in and be content to just run. Just be more confident that I can run with any of these guys, and it's really helped."

It was a great day all-around for the Cherokee boys, as Steve Burkholder broke 4:20 for the first time in the 1,600, Ed Kramer tied for second in the high jump at 6-6 and McCluskey picked up a medal in the hurdles.

This is the first time since 2004 - when Alex Whirledge got foruth in the 400 - that Cherokee has won a Meet of Champions medal. The last time Cherokee left with two meadls was 2002, when Keith Krieger was fifth in the 3,200 and Marc Pelerin was sixth in the 800.

Another county hurdler, Jalen Walker, placed seventh in the hurdles final with a 7.94 after a 7.79 in the trials.

The girls meet is set to start in about 25 minutes. For more on the Meet of Champions, click back here at www.mybctnow.com throughout the day and check out tomorrow's Burlington County Times.

February 27, 2010 02:39 PM

 

Cherokee's Burkholder finally gets sub-4:20 mile

 
Burlington County Times

Cherokee senior Steve Burkholder kept getting close. This time - his last chance - he finally got under.

Burkholder ran 4:22.40 for third at sectionals, 4:21.80 for second at states and 4:22.68 for a full mile and fourth place at Easterns.

"I knew this was my last chance to get under 4:20 indoors," Burkholder said. "I really wanted to get that out of the way before indoors was over."

Burkholder finally dipped under 4:20 today at the Meet of Champions, placing 10th and third among South Jersey athletes in 4:19.97 - the No. 4 time in county history indoors and fast enough to win at this meet nine of the last 15 years.

"That's been my goal the last few meets, and I knew I had to do it today," Burkholder said. "At the half, i heard Shak (coach Steve Shaklee) yell out 2:10, so I knew I had to put on a surge somewhere, and I was able to put in a 31 somewhere in the second 800 and get under."

Burkholder got his PR despite a very rocky start in a race with too many runners - 16 in the seeded heat. It took him until the middle of the second lap on the flat 200-meter track at the Bennett Center in Toms River to get into any sort of rhythm.

"It's tough, because you're not going fast, but it feels fast because you're doing so much work just to get around people and through people," he said. 

The only faster milers in county history indoors are former Cherokee runner Marc Pelerin (4:13.56 converted from a full mile in 2002), current Shawnee senior David Forward, who's running the 3,200 later today (4:16.71 last year converted from a full mile) and Cinnaminson's Jon Anderson in 2004 (4:18.91, also converted from a full mile).

"I haven't had any speed work yet - I did a lot of miles all winter, just like it was summer and we were preparing for cross country," Burkholder said. "Once we get into outdoors and I start doing a lot of speed work, I really think I can go a lot faster. Shak thinks I can go after the school record (Pelerin's 4:11.83), which will be really hard, but if he thinks I can go after it, that's my goal. Even if I don't quite get there, hopefully I can go a lot faster outdoors."

Look for Burkholder to also run a few 3,200s this spring. He only ran one indoors but put down a 9:28.60 at the Varsity Classic at the Armory earlier this month. That's No. 7 in county history.

"I never liked the 3,200 before this year," he said. "But after that race, I'm definitely excited to run a couple outdoors and see how much faster I can go."

February 27, 2010 01:01 PM