Napoleon now has top three all-time prep performances in 2,000-meter steeplechase following 6:19.53 victory, with Wheeler elevating to No. 2 high school competitor at 6:20.80; Holden-Betts (5:45.56) and Horne (5:46.50) become Nos. 4 and 5 boys steeplechase athletes in U.S. history, with Bullis School girls elevating to No. 2 program in 4x200 (1:33.71)

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by John Nepolitan

PHILADELPHIA – As if hurdling barriers and successfully navigating her way over water jumps for five laps in pursuit of one of the fastest times in American history weren’t enough challenges for Angelina Napoleon at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, the Allegany-Limestone High senior standout and the rest of the girls 2,000-meter steeplechase field encountered the unexpected obstacles Friday of a four-hour weather delay that resulted in the final race of the schedule concluding after midnight.

But for those spectators who patiently waited for an opportunity to see two of the elite competitors in U.S. prep history in Napoleon and Saratoga Springs senior Sheridan Wheeler square off one final time, they didn’t depart Franklin Field disappointed, even if they did technically leave Saturday morning.

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Napoleon, a North Carolina State signee, prevailed in 6 minutes, 19.53 seconds, just off her national high school record of 6:18.41 from June 10 at the New York Federation meet, with the Iowa State-bound Wheeler elevating to the No. 2 all-time prep competitor by clocking 6:20.80.

Napoleon and Solomon Holden-Betts of Baldwinsville Central, who triumphed in the boys championship race in 5:45.56, completed a New York steeplechase sweep.

Napoleon now boasts the top three marks by an American high school athlete, including her 6:19.75 performance from May 27 at the Section 6 Class Championships. She also ranks No. 2 in U.S. history, with only former Virginia All-American, New Balance professional and two-time World Championships qualifier Stephanie Garcia running faster with her 6:14.66 effort from 2014.

Wheeler ascended to the No. 5 all-time American competitor, with Cornwall Central senior Karrie Baloga giving New York three of the top six performers in U.S. history at 6:21.31 with her runner-up finish behind Napoleon at the June 10 state final.

Holden-Betts elevated to the No. 4 all-time prep athlete in the 2,000 steeplechase, with Herriman High of Utah senior William Horne – who won the RunningLane title May 27 in Alabama in his debut in the event – improving by 13 seconds to place second in 5:46.50, ascending to the No. 5 competitor in U.S. high school history.

Soheib Dissa from Newtown High in Connecticut set the national sophomore class record, taking third in 5:51.34, eclipsing the mark of 5:51.68 established last year by Marcelo Parra of Texas Episcopal School in San Antonio.

The steeplechase showcase provided a conclusion to a memorable day that was also highlighted by the Bullis School girls from Maryland challenging another national high school record, two of the elite female 4x800 lineups in U.S. prep history producing a classic encore to their thrilling battle in March at New Balance Nationals Indoor, a pair of impressive 2-mile performances and a New Jersey tandem sweeping the discus titles.

Sydney Sutton, Mirai Bernard, Sage Hinton and Myla Greene led Bullis to a 1:33.71 performance in the girls 4x200 relay, helping the Bulldogs become the No. 2 all-time high school program, achieving the third-fastest effort in U.S. prep history.

St. Thomas Aquinas from Florida clocked 1:33.43 and 1:33.47 in 2014 for the top two high school marks.

Bullis also won the girls 1,000-meter Swedish Medley Relay, as Kennedy Flynn, Gabby White, Morgan Rothwell and Lauren Leath ran 2:10.26 to hold off the 2:11.32 effort by the DC Kadets, representing St. John’s College in Washington D.C.

Justine Preisano, Alyssa Preisano, Stella Kermes and Charlotte Bell of the Carolina Cavaliers, representing Cuthbertson High in North Carolina, were seeking their second national title in as many days following their 4xMile relay victory Thursday.

But Maameyaa Nyinah, Jimmiea King, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski and Peyton Hollis from Union Catholic in New Jersey prevailed by an 8:47.08 to 8:48.16 margin, earning a measure of revenge after being edged 8:48.02 to 8:48.86 by the Carolina Cavaliers in Boston at New Balance Nationals Indoor.

Union Catholic won the Championship of America title April 29 at the Penn Relays by clocking 8:44.98, the No. 2 performance in U.S. prep history.

Brandon Latta, Brock Malaikal, David Whitaker and Brendan Herger led Six Mile Track Club, representing Northville High in Michigan, to victory in the boys 4x800 relay in 7:36.81, with Ridgefield High from Connecticut securing second in 7:40.14.

Archbishop Carroll’s Dezmone Starks, Nyckoles Harbor II, Damil Bostic and Marcus Brown joined forces for Archbishop Carroll from Washington D.C. to emerge victorious in the boys 4x200 relay by a 1:24.05 to 1:24.19 margin against IMG Academy of Florida.

Featuring a lineup with two freshmen and a pair of sophomores in Gavin Rawls, Deon Cleary, Quinton Blakeley and Rondre Austion, Motor City Track Club – representing Oak Park High in Michigan – prevailed in the boys 1,000-meter Swedish Medley Relay in 1:56.48.

Rawls, Cleary and Austin returned to the track less than an hour later to help Motor City take third in the boys rising stars 4x200 in 1:27.46.

Daniel Simmons, a junior at American Fork High in Utah, led from wire to wire in the championship boys 2-mile with his 8:41.23 performance, holding off a strong finish by Nathan Lopez of St. Johns Prep from Massachusetts, who ran 8:44.54 to place second.

Abby Faith Cheeseman of Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tenn., gained the advantage in the girls 2-mile final after the first kilometer and never relinquished control, despite late surges by Virginia athletes Allie Zealand of Pacers Homeschool and Lily Guinn from Matthew Maury High.

Cheeseman, a sophomore, secured victory in 10:02.08, with Zealand clocking 10:02.66 and Guinn taking third in 10:02.80.

Fabian Gonzalez, a senior at Southern Regional High in New Jersey representing Southern Track Club, won the boys discus crown with a second-round effort of 193-5 (58.96m). Gonzalez also captured the discus title Thursday at the New Jersey Meet of Champions with a 193-7 (59.01m) performance.

Sophomore Benjamin Shue of Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, representing the Crusaders, was second in both competitions, including a fifth-round performance Friday of 189-9 (57.85m).

Layla Giordano, a junior at Northern Valley-Old Tappan in New Jersey, also triumphed in both discus events, winning Friday with a 170-4 (51.92m) throw in the fifth round after achieving a 159-7 (48.65m) effort Thursday. Giordano is scheduled to transition quickly from the ring to the hardwood to play in a basketball tournament over the weekend.

Michelle Smith, a junior from Montverde Academy in Florida, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, delivered a dominant performance in the girls 400-meter hurdles to grab the title in 58.28.

Kai Allen of Lake Minneola in Florida, a sophomore, edged Bryce Tucker from Pennsauken Track Club in New Jersey in the boys 400 hurdles final by a 51.44 to 51.49 margin.

Sterling Scott, a senior at Starkville High in Mississippi, produced a wind-legal 50-foot (15.24m) triple jump in the fifth round to capture the championship.

Iyanna Webb of Harlan High in Texas, a junior representing San Antonio Swift, won the girls triple jump final with a wind-legal 41-8.50 (12.71m) performance in the fourth round.

Junior Ava Allen of Middletown High in Maryland, representing Shipley’s Vault Lab, triumphed in the girls pole vault competition with a third-attempt clearance at 12-9.50 (3.90m).