Blazing individual times have already proven to be the norm at Nike Indoor Nationals this weekend.  However, the newly renovated Reggie Lewis Track Complex in Boston, MA allowed West Windsor-Plainsboro North to capture its goal as well.  On Saturday, the Knights’ 4 x1 Mile team of Ryan Sleeper, Tyler Corkdale, Joe Rosa, and Jim Rosa pulled together a stunning National High School Record of 17:21.58 – bettering the previous record of 17:25.98 set in 2004.

After falling during the first 800m, Ryan Sleeper may have worried his team initially, but nonetheless managed to pull off a 4:25 split to keep the quartet within striking distance of the record.  “I had fallen down at Nationals as well as a sophomore,” Sleeper said.  “I just got my adrenaline going and I knew I had to get back with the leaders.”

Tyler Corkdale, 2nd to receive the baton, split a 4:22 for his leg – 4 seconds off his open PR of 4:18.  “I just stayed with the lead pack for the first 800.  I thought to myself that I have to pick it up for the second half of my race in order to get Joe in a good position.” 
Joe and Jim Rosa definitely sealed the deal during this excellent 4 x mile effort, distancing the Knight Track Club from the rest of the field with ease.  “I was pretty confident that my teammates would do their job.  We were not expecting a record today, but it was definitely a possibility,” Jim stated.

But WW-P No.’s quest to dominate the record books hopes to continue throughout the outdoor season as well.  “We want to have a shot at the 4 x mile [Outdoor] National Record of 17:06, but we still have a ways to go for that,” Jim Rosa said.  The current 4 x mile record has stood for 33 years; the team of Dirk Lakeman, Chris Nelson, Bill McChesney, and John Gustafson averaged under 4:17 per runner for a total time of 17:06.60 in 1976.  “We are concentrating on the relay events now.  “Running fast enough to put our anchor in good position is what’s important,” Joe Rosa said.  “We can worry about individual times later.”