St. Thomas Aquinas runner runs 47.45 in 400-meter race; Teammates also star.
Arman Hall's decision to quit playing football to devote more time to prepare for track season paid off nicely Sunday for the
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) quarter-miler.
Hall clocked 47.45 seconds in winning the 400 meters at the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, the fastest indoor time this season. Hall said he was a little disappointed he didn't go under 47 seconds, but is confident he'll do that during the outdoor season. Hall, a junior, was a 400 state runner-up last year.
Despite the absence of Hall, St. Thomas Aquinas won the boys team title at the annual Louie Bing Classic in Miami on Saturday. The Raiders' Phillip Dorsett launched a national-best leap of 24 feet, 7 3/4 inches in winning the long jump competition. Hugh Graham Jr. of Northwestern (Miami) clocked 46.97 in winning the boys 400 in a nation-leading outdoor time, which should give Hall extra incentive.
Armando Del Valle, the defending Class 4A state champion in the 3,200, set a meet record at the Bing meet, clocking 9:30.53, and also won the 1,600 in 4:33.04.
Steve Dorsey, who covers the South Florida region for MaxPreps.com, is a freelance writer based in West Palm Beach. He has covered the South Florida high school sports scene for the past 29 years. He also is a contributing writer for American Football Monthly and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
