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.
