Leading off today: The mile has become cool again.
A Meridian, Idaho, senior did his part for making it so by breaking four minutes Friday night. Michael Slagowski finished in 3:59.53 on a cool, wet night in Portland, Ore.
He became the ninth U.S. schoolboy ever to go sub-four and the fourth in the past 12 months.
Teammate Anthony Ghiorso paced him through the half in two minutes, and Slagowski clicked off two more laps just ahead of that pace so shave six seconds off his personal best.
Slagowski, who'll enroll at Penn State in the fall, clocked 1:48.70 in the 800 meters earlier this month.
Slagowski and Drew Hunter, a Loudon Valley (Va.) senior who went sub-four indoors this season, are likely heading for one or more head-to-head battles in June.
"I think it'd be a really interesting race," Slagowski told Dyestat.com. "I think I could put up a good fight against him."
Hunter spent Friday in Philadelphia at the Penn Relays, where he anchored in 4:00.73 for 1,600 meters and helped Loudon Valley (10:00.003) win the distance medley relay in a photo finish over LaSalle Academy (10:00:004) from Rhode Island.
Hunter made up nine seconds after taking the baton for the anchor leg.
Fordham Prep placed sixth on the strength of Conor Lundy's 4:08.65 anchor leg.
More Penn Relays: Hannah Reale anchored in 2:10.17 to rally Shenendehowa to the girls' Championship of America 3,200-meter relay crown. Emily Crounse, Danielle Jordan and Julia Zachgo ran the first three legs as the Plainsmen recorded a time of 9:00.79.
Mamaroneck rode Katie Devore's 2:09.85 anchor to second place in 9:01.69.
Meanwhile, a couple of New York boys came up one step short of the top of the awards podium. Sam Wray of Starpoint was the top American and second overall in the boys discus with a throw of 186-8. Noah Affolder of Carthage placed second in the mile in 4:12.19.
In other highlights from Penn:
• Saratoga's Aidan Tooker placed fourth in the boys 3,000 meters in 8:24.24.
