More gold for United’s Nastari

By RON FIRTH

Sports Editor

EUGENE, Oregon -- United High School state track champion Kaleb Nastari wrapped up his high school career where he spent most of it -- on top of the podium.

Nastari added a national title to go along with his three-state titles at the prestigious Nike Outdoor Nationals at Hayward Field on Saturday.

"It feels good, but I wanted a better time than I got," Nastari said.

Nastari topped the 62-runner field of the top half-milers in the country in a time of 1 minute, 49.25 seconds his third-best time ever.

"The weekend was great," United distance coach Joe Karmazin said. "We came out here and accomplished what we wanted to. He was disappointed with his time in the 800. He did what he does and took control of the race."

Nastari also won the mile run in the 70-runner Boys Emerging Elite division on Sunday with a personal-best 4:13.95.

His main focus was on the 800 meters on Saturday as he came in with the fastest time in the country.

"They were well aware of who Kaleb was, they didn't know what he looked like," Karmazin said.

Nastari, a Penn State recruit, set Ohio's all-time record in the 800 meters at the state track meet on June 3 in 1:48.31 -- the 28th-fastest in United States high school history.

"He did the things he did all season, get out front and control the race," Karmazin said.

"No one really came with me," Nastari said. "I was hoping someone would."

Nine runners went under 1:52 and seven more under 1:53.

"It was a little bit windier on the track than I thought it would be," Nastari said.

Tyler Mathews, a junior from Mesa, Arizona, and a state-record holder, was second in 1:49.60.

Andrew Lutkenaus, a senior from Justin, Texas, and University of Tulsa recruit, was third in a personal-best 1:50.04.

"It was better than last year," Nastari said.

Nastari ran at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Philadelphia last year and finished 11th out of 35 runners.

"He went on vacation (between the state meet and nationals)," Karmazin said. "This year we came in with a better plan. He practiced at the school a few times."

Nastari finished his career Sunday by winning the Boys Emerging Elite division in the mile run. He missed the qualifying mark in the Boys Championship race by two seconds, but wanted to see what he could do in the mile without another race to follow.

His time of 4:13.95 broke his own school record. It will be converted into a faster time since the mile at 1,609 meters is a little longer than the high school 1,600 meters.

Nastari would have placed 25th in the Boys Championship mile.

Simeon Birnhaum, the South Dakota state-record holder and Oregon recruit, won in 4:02.22.

On Friday, Birnhaum was third in the Men's Professional 1,500 meters in 3:37.93, the second-fastest time by a United States high schooler.

National notes

• Hayward Field is the holy ground of track and field.

"It's nice," Nastari said.

"The stadium itself is beautiful," Karmazin said. "Everything is covered in a track-like surface, so it's nice walking."

• It's hard to believe Nastari's success coming from a small school with no competition.

"There's not really anyone I can run with," Nastari said. "It's kind of just you and having a good time with your team. There's really no one to push you. It's just a mind-set."

• Nastari will take the week off from training and has no plans.

"Maybe hang out with some friends," he said.

• Nastari said he did three interviews in Oregon over the weekend.

"It's not really my thing, but I'll do them," he said.

• Nastari will be making the four-hour drive to Penn State for freshman orientation on Aug. 15-16 with classes starting Aug. 21.