Centrowitz highlights grand finale at House of Track; Pilusina, Satterwhite, Juilifs & Planell Cruz earn wins...

PORTLAND—Oregon alum and two-time world championship medalist Matthew Centrowitz (left/photo by Paul Merca) won an exciting men’s 3000 to highlight action at the final high performance meet at the Nike+ Run Club House of Track in northwest Portland.

After running up front tucked behind pace setter Ben Blankenship, Centrowitz was shocked to find out Blankenship was the rabbit and had no intent of finishing.

Once Blankenship dropped off, Centrowitz was on his own with the rest of the field eyeballing him.

On the final lap, it became a two-man race between him and Hassan Mead of the Oregon TC, with Centrowitz prevailing in 7:40.74 to 7:40.95, the fifth fastest time in the world this season.

Multi-time world and Olympic champion Allyson Felix won a tight women’s 60 meter dash in 7.24, nipping out Oregon alums English Gardner (7.25) and Jenna Prandini (7.27).  Washington’s Kennadi Bouyer was sixth in 7.55.

Quadelle Satterwhite and Jacopo Spano of the Huskies went 1-2 in the men’s 200, with Satterwhite running 21.59 to Spano’s 21.71.

Oklahoma State alum Natalja Piliusina of the Seattle based Brooks Beasts won the women’s 1500 over training partner Phoebe Wright in 4:15.69 to 4:16.05.  Hannah Fields of the Brooks Beasts was third in 4:16.05.

In an exciting women’s 800, Idaho alum Liga Velvere, who trains under Washington State coach Wayne Phipps, led for most of the race before being overtaken by Treniere Moser of the Nike Oregon Project, who won in 2:02.75.  Velvere finished second in 2:03.08, a new Latvian national record.

SPU alum McKayla Fricker, who was looking for her third straight win this season at the House of Track, was third in 2:04.60, while Megan Malasarte of the Brooks Beasts was fifth in 2:06.19. 

Rainier Beach HS alum Mike Berry, who now trains in Orlando, made his first trip back to the Northwest, finishing second in 47.49.

Washington alum JJ Juilifs won the men’s pole vault in 17-0.75 (5.20m).  The Huskies’ Diamara Planell Cruz won the women’s vault at 13-7.25 (4.15m), while teammate Liz Quick was second at 12-7.5 (3.85m).

Seattle Pacific, the University of Washington, Western Washington, and Saint Martin’s all had several competitors at Friday night’s meet.  Their recaps are available at their school’s web sites.

The track will be disassembled before being moved to the Oregon Convention Center for next month's USA and IAAF world indoor championships.

Complete results of the meet are available here.