Let’s see — we have 14 of the best milers in the Northeast toeing the line together in one race.
We probably don’t need to tell you what’s going to happen once the gun fires.
It’s going to be fast.
And this Friday night, it could be magical.
The Reggie F. Atkins Track & Field Facility on the campus of UMass-Lowell will provide the setting for the 4th annual BSR Elite Scholastic Meet, hosted by Marathon Sports and New Balance.
The three-event competition, which also features high-level 800- and 400-meter races, caps off with the mile. In the history of this meet, 30 boys have gone under 4:15.
Plan for several more names to be added to that list this weekend.
The current meet record of 4:07.60, set in 2023 by former Saint Raphael Academy (RI) standout Devan Kipyego, is no doubt in jeopardy with this crew.
While none have broken the 4:10 barrier yet, this feels like the kind of race where it finally happens. Most are right on the brink, others have proven their destined for a major breakthrough on Friday night.
Here’s our list…
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Marshall Vernon, La Salle Academy (RI) – This is the second time Vernon has competed in the BSR Mile. He missed last year’s competition because of a nagging injury that wiped out his entire outdoor season. As a sophomore in 2024, he placed eighth overall and still owns a personal best of 4:10.64. The always-competitive senior is expected to contend with the leaders at this weekend’s meet as he looks to bring individual gold back to Rhode Island for the second time in the race’s four-year history.
With a carefully planned spring campaign, Vernon has raced sparingly this season in hopes of peaking at the right time for championship competition. He placed 14th at last month’s Penn Relays Carnival and most recently finished third at the Classical Classic behind fellow Rhode Island rivals and BSR Mile entrants — Hendricken’s David Hayes and Portsmouth’s Sean Gray. In that race, which developed into a tactical battle through the early laps, Vernon clocked a season-best 3:58.93 for 1,500 meters.
We’re not expecting this race to be tactical. We’re predicting it will be fast right from the start. The multiple all-stater and state champion is one of several we believe has a chance to finally crack the 4:10 barrier this weekend
John Bianchi, Natick (MA) – Bianchi has made it clear a number of times to us that his goal for the mile is to go sub 4:10. The Redhawks senior has come relatively close over the last few years by running 4:12 or faster six times since the indoor season in 2025. Bianchi was fourth in this race last year with an outdoor best of 4:11.08.
The Natick star has picked up where he left off after an indoor campaign where he captured the mile at the Division I Championships and Meet of Champions. This past weekend, Bianchi won the 800m at the annual Weston Twilight Invitational with a PR of 1:54.83. If the race is close coming down the stretch and he’s with the front pack, Bianchi certainly can’t be counted out. In addition to what he did in the 800m at Weston, he also has shown speed with 400m legs between 51-52 seconds on a pair of 4x400m squads this season.
Silas Gartner, Falmouth (MA) – Based on what he ran earlier this month, Gartner proved he’s ready for a big race this weekend. In his first true all-out effort of the spring, the Clippers senior delivered a major personal best in the 1,500m at the Jay Carisella/Joe Donahue Coaches Invitational on May 2. Competing in a field loaded with collegians, Gartner placed 21st overall among 80 runners with a time of 3:52.21. Converted to the mile, that performance projects to roughly 4:09-4:10 territory. He appears primed for a breakthrough.
Shane Leslie, Billerica (MA) – You can always count on Leslie to rise to the occasion whenever a talented field is assembled. The Indians senior owns a personal best of 4:12.63 from his third-place finish at last June’s Meet of Champions. This past winter, he was runner-up to Bianchi at the MOC, clocking 4:14.73.
Leslie hasn’t raced much this season, perhaps saving his legs for what lies ahead over the next six weeks, including Friday’s race. In one of his few all-out efforts this spring, he captured the 800m at the 47th annual Ottaviani-Haverhill Invitational on April 18 with a personal-best 1:56.27.
Colby Flynn, Hendricken (RI) – Here’s one runner that never backs down from a challenge. If the pace starts off tactical, you can almost guarantee that Flynn will restore order by moving to the front and pushing the pace. The Hawks junior was seventh in this race last year with an outdoor best of 4:14.54. He improved on that time slightly at the Apple Bank Hispanic Games on Jan. 3 where he was timed in 4:14.47.
This spring, Flynn has run a PR of 1:58.51 for the 800m at this past Saturday’s Sgt. Brian St. Germain Invitational and 4:01.43 for 1,500m at the Classical Classic.
Theodore Butty, Brookline (MA) – Butty is one of six Massachusetts runners in the field and someone who could very well contend for a top spot this weekend. The talented senior owns a personal best of 4:14.73 from his runner-up finish at the Division 1 Championships this past winter.
Unlike many of his competitors in Friday’s race, Butty has competed frequently this season and has remained unbeaten in all of his individual events ranging from the 800m to the two mile, with the exception of a runner-up finish to Bianchi in the road mile at the BAA Scholastic Mile during Boston Marathon weekend.
Sean Gray, Portsmouth (RI) – If you want to talk about momentum heading into this race, look no further than Gray. The Portsmouth senior is coming off a state-record performance in the 3,200m at the Loucks Games, where he led for much of the race before finishing second against an elite field with a massive PR of 8:50.76. One week earlier, the Virginia commit delivered an impressive double at the Classical Classic, placing second in the 1,500m (3:58.19) and the 800m (1:58.48), both PR performances.
A day after his effort at Loucks, Gray told us he believes he’s capable of running somewhere in the 4:08-4:10 range, perhaps even faster. We believe the multiple All-American in cross country/track has a strong chance to achieve that goal this weekend with a victory within reach.
Ethan Fischer, Bishop Guertin (NH)– Only a sophomore, Fischer also enters this race carrying momentum from the Loucks Games. The talented underclassman left the prestigious meet with an impressive double, placing third in the 3,200m (8:58.28) and eighth in the mile (4:16.33). He also finished ninth in the 3,000m at the Penn Relays Carnival, where he ran another best of 8:30.29.
With his recent performances, the young Fischer is showing us this could be a breakout season for him this spring. Could it continue this weekend with a top finish against this elite field?
Sam Laverdiere, Lake Region (ME) – Laverdiere is no stranger to competing – and excelling – in the Bay State. This past winter, he captured the two-mile title at the Beantown Winter Classic. He also placed third in the mile at the MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge, where he clocked 4:15.68. In mid-March, he lowered that mark to a personal-best 4:14.58 at New Balance Nationals.
Laverdiere’s only race this outdoor season was an impressive one. He won the 5,000m at the UMass Ken O’Brien Pre-Conference Meet in 14:44.94. The Lake Region standout was the lone non-collegian in the field.
Ryan Monohan, New Canaan (CT) – The Nutmeg State’s only entry brings strong credentials to the line that demonstrate his speed and endurance. His uncanny range goes from a 25-second 200m to a 4:14 mile. Monohan also has solid times in the mid distance with 1:55 speed for the 800m and 2:30 for the 1,000m. His most recent performance was a 1:55.77 for the 800m at Track Night NYC, a good tune-up for this Saturday’s race.
David Hayes, Hendricken (RI) – Hayes could very well be considered a dark horse in this race, but he certainly can’t be overlooked. The late addition to the field earned a statement victory at the Classical Classic, defeating several of his talented rivals with a PR of 3:58.05 for 1,500m. Just one week earlier at the Penn Relays Carnival, Hayes showed he may be capable of going even faster when everything is clicking. Running the leadoff 1,200m leg on Hendricken’s DMR squad, Hayes put the Hawks right in contention with a strong 3:03 split.
Landon Sarney, Oliver Ames (MA) – Sarney certainly proved he belongs in this field. The gutsy senior, who always seems to shine in races like this weekend, is coming off a big win in the two mile at the Weston Twilight Invitational this past Saturday. Sarney led six under 9:20 with an all-time best of 9:12.0.
Jason Robie, Pinkerton (NH) – Robie earned his invite after capturing the New Hampshire Distance Festival last week. He’s got some strong range with 51-second speed for the 400m and an 8:34 best for the 3K. He comes in with a 4:17 best for the mile, a time that could improved significantly with the runners in this field.
Michael Mahoric, Newburyport (MA) – The Clipper senior is showing signs of a very strong final season as a high-schooler. He enters the meet with one of the fastest 800m times in the field after winning the BSR Mid Distance Classic a few weeks ago in 1:54.88.
