Spring figures to be very eventful for West Orange High junior middle distance runner Jarred Mason, the defending Essex County outdoor 800-meter champ.
Mason had expected to run in the New Balance National Indoor Championships this week at The Armory Track and Field Center in New York City.
But a slight sprained ankle made Mason think twice about entering, and now he will focus on the start of the outdoor season. The season opens Saturday, April 2, when the Mountaineers take part in the Kearny Relays.
Find out what's happening in West Orangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The winter was very productive for him.
He was fourth at the Eastern States Meet March 1 and the NJSIAA and the Meet of Champions Feb. 26.
Find out what's happening in West Orangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He won state Group IV, North Jersey, Section 1 Group IV and Super Essex Conference titles. He ran a personal best of 1:54.5 for the 800 and took third Feb. 7 at the New Jersey Varsity Classic.
"Yeah, I guess you can say I'm pleased, but I guess you can't be pleased if you don't win everything," Mason said. "I just want to keep the same mind focus into the outdoor season. I was pleased, but not yet satisfied."
Mason improved on his places over the last indoor season — from eighth to fourth in the Meet of Champions. He repeated at sectional champion, but won last year with a 2:01.9 and won this year with a 1:58.25.
His personal best was lowered by more than two seconds from last year's indoor season and his personal best last outdoor season was 1:56.23.
"It was a big turnaround season for me," Mason said. "At the beginning I wasn't focused — a lot of things were way out of whack, but I focused and my times got lower and lower."
