Currently, 10 of the nation's top 12 high school milers are juniors, promising sub-four-minute attempts en masse next year and raising American Olympic hopes for the future.
Two hundred meters into his attempt to become the first high school miler in 33 years to break four minutes, Alan Webb knew that it would be a long shot.
Few high school milers even break 4:10 anymore.
Alan Webb, who made track and field history last May by becoming the fastest high school miler ever, ran his first college relay today.
Ibrahim Aden, the top high school miler in the country in 1992, is at George Mason.
The times placed both runners among the fastest high school milers in the nation.
Today, it is common to find the best high school milers doing little more than half Liquori's training, but, under more liberal rules, running two and three races a meet.
Three decades later, these three are still the only American high school milers to breach four minutes.
Quintana was the best high school miler in the nation last year.
It was the first time a high school miler had broken four minutes, and, as Webb recalled, it was exciting.