Greeley's Ryan Sykes wins 3,200 in personal best at Loucks Games

WHITE PLAINS — The timing, Ryan Sykes said, "was not ideal. " When the Horace Greeley junior stepped to the starting line of the boys 3,200 Friday during the 58th Loucks Games at White Plains High School, he was tired. Earlier in the day, he'd taken not one but two college advanced placement exams.

With history and macroeconomics behind him, he had eight laps in front of him and Sykes wasn't sure what to expect "I told myself to try to do my best," he said. Sykes did exactly that. With 28 competing in the 3,200 he ran a two-second personal-best 8:51:52 to win.

The time is No. 2 in the state among high school boys. The win is another rebound step from a fall and early winter Sykes will best recall for what he wasn't doing — running.

Sykes was laid up by injury and illness — sometimes one, sometimes both. "I was actually doubting myself (when out)," said Sykes, who has been one of the area's and state's best distance runners since his freshman year.. "I was kind of in my head a little bit.