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Steier adds one last crown

CORAL SPRINGS -- Friday's Class A Florida Finals offered an unexpected testament to the greatness of Berkeley Prep sensation Rolf Steier.

Omar Osbourne had stalked Steier for three years trying to defeat him, and he finally struck Friday at Coral Springs' Jim Caldwell Field. He hung with Steier throughout the 1,600 meters, and then passed him in the last 60 meters to win with a time of 4:12.45.

In the race of the day, Osbourne upset Steier, the defending 1,600 champion, who ran his best time of the season, 4:13.03.

Osbourne, of Lauderhill Upperroom Christian, could barely stand afterward.

"It was a dream come true," he said. "A dream come true."

Even in defeat, Steier stood tall. After all, what does it say about the running phenom that someone would work so hard to defeat him?

Steier, competing in the last state championship of his prep career, took his final victory lap in the 3,200, winning with a time of 9:44.22 to a rousing ovation.

Then he helped Berkeley Prep's 4x400 relay team to a fourth-place finish with a season-best time of 3:31.89, running his last race with teammates Mike Scannon, Daniel Neuwirth and Chris Acto-Maher.

He still has a couple of national meets ahead of him, but after three cross country and five track state championships, Steier has run his last Florida race.

"I'm not thinking of it as an end, I guess," Steier said. "I hadn't really been gearing up for the end with this meet. I've been here for a couple of years now, though, so it definitely means something."

Steier was his usual even-handed, level-headed self afterward. He complimented Osbourne on a well-executed race, but said the upset didn't give him any extra motivation for the 3,200. "Well, maybe a little bit," he said. "I just tried to run my usual race."

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