Blize Blazes Over Hurdles For East Valley Memory Of Friend Spurs Him To Standout Races

East Valley hurdler Brandon Blize is not a prototypical hurdler.

Unlike tall and long-legged West Valley rival Brad Groh, who can step over the barriers in textbook fashion, the 5-foot-8 Blize succeeds with a style that contradicts convention.

Blize’s height comes in front of the hurdle, rather than over it.

“One of the problems, I think,” said EV teacher Curt Hisaw, himself a hurdler and pole vaulter in college, “is that when he was younger, trying to three-step, he had to float and reach.”

Yet it hasn’t stopped Blize from establishing school records in the high hurdles in three successive outings and becoming the state leader in two events.

Blize has made up for lack of size with blazing speed.

“He’s so quick in between the hurdles,” Hisaw said. “That’s where he makes it up.”

Last Friday during the Frontier League district meet, Blize and Groh met again. The EV standout lowered his week-old personal 110-meter best to an incredible 14.0 seconds. Groh was second at 14.4, equaling his season best.

Three weeks earlier, Groh had defeated Blize in a dual meet for the league championship. Since then, Blize has had the upper hand. His times dipped under the 15-second mark and in little more than a week he has run 14.4, 14.2 and his state best equaling mark.

In districts, Blize also lowered his 300-meter intermediate hurdles school record to 37.9 seconds, again a state best. Groh had 39.3.

Blize attributes his recent success to two things: an improved starting technique and the memory of a neighbor, Rex Smith, who died last month.

“He was like a second dad to me,” Blize said. “I’ve kind of been running for him.”

A record-setting middle school long jumper, Blize became a full-time hurdler as a high school freshman.

“There were no hurdlers and they put me in there,” he said.

His coach, Dave McCarty, said that Blize had trouble getting his jump steps and once he became a hurdler, there was no turning back.

“My legs were a little short for it,” Blize recalled, “and after three meets I got hurt.”

He has had a variety of coaches over four years, but qualified for state as a sophomore and again last year.

Two weeks ago, McCarty asked Hisaw to help Blize with his start.

“We just tweaked a couple of things, and he now gets out so much quicker,” said Hisaw.

Blize’s hands were practically flat on the ground, instead of being up on the finger tips. His arms were bent and his bottom was too high.

“It was not a good power position,” said Hisaw.

With the slight adjustments, Blize suddenly became the area’s dominant hurdler.

“Breaking into the 14s was the hardest thing to do,” he said. “I was stuck at 15.1 for the longest time.”

Last year at state, it appeared he had placed high enough in the preliminaries to be in the final eight. Blize, however, was given a lower placing and did not advance.

If things continue over the next two weekends as they have the last three meets, there should be no such controversy.

“I want to bring home a state medal,” said Blize. “I think I have a chance.”