(Devin Quinn of Charlotte in the all white shirt and blue shorts is the favorite in Saturday's Golden South 100m dash.)
A trip to New York City and the Adidas Dream 100 is on the line for the winner of the girls and boys 100m dash at the 2015 Golden South Classic. We take an in-depth look at the field for both the boys and girls race and who has the best chance to punch their ticket to the Big Apple on June 13th. Make sure you watch our LIVE COVERAGE and check out flrunners.com after the meet for archived race videos, interviews, photos, results, recaps & more
Boys 100m Preview
The 2014 Golden South Classic boys 100m dash was one of the marquee events last year with three going under 10.50 headlined by Terry Jernigan of East Ridge. Fast forward a year later and the race will be headlined by Port Charlotte senior Devin Quinn (pictured above) who has run a state best and US#6.10.31. Absent from the field are 1A 100m champion Michael Timpson Jr. who was sixth last year (out due to injury), 4A 100m state champion and University of Miami signee Isaiah Taylor who was seventh last year (injured), and 4A 100m runner-up Alvin Bryant of Dr. Phillips. Despite that we will still see some very fast times. Golden South Classic record for this event is 10.19s set by Tyreek Hill of Georgia in 2012.
Here is a look at the top entrants in the field.
The Contenders
Devin Quinn - Senior @ Charlotte High School
What a difference two years makes. In 2013, Devin Quinn ran 11.25 at the Florida Relays. In 2015, the Charlotte senior won the event in 10.76 into a -2.4 wind. The win came two weeks after he ran a state leading and then US#1 10.31w. He proved he wasn't a fluke at the 3A region 3 meet running 10.44 and taking home the state championship one week later in 10.58. Quinn is the top runner in the field and already on the Dream 100 watch list. Win and he is in. If he is unable to win, but still drop an impressive time in the 10.4-10.5 range he should be strongly considered for the event.
Chauncey Gardner - Junior @ Cocoa High School
Gardner swept the 100m and 200m dash at the 2A state meet three weeks ago. The two-sport standout who is one of the top prospects in the country for football, was back to work following his two gold medals, but not on the track, on the gridiron. Coach Tyrone Giscombe told me they have only been training two days a week, so that is why he initially was only signed up for the 200 and 4x100m relay. After looking over the field, they were a last minute entry to the 100m dash. Giscombe asked Gardner is he wanted to run with a ticket to the Dream 100 on the line and he replied with an emphatic yes. He then went onto say that when the speedster says yes to something he, "never doubts him." Cocoa plays their spring football game on Wednesday and Gardner will play quarterback, running back, and starting safety. Barring any injuries, he will be ready to run Saturday, and give Quinn a run for his money. He has personal bests of 10.38w and 10.51 from the 2A Region 4 Championship.
Mathew Likely - Senior @ Hilcrest Evergreen High School (AL)
Likely is a five-time Alabama state champion having claimed gold in the 100 the past three seasons and 200m dash in 2013 and 2015. He has times under 10.75 seven times this year and owns personal bests of 10.61 and 21.68 in the 100 and 200m. Fellow Alabamian Jaalen Jones was third at last year's race.
Jalen Virgil - Junior @ Mountain View High School (GA)
Virgil is the 2015 Georgia Olympics runner-up in the 100m dash where he ran 10.65 into a -0.8 m/s wind. In his last fourteen races he has run 10.95 or faster and owns personal bests of 10.45w and 10.59 (2.0 m/s).
Khai McLin - Senior @ Plantation High School
McLin like Virgil was under 11 seconds in all of his races this year. The senior finished no lower than third as well including a personal best 10.54w in the prelims at the 4A state meet. He was third in the final behind Isaiah Taylor of West Broward and Alvin Taylor of Dr. Phillips with a time of 10.68.
The Darkhorses
Amir Rasul - Junior @ Coral Gables High School
Amir Rasul came up through the AAU and middle school ranks as one of the top runners to watch in the country. He didn't disappoint winning the 4A state championship in both the 100 and 200m dash as a freshman. Rasul, who is also one of the top football prospects in the country failed to make the state finals in 2014 after an injury at the regional championship. He competed in only four meets as a junior and did not make the finals of the 100m and was 8th in the 200m final. He owns personal bests of 10.44w and 21.09 for 200m but those were both run in 2013. The junior has been under the radar for most of the season. If he is mentally and physically prepared he could find himself in NYC.
Tyrese Cooper - 8th Grader - Miami Gardens XPress
Tyrese Cooper went viral after his insane sprint triple at the Middle School State Championship where he swept the sprints in 10.61, 21.26, and 47.47 to break his own meet records. Cooper was 17th out of 18 runners in last year's Golden South Classic. Coach Darius Lawshea told me that the young standout will do several other events (100,200,400 and 4x4), maybe even the 4x100. He was pushed by Seneca Milledge at the middle school state meet and with an even more talented field surrounding him look for him to improve that time. With prelims then finals and multiple events to run, how will Cooper hold up especially when the 100m dash is not the real focus of the day, but rather the 400 and relay.
Championship Advice
2014 Golden South 100m champion Terry Jernigan had this to say for those running on Saturday.
"you have been working hard all season up to this point, you have one chance to show the world why you deserve the golden ticket. The opportunity is now!
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