There are going to be some great showdowns and record-attempts this weekend at all three of our championship meets: 3A on Friday, Middle School on Saturday morning, and 4A on Saturday. We compiled a list of the top ten things we are looking forward to in this weekend's big meets!
See what you think and add yours to the comments!
3A Heat Sheets | 4A Heat Sheets | Middle School Performance List
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10. GIRLS 300H (3A): Martisha Hart vs. Amani Bryant vs. Kiana Cooler vs. Anjoure Teele. They all could be under 44 seconds for a stellar photo finish!
9. ASHLEY BRASOVAN (4A): We'll see if national cross country Ashley Brasovan is in shape enough after her injury to challenge her own state record set at last year's state meet or if it will be another close distance battle between Brasovan, Amaro, Koziara, and Perkins (following their showdown in the mile). She has dropped a couple of solo 10:33s over the last month, so that says she's felling pretty good. How good? We'll find out.
8. BOYS 200 (3A): This one is going to be blazing! Leonardo Seymore vs. Jeff Demps vs. Phillip Pierre-Louis vs. Dedric Dukes vs. Sean Lange vs. Exilien Reshaw = sick!
7. MIAMI NORTHWESTERN vs. MIAMI SOUTHRIDGE (4A): Just in general these teams are going to be neck and neck in most events, especially on the girls side. It's going to be a great team points battle. Both boys and girls 4x400s are going to be exceptionally thrilling between these two.
6. EBONY EUTSEY (4A): Watch this sophomore in amazement as she unleashes an assault on the clock in the 200 and 400. She is an amazing talent and we'll see if she can push into 53 second territory like she did at the GMAC Finals.
5. BRANDON O'CONNOR (4A): Seeing how many golds he can collect: 200, 400, triple jump, and 4x400. O'Connor has the fastest 200m time in the country with his 20.63 at Bob Hayes--even wind-aided that is just crazy fast. He backed it up last week with a 20.86 at regions and his 46.50 at Bob Hayes (no wind-aiding on a full lap!) puts him in pretty hallowed ground in that event as well. He's also the 3A leader in the triple jump with a 48-9.5.
4. MIAMI NORTHWESTERN GIRLS 4x800 (4A): They are ready to take on Orange Park HS's state record of 9:03.42 set 25 years ago, as well as their own state meet record of 9:05.90 set last year. It's going to be HOT! It's also going to be pretty lonley for them up front so they'll be running against the ghosts of the past and the clock if they're going to pull this one off.
3. ROBIN REYNOLDS (MS): This 8th grader is phenomonal and she will be a force to be reckoned with in high school the next four years. She is something special and is going to dominate next year, mark my words! But lucky us, we get a preview at the middle school state championship on Saturday. Robin will be going after four individual events, all of which she is likely to win and stands a chance at a middle school state meet record in each. The 400 is her specialty and that record should be absolutely destroyed! She ran a 54.45 a couple of weeks ago at the South Regio meet! Her PRs in the others are 12.09, 24.50, and 2:20.52!
2. JEFF DEMPS (3A): Jeff Demps is the fastest high schooler in the country and ran the second fastest time ever for a Floridian at Florida Relays with a time of 10.17 (next to Houston McTear's 10.16 at the 1976 Olympic Trials). He will unfortunately racing in his last high school race (will focus on football the rest of the summer rather than running Nike Outdoors or the Trials), so hopefully he will lay it down and rewrite the record book! UPDATE: It has been reported that Jeff may have changed his mind after receiving the Olympic Trials invitation and indicates that he might extend his track season after all, depending on how he does at the state meet. W00T!
1. GIRLS 1600 (4A): The drama of a classic 1600 race of Brittany Koziara, Emilie Amaro, Amanda Perkins, Skyler Wallen, and Ashley Brasovan! All five can likely go under 5-minutes, and may be joined by others like youngers Shelby Hayes (sophomore) and Grace VanDeGrift (freshman)! Race of the year!!!
Others that didn't make the cut...
- Fantastic 2 lap battle of Christal Washinton vs. Skyler Wallen and others.
- 4A Boys 4x800: 7:55, 7:56, 8:01, 8:01, 8:03.
- Seeing how fast Brian Atkinson will run, since he is focusing on the 3200. 9:10 anyone?
- Watching high flying Maya Pressley (4A) and Danielle Williams (3A) go for 6 feet in the girls high jump.
- Lanie Whitaker going for the 400 / 800 double.
- The 4A Boys 800: Nate Duby and 3 or 4 others battling it out around 1:53-1:55.
- The 3A Boys 800: Boykin and crew battling it out around 1:56.
- Riley Egan (3A) of St. Thomas Aquinas soaring above 16 feet in the pole vault.
And there were plenty more!!!!!!!!! Ryan Raposo and I rattled off all of the great things for about an hour trying to decide on who to include. It's going to be a great weekend! Please add the big events you are most looking forward to in the comments!