WATCH LIVE ON MILESPLIT
Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Florida will welcome nearly three dozen teams from around the state for the annual Kowboy Invitational which you can WATCH LIVE on MileSplit Saturday morning. We give you five storylines we are looking forward to the most. Keep it locked on FLRunners.com for archived video, interviews, photos, recaps, results, and more.
Chauncy Smart ran a meet record of 10.42w to win the Kowboy Invitational in 2016. That record is in serious jeopardy.
Who Will Be Crowned The Meet's Fastest Man?
Anthony Schwartz and Jamal Walton went head to head in the 100m dash last weekend at the Sam Burley HOF Invitational. Walton ran the fastest time in the prelim (US#4 10.54), but Schwartz followed up with a US#1 10.39. Lavonte Valentine of East Ridge has a PR of 10.44 from this year (US#2), as eight of the top ten runners in this field have broke 10.75s. The list doesn't even include Auburndale senior Chauncy Smart who ran 10.42w to set the meet record in 2016 and hasn't run 10.8 or better this year. Walton and Schwartz duked it out in the 200 last week with Schwartz pulling out the win. Should be fun to see this battle once again.
Georgia Invasion
Both Stars Mill and Westlake High School made the trips from the Peach State south to Kissimmee. The Westlake girls are loaded with junior sprinter Kennedy Price at the helm owning personal bests of 11.98 and 24.78. They are the top seeded 4x100m relay (46.39), 4x800m relay (9:47.27), and second behind American Heritage in the 4x400 (3:50.02). American Heritage girls are the favorite for the team title, but Westlake, Wharton and West Orange will all give them a good run. The Westlake boys boast a 1-2 hurdle punch of Rainey Anderson and Cameron Murray who have the potential to go under 14s in the 110's.
American Heritage Trio Lead Charge In Stacked Girls 200m Field
If American Heritage is to win the Kowboy Invitational they will need their girls to score major points in the 200m. Danielle Bess, the 2015 state champion in this event, has teammate Myrka Cadet, and Morgan Rhett by her side. Bess and Maiah Walker (pictured above) of Lake Wales will be the two favorites in the 400m dash as well.
Beach Second Sub 5:00 1,600m Performance Beckons
Footlocker National finalist in cross country and Duke bound Amanda Beach broke the five minute barrier for 1,600m in a strong field at the Bolles Bulldog Classic. She will have competition early on, but look for her to race against the clock and try to make it two weeks in a row of accomplishing that feat.
Boys Field Events
I know what you are thinking. Todd, that's kind of generic and a cop out. However, I think the boys sprints get all the love and deservingly so, but the field events at the Kowboy Invitational also has a well rounded group of competitors. Auburndale boasts two 50 foot shot putters in Kyante Corbett and Anthony Pierce, while Celebration's Hunter Hummel is one of the best discus throwers in the state with a PR of 166-5. Cameron Murray of Westlake has hit 24-4 in the long jump, while Brian Edwards of Miramar has jumped 6-6 in the high jump, and Harmony's Seth Musselman could be on course for a 16-0 pole vault (PR of 15-5)