Girls 100 Meter Dash
It will be a preview of virtually all the top contenders for the 1A state title this spring in the girls 100 meter dash at Dunbar featuring the 2-time defending state champion in the event in Fort Meade junior Azaria Whitehurst and the athlete with the best chance to dethrone her in New Balance Nationals All-American and Florida indoor 60 and 20 meter dash state champion McKenzie Travis.
Whitehurst had the fastest PR between the two at 11.59 prior to last weekend when Travis clocked a wind-aided 11.51 best as a runner-up at the IMG Spring Break Invitational.
In their last head to head encounter at last May's FHSAA State Championships, Whitehurst won the 100 in 11.59 with Travis as the state runner-up in 11.71. Travis is the top returnee from last year's Guy Thomas Memorial Classic when she finished 3rd with a 11.92 clocking.
The third seed in the event at Dunbar is also one of the 1A classification's fastest in Chaminade-Madonna sophomore Tyra Cox with a personal best right at 12 seconds flat despite being known more as a 400 meter specialist.
Another athlete who should advance on easily from Friday's prelims and be a force in Saturday's finals of the 100 meter dash include Dunbar's own in Kayla Hopkins with a personal best of 12.06 and knocking on the door of her first sub 12 second performance.
Boys 100 Meter Dash
With 14 athletes entered with personal bests under 11 seconds, the cutoff to make the boys 100 meter dash finals on Saturday from Friday's prelims should be intensely competitive.
IMG Academy's Davonte Howell leads the field with a 10.56 personal best, but not far behind him is Dunbar's Tawaski Abrams at 10.62, Chaminade-Madonna's D'Angelo Ponds at 10.56, and Lake Highland Prep's Camren Ware-McClendon at 10.66.
Howell is the top returnee from last year's meet when he placed 4th overall with a time of 10.70 winning a slower heat, while Abrams was 6th overall with a time of 10.85. It will be Howell's first race of the 2023 outdoor season after a busy indoor season including a state runner-up finish in the 60 meter dash (6.74) and making it to the semifinals round at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
Abrams won earlier this season on his home track at the Dunbar Tiger Classic in 10.85 and also won at the North Port Invite in 10.87, while finishing second at the Berkeley Prep Invitational (10.79) and running his 10.65 season best last weekend for third place at the IMG Spring Break Invitational.
Ponds might be the most accomplished in the event with his top credential being the state runner-up last May in the 1A classification with a 10.67 performance. After a slow start to his season at the Louie Bing Invitational (13th, 11.44), he has picked up in his last two meets with a 10.87 performance for fourth place at the Ellis Elite 16 Invitational and 10.73 victory at the Calvary Christian Invitational in Fort Lauderdale last weekend.
Lake Highland Prep's Camren Ware-McClendon is another contender in the field and finished right behind Abrams at IMG Academy last weekend in fourth place with a 10.66 personal best while consistently well under 11 seconds in his other meets this season.