The Sunshine state's top talent will head to Greensboro, North Carolina for the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
GIRLS PREVIEW
Lake Wales senior Octavious Freeman looks to carry the momentum from her Dream 100 win into victories in North Carolina. Freeman is the defending champion in both the 100 and 200 meter dash. At the Golden South Classic, she ran a season best 11.21 in the 100 and a personal best 22.96 in the 200. Both times are ranked number one in the country. This could be the meet where Freeman breaks the national record of 11.11.
In the quarter-mile, 11 time state champion Robin Reynolds is Florida's best shot at a national championship, but the Miami Jackson junior isn't going to have it easy like she has in the past. Reynolds, ranked fifth in the country at 53.78, ran in the Golden South Classic prelims, will face off against the nation's top 400 runner Olivia Ekpone, and Connecticut's Precious Holmes ranked number two in the country. Those two have ran 53.15 and 53.16. Both times posted in the last three weeks.
Estero's Kacy Smith and Winter Park's Kira Soderstrom will be the lone representatives in a stacked two mile run. Smith and Soderstrom will run in section one and hope to post some top times that will place them near the top of the 28 person field.
Other notable Florida entrants include Riverview's Ashley Favors in the 400 hurdles. Favors recently signed with the University of Florida. She finished second at the 4A state meet in the 300 hurdles and fifth in the 100 meter hurdles. Amber Monroe, who recently signed with the University of Miami will compete in both the shot put and discus. Monroe won the discus and finished third in the shot put at the 4A state championships.
BOYS PREVIEW
In the boys 100 meter dash, Jones sophomore Levonte Whitfield comes in with the fastest time of 10.31. Whitfield is coming off a fourth place finish at the Adidas Dream 100. He is joined in heat number three by Suncoast junior Antwan Wright. Wright placed third in the 2A meet and recently finished second at the Golden West Invitational. He has been consistently around 10.7 but has a personal best time of 10.49. Should either make it past their heat it will be a very fast finals with Alabama's Aaron Ernest and North Carolina state champion Sean McClain who finished second in New York City. Whitfield's cousin Marvin Bracy is not entered in the meet.
The 400 meter race will have a Florida feel to it and could be one of the most exciting races of the day. If you were at Bob Hayes or saw the highlights you will know what I mean. Arman Hall, Dedric Dukes, and Hugh Graham Jr. are the three fastest quarter milers in the state, and three out of the top six in the country. Najee Glass of New Jersey and Aldrich Bailey of Texas will give the trio a run for their money, but expect this one to be close and incredibly quick. Graham was second in this event last year.
The 800 meters will be a rematch of the 3A state championship. Both Isaiah Smith and Ryan Schnulle will face off in section one of three. Austin Mudd in section one is the favorite coming in ranked number one in the country with a time of 1:49.25
In the 1600, Chamberlain's Max Del Monte and Charlotte's Tyler Cardillo will meet in section one of two. Cardillo, the 3A state champion, has a personal best of 4:11.27. Del Monte, ran a personal best of 4:12.51 to finish second at the 4A state meet. Cardillo will join Charlotte teammates Ryan Schnulle, Anthony Borrego, and Bryan Hilgar in the 4x800.
Cardillo's future Florida Gator teammate Jimmy Clark will run in section one of two of the two mile championship. Section two includes some of the top ranked distance runners in the nation such as the Rosa twins, Chad Noelle, and Ammar Moussa.
Florida is loaded in the hurdles with Artie Burns of Miami Northwestern, Palm Beach Lakes duo Emarkis Gunn and Malik Lewis, Maurice Dix, Christopher Grinley, and Joseph McClary. Burns will join Hugh Graham Jr., Jeffery Green, and James Grant on a loaded 4x400 relay team. Lining up next to them in lane five of the section three finals will be McClary and Dix. They will be joined by St. Thomas teammates; Arman Hall, and Jeremy Tatham in a 4x4 that history tells us will come down to the finish.
Winter Park senior and University of Michigan bound Nick Posada is a favorite in the 2000 meter steeplechase. His 6:07.20 set at the Winter Park Relays is the second best time in the country behind Warwick Valley's Tim Luthin who is not entered in the competition.
In the throws Florida's best chances lie in John Carroll's Justin Osking, Godby's Devin Screen, and Sarasota's Zack Larrabee.
Two events that you don't hear much about in Florida, the boys one mile race walk and the javelin have a Florida entrant. Brandon Kruppenbacher of Boone, who is currently ranked fifth in the 5000 meter race walk according to hsrw.net will show his skills at the shorter distance. Garrett Singletary of Tampa Jesuit will compete in the javelin. He has a personal best throw of 187-2.
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