Breaking down the competition Friday at the Texas Relays:
Boys 100 (Friday prelims)
Texas has some fast athletes as usual and then there’s the Floridian. Boone FL sr Marvin Bracy won US Junior Nationals last summer in 10.05w and indoors this January set the US high school record for 55 meters. Ridge Point jr Cameron Burrell clocked 10.34w to claim 2011 State 5A silver, and this son of former 100 world record holder Leroy is the US#3-TX#1 returner. They’ll be pressed by SA Johnson sr Jacob Lady-Schreiber, 5th in State 5A in 10.56w. DeSoto jr Tremayne Acy ran 10.42 (w +1.0) US#3 last week while senior teammate Ridge Jones false-started but has an earlier 10.48 nwi. The rest of the field, including 200-400 specialist Aldrich Bailey (Timberview) has a lot of talent which is expected to emerge.
Girls 100 (Friday prelims)
Plano East sr Jennifer Madu, the State 5A champ and World Youth Championships winner in an 11.57 PR, heads a deep field. In the State 5A race Flower Mound sr Dephanie Adeyemi was 2nd in 11.63 and Westfield sr India Daniels 4th in 11.73. Fayetteville jr Sydney Conley will also be a contender.
Girls Discus Throw
Mansfield Legacy sr Shelbi Vaughn leads the field at 176-9 US#1 (#18 all-time US), improving her own State record 176-5 set last at last summer's World Youth in France. The defending 5A State champ will have face strong competitors including NB Canyon jr Chamaya Turner at 159-1 US#3 (State 4A champ with a 163-11 PR). Spring Woods sr Lauren Daniel enters with 156-3 US#4, Los Fresnos jr Corina Cox 151-2 US#5 and Vaughn’s teammate Legacy sr Kayla Taylor 148-10 US#7. Jeia Gilliam, jr Nekia Jones and Lauryn Caldwell are also in the US top 15.
Boys High Jump
San Marcos sr Allex Austin, son of American record holder Charles, brings in a season best 7-1 US#1 from his only meet thus far. He’s the State 5A defending champ with a 7-2 PR. Randall jr Logan Brittain cleared 7-0 US#2 last week and was the State 4A winner. Also competing are seniors Tyris Jefferson, Johnathon Reece and Sean Spiehler with bests of 6-10 US#6.
Girls Pole Vault
Argyle sr Jessie Johnson, 2-time State 3A winner, has cleared 13-6 US#1 this season (=#17 all-time US, TX#4). Seniors Brittany Wooten (Tomball) and Ashley Thompson (Frisco) have season bests of 12-7 US#5. Grapevine fr Zoe McKinley cleared 12-6 at the Newman Smith Invite, and since the vault was held indoors due to bad weather that’s good for US#11 indoors. Needville sr Shelby Poncik and Westlake fr Nicole Summersett (scheduled for Section B) have cleared 12-4 US#12. Wimberley soph Kally Long enters at 12-3 US#14.
Boys Discus Throw
This event boasts 4 in the current US top 10. LC-M sr Hayden Reed leads the way with a 186-10 US#2, followed by Tascosa sr Zack Weatherly 181-3 US#6, Overton jr Austin Cook 180-5 US#9 and Midland sr Dutton Watson 180-0 US#10.
Girls High Jump
Seniors Darby Graff (State 4A champ for Hallsville) and Natalie Thompson (Alba-Golden) are part of a 4-way tie for US#1 at 5-10 so this meet could clear up that logjam. Ten others have season bests of 5-6 which is tied for US#17.
Boys Pole Vault
This event is loaded with every athlete over at least 16-feet! At the top is Kingwood Park sr Shawn Barber with a 17-8 US#1 (=#11 all-time US, =TX#3). Spring sr Reese Watson, State 5A and 2-time Texas Relays winner with a 17-7 indoor PR this year, has been hampered by an injury outdoors. Alvarado sr Dylan Bell has cleared 16-7.5 US#2 while St Thomas More LA sr Jacques Dugas has a 16-4 US#4 best. Harmony jr Daven Murphree and Hallsville sr Marques Hicks have both cleared 16-1.5 US#5. That’s 5 of the US top 6 and the others round out 11 of the US top 14.
Girls Long Jump
The headliners include Fayetteville AR sr Sydney Conley, Plano East sr Jennifer Madu, and DeSoto jr Anna Robinson. Conley (19-7.5 US#6 nwi), daughter of Olympic triple jump champ Mike, is a multi-time AR State winner and struck gold at the recent New Balance Nationals Indoor at 20-1.5. Madu, the uber-talented sprinter/jumper, has a season best 19-8.5 US#4 nwi. And don’t overlook Robinson, last year’s State 5A champ over Madu, with a season best 19-4 US#9. Other challengers who are all over 19-feet are Brianna Richardson (US#8), Bre’Yana Wash (US#11) and Icis Francis (US#13).
Boys Long Jump
State 5A runner-up Cameron Burrell (Ridge Point jr) was 5th at the World Youth Championships last summer after winning the US Trials and has a wind-legal PR of 24-7. Skyline sr Thomas Johnson comes in with a 24-3.5 US#3 nwi to his credit. Cy Ranch sr Deandre Liggins sits at 24-1.5 US#6 nwi while Angleton sr Ryan Jackson has a 23-11 US#8 nwi.