Class 5
The Boys
The Sprinters and Hurdlers
Casey Hood - Rock Bridge
With his 10.53 and 21.18 (+2.5) marks, Rock Bridge senior Casey Hood enters the 2023 outdoor season as the top returner in the entire state in the 100 and 200 meter dash.
Hood is not your prototypical sprinter. Slightly shorter in stature with a bushy beard, it doesn't seem to matter. Hood has shown he'll compete with anyone on any day and more than likely come out on top. The only one who had his number, really, last year was his Class of 2022 teammate Chris Giles.
Hood now enters this spring after leading the state in the 60m dash (6.81) and 200 (22.12) on the indoor circuit. He still has plenty of strong teammates around him to train with and eyes on more individual gold after getting a small taste of that success in 2021. He will be a key factor in the Bruins' title defense as we should see him in 8 races and 4 podiums on Memorial Day weekend once again this year.
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Ryan Wingo - St. Louis University High
SLUH's Ryan Wingo comes from a line of incredible sprinters with the last name Wingo and has so far lived up to the hype he brought with him into high school. Now a junior, Ryan is ready to put his stamp on his own legacy in 2023.
Wingo is the second fastest returner in the entire state in the 100m dash (10.53) and 3rd best in the 200m dash (21.31, +2.5). He was third in both races last spring and has the chops to move into first. He's only gotten older and stronger with another year and he's a 5 star wide receiver in the fall with offers from all over the country. This is the definition of an athlete - sit back and enjoy what he has to offer on the track in his junior campaign.
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Jeremiyah Love - Christian Brothers College
We missed CBC's Jeremiyah Love last spring as his season was apparently shortened before he could defend his 2021 Class 5 State title in the 100m dash. This fall, he showed on the gridiron that he is healthy and ready to climb the state ranks once again.
Love was the 100m dash champion in Class 5 as a sophomore in his first year participating in track and field. He ran 10.76 for that win, a massive personal best, to go along with 22-1.75 best in the long jump. In 2022, he competed at two meets, posting personal bests in the 200m dash (22.11) and long jump (22-4.5), but falling well short of that 100 best.
The four-star running back and Notre Dame commit has one year left and could very well be gearing up for a major final chapter of his high school career. You may have forgotten about him after a shortened 2022 season, but it's time to remember that CBC has horses in their stable ready to roll.
Caleb Cody-Jackson - Marquette
Marquette's Caleb Cody-Jackson has solidified himself as one of the top quarter milers in the state and will return for the 2023 season as the only athlete with a sub-49 mark to his name in the entire state.
Cody-Jackson was 2nd last season and closed out his junior year with a 48.87 personal best. It was a major breakthrough year for the Mustang and it appears that he hasn't slowed down into the winter indoor season. Cody-Jackson was the top Missourian in the 400 this winter with a 50.74 mark. He also posted a 22.72 mark in the 200, which is just off his 21.94 best in the 200. He's also run 11.01 for 100 meters.
Watch for Cody-Jackson to compete for the state title in the 400 and hardware in the other sprint events.
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Derek Grubb - Smith-Cotton
Smith-Cotton's Derek Grubb returns as the top man in the 110m hurdles with a 14.42 personal best. He finished 8th at the Class 5 state meet after hitting the second to last hurdle in finals out of Lane 4. His 39.32 best in the 300m hurdles has him 2nd now in the Class 5 among returners, behind Winnetonka-to-Lee's Summit North transfer Michael Lane. Grubb will be competitive for state titles in both hurdle events, and could even make noise in the 200m dash with his 22.22 personal best.
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Camdenton moves up to Class 4 after a small bump in enrollment (36 students) which puts the top male returning Class 4 sprinter up into Class 5.
Angel Dickerson scored 23 points on his own at last year's Class 4 state meet, finishing 4th in the 100, 1st in the 200, and 2nd in the long jump. He enters the 2023 season with top 3 marks among Class 5 returners in the 100, 200, and long jump, and even with the increase in competition in the higher class, Dickerson is still in a position to compete for state gold in all three events. The future Indiana State Sycamore should be unfazed by the move up.
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Michael Lane - Lee's Summit North
It wasn't an enrollment move that has switched up the top of the Class 5 hurdles rankings. Instead, it's the transfer of Michael Lane from Winnetonka to Lee's Summit North.
A massive pickup for the Broncos, Lane had a strong season in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. He posted personal bests of 14.88 and 38.90 for 4th and 3rd at the Class 4 state meet. He is the only Class 5 returner under 39 seconds in the 300 hurdles and 1 of 9 under 15 seconds in the 110 hurdles. Lane will add a good chunk of points to Lee's Summit North's total this spring as a hurdle specialist.
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The Distance Runners
Andrew Hauser - Rock Bridge
Who's the top distance runner in Class 5 right now? The reigning champion in the 1600 and 3rd place finisher in the 3200 or the reigning state cross country champion?
Hauser is only the former of those things, though he was the latter heading into the 2022 cross country season. This fall, he ran out of gas with a mile to go and ended up in 4th, unable to improve on his breakout 14:38.15 state record from his sophomore campaign. Be that as it may, Hauser has only gotten better since then as he's turned in phenomenal performances at three different collegiate invitationals. He enters the spring season with marks of 4:11.51 in the mile and a state record 8:22.93 in the 3k. He returns with outdoor bests of 1:56.91, 4:11.72, and 9:05.11 in the 800, 1600, and 3200, respectively.
Only a junior, Andrew Hauser will be a true threat to pull off a distance double (1600/3200) and add 20 points to the sure to be massive Rock Bridge point total this May.
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Sage Wilde - Liberty North
Heading into the 2023 outdoor season, the Class 5 XC King of the Mountain is Liberty North's Sage Wilde after he finished off a tremendous fall with his first career state gold on the Gans Creek course. He broke 15:00 four times and ran two other marks under 15:06, showing that the sophomore breakout was for real.
His successes on grass have not completely translated to individual hardware on the Jefferson City track just yet, but he returns with outdoor bests of 4:27.99 and 9:22.97 in the 1600 and 3200. He focused on the middle distance events this indoor season, posting marks of 2:01.49 in the 800 and 4:20.19 in the 1600, showing that he's still fit and ready to roll this outdoor season.
Watch for Wilde to take a major step forward and challenge for state level gold this spring in the 1600 and 3200, in particular.
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Hobbs Campbell - Joplin
If anyone can unseat the reigning 800 and 1600 champions this spring, Hobbs Campbell may be the one to do it.
Campbell was sneaky and pesky this past spring. He was a strong 14th at the 2021 Class 5 State Cross Country meet, but broke through in a big way on the track in 2022. He closed out his junior year with personal bests of 1:54.54 in the 800, 4:12.19 in the 1600, 4:10.83 in the full mile, and 9:19.98 in the 3200.
Campbell took 1600 state champion Hauser all the way to the line in the event and narrowly missed bringing the gold home to Joplin for the first time in school history. This winter, he has posted two marks in the mile, one of them at the Arkansas Tyson (Collegiate) Invitational, in which he ran 4:15.14.
Clearly, he's in top form heading into the spring. The KU commit is well-rounded enough to go after gold in any of the three distance events and should be one to watch for down the stretch in Jefferson City this May.
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Keion Grieve - Capital City
Keion Grieve ran the 800 a lot last spring.
It seemed like each week, a look at the state rankings would show Grieve at the top once again with yet another improvement in the half mile. He only got better as the season wore on, culminating in a 1:53.80 mark at the Class 5 state championships for the victory. The sophomore didn't stop there, though, as he continued on the summer AAU circuit where he posted an eye-popping 1:51.26 for third place in the 17-18 division of the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
He's a heavy favorite to repeat as a junior and even become the 4th Missourian to ever break 1:50. He'll have some challengers as he defends his state glory, but all eyes will be on him to dominate the half mile this spring.
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Ian Kemey - Rock Bridge
Rock Bridge's Ian Kemey has evolved into one of the state's all-time best distance runners even though he has to fight to be the best on his own team!
Kemey returns for the 2023 season with personal bests in the 1600 and 3200 of 4:12.81 and 9:10.36, respectively, and even threw in a 1:57.25 800 mark for good measure last spring. He was 5th in both the 1600 and 3200, but returns 3rd and 2nd in each, just a hair behind his teammate, Hauser, in both. He beat him in the Class 5 State cross country championship so could this be the year the Rock Bridge senior makes the leap and grabs a state gold of his own?
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Jaxson Copelin - Ft. Zumwalt West
We spoke about Jaxson Copelin being a breakout candidate heading into this 2022 cross country season. Unfortunately, a foot injury held him back from reaching the potential we saw during the 2022 track season and he his cross country season ended up being significantly shortened.
Copelin now heads into his senior campaign with a chip on his shoulder and much to prove. His only performance at the state track meet last spring came as the anchor for the runner-up 4x800 relay squad, splitting 1:55.06 and bringing his team under 8:00 in the process.
That state meet split is no fluke. Copelin has a 1:55.57 best to his name and 4:21.84 and 9:30.71 marks in the 1600 and 3200, respectively. He's had a busy winter, showing that his foot is presumably all healed up and ready to carry him to the podium in at least one individual event in Class 5.
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Tyler Harris - Kickapoo
Any other year, Kickapoo's Tyler Harris is the biggest name in the state. This year, he returns as one of the top distance runners, but just a few ticks behind the afore-mentioned Class 5 boys.
Harris returns with the fastest mark in state history for an 8th place finisher in the 3200. His 9:14.96 would have been good enough for a state title most years, but last year he settled for 8th. He's posted a 4:23.50 mark in the 1600 and was the fourth boy to break 15:00 this fall with a 14:58.60 mark.
Harris will surely be a force in the 3200 once again this spring and should be a sub-9:00 candidate and dark horse candidate for the win in the 2 mile event.
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The Jumpers and Vaulters
Joshua Manning - Lee's Summit
Joshua Manning and Johnny Brackins were a dynamic duo in 2021, but after Brackins left, Manning needed to carry the torch for the Lee's Summit Tigers. And he did not disappoint.
At the Class 5 State meet, Manning finished 2nd behind the highly talented Donovyn Fowler, but did still clear a MO No. 9 all-time, and wind-legal, 24-5.75 mark. It makes him one of three returners in the entire state over 24', one of which being in Class 4. Manning also finished runner-up in the triple jump with a 48-5 mark, No. 1 among all Missouri returners by a foot and a half.
Manning was undefeated last season in the long and triple jump except for those two state silvers. It would not be shocking to see him run the table this season which he challenges the 25 and 50 feet barriers.
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Amel Abdul-Mumin - Hazelwood West
Spectators of the Class 5 long jump last spring got to see a special moment when Hazelwood West's Amel Abdul-Mumin hit 7.00 meters exactly in his final jump. While the tailwind was too strong to make it wind-legal, the look on Abdul-Mumin's face said it all, and the new personal best was his. He would finish 4th overall.
Fast forward to the Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico. A 3.2 m/s tailwind helped push Abdul-Mumin clear past the 23' marks and straight into the 24s. He finished first overall at the prestigious postseason meet with a 24-0.25 mark. Wind aside, the Wildcat is now one of the top returners in the entire state with that mark.
Not to be outdone, Abdul-Mumin is also the top Class 5 returner in the high jump. His 6-6.25 personal best earned him the runner-up finish at the Class 5 state meet and came after a major 6-5 breakthrough at the Sectional meet the week before. Watch for Abdul-Mumin to challenge for major points in both events this May.
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Jonathan Hedrick - Waynesville
Waynesville's Jonathon Hedrick is the second best returner in Class 5 in the triple jump with his 45-5.25 personal best. Last May, he finished 8th after entering as the best non-Sectional champion in the field. This year, Hedrick will surely be competitive for district and sectional gold and is the top candidate to upset Josh Manning in the event.
As for the long jump, Hedrick will return for 2023 with a 22-10.75 personal best, 5th among all Class 5 returners. He was 10th in the state meet last spring, well off his personal best with a 21-5 mark. He'll be one of the top names to watch in both horizontal jumps.
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Kyshin Isringhausen - Branson
Bleach blond hair, headband, wrist band, KT tape on both shoulders, black speed-suit, it's hard not to be intimidated by Branson's Kyshin Isringhausen just by looking at him.
Take a look at his pole vault record, too, though, and you'll see that his bark and bite are of similar intensity.
Isringhausen is a two-time all-stater, with two 7th place finishes to his name. Beyond the state performances, though, he has only finished worse than 3rd in a meet once and worse than 2nd twice. Though his final meet only saw him clear 14-2, he has cleared 15-0 in his career already.
Isringhausen finished behind 6 seniors last May and is the top Class 5 returner heading into 2023. He'll be a tough one to upset at the state meet with the winning pedigree he holds outside of the Jefferson City Classic.
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Andy Thomason - Timberland
Just behind Isringhausen is Timberland's Andy Thomason. Thomason heads into the 2023 season with a 14-6 personal best and surely a chip on his shoulder.
Thomason was a very hard luck 5th at the Class 5 District 4 meet last spring. The 2nd through 6th place finishers all went out at 12-9.5, but Thomason earned the dreaded first-man-out designation on misses and attempts. He was 6th at the same meet the year before.
While he doesn't have the state meet experience, Thomason has the numbers to put him among the top contenders for the Class 5 state title this spring. Never underestimate an athlete who's season was cut short too early the year before...
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Keylan Horn - Battle
Battle's Keylan Horn's season took an unconventional journey. He opened his season on April 9th with a long jump victory at the prestigious Bill Summa Invite, but we didn't see the junior again until May 7th at the Lutheran South Last Chance. He won the long jump there and proceeded to win the District and Sectional titles in the event, as well.
Horn arrived at the state meet with his 22-8.5 personal best and left with a wind-aided 23-6.75 best and a third place medal. He now enters this spring as the 3rd best returner in Class 5 and should challenge for the title in his own right.
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The Throwers
Sam Albert - Capital City
Capital City's Sam Albert enters the 2023 season as the top shot putter in Class 5 by over 2 feet. His 163-4 best in the discus also has him 4th among Class 5 returners.
This winter, though, Albert took an even bigger step forward. Albert earned New Balance Indoor All-American honors with a 6th place finish at the meet with his personal best of 61-3.5. While he was still 3 feet behind national champion and fellow Missourian Hayden Dixon, Albert became only the third Missourian to ever clear 60 feet indoors and 30th to do it indoor or outdoor. He had just missed the mark with a 59-11 toss at the 2022 AAU Junior Olympics.
Now, after finishing 3rd in the event last season, Albert should be the heavy favorite for the state title in the Class 5 shot put this spring and could make a push for the discus, too, after finishing 16th last year.
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Matthew Morrison - Liberty North
After transferring from California, a state which does not contest javelin on the high school association circuit, Morrison immediately cemented himself as one of Missouri's all-time best javelin throwers. His personal best of 204-2 from the Class 5 District 8 meet is MO No. 3 all-time and US No. 5 among 2023 returners.
Morrison has already won his Class 5 state title, but now his sights are surely set on the recently broken state record in the event. Bryce Kazmaier of Francis Howell threw 211-0.25 in 2021 and should hardly feel safe with Morrison back for his senior year.
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Noa Isaia - Seckman
Class 5's top returners in the discus is Seckman's Noa Isaia with his 174-9 best from last year's Class 5 state meet. Isaia was the runner-up behind Lee's Summit West 2022 graduate E'lan Moore so he should be considered the favorite to bring home the championship this year. Five of the top eight from last season are returning, though, not including the afore-mentioned Albert, so it should be an interesting battle to see who comes out on top.
Isaia also posted a 48-11 best in the shot put, 10th among Class 5 returners.
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Brennan Boord - Staley
Staley's Brennan Boord was fourth in the discus at last year's Class 5 state meet, but returns MO No. 2 in the event with his 171-7.5 personal best. Boord had a busy 2022 season with 17 marks in the event to his name. It was the only thing he did last season, after all.
The discus specialist will be considered a major player for the gold medal in Class 5 this year as he looks to leapfrog three returners ahead of him.
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Jordan Smith - Park Hill
Park Hill's Jordan Smith is probably one of the next big decathletes in the state after winning last year's Great Southwest Classic Decathlon competition with 5887 points. He scored 6168 points at the AAU Region 16 Qualifier.
His best event is probably the javelin as he enters this season with a 203-0.25 best from last year's AAU Region 16 Qualifier. It's a MO No. 4 all-time and US No. 6 among returners. He is a contender for the Class 5 state title behind Liberty North's Morrison.
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Brace yourselves, everyone. Jackson Cantwell has arrived.
Standing at a whopping 6 foot 8 and 270 pounds as a freshman(!), Nixa's Cantwell is ready to take over the shot put and discus ranks in the state of Missouri.
If you haven't heard of him, you probably have heard of his dad, Christian Cantwell. Christian is a World Champion shot putter both indoors and outdoors, as well as Olympic silver medalist, and owns the 12th best mark in world history in the event with his 73 ft 11 1/4 in heave. His son Jackson has thrown the middle school shot put 62-6.75 already and tossed the middle school discus 199-3. Those are not typos.
It's hard to believe the 6-time AAU National Champion and National Record holder would regress with the slightly heavier implements. He's a beast already and could challenge for state championships in both the shot put and discus as a freshman.
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Willard sneaks up into Class 5, a mere 8 students ahead of the cutoff, and will bring it's historically strong throws crew with it. In addition to Brecken Murray, Karon Johnson headlines that group.
Johnson now slots in as the second best shot putter in Class 5 with his 57-7 career best. He was the runner-up in Class 4 last season in the event for the second straight year, so he has the chops to compete on the biggest stage with the best of them.
He will have to compete against 60 foot putter Albert from Capital City, but he's already posting throws in the mid-50s indoors and outdoors in his own right and should fit right into the Class 5 conversation in the shot put and, potentially, the discus, as well.
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The Team Outlook
It's hard to imagine a world in which Rock Bridge does not repeat as the Class 5 State Champions this spring. The lost some important seniors, but they still return Casey Hood, Andrew Hauser, Ian Kemey, Cooper Allen, Osayamen Edo-ohonba, and Drevyn Seamon. They have some young bucks and plenty of high point scorers. Their relays will surely be ready to roll and their stars will shine, no matter what. Coach Blackburn should have the Bruins ready to challenge their incredible feat of 97 points last spring.
If anyone will take them out, we see Liberty North, powered by their distance squad and javelin phenom Matthew Morrison, as a serious threat. The Capital City boys also have Keion Grieve and Sam Albert, plus other role players to assert themselves after finishing a very close 5th last season. Lee's Summit is led by Joshua Manning and St. Louis University High has Ryan Wingo, Jacobi Oliphant, and an always strong distance supporting cast. The Class 5 podium is always hotly contested, but we expect these five to be the most competitive.
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State Virtual Meet
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The Girls
The Sprinters and Hurdlers
Zaya Akins - Raytown South
Similarly to the situation on the boys side, a significant 121 student bump in enrollment has pushed Raytown South into Class 5 and turned the state of the girls sprint events in both Class 4 and Class 5 on its head. Now, the cream of the crop in the highest class have to compete against Missouri's best to ever do it.
Zaya Akins has little else to do in high school apart from sweep the Class 5 sprint titles this spring. Coming off all-conditions state records in all 3 sprint events last spring, and Class 4 titles in the 100 and 400, Akins has shown she's only gotten better heading into the 2023 outdoor season. This indoor campaign, she's added New Balance Indoor National Championship to her resume in the 400 meter dash, running a meet record 53.45 in prelims and coming back with the exact same mark in Saturday's finals. It was her third national championship in the 400.
Akins will likely not be denied in her quest for 3 more golds this May. But she will still have plenty of girls nearby hoping to pull off the upset.
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Aniyah Brown - Cardinal Ritter
With so many superstars on last season's Cardinal Ritter team, it's hard to name a clear cut leader for the team. If it could be anyone, though, it would probably be junior Aniyah Brown.
Brown has done nothing but dominate the 100 and 200 meter dash over the last two season, scoring golds in both events at the 2021 and 2022 Class 5 state meets. Even with some of the state's best ever competition bearing down on her, she has been able to repeat in the two most popular events in track and field at the highest level possible.
Brown enters her third high school season undefeated in both events on Missouri soil at 31-0. She has personal bests of 11.41 (+3.2) and 23.37 in the 100 and 200 and a 57.71 400 best for good measure. She's coming off a short, but solid indoor campaign in which she ran 7.51 for 60 meters and 25.11 for 200. She's also a key cog in the Lady Lions' dominant 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
All eyes should be on Akins vs. Brown this May because it is going to be one of the best 100 meter races this state has ever seen.
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A'Laji Bradley - Pattonville
If anyone can upset the two juggernauts at the top of the 100 and 200 lists, it's probably Pattonville's A'Laji Bradley.
Bradley returns with bests in the three sprints of 11.79 (+3.2), 23.93, and 54.88. She was top 3 in all 3 at the Class 5 state meet last year and will be very dangerous come late May. This winter, she posted indoor personal bests of 7.71 in the 60m dash, 24.65 in the 200, and 56.81, showing she hasn't skipped a beat and should be able to step right back into the fast times very soon.
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Genesis Dixon - Kirkwood
Kirkwood's Genesis Dixon's massive breakout junior season was the cherry on top of an incredible 2022 season for Missouri hurdlers.
Dixon entered last track season with bests of 14.24 and 45.20 in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, respectively, as well as two 3rd place Class 5 state medals on her wall. She stormed to a MO No. 2 all-time 13.57 in the 100s en route to the Class 5 State Championship in the event, a massive breakthrough for her at the time, and added a MO No. 13 all-time 43.01 in the 300 hurdles before placing 3rd at state in 44.10.
The University of Kentucky commit is a Great Southwest Champion, AAU Junior Olympics Runner-Up, and, not to be outdone, also can long jump 19-2.25. She will look to put up big numbers for her Kirkwood squad once again this spring.
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Ariana Jackson - Blue Springs
Blue Springs junior Ariana Jackson decided to forgo the cross country season this season, seemingly in favor of some more sprint-based training for the indoor season. If so, it surely worked.
Jackson returns with outdoor personal bests in the 200 and 400 meter dashes of 25.62 and 56.59, respectively. Though both of these marks are from her freshman campaign, she wasn't very far off as a sophomore and was still able to grab another all-state medal in the quarter-mile - this time, 6th place. She was the runner-up in the Class 5 event in 2021.
Jackson had a strong indoor season as she looks to overcome those marks she set two years ago. She's already on the right path with indoor personal bests of 25.90 and 56.65, just a few ticks off those outdoor bests. She may have some other tricks this spring as she is also a two-time all-state long jumper and a 2:16.68 personal best in the 800 to her name.
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Mikah Scott - Lee's Summit West
Lee's Summit West lost several of its top sprinters to graduation in 2022, but retains their best one for one more year in senior Mikah Scott.
Scott was their top athlete in the 100 and 200 meter dashes last spring, running 11.86 (+3.2) and 24.43 (+3.0) for 5th place at the Class 5 state meet in both events. She was also a part of their runner-up 4x100 and state champion 4x200 relay squads.
Scott kept the good times rolling this winter with indoor bests of 7.58 in the 60m dash and 24.99 in the 200. She appears to already be in top form heading into her final campaign. She'll be the key contributor to a Titans team looking to upset the balance of power at the top of Class 5 and regain the spot they had a stranglehold on for several years.
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The Distance Runners
Grace Tyson - Lafayette
Grace Tyson has become the most dangerous distance runner in the entire state, particularly in the 1600, 3200, and 5000 meter runs.
Tyson didn't let a foot injury stop her from snagging another state championship in Class 5 this fall as she took down several of the state's best en route to the repeat feat. This spring, she returns with the fastest 1600 and 3200 among Class 5 Returners with her 4:54.79 and 10:41.01 bests. She also official split 2:15.54 as the anchor on the Class 5 state champion 4x800 team.
This winter, Tyson showed a little more about why she's among the state's best right now. She ran a 4:57.61 full mile to go along with her indoor state record 2 mile of 10:30.85. This mark, converted to a 3200m time (10:27.19), would be MO No. 9 all-time. She may have her sights set on Taylor Werner's state record of 10:19.15, and may have a legitimate shot.
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Josie Baker - Kirkwood
Kirkwood's Josie Baker was already among the state's best returners in the 800 and 1600, but this winter, she truly solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with in both events.
Baker already returned with the Class 5 leading mark in the 800 (2:11.88) and Class 5 No. 5 mark in the 1600 (5:06.61). Coming off a cross country season in which she dipped under 18:00, Baker rolled into the indoor circuit and dazzled in the middle distance events. Her 2:10.62 800 mark at Nike Indoor Nationals was good enough for 6th and All-American honors. She also posted a 4:53.16 1600 mark, putting her a second ahead of Tyson heading into the outdoor season.
Indoor seasons are typically just a warm-up for Missouri athletes so if this is Baker's warmup, we are anxious to see what the outdoor season will bring for the Kirkwood junior.
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Camryn Hubbard - Pattonville
Pattonville senior Camryn Hubbard entered her freshman year in 2019-2020 with some solid marks in the 400/800 already, but didn't get the opportunity to shine right away for the Lady Pirates. Since the 2021 season, though, she's steadily been building up to where she is now as one of the top 800 runners in the entire state.
Hubbard loses her trusty teammate, Keilah Wilkes, this spring, but has already shown this winter that she will pick up where she left off, regardless, after running 2:16.45 in Chicago last month. She won the Class 5 State Championship in the 800 meter run in convincing fashion, pulling away from a star-studded field to come across first in 2:12.05. A week later, she ran 2:12.02 for the win at the Great Southwest Classic. Her season ended with a 5th place finish in the event at the AAU Junior Olympics.
Hubbard enters with a target on her back and several girls ready to track her down. Her 58.30 400 speed sets her apart from many of the other distance-oriented challengers, but the now-800 specialist enters as the prohibitive favorite for the event title in 2023.
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Paige Stuart - Blue Springs
It was quite the debut season for Paige Stuart in 2022. A 400 runner at first, Stuart ran her first 800 at the Kansas City Relays on April 15th and stormed to a 2:17.77 mark, solidifying herself as a strong competitor in both events. By the end of the 2022 season, the freshman had a 4th place medal and a 57.45 personal best in the 400 meter dash, as well as a silver medal in the 800 meter run with a 2:13.70 personal best. She parlayed that track success into a phenomenal first cross country season in which she ran 19:18.60 for 13th at the Class 5 Cross Country Championship.
Where does Stuart go from here? Obviously, she's another major piece for the 4x400 and 4x800 relays and is a top returner in both open events. Could she potentially move up to the 1600 after a strong cross country season? Or will she continue to dominate the long sprints? We're anxious to see what she has in store for an encore.
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Julia Ray - MICDS
This spring will be the grand finale for one of the state's all-time great distance runners, MICDS's Julia Ray.
Ray has been producing stellar marks since she was 12 years old with the St. Charles County Cyclones and now owns 8 all-state medals, including 2 golds in cross country. The one thing that has alluded her in all this time is an individual gold medal on the track. Her 3200 personal best of 10:41.12 came in a Class 5 runner-up effort in 2021 and she's finished 6th and 7th in her two tries at the 1600. She owns a personal best of 5:01.57 there.
After another dominant cross country season, and a solid indoor season wherein she ran 2:22.73, 5:08.82 (1 mile), and 11:04.12 (3200), Ray is entering this spring in a good position to challenge for that first track gold this spring.
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Elissa Barnard - Lafayette
Lafayette enters this 2023 track season with a real shot at scoring 24 points in one event: the Girls 3200. Led by the afore-mentioned Grace Tyson, the Lady Lancers also have the Barnard sister - Elissa and Natalie.
First, Elissa. The elder sister comes in slightly ahead based on track personal bests, but finished just behind her during the cross country season. Nevertheless, Elissa owns dazzling marks in the 1600 (5:02.18) and 3200 (10:50.50). She was 6th in the 1600 and 5th in the 3200 last spring, but enters as the second fastest returner in the latter. She's also a member of the state champion 4x800 relay which obviously returns all 4 legs for 2023.
Elissa has what it takes to finish in the top 3 in both events and should provide a significant challenge to her Class 5 competitors.
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Natalie Barnard - Lafayette
The younger Barnard, Natalie, had possibly the biggest breakthrough this fall. After stepping up to fill the void left by their injured leader, Natalie dropped the hammer in the final half of the Class 5 State Championship to finish runner-up and solidify the Lafayette 1-2 finish.
After dropping two marks under 18:30 this past fall, Natalie looks poised to improve upon her already strong marks in the 1600 and 3200. She enters the 2023 track season with 5:19.57 and 10:51.90 bests, with the latter being No. 3 among Class 5 returners.
Lafayette hasn't had a 1-2-3 punch like this since the boys team from 2016. We fully expect them to qualify all 3 girls to state once again and challenge for that 24 point total in the 3200.
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The Jumpers and Vaulters
Rachel Homoly - Liberty
We are already coming to the end of the illustrious career of Liberty's Rachel Homoly.
Homoly will leave behind a legacy when she graduates this spring that has essentially turned the entire state's perception of the girls pole vault on its head. After missing out on a chance to kick off her career with a state title in 2020, Homoly has won the last two Class 5 state championships in dominant fashion. She has broken the state records for 8th graders (12-4), freshmen (12-7), sophomores (13-7.5), and has set the all-time state record at 14-0 with her junior class record. She has done the same thing on the indoor circuit and set that record at 14-0, as well, when she cleared the height this winter.
The Arkansas commit may continue to climb all the way up to 15-0 feet before it's all said and done and will surely join the ranks of the country's all-time best High School Track and Field athletes.
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Maya Anderson was all over the track at the Class 5 State Championships last May. A standout in several events, Anderson racked up 28 points by herself. She won the 300m Hurdles and Triple Jump and ran a mark that would have won the 100m Hurdles almost any other year.
Anderson enters the 2023 season with the only mark in the entire state over 40 feet in the triple jump. She cleared the barrier twice in the postseason - once for 7th place at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and then again for the win at the AAU Club Championships.
Anderson has also run 13.59 for the 100m Hurdles and 42.74 for the 300m Hurdles, both of which are top 5 marks in state history. Watch for the University of Kentucky commit to play a starring role for MICDS once again this year, especially coming off a very busy and successful winter indoor season.
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Aaliyah Elliott - John Burroughs
The younger sister of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, Burroughs junior Aaliyah Elliott has shown that the athletic genes really do run in the family.
Elliott has had a busy high school career so far. She's qualified for the Class 5 state track meet 6 times, earning medals in 5 of those events. She's posted personal bests of 12.03 (+3.2) in the 100m dash, 26.27 in the 200m dash, 14.17 in the 100m Hurdles, 19-7 (+2.4) in the long jump, and 35-9.25 in the triple jump (6th grade). Her highest finish so far at state has been a silver medal in the 2022 long jump.
This winter, Elliott participated in a full indoor season unlike any of her other Missouri counterparts. She capped it all off with an 11th place finish in the long jump at New Balance Indoor Nationals and a MO No. 6 all-time mark in the 60m Hurdles of 8.65. It should be an exciting outdoor season for the junior from John Burroughs.
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Arianna Calloway - Blue Springs
Arianna Calloway is another major point scorer for the Blue Springs machine. Calloway specializes primarily in the high and long jump.
The top returner in the state in the high jump, Calloway finished no worse than 5-2.5 in 10 tries last outdoor season. She finished out her 2022 campaign with a 5-8 personal best and in a 3-way tie for 3rd at the Class 5 State Track and Field meet. That 3rd place finish was her only non-1st or 2nd of the season.
2022 was the first year for long jump for Calloway, but she held her own quite well in the event, finishing with a 17-8.25 mark, 11th among Class 5 returners.
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Mason Meinershagen - Oakville
It's hard to share the limelight with the state's all-time best, but Oakville's Mason Meinershagen may just be Missouri's second best all-time pole vaulter in her own right.
Meinershagen enters the 2023 season with an impressive 13-1 outdoor best, but has already bested that with a 13-2.25 clearance this indoor season. The ex-gymnast has been the runner-up in the event two years in a row at the Class 5 state meet.
Not to be outdone, Meinershagen is also tied for the top returning high jump in the state with her 5-8 clearance from 2021. Last season, she cleared 5-7.75 for her District title, but finished with another silver at the State meet behind another all-time great, Kiara Strayhorn. She's also run 14.63 in the 100m Hurdles and was 6th in the event last May.
Meinershagen is the prohibitive favorite to upset Homoly, if anyone can. Regardless, this 2023 outdoor season should be a grand finale for one of the state's all-time great vertical jumpers.
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Athena Peterson - Hickman
Hickman's Athena Peterson was quietly one of the most prolific horizontal jumpers in the entire state, regardless of age.
As a freshman, Peterson cleared 19-7.5 in the long jump, breaking the 9th grade state record previously held by Capital City's Kiara Strayhorn by 2.5 inches. Her 39-1 triple jump mark fell short of Notre Dame Cape Girardeau star Riley Burger's state record, but was still MO No. 2 all-time among freshmen. She also broke a 14 year old triple jump school record and 41 year old long jump school record.
The daughter of 2004 Olympian Derrick Peterson, who competed in the 800 meter run at Athens and finished his career with a personal best of 1:45.08, Athena finished out her freshman season with state medals in the long (5th) and triple jump (2nd), as well as the 300 meter hurdles (6th). She returns for her sophomore campaign with those jumps bests to go along with a 15.22 best in the 100 hurdles, 45.31 in the 300 hurdles, and 5-1 in the high jump.
A former AAU All-American, this Kewpie has a chance to become one of Missouri's all-time best athletes should she continue on her current trajectory.
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Taylor Mayo - Kickapoo
Kickapoo's Taylor Mayo is closing out an illustrious high school career as one of the state's all-time great horizontal jumpers. The KU commit will be looking to add one more thing to her trophy case - her first state level gold.
The senior from Springfield has been among the best in the entire state for the last two years in both the long and triple jumps. She has posted personal bests of 19-2.75 and 39-9.5 in each event, just narrowly missing out of the 40 foot barrier last spring. She's also earned two 3rd place medals, a 6th place medal, and a silver from the 2021 triple jump.
Mayo will be among the state's best once again and add to a star-studded field of horizontal jumpers vying for a state title in one or both events this May.
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The Throwers
Morgan Cannon - Liberty
In the words of the great poet Pepper Brooks: "Hold your phone, she's got a cannon!"
Has there ever been a more fitting name in track and field? Liberty's Morgan Cannon enters the season as the top returner in the entire state in the javelin with her 148-3 heave from last year's Class 5 state championship. It capped off a historic breakthrough season for the then-junior in which she improved by nearly 35 feet!
The Mizzou commit will be a strong bet to repeat as the Class 5 State Champion this spring.
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Mele Taula - William Chrisman
William Chrisman's Mele Taula broke through in a big way in 2022, earning all-state honors in both the shot put and javelin at the Class 5 meet. Now, she enters 2023 with the second best mark in Class 5 in the shot put and fourth best mark in the javelin.
Taula, who comes from a program known for growing successful throwers, was the Class 5 runner-up last season in the shot put with her 42-7 personal best. She wasn't able to improve up on her personal best of 139-1 there in the javelin, but did leave with a 6th place medal to her name.
She should be considered a major player in the race for the shot put crown this spring and is in the running for the javelin crown, as well.
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Tamyra Nevills - Rock Bridge
The top Class 5 returner in the discus is Rock Bridge's Tamyra Nevills. Her 137-11 mark outpaces the rest of the field by over 5 feet.
Nevills is a major piece for the Rock Bridge attack on Cardinal Ritter. Her ten points in the discus will be much appreciated as the Bruins look to close the gap and not repeat as first team out again this spring. She'll potentially contribute significant points in the shot put, as well, as she does boast a 43-0.5 lifetime best from 2021, but topped out at 39-3.25 in 2022. She was 6th in the event at the state meet.
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McKenah Sears - Grain Valley
Grain Valley junior McKenah Sears is really good at chucking a spear a long way and has been for the last two years.
As a freshman, Sears shattered the class record in the event with her 141-0 mark. It still stands today, 15 feet ahead of the next closest freshman mark.
Last year as a sophomore, Sears doubled down and held on over Class of 2024 mate Republic's Alaina Norman. Sears finished out the year with a 144-2.75 best, Norman was 141-2.
Sears was just four feet behind Morgan Cannon and should be considered a contender for the javelin crown this spring.
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Emilia Labruyere - Timberland
Timberland's Emilia Labruyere returns with the second best mark in the discus in Class 5, as well as the third best mark in the shot put.
Labruyere missed out on medals in both events last spring, but is in a perfect position to grab hardware this year. She returns with a best mark of 41-6 in the shot put and 132-3 in the discus. Expect to see the Timberland Wolf, and XC/Throws unicorn, near the top of the list in every meet in which she enters.
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Charnay Davis - Hazelwood West
The top shot put returner in Class 5 is Hazelwood West's Charnay Davis. The Wildcat senior returns with a mark of 42-11 from the Class 5 Sectional 2 meet.
Davis won 8 of the 10 meets in which she competed, several of them highly competitive. She picked up victories at the Timberland Wolpack Invite, Ladue Brusca/Strobach Invitational, Kirkwood Dale Collier Invitational, and District and Sectional meets. Her third place medal at the Class 5 state meet was in a mark of 41-9.
Davis returns as the athlete to beat in the shot put in Class 5.
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The Team Outlook
Much like the boys team competition with Rock Bridge, there was absolutely no stopping Cardinal Ritter in 2022. With 85.5 points, they far outpaced the rest of the field by nearly 40 points.
Ritter pulled off the dominant victory with points in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, 100, 200, 400, Triple Jump, and High Jump. Their sprint/jump focused squad ran the table led by Aniyah Brown, Charlye Moody, Kyndall Spain, Alexis Taylor, Nazariah James, Brooklyn Brady, and Hannah Wallace, among others. Every single one of those girls returns for 2023 which means there really should be no reason why the Lions can't do it all again this spring.
Rock Bridge will be their biggest competitors, along with Blue Springs, Lee's Summit West, and Pattonville. It was a hotly contested team race last spring, with four teams five teams at 43 points or better and four more teams at 34 or better. Lafayette could score 34 with their three distance girls and their 4x800 relay. Blue Springs had three studs profiled here, but we didn't even get to Abigail Brackenbury, too. Lee's Summit West is never not in the conversation, it seems, and MICDS could make a run, themselves, with just a little more help in a few more places. Raytown South probably has 30 points on the board already - who else can help them get to the 45 point threshold?
It will be another wild and crazy track and field in Class 5 and we are absolutely here for it.