The Week in Review April 24-30th

    Hopefully, most of our mo.milesplit.com nation is above water this weekend. After a weekend of rain totals over seven inches, several track and field meets fell victim to cancellation. For the meets with results don't forget to check out our results hub by clicking here.  However, there we still a few meets that were able to dodge the rain to some top notch performances. Additionally, we released a story about McCluer South and their top athlete Octavia Cato that became our most viral article yet! At the time I am writing this entry the story about Cato has been shared over 415 times!!  

    One of the biggest annual meets on this weekend is the Marion Freeman invite. The meet features two divisions on the boy's side and a combined combination on the girl's side. Typically, the meet is spread over the course of two days.  Due to the previously mentioned conditions, they consolidated the event to a single day of track and field. The conditions held up enough for the hosts to get the entire competition in and there were a number of notable performances. The heavyweight bout of the weekend was the age group world record holder Brandon Miller vs. the world champion Austin Hindman. Even the scoring between the divisions was split these two young men got to test themselves fully for the first time in the 800 meter run all season. The competition produced a mo.milesplit number one out of Brandon Miller and a personal best out of Austin. In total, the race produced four sub 2:00 minute 800 meter runs. Moving forward the real question becomes what becomes the state meet series menu for these two talented athletes? Can they double, triple, or quadruple??? Their team's state trophy position will probably be determined by the very answers to those questions. In another race, Hansi Barr has been making the most of his eligibility for Ritter. Blasting a 47.54!!! Assuming he will continue to

    In another race, Hansi Barr has been making the most of his eligibility for Ritter. Blasting a 47.54!!! Assuming he will continue to peak as we progress through the season for the next month he could not only be the best sophomore in state history but he could smash the state record. Unfortunately, Hansi will have to do most of this work by himself due to a lack of foes in his state series in class 3. Hansi's teammate Jameson Williams looks to be the favorite for a state title in the 300IH running another great hurdle race at 38.27. Ritter will be tough to beat in the state meet in class 3 but I am sure John Burroughs and McCluer South Berkeley will have something to say before the state meet is concluded. Speaking of McCluer South, the sprint due of Antonio Nelson and Jordan Cole looked very good in the 100 dash. The athletes finished 1st and 2nd respectively. 

    Ritter will be tough to beat in the state meet in class 3 but I am sure John Burroughs and McCluer South Berkeley will have something to say before the state meet is concluded. Speaking of McCluer South, the sprint due of Antonio Nelson and Jordan Cole looked very good in the 100 dash. The athletes finished 1st and 2nd respectively. 

    On the girl's side, Hazelwood Central looked strong again taking six event championships from the meet. Additionally, the athlete of the meet might have been Lalia Elliot of John Burroughs won the 100HH, high jump, and triple jump. A multi-talented athlete like Lalia is a thrill to coach because she can do everything! Lelia Bensky for Ladue also looked strong running a 5:12 1600 and followed it up with a solid 3200 then turning around to pull what I call the Robison running on the 4x400. Interestingly, that Diane Robison is now her coach!!! If Lelia buys into the 3200 she could make massive improvements since she has run it only a few times. 

    On the west side of the state, the Joe Falcon Invite looks like a mirror image of its St. Louis counterpart. Raymore-Peculiar and Rock Bridge battled all day across both genders. Raymore-Peculiar for a long time has been one of the classiest programs in the state. A strong distance program has been key to Ray-Pec. However, they now show strength top to bottom in all events. Rock Bridge won a few relay titles and went 1-2 in the 400 dash. Individually, the wow performance of the meet was from Makenzy Mizera doing her best Matrix imitation who hit an 18-9 in the long jump. She followed that up with another win in the triple jump. 

    On the boy's side one of the best names in the mo.milesplit community, Shakespeare Williams won the 200 dash in 22.05. In the 110HH, Chris Mckinzy ran 14.85 to solidify himself as one of the favorites in the state to stand atop the podium in late may. In the 4x100 Center High School stunned the crowd running a 42.75 and also blew the field away in the 4x200. Lamar continued the tradition in the throwing events. Its current star Thomas Ayers took the Javelin title with a 150-10 foot dart.