Boys
100 - Maurice Mitchell, Raytown South, 2007 - 10.42
200 - Maurice Mitchell, Raytown South, 2007 - 20.96
400 - Justin Robinson, Hazelwood West, 2019 - 46.30
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Though it was probably already true when he broke 47 seconds in the 400 Meter Dash 7 different times, including a 44.84 at the Great Southwest Classic, this Spring was the season Hazelwood West's Justin Robinson solidified himself as the greatest sprinter in state history.
Maurice Mitchell's state meet records have stood significant tests from fantastic challengers, but this was the year where he was finally wiped from the boards.
Robinson, who was named the number 1 recruit by MileSplitUSA last year, is already faster or significantly close to both of the 100 and 200 records after running 10.32 and 20.98 last spring. This winter, his attempts at the 300 and 500 meter records at the prestigious VA Showcase and equally prestigious Millrose Games showed he was very much ready to break these records.
It would have been interesting to see just how low Robinson went in each of these three events and which of the relays he decided to run. With the window officially closed, all we can do now is wish him luck as he moves on to Arizona State and competes for an Olympic spot in 2021.
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800 - Brandon Miller, John Burroughs, 2018 - 1:49.55
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We all got robbed.
It wasn't enough that John Burroughs senior Brandon Miller lost his junior year season to a hamstring injury, now we won't get to see him obliterate the track as a senior.
Missouri track fans will not soon forget the 1:49.55 state record he unleashed at the 2018 Class 3 State Championships. As a sophomore, he broke a 31 year old state record previously held by Parkview's Billy Rainey (1:49.89). The mark was a tick by Charles Jones's 1:49.54 overall state record.
This winter, it was quickly becoming apparent that Miller was back and stronger than ever. After verbally committing to Texas A&M University, he dropped four marks in the 800: an even-split 2:00.78 and then three blazing fast marks of 1:55.74, 1:52.10, and 1:51.10. The latter two were US No. 1 marks as he closed out the indoor season as the top half miler in the country.
My prediction - Brandon Miller was on a crash course for sub-1:48, a feat only accomplished by 10 other high schoolers before.
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3200 - Austin Hindman, Lafayette (Wildwood), 2017 - 8:54.92
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Last time we had a bold prediction about Rockhurst's Wes Porter, he fulfilled the prophecy. So giving the bold take that Porter would have challenged Austin Hindman's fresh 3200 record from 2017 isn't totally out of the realm of possibility.
Hindman benefited from absolutely perfect running weather during that run, but was on his fourth event of the long weekend and ran it solo. Porter would have had to have made the attempt in the late afternoon on Friday, seemingly more fresh than Hindman was.
Further, Porter showed he's one of Missouri's all-time greats this fall. His final three races were 14:53.90 at the Sectional meet in Joplin, 15:07.40 at the Class 4 State meet in Columbia, and 15:26.10 for 12th at the NXN Midwest Regional meet in Terre Haute. He was undefeated until NXN and nearly qualified for the National meet before running out of gas in the last portion of the race.
Porter tuned up with some middle distance races during in the indoor season, running 1:57.71 and 4:21.27 in the full mile. He's coming off a junior year track campaign where he not only ran 4:10.21 in the mile and 9:22.18 in the 3200, but also 51.72 in the 400 and split 1:56.65 at the state meet.
There is substantial evidence which shows that Porter has the range and the speed to where he could have at least made Hindman sweat this May.
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Zach Westmoreland, Isaiah Davis, and Braden Presser
Javelin - Zach Westmoreland, Joplin, 2019 - 194-6
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Three of Missouri's all-time great javelin throwers were members of the Class of 2020 and finished top 3 at the Class 5 State Meet.
In fact, 8 of the top 10 javelin throwers at Battle High School last spring were returning for the 2020 season.
For the Joplin duo of Zach Westmoreland and Isaiah Davis, who combined for 16 points and 371 feet among their best throws in Columbia, 2020 was going to be another year for them to challenge the 200 foot mark, state gold, and state record. The record, previously held by Blue Springs' Dylan Cowling, is now Westmoreland's for at least one more year, though his teammate surely would have had something to say about it with his 189-6 best.
Liberty North's Braden Presser surely would have had something to say about it, too. After finishing second in Class 5 with his 184-6 throw, Presser actually entered the season with a 189-0 best, making that three boys in Class 5 with 189-0 or better throws.
The Class 5 javelin would have been one of the events to watch this May, even if it is held across the street in Tent City.
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4x200 - Hazelwood Central, 2007 - 1:25.62
4x400 - Hazelwood East, 1986 - 3:14.04
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It probably would have been one or the other here if Justin Robinson runs the 100, 200, and 400 individually, but you can expect that one of these records would have most likely went down.
In the 4x200, the Wildcats returned three of their four from their state title relay which ran 1:26.44. Robinson has run 20.96 open, but obviously could split somewhere in the 20.4-20.6 range, at the least. Senior Brian Stiles was on that squad and has run 21.86 in the open 200, as well as fellow senior Aaron Holmes who has posted personal bests in the open 100 and 200 of 11.66 and 23.84. His best event, though, is the 300 Meter Hurdles where he's run 38.10 in his career.
So these three boys could combine for somewhere in the 1:04-1:05 range for 3 legs just based on junior year times. If Hazelwood West could have found a fourth, the 4x200 would have been at least in their sights. Hazelwood Central's 1:25.62 is an eye-popping 21.405 split per leg, but is hardly unachievable.
As for the 4x400, that one could have potentially been more attainable. Having a 44.84 open runner helps immensely, of course.
West didn't run the relay at last year's meet, but if they decided to stick Robinson in the 4x4 this May, that 3:14.04 their neighbors to the east ran 34 years ago would have been in their sights. Combined with Stiles, whose 47.65 is fourth among Missourian returners, Holmes with his afore-mentioned 38.10 300 Hurdles on his resume, the addition of one even one more 52-54 second runner could get them close. We think a combination of Robinson, Stiles, Holmes, and Edwin Wangui could have put together a good enough team.