KANSAS CITY QUALIFIERS
There were nearly a dozen teams from Kansas City area that will be at the meet in North Carolina. Here's a quick rundown of some of the notable clubs and athletes who competed as unattached.
In the 17-18 division, KC Fire will have Zachery Grace and Kegan Maynor throwing.
Maynor, from Liberty MO, will be in the javelin and discus. Grace was first in the discus with a toss of 156-11, while Maynor was fifth in the event. Grace, from Kearney, is also a shot put national qualifier. He is seeded 12th in the shot put and 14th in discus.
Liberty's Kegan Maynor will represent KC Fire Track Club at the AAU Jr. Olympic Games in North Carolina in the javelin and discus.
His younger brother, Theodore Grace, is seeded high in the 15-16 discus (15th) and javelin (third) heading into nationals. He won both events at the regional meet.
Carson Sterling, from Maryville, also qualified for nationals in the 15-16 shot put and discus and is seeded 26th in the discus.
Jordan Rider was fourth in 17-18 javelin at the regional meet and Wyatt Smith was sixth in the 15-16 discus but neither will attend the national meet.
In non-throwing attendees, Staley's Raef Kurbin qualified in the 3,000-meter and 2,000-meter steeplechase for KC Fire. Hank Wright will run in the 15-16 2,000-meter steeplechase for KC Fire.
New Life Gliders' Amari Perkins will be at nationals in 15-16 triple jump.
Jaurdin Mallory, a state qualifier in the 17-18 girls 100 for Lee's Summit, will run in the 100-meter dash at nationals for KC Rebels. The Rebels will also have Anthony Fuqua Jr. at nationals in the 17-18 triple jump. He is seeded 13th after taking second in regionals. Lasiyah Bradley qualified qualified in 15-16 400-meter hurdles for the Rebels but is not at nationals.
Taryn Luster took third in the 15-16 discus and will be at nationals for the Rebels. She attends Raytown South. Another thrower at nationals for the Rebels will be Metzieahna Edwards, who qualified in the 15-16 shot put and discus.
Windstepper's Isaiah Hoard took third at regionals in the triple jump and is seeded 27th at nationals. He will be a junior at Lee's Summit North, where he took sixth in the triple jump at the Class 5 meet. Unattached Ayden Jones will also be in the 17-18 triple jump, finishing fifth in regionals. He will be a junior at Liberty North.
Excelerate Phenoms' Destiny Knox (Pembroke Hill) qualified in the 15-16 javelin and shot put, seeded best in the javelin at 33rd. In the 15-16 division, Phenoms' Makhi Bradford (Lee's Summit) qualified in the 400- and 800-meter runs and 4x400-meter relay team that is seeded 21st.
Also on the relay is Adam Salem-Atia, Jamal Johnson and Kendrick Cole, who is seeded 10th in the 15-16 high jump. Cole is seeded 10th in the 15-16 boys high jump.
KC Swag's Kynah Simmons (Raymore-Peculiar) will compete in two events, the 15-16 100-meter run and on the 4x100-meter relay with Aaliyah Hill (Belton), Gabrielle Sims and Sarai Clark, a teammate at Ray-Pec. Clark won the 15-16 shot put for KC Swag and is seeded 16th.
KC Swag's Aaliyah Hill, who attends Belton, competed in the 400-meter dash at the AAU Region 16 meet in Carl Junction.
Grandview standout Griouard Weddington has the second-fastest time in the 100-meter dash (10.68) in the 15-16 division. He is also on 4x100-meter relay team for Team United Stars, based out Topeka, Kansas.
Marcus Paige will run for Palestine Prowlers Track Club in the 17-18 100-meter dash, where he is seeded 21st. He is a recent graduate of Ewing M. Kauffman Charter and qualified for the Class 3 state meet in the 100.
Another Prowler in the sprints will be Jordan Campbell. The all-state from Rockhurst will run in both the 200- and 400-meter dashes. He is seeded 20th in the 400, coming off winning a regional title. Campbell and Paige were part of a 4x100 relay with Cyrus Hancock and Jordan Ashley that qualified for nationals but isn't competing.
Naomi Ormiston will run in the girls 400 and 800, seeded 34th in the latter for Palestine. She took seventh in the 800 in the Class 4 meet this spring for St. Teresa's Academy.
Jeremiah Kelley is seeded 29th in the 15-16 shot put for the Prowlers. The Staley product was third at the regional meet.
Delilah Pippen qualified in the shot put - second in 17-18 division at regionals - but isn't at nationals for the Prowlers.
Luke Furnell of Blue Devils Track qualified in the 17-18 200-meter dash, 110- and 400-meter hurdles. He was a state qualifier and earned all state in Class 5 in both of the hurdles for Lee's Summit West.
Another hurdler at nationals is Derek Grubb, who won the 17-18 110-meter hurdles at regional for Sedalia Speed. He was an all-stater in the 110-meter hurdles for Smith-Cotton, taking eighth this spring.
The Blue Devils have a number of qualifiers in the girls 15-16 division.
Jordin McGee from Grandview qualified in the triple jump - seeded fifth - 200-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles. McGee is on the 4x100-meter relay with Jaimy Birmingham, Mckinzy Kirkwood and Victoria Reed. Birmingham, Kirkwood (Grandview), Reed and Lailah Smith are on the 4x400 team.
Birmingham, from Lee's Summit West, will also compete in the 400-meter hurdles.
Kids On the Run's David Roberson Jr. (Grain Valley) qualified in the 15-16 3,000-meter run and the 2,000-meter steeplechase - where he is seeded 30th. In the girls 15-16 3,000-meter run, Elliott Wrensch qualified for Team United Stars and is seeded 42nd.
On the girls side of the 17-18 hurdles, Park Hill South's Judy Elful will run in both 100- and 400-meter hurdles at national for Draft Pick Academy. Elful qualified in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles this spring, earning all state in the 100.
Draft Pick's McClain Zendejas from Weston will run in boys 17-18 400-meter hurdles. In the 15-16 boys hurdles, Colin Madison was second in regionals in both races. He is seeded 19th in the 400-meter hurdles at nationals.
Two Butler High School athletes are competing unattached at nationals. In the girls 17-18 pole vault, Annalee Gardner is seeded third overall. She won the regional meet and is a state championship at the Class 2 meet this spring. Jaxon Hiser is seeded 20th in the 17-18 boys pole vault.
An unattached runner at the meet will be Shelby Lingle, who will run in the 800- and 1,500-meter. She ran for North Platte's Class 2 state championship team this spring. She was third in the Region 16 meet in the 1,500.
A thrower from Kansas City at the meet will be Park Hill's Emily Woelk, who is seeded seventh in the javelin. She didn't compete in the region 16 meet in Carl Junction.
Team Believe Track and Field had a qualifier in Blue Springs' Harmonie Hughes (fourth in 17-18 triple jump) but she didn't attend nationals. Unattached Madison Mears from Lee's Summit was fourth in the 17-18 shot put but didn't go to nationals either.
The Della Lamb 17-18 4x100-meter relay is seeded 31st. The team features Leigh Fontlerory, Marie Taylor, Mae Moore and Tajai Coleman, who attends Kansas City Center High School.