Class 3 Boys

Top Returners

Class 3 has a clear frontrunner in California's Jackson Hensley. The reigning State champion, Hensley is over half a second ahead of the field with a 14.40 (+2.4) personal best. He ran faster than the next closest returner a whopping nine times and should be heavy favorite to maintain his Class 3 title this year. 

The only other returner under 15 seconds is Gavin Hackett-Kemp from Crossroads Prep Academy. He was fourth at State last year and ran 14.94 in June. It was a massive step forward after running 16.51 in 2024 and gives him the best chance to pull off an upset this year. 

The Chase Pack

The next four returners head into the season between 15.08 and 15.20. Trenton Powell out of Notre Dame Cape Girardeau hit 15.08 (+2.4) en route to a fifth place finish at last year's State meet, just ahead of Eldon's Colin Brisbin at 15.14. Brisbin was the dreaded ninth at last year's State meet, but sits fourth among returners in 2026. Next is one of the other two returning all-Staters: Fredricktown's Dylan Melvin. Melvin ran 15.16 in his junior season. Eldon's other hurdle prodigy, Hugh Beanland, comes in at 15.20 and 2025 seventh place finisher Kameron Hurst from Lift for Life Academy is next at 15.22. It will be a tight group of guys battling it out for one of the eight coveted State finals spots.   

Incoming Freshman to Watch

Osage's Keegan Basler will be one to watch in Class 3 after running in the 14.6's in the 100m Hurdles twice as an eighth grader. His personal best sits at 14.61 and even as the hurdles grow higher and more plentiful, we expect that his track record will make him competitive in Class 3 immediately.