Class 4 Boys Preview: Sprints
100 Meter Dash
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 100 meter dash
Returning All State Runners
AJ Anderson, Raytown South, SR, 4th
Mitchell Greer, Timberland, JR, 8th
This Year
Last year we saw the beginning of what looked to be a great rivalry between Dorial Green and Tyler Fisher. Sadly this year both battled issues with injuries and both did not make the state championship. This left the door open for an entirely new crop of short sprinters. Class 4 sectional 1 had the fastest 100 Dash times coming in leading the charge has been all year long Quincy Sharp of Kirkwood with the only time under 11 seconds heading into the state championship. Now because the times in sectional 1 had the wind it will be interesting to see how Marc Franks and Trent Robinson the next fastest competitors line up with Quincy.
200 Meter Dash
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 200 meter dash
Returning All State Runners
Michael Hester, Hazelwood Central, SR, 7th
This Year
Michael Hester is the clear favorite in this race leading all qualifiers by .5 seconds. The only thing stopping Michael will be how he finishes on day two. Michael has at times had a hard time running two days in a row. But, now that he has the experience of a senior I think that issue will disappear and we will see Michael come home with more the one championship. Other top qualifiers include Jeffrey Fraley SR Waynesville and Tim Hamm-Bey SR Lindbergh. Both athletes look to push Mr. Hester and go well under the 22.0 second barrier.
400 Meter Dash
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 400 meter dash
(Michael Hester of Hazelwood Central)
Returning All State Runners
Marc Franks, Hazelwood Central, JR, 4th
Max Bamburg, Liberty, JR, 6th
Michael Hester, Hazelwood Central, SR, 7th
This Year
Sectional 2 has four of the top five athletes qualifying for the state championship. However, they don’t have the number one spot. This belongs to the sophomore stud Aren Martin. The 400 will be a battle of youth vs. experience with Hester looking very strong in this event like the 200. Chris Campbell from Holt is another athlete to keep an eye on he has a talented young coach the will no doubt have him peaked. In addition Chris has probably been the most consistent athlete in this event all year.
110 Meter Hurdles
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 110 meter hurdles
(Chris Caldwell of Lafayette)
Returning All State Runners
Taron Street, Marquette, SR, 3rd
Chris Caldwell, Lafayette, JR, 4th
BJ Smith, North Kansas City, SR, 5th
This Year
Chris Caldwell is the top athlete coming into the state championship in the 110 hurdles another member of the St. Louis Lightning, an All American, and looking to add 2011 state champion to his resume. He had a slow start to the season due to a nagging muscle issue that seems to be a non-factor at this point. As for the rest of the field the St. Louis county area shows it strength by having 7 of the top 8 qualifiers coming out of that county.
300 Meter Hurdles
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 300 meter hurdles
Returning All State Hurdlers
Ben Harvel, Blue Sprints South, JR, 6th
This Year
Taron Street of Marquette and Brandon Sheperd of Parkway Central have been battling it out all year like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Brandon likes to take things out slow and finish with a blazing last 100. If Brandon decides to attack the whole race he could steal the championship. I know his coach pretty well and they have been working on this! Unless this happens Teron Street does look like the favorite. Mario Thomas of Hazelwood East and Chris Orange of Lafayette (better known as hurdle U.) could just as easily catch some one sleeping on one hurdle and pull out the win.
4x100 Meter Relay
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 4x100 meter relay
Hazelwood East has the top girls and boys 4x100. Speed, speed, and more speed. Following closely behind is a rapidly improving Ladue team. Coach Buckvar would love nothing more then to prove all the doubters wrong. I am going to make a bold prediction and say that from top to bottom this will be the fast 4x100 final ever in state history.
4x200 Meter Relay
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 4x200 meter relay
Lindbergh, Waynesville, Normandy, West Plains, McCluer North, and Ritenour are all with in .2 of each other. If everyone has clean passes this race should be incredibly close Traditionally the Suburban North always dominates the sprint relays. One point of interest is West Plains has been known for so long as a distance school but in the past three years they have had a number of very solid sprinters and sprint relays. These qualifiers just proving that if you coach an event and make it important your kids can achieve amazing things.
4x400 Meter Relay
Video of 2010 Class 4 Boys 4 x400 meter relay
Hazelwood Central and Wentzville Holt ran fast all year long. At sectionals the race was super close. I believe state will be the same way. The only thing keeping these teams from winning the entire thing will be the onset of fatigue because a number of the athletes on both relays will be running a number of open events. If these teams are tired at the end, look for Lafayette or the two headed monsters from Summit to take a surprise victory lap.