Class 1 Boys Field Events
High Jump
Last year Marc Finney was victories and he comes back to defend his title. He is the only returner to jump 6-6 and only two others have cleared 6-4. Mike Spicer, Jasper High school junior, and Eric Duncan, a Rock Port sophomore will challenge him and fight for the top three spots. There are quite a bit more at 6-2 and even more athletes at 6-0.
Pole Vault
With the top seven returning it will certainly be interesting to see how this year shapes up. You know that everyone has been training hard for the same goal, to win. Corey Schoene has been working hard to defend his title. Schoene finished 8th in Class 2 back in 2010 and improved his mark to take the Class 1 title last year. Again, this could go many ways with so many people returning from state.
Long Jump
The two two throwers return in this event. Last year Bubba Galvin won by a foot over Brent Bush. They went on to take 1-2 in the triple jump as well. I bet that Bush wants to go out on top in at least one if not both of these events. Bush's PR is only an inch and half behind Galvin's in this event so it should be a close one.
Triple Jump
Again Galvin and Bush are the favorites coming in. Galvin has a bit more of an advantage as he has a PB 11 inches better than Bush. Also coming back from last year is Jese Utt, a junior from Braymer that finished sixth last year.
Class 1 Girls Field Events
High Jump
This event should be a good one. The champion comes back as well as the runner up. Sydney Rounkles, last years victor jumped 5-3 to win. Chelsea Hollrah, the third place finisher from last year has also cleared that mark. The senior from Sweet Springs won this event back in 2010. Also coming back is Rachel Shahan, a senior from La Plata that has cleared 5-2 and finished second last year.
Pole Vault
Claire Andrews one this one last May as a freshman. She does have the best PR but is tied with Cody Dawson. Dawson cleared 9-6 a number of times including distracts except she did not continue her season after that. A possible injury might of slowed down her season but if she is back and healthy she will certainly challenge the defending champ.
Long Jump
All of the top six finishers from last year will return including last years champion, Emma Schiermeier. Also returning in Ellie Sigman. While she finished ninth last year she was second back in 2010 as a freshman. The best PR of the returners goes to Mallory Eitel, a senior from La Plata High school. Eitel was the runner up last year.
Triple Jump
Eitel was also second in this event. After two second place finishes surely she is determined to stand on top of the podium this ear. Not far back was Megan Rosenbohm, who finished third as a freshman. Taylor Miles, who did compete past districts despite qualifying to sectionals in both the triple jump and 3200m comes in with the best PR of anyone in the field. She was the champion in 2010 and if she stays healthy and continues her season past districts she will be up with the top girls.
Class 2 Boys Throws
Shot Put
Tj Schieber won this event last year by just under four feet. It looks like he should be able to defend his title as his PB is about five feet over the next competitor. A few men could be in the top three places. Josh Coffman, Tyler Whisenhunt, Austin Boice, and Tanner Ramsey have all thrown at least 48-5.
Discus Throw
Tanner Buschmann is the top returner in this event. Buschmann was third in the discus and ninth in the shot put last year. Behind him is Nic Cashio, a senior from Ash Grove who was fourth last spring. Cashio has a bit of a further PR than Busmann.
Class 2 Girls Throws
Shot Put
Kelsey Benoit has a bit of an advantage as far as PR's compared to the other girls. Last years runner up, Benoit has thrown almost 44 feet. The next best PR coming into the season is Jaida Jones, a senior from Carnahan. She has thrown just over 41 feet before.
Discus Throw
The top two finishers from last year will come back for one last year of competition. Lauren Allen and Haley Heuer finished first and second last year. Allen, who has a best mark of 137-11 goes to Fatima High School. Heuer of Harrsburg High School enters the season with a best mark of 135-8.
Class 3 Boys Distance
800 Meter Run
This is one of the races that I am looking forward to watching the most. In one corner you have CJ Jones. The top freshman in the nation by over three seconds, Jones ran a 1:52.62 in the summer. He has low 49 second 400 meter speed and is a tough racer. In the other corner there is Amos Bartelsmeyer. The MICDS senior, who has a PR of 1:56.00 has split 1:52.xx in the 4x800m relay before. He already ran 1:56.23 this indoor season….less than an hour after running a 4:17.04. Last spring CJ's choice to run the 400 hurt him in the 800 as he finished second in the prelims but dropped to seventh in the finals due to fatigue from the 400 not long before. Also in the mix is Kellin Loch, another 1:56.xx returner. Loch ran his PR of 1:56.60 in the prelims last year and came back with a fifth place finish in the finals. All three of these runners are capable of running incredibly fast times. The Class 3 record of 1:51.25 was set way back in 1987, could one of these young men break it? I wouldn't doubt it.
1600 Meter Run
Amos Bartelsmeyer is one of the most talented milers in the state. He comes after finishing third last spring. Less than a week after taking third he improved his time and beat some of the top milers of Class 4 in the Festival of Miles where he ran 4:16.33 for the full mile. That put him tenth in his grade as a sophomore. This past indoor season he has shown he isn't far off that mark already. He ran a 4:17.04 at the Arkansas High School Invite which puts him 33rd overall in the nation. He has great form and is a solid racer and will be the person to beat coming into the season. When talking about Class 3 distance races you can never count out Drew White. White, who does not have the speed that Bartelsmeyer does, is one of the best distance runners in the state. He ran a 4:19 in the 1600m last year at state to finish to finish fifth. There is no question about his distance ability, just a matter of if he can keep up with the speed of Amos. Nathan Henry, an All-State miler from last year also returns for his senior season. This race should be a good one to watch and will surely produce a fast time.
3200 Meter Run
Drew White ran one heck of a race at state last year leading for much of it and coming out on top. He ran a 9:16.83, and as seen in XC this past fall he is surely the man to beat in this event. With only three other runners coming into the season under 10:00 and the next fastest being 9:46.20, White has a bit of an advantage in this event. The next returner, Austin Craven, ran a 9:46 at state to grab the the last All-State spot. Two others to watch out for are Evan Craig and Ryan Way. Way, as a freshman, ran 9:55.60. Another runner, Max Jobson, had an incredible XC season capped off by a second place finish in class 3, could easily make a jump up to finish in the top three. With six of the top eight finishers from last year graduating, the top few spots are up from grabs coming into the season.
Class 3 Girls Distance
800 Meter Run
Sarah Jacobsen won the prelims in 2:16.94 and the winning time in the finals was 2:20.19. Saga Barsowski, a junior from Acardia Valley, was victorious in the 800m and 1600m last spring. While she doesn't have the fastest PR of the returners, she does have experience winning when it counts. Sarah Jacobsen was noticeably tired from a long weekend and faded to 8th in the final but has the ability to run fast. Also returning is the next there finishers, Corri Hamilton, Mary Frances Donne, and Janelle Johnson. In total there are eight girls that have run under 2:20 making this race set be a close one this spring.
1600 Meter Run
This race couldn't be closer on paper. First off is the returning champ in this event as well, Saga Barzowski. She leads the way with a PR of 5:05.77. Just over a second back is Sarah Jacobsen, last years runner up. Keeping going down the list, Nicole Lee also comes back from her third place finish. Lee had an incredible XC season showing strength winning many races. Sammy Laurenzo also returns, and she finished fourth in a time of 5:09.94 as a freshman. She also had a great XC season but sickness limited her towards the end of the year. Watch for that to motivate her to have an even stronger track season this year. Two other girls, Amanda Behnke and Abbey Jeffries, have run in the 5:12's and both are talented runners. This race should be extremely close as well.
3200 Meter Run
Its a rare feat to win these three distance events in the same year. Barzowski came just short last year finishing third in this event. However, the two girls that beat her were both seniors. She stayed on the right track by winning her second XC title this past fall. However, she has quite a bit of girls to beat in all of her events if she wants to do this. A few girls to keep an eye on in this event are Laurenzo, who has the second fastest PR, and Lee, the third fastest returner. Both Lee and Laurenzo ran in the 11:20's as freshman. Amber Priest, a senior from Warrensburg was 7th last year and could easily be with them. This race could be won by a handful of girls, just like the Class 3 girls distance races.
Class 4 Boys Sprints
100 Meter Dash
With four All-State returners this race should be close. The top returner, Adorin Dorsey of Liberty, comes in with a PR of 10.77. There are in total 7 guys under 11 seconds. Coming into the season the KC side has an advantage of sprinters with the top four sprinters all being in the Kansas City area. Erron Holley, and Lavance Taylor both have run in the 10.8's and could challenge Dorsey. While these two did not make the state meet they both could make an impact this year.
200 Meter Dash
Markees Jackson isn't your ordinary freshman. He blazed a 22.00 at the Lee's Summit Invitational. Despite not making it to state in any open events, he was a member of the Raytown South 4x100 team that won. While he does have the best Pr of any returner, Adorin Dorsey finished second past spring. Dorsey is a strong runner and after finishing second in two events he has to be eyeing a title in one or both of these events. Also returning from an All-State performance, Brady Adams looks to improve on his fourth place finish. With 12 guys within .33 seconds this race will be a great one.
400 Meter Dash
Daniel Anderson, currently ranked 10th in the nation for the 400m indoors, comes back from finishing second as a sophomore. He looks to be the favorite but there will certainly be great competition in this event. Aren Martin, a junior form Waynesville, has the best PR coming into the season with a time of 48.41. Also in the 48's, Max Bamburg and Derek Brown return from there All-State finishes last year.
110 Meter Hurdles
Last years champion returns in this event. Chris Caldwell, who improved his time to sub 14 seconds in the summer, comes back after winning this event last spring. Caldwell started off his season well finishing second in the 60m Hurdles at the Missouri All-Comers meet behind Class 3 favorite, Dapo Akinmoladun. The next returner, Brandon Sheperd of Parkway Central has committed to play football at Oklahoma State next year. Because of this it is unclear if he will compete for the colts this season. Two other All-Staters come back as well as these two men; Aaron Mallet and RJ Alexander. Alexander, who finished fourth last year has the second best PR of Class 4 returners. Another guy to watch out for is Chris Orange. Caldwell's teammate ran a 14.43, ranking him third among returners. Despite not running this in the state series, he is still one of the best 110m hurdlers in Class 4.
300 Meter Hurdles
With four of the top five coming back, including the winner, Jehu Chesson, this race should be quick this year. Two of these men, Chesson and Sheperd have both committed to play football in big D1 programs, Chesson choosing Michigan and Sheperd going to Oklahoma State. If they compete they will certainly be in the front. If not, Ben Harvel, another football player, would be the favorite. Harvel was a part of the Blue Spring South team that ended up winning the state tornament this past fall. In the spring he was second in the 300m Hurdles. Two other men return from All-State performances, Freddie Crittendon and Chris Orange. Both of these guys have experience and have run extremely fast in this event.
Class 4 Girls Sprints
100 Meter Dash
This as well as the 200m race will be some of the best races of the weekend. Tianna Valentine, who has committed to run for the University of Kansas, returns from a season where she was ranked 12th in the nation with a wind-aided mark of 11.48. She is currently ranked 17th in the nation for the 60m this indoor season. Behind her is another girl who competed in the "Dream 100" in NYC last year. Peyton Chaney, a senior from Nerinx Hall ran a 11.72 last season at the Great Southwest meet. These two went 1-2 last spring with Valentine coming out on top. To make things even better, the third place finisher, Ashley Henderson also returns this year. Alia Ward, a Raytown South senior has also broken 12 seconds for 100m as well. Two more girls come back from All-State performances last year. Whitney Adams, who finished 7th in the 100m showed incredible range by claiming an All-State finish in cross country. Also, Nataliyah Friar, who won both the long jump and triple jump as a sophomore comes back from her eighth place finish from last year.
200 Meter Dash
The places were flipped in this one with Chaney coming out on top of the 200m dash. The top three are the same event as this well and they will all return. Ashley Henderson was only .02 seconds behind Valentine in the 200m dash last spring. Henderson was only a freshman last year and the experience will help her as she comes back with a year under her belt. With a core of the girls from last years final graduated, this year a few people could step up. Friar has also ran fast in this event as well as Nicole Douglas who was the winner in the 300m Hurdlers last year. Whitney Adams, who it seems like has run fast in every event possible, comes into the season with a PR of 25.62 which puts her 6th amount returnees.
400 Meter Dash
With the names such as Roye, White, Thomas, Luckett, and Levin all graduating last year, this spring will bring some new facers but not slower times. Whitney Adams has the best time in this event with a time of 55.81 which propelled her to a third place finish. Not far behind are Chaney and Elisa Steele. Steele was sixth last spring, one place behind Chaney. Emily Warner, in only her first year of track ran a 58.39 which ranks her sixth among returners. She was also on the 4x400m team that won while running a crazy time of 3:48.00.
100 Meter Hurdles
Two seniors look to duel it out in this event. Remy Albrought and Nicole Douglas come back after successful junior years. In the shorter event Albrought has a bit of an advantage. Her time of 14.41 put her second last year. Third place was Douglas with a time of 14.81. Three other girls were all state, Mallory Short, Sydia Darker, and Brittany Kallenberger. Kallenberger won both the long jump and pole vault showing how athletic and strong she is.
300 Meter Hurdles
There is no doubt that this is Douglas's stronger event. She ran a 43.21 last year to lead her to her state title. She was the one of two girls to break 44 seconds in this event; the other has graduated. Third place finisher, Sienna Trice comes back after running 44.85 last spring. Also coming back from last years finals are Sydia Darker, and Alison Barker.