Massaponax sophomore Aaliyah Pyatt is not to be doubted. She enters the state meet not only as a the favorite on paper to take home two titles but also as the Virginia state leader for 100 and 200 meters. Her season best times of 11.60 and 23.11 rank VA #5 and VA #2 all-time!
This isn't hyperbole but Pyatt could seriously be the best sprinter our state has ever seen. The crazy thing though is that she has yet to win a state title.
Every year, there is always at least one superstar athlete who gets overshadowed. This year is no different with Britton Wilson setting records week after week and overshadowing Pyatt. Those times and performances have dominated the headlines while Pyatt has quietly improved week after week.
It was the last three weeks though that Pyatt went off. In that span of time she lowered her 100 meter best by a tenth of a second and improved her 200 time by nearly a whole second.
That time difference has now put her in serious contention for the 100 and 200 meter state titles this weekend in Newport News. Her competition will not make it easy though.
In the 100 she will be facing off with indoor 55m state champion Junyce Hasberry and in the 200 it will be 400 meter state record holder Britton Wilson likely seeded right next to her. Both races will be fast and could very well take a Virginia state record to win.
Some of the other big names in these two races include the following ladies who are also serious contenders in multiple events.
100: Morgan Snow (11.72), Makhia Jarrett (11.89), Alicia Thorpe (11.91)
200: Morgan Snow (23.69), Makhia Jarrett (24.10), Alicia Thorpe (24.26), Kayla Hugg (24.45)