GIRLS 4x800 RELAY
The first event on the track will be competitive. The top 3 ranked schools should be nip and tuck (West Springfield, Kellam, Oakton) with all of them under 9:35.24. Kellam has the same team that won here last year. In all 9 teams have been under 10 minutes this spring.
BOYS 4x800 RELAY
Willingboro, N.J. brings in a nationally ranked team from indoors at 7:53.47. Five schools are capable of running with them. Maggie Walker, Colonial Forge, Midlothian, Lafayette and West Springfield all are capable of going well under 8 minutes. Four more teams are capable of breaking that magical Mark, (Lee-Davis, John Handley, E.C. Glass, and Western Albemarle)
GIRLS 100 METER HURDLES
Should be a shoot out between Menchville's Jelyn Quick and Western Branch's Lauren Taylor. Should they falter Ashley Reyer from Cave Spring is hot with a T.C. Williams win and 4 other All-State hurdlers should take advantage of any miss step.
BOYS 110
Dwight Porter of Menchville is the favorite here. The next 5 ranked performers are all very solid. Woods (Gar Field) has been having shootouts in NOVA all spring with an absent Gallimore of Lake Braddock, Azeki (Cox) made his big meet debut here a year ago and been very good since that time. Nick Robinson (Atlee) is running some of his best races ever and always competes well at Dinwiddie. Canady (Jamestown) and McMillian (Nottoway) are "AA" runners that can motor. The field of 8 features 6 All-State hurdlers.
GIRLS 100 DASH
Juliette Poussot of Agnes Irwin (PA) has a 11.74 PR, but 4 others in the field are capable of sub 12 seconds. The best bets for an upset here are Caroline's Courtney Green and Western Branch's Tosin Olowole.
BOYS 100 DASH
Heritage All-American and state 55 champ Michael Johnson posted a 10.62 at the Mobile meet of champs in early April. How fast he can run is anybody's guess. Michael Lewis of "AA" Greensville was impressive two years ago as a sophomore but hurt late in the season last year. Sherrod Lewis of Patrick Henry-Ashland has been solid all year.
GIRLS MILE RUN
The top 9 are under 5:10 and 12 of the 16 contestants have earned All-State in X-C and Indoor. Keira Carlstrom. Pretty much a whole description without saying anything else. Current number 5 ranking in U.S. 2 mile. Jennifer Boyd. This spring its been Boyd races, Boyd wins. At least 4 others have enough speed to run anybody down if they are close at the end. Barr, Issacs, Hagan, and Moje all have great closing speed.
BOYS MILE
Bobby Lockhart is a clear favorite. Disregard all the talk about him not being a miler. Nobody runs sub 4:10 and nobody wins at PENN unless they are a miler. With that said a great race is probable. Phil Gaeta has great speed and range. If it comes to kick time and he is close it will be interesting. Brian Dalpiaz of Sayville, New York is hot. Destroyed a good 3000 field at Penn. Look for him to push the pace. Derrick Robbins (Denbigh) is arguably the best Frosh in the U.S.A and also has great speed. The rest of the field is very good with at least 5 others capable of sub 4:20.
GIRLS 4X100 METER RELAY
Ten to twelve teams capable of sub 49. Salem (VB), Bethel and Western Branch look to make it a Tidewater sweep. Manchester has been running very well and could easily get into the mix.
BOYS 4X100 METER RELAY
Heritage (NN) posted a 41.96 at PENN to finish 7th. In the past they have established several school records at this meet. It would not be a surprise to see Ray Pollard's sprinters best the PENN time. Hayfield, Lake Taylor, Manchester and Centerville can all motor. It will be fast.
GIRLS 400 DASH
One of the few events with no clear-cut favorite. Six of the eight are sub 57 capable. Best bets are a guess, but Caroline All-American Latonya Anderson, Tallwood Sophomore Faraign Giles and Bethel star Jessica Cassell will all be in the hunt.
BOYS 400 DASH
If all goes as projected Quintin Bowens (Heritage) and Marcus Satchell (Bethel) will battle this one out. Two darkhorses could be 11th graders Shareef Mohammed of Willingboro and W.D. Ricks of Sussex. Ricks was 3rd here a year ago.
GIRLS 300 HURDLES
The field is solid through all contestants, Jelyn Quick set the meet record in a nationally ranked effort a year ago. Lauren Taylor of Western Branch will make her at least repeat that performances to win.
BOYS 300
This should be a 3-man race between Woods, Robinson and McMillion, pick one.
GIRLS 800
The first of two barnburners in the deuce. James Monroe Frosh Shylan Bumbry has burst onto the National scene this spring and is one of the hottest U.S. runners. In the last two weeks she has won at Dogwood and T.C. Williams. At the Classic she will face the only girl to beat her this year, Corvette Johnson of Potomac. Five competitors could go under 2:15 in a race where all the competitors are likely to place in their state meet.
BOYS 800
Six guys are entered under 1:56 plus Alex Tatu. Richard Smith is the National Indoor Champ and very good. Don't expect the rest of the field to give up without a fight. Bobby Curtis of Louisville steps down for his first big 800. Alex Tatu (Dale) was ranked #2 in the indoor 1000 and had two highlight film finishes with Smith. Both Kansas State signee Stephen Carlson (Louisa) and 11th grader Ahmad Rutherford (Willingboro) are sub 1:55 so this will be a deep, fast field.
GIRLS 200
Princeton signee Poussat is a heavy favorite in this race at 23.77! Five other competitors are sub 25 capable lead by Britni Spruill (Bethel) and Faraign Giles.
GIRLS 3200
FootLocker/Nike All American Laura Stanley is a clear favorite. The Duke signee is poised to break 10:40 at this meet. The next 5 ladies have seed times under 11:20. Shannon Saunders (Jefferson Forest) has placed in every event she has ever competed in at the STC. Look for sub 11:00 from her. Tiffany Cross (Atlee) has had her way with Central region competition and is due for a break through run. Emily Harrison (Warren County) showed her potential at the Dogwood Festival and could be poised for a great race in her first single. Kristyn Shiring (North Stafford) has been one of the most consistent elite women in the state for the last two years. She always gets into the thick of any race. The rest of the field is chocked full of All-State and All-Regional performers.
BOYS 3200
Last years national interest in this race was high. Lockhart, Curtis and Maline were all nationally prominent and running well. The race did not disappoint anyone and was second only to Arcadia as the U.S.A.'s best 3200. This years seed times are superior! Matt Keally broke Alan Webb's state indoor record and clocked 8:58 at Dogwood. Not much else needs to be said there. John Crews (Rockbridge), Bryce Ruiz (Jamestown), John Piersol (Maggie Walker), FootLocker AA Fleet Hower (Marion) are all-good enough to break the Magic nine minute barrier. It should be another great race.
GIRLS 4x400
Willingboro comes in with an indoor top 5 time at 3:47.25. Every team in the fast heat is sub 3:55 capable. Salem, Bethel, Garfield, Oakton and Phoebus can all walk the dog. Willingboro was 7th at PENN two weeks ago.
BOYS 4x400
Willingboro clocked 3:19.09 in the Penn Relays trials. Phoebus, Landstown, Oakton and Menchville will all be near the 3:20 flat mark. Heritage will anchor with Bowen. A 46 second leg will get them in the mix at the end.
Meet time forecast: 75°, clear, low humidity. Lets all hope!