The annual UK High School Invitational will take place tomorrow in Lexington. Typically multiple new US #1's are set in this event with tremendous talent in attendance. Below are some of the top athletes and events to look out for.
UK HS Invitational Heat Sheets
GIRLS 60m Hurdles
The girls hurdles are led by Georgia superstar Kendell Williams. Williams is the defending AAU National Champion in the 100 Hurdles and Long Jump. Last spring she won the Georgia State Championship in the 100 Hurdles, High Jump, and Long Jump. With her multi-dimensional talent she even competed in the Heptathlon at the USATF Junior Olympics finishing second overall. Others to watch out for include Shanel Burr from Georgia, Deja Bell and Danielle Wheatley from Maryland.
GIRLS 60m Dash
This event brings in several sub 12 100m Dash runners with Jada Martin from Georgia, a LSU signer leading the way. She was 6th overall in the 200m Dash at New Balance Nationals last summer. She will also lead the charge in the 200m. Another fellow Georgian DeAndra Greer will challenger Martin, she was 3rd in the 100m at the Georgia State Championship last spring. Watch out for Kentucky's Alisha Adair in this race. The Senior excels at the 60m Dash and is the defending Kentucky Sprinter of the Year. Charday Crawford (IL) and Acura Carter (SC) will go for the win as well.
BOYS 60m Dash
Tredonte Hall is #1 on the performance list with a sub 10.4. Missouri's Roy Bay ran a 10.83 to finish 4th at the Missouri State Championship. Kevricq Collins has signed to run for Indiana Tech next year and is one of the best hurdlers in Tennessee. Another Tennessean Matt Moore joins Collins after finishing 7th at state last year with a 11.22. Kentucky's Jaz Hayes has already popped off a 6.87 60m Dash this winter and has run sub 49 for the 400m Dash.
GIRLS ONE MILE RUN
Sami Staples of Illinois is #1 on the performance list with a 4:56 which she ran in the prelims at the Illinois State Championship last spring. She was 4th overall at the Illinois State XC Championship in the fall with a 17:09 3 Mile Run. She will receive a battle from Kentucky's top distance runner in track Katherine Receveur of Assumption. Receveur is the defending state champion at 800m and was the top overall miler by time in Kentucky last spring. Barbara Ball (TN) Lipscomb University signer is the defending state champion in Tennessee at 800m and 1600m's with a combo of 2:19/5:19. University of Louisville signer Tori Schoettmer of Indiana will also be in attendance.
BOYS ONE MILE RUN
Kentucky's own Jacob Thomson leads the way after a busy fall where he earned All-American honors at Foot Locker Nationals. He also represented the United States in Scotland in January. He had a 1600m best of 4:10 last year and went on to set the Kentucky State Record at that distance. He has Matt Dorsey of Indiana pushing him. Dorsey was 4th overall in the 800m in Indiana last year with a 1:53 and was 7th overall at the State XC Championship with a 15:39. Two other Kentucky runners, Patrick Gregory and Nicholas Laureano come in with best under 4:17. They both have run early Mile Races this winter. Lou Styles of Ohio, twice running 1:57 this winter will run the Mile as well.
GIRLS 400m Dash
This is quite possibility the best race of the day. Georgia Freshman McKenzie Dunmore ran a best of 54.23 last year. She also went 12.27/24.45/55.25 all on the same day at the GA Middle School State Championship. She will face Nia Dorner of Oregon 53.79, Shamier Little, a Texas A&M signer, Illinois State Champ at 400m and 100m Hurdles. Another Illinoinian Cameron Pettigrew comes in south of 55 with a 54.21.
GIRLS 800m Run
Lauren Jackson of Georgia is seeded #1 with a best of 2:12.35. She won the Emerging Elite race at New Balance Nationals last summer and was third at the Georgia Middle School State Championships. Reighan Fisher from Michigan was 8th overall in Michigan last year with a 2:16.21. Sahara Fletcher of Georgia has already run 2:17 this winter and has a best of 2:14.25. Dejah Jones of North Carolina popped off a 2:16.89 at her regional last spring. Katherine Receveur of Kentucky has a best of 2:15 from last year with a 2:20 already this winter.
BOYS 800m Run
The headline name in this race is Jacob Burcham of West Virginia. Burcham ran a 4:02 for the One Mile last summer making himself one of the top recruits in the nation. He ultimately chose to sign with the University of Oklahoma. He has a best of 1:53 and this race will be a test to see what kind of shape he is in before the Brooks PR Invitational next week in Washington. Drake Gauthier of Michigan was third in the 800m in Michigan last year with a 1:55. A freshman from Tennessee named Terrell Jackson is one to watch. He has run 1:55 and 1:56 already this winter. The other big national name is Jacob Thomson from Kentucky. Thomson, a Foot Locker XC All-American will run a faster race in preparation for the Brooks PR Invitational himself next week. He has a best of 1:56.
WOMENS 200m Dash
Jada Martin and McKenzie Dunmore both from Georgia are the names to watch in this race. It will be each of their second events of the day, Martin a favorite in the 60m Dash and Dunmore in the 400m Dash. Nia Dorner from Oregon will come back from the 400m Dash as well.
BOYS 200m Dash
UNC Chapel-Hill signee Ceolamar Ways will travel from Florida to roll in this race. He has already run 21.63 this winter with a best of 21.42. Another Floridian Brylon Slay is one to watch. He was mainly a 400m specialist last year with a best of 48.65. Kentucky's Jaz Hayes has been on fire this winter with a 6.87 60m Dash. Tennessee's Molefi Maat ran a 21.68 last year and has gone 21.82 this winter already.
GIRLS TWO MILE RUN
Sami Staples of Illinois one of the favorites in the Mile is a favorite in the Two Mile with a best of 10:46. She will face off against Tennessee's Hannah Feiten. Feiten, a Lipscomb University signer was a Tennessee State Champion in XC this past fall. Mary Grace Doggett from North Carolina ran 11:13 just last week barely missing her PR of 11:11. Kentucky has some runners to watch including Whitney O'Bryan, Kenzley Defler, Amelia Reynolds, and Cassidy Hale.
BOYS TWO MILE RUN
Brock Baker of Tennessee leads with a best of 8:58 for the 3200m. He is the big name of this race and will join Burcham at the University of Oklahoma next fall. He will have a Florida signee in Jack Manesiotis challenging him. Manesiotis was second in XC this past fall at the South Carolina State Championship. He ran a 9:18 at the Taco Bell Classic last spring. The first showdown of the season will happen in the 3200/Two MIle between the two past Kentucky State XC Champions. Chase Geary and Connor Sheryak are two big favorites to win in May and each have run 9:15 for 3200ms.
The annual UK High School Invitational will take place tomorrow in Lexington. Typically multiple new US #1's are set in this event with tremendous talent in attendance. Below are some of the top athletes and events to look out for.