WILDCAT CLASSIC
February 01, 2014 @ Nutter Fieldhouse in Lexington, KY
KYtrackXC.com's Zach Hudspeth & Tyler Karnes will be Live On-Site at the Wildcat Classic tomorrow.
Wildcat Classic Projected Time Schedule
Tomorrow brings the annual opening big event in Kentucky, the Wildcat Classic. The event which will bring together many of the best returning runners in the state should be another great day of track viewing.
Mini-Preview of the Athletes/Events to Watch
Boys Sprints
The name to watch out for is William Bush from Louisville Ballard. Bush is the fastest seed in the 60m and 200m Dash. He had bests of 10.70 and 21.28 for the 100/200m last year. Devin Gentry from Male is the only other sub 11 100m runner entered with a 10.93 last summer. Central's Phillip Francis, who lit up the indoor track last year, is the closest threat in the 200m with a PR over one second back.
Unlike the 60/200m races, the 60m Hurdles is loaded with depth up front. Male's Jorden Fields leads a group of four runners with PRs under 15 in the 110m Hurdles. Fields will have North Hardin's Dante Johnson, Western Hills Cameron Murphy, and Ballard's Terran Meek to contend with. Fields is the favorite but the talent up front should make it more interesting.
Boys Distance
The distance races will be interesting and will show who has had the ability to train through very cold conditions Kentucky has faced so far this winter. Hallways can work for athletes but 45 minutes in the halls is pretty brutal itself.
The boys mile brings in AAA Runner-Up John Spencer out of Lafayette as an early favorite along with St. Xavier junior William Mulloy. Both were sub 4:20 guys last year (Spencer 4:18.53/Mulloy 4:18.94)and each will be a favorite to challenge defending champion Butler's Patrick Gregory in May at state. Ten boys entered have run under 4:30. If someone pushes the pace early this could be 4:22 or better.
The 800m has AAA champ Jimmy Goldson and Eastern's Holden Wells coming in with sub 1:57 PRs. Three others join them under 2 flat (Marcus Terrell, Jake Edmunds, & Michael Caldwell.) On top of that there are four more at 2:00; this race should be pretty quick. This group is filled with very good runners who will look to jump up to the next echelon as a big name in the 800 now that Tretez Kinnaird has traveled north to Indiana University.
The boys Two Mile Run is always a highlight race at Wildcat Classic. There have been very good national level times run multiple years in this meet. This usually highlights the battle that will happen in May at the State track meet. Daviess County's Daniel Southard and St. Xavier's Chris Striegel are the two front running names. Southard rolled a school record 9:15 last year at Eastern Relays. Striegel the AAA XC Runner-Up has a PR of 9:28. They should battle lap for lap on Saturday. Nicholas Waltman, Mason Blevins, Jonathan Taylor, the Dowdy twins, Zach Stewart, and Brennan Fields are just some of the names to watch out for in the front group as well Saturday.
Boys Field Events
The Shot Put had Andrew Vollet blowing up the meet last year. This year the throws do not have a 50 + guy. Matt Hughes from North Hardin leads the way with a PR of 47-06 followed by St. Xavier's Jake Glass.
Devin Gentry from Male jumped 23-04 last year and is almost two feet up based on PR. Anything in the 22s should get the win. Others to watch, Apollo jumper CJ Dillard who is now at Owensboro and Mercer County's Kobe Ford.
North Hardin's Antonio Parker and Jenkin's Tanner Goff both come in with PRs at 13-00. Both are juniors with five vaulters in the 12s. Parker will be focused on height in the chase for 15 plus vaulter Cain Cooper from Henderson County. Speaking of Henderson, that is where Goff set a nearly two foot PR at Jammin' and Jumpin' Street Vault.
Girls Sprints
Two words...... Kianna Gray. The junior tore up Kentucky last spring in her first year in state. She won three state titles and helped to lead her team to a AAA team title. Over the summer, she went crazy running a 24.26 for 200m..... #1 All-time in Kentucky. She is big favorite in 60m and 200m dashes. She will be pressed by Bullitt East senior Meghan Roby in both events. Bryan Station frosh Brooke Raglin, Waggener junior Shannon Martin, and Shaelyn Waller of Male will be others threat to be right up front.
The 60m Hurdles looks like a tight race between Dominique Edmonds (Male) and Jayln Johnson (Central.) Johnson and her teammates are back in Class AAA this year with realignment so these two will be very familiar with each other by May. A new name to watch is Catherine Bloomfield from Bryan Station. The senior moved to Lexington from Texas last year. In 2012 in Texas she ran a 14.37 and finished as the 3A Runner-Up at the Texas State Track Meet. She will have to shake off some rust early but is an immediate threat to win Class AAA Hurdles this year.
Girls Distance
As stated before the distance races will be interesting and will show who has had the ability to train through very cold conditions Kentucky has faced so far this winter. Hallways can work for athletes, but 45 minutes in the halls is pretty brutal itself.
The Girls Mile has been steadily improving indoors over the last several years. SHA's Samantha Simms comes in as the top seed with a 5:07.97 from last year at the Dream Mile. Manual's Mattie Gottbrath and Assumption's Kenzley Defler both were at 5:11 along with Sarah-Emily Woodward at 5:14 at threats up front. 13 runners come in with PRs under 5:30.
The Girls 800m Run has St. Henry's Taylor Connett as the #1 seed at 2:21.17. This race will all depend on the early pace. There are eight girls with PRs under 2:27 so there is depth up front to push it. Like the boys 800m this is another race where someone can easily make a early name for themselves.
The Girls Two Mile Run has a chance to match the MPG/Anna Bostrom dual from a few years back. AAA XC State Champ Whitney O'Bryan of Daviess County and Lexington Catholic's Michaela Reinhart have PRs at 11:02 and 11:01. O'Bryan took her running to a new level this past fall, so can the frosh Reinhart keep up? This has great race written all over it. 11 girls come in with PRs under 12:01.
Girls Field Events
The throws have Shay Scott of Fern Creek and Mikayla Talbott of Green County leading the way. Shay hit 36 last year with Talbott hitting 35 ft.
The long jump has four girls above 16-11. Very solid group led by Shaelyn Waller of Male at 17-11. She has nearly a foot on Syndie Anthony of Bowling Green, Catherine Bloomfield, and Anna Curlin of Western Hills are all at 17-00 or 16-11.
The Pole Vault has Morgan McIntyre of Fairview and Devan Doss of Marshall County. They have best of 10-07 and 11-00. These two are in separate school classes so they are going strictly for PV supremacy of the state.