Class AA State Meet Preview



Girls Sprints

Valesha Watson will be a force to be reckoned with in all three individual sprint events. She enters with the top seed time in all three as well as the Class AA state lead in the 100 and 200 which she set late in the season showing that she's peaking at the right time. Timberlynn Yeast, however, can be a big threat to her in the 400m dash. As just an 8th grader, Yeast comes in with a 58.34 to claim the second seed.

Two very talented young ladies will duke it out for both hurdle titles. Promise Cross and Alexis Witherspoon will enter the meet Friday as the top two seeds in the 100mH. Last year each of them finished runner up to Zinaija Reed, but now that reed is graduated, they will eye a state title. Witherspoon the top seed in the 100mH and Cross the top seed in the 300mH. Cross will compete in many field events attempting to repeat as champ in the high jump and make some noise in the long jump so her busy day could open the door for others.

Timberlynn Yeast goes 58.02 for a PR at Bronco Classic



Girls Distance

The ladies of Elizabethtown will be the ones to watch in every distance event. They have a chance to sweep with Sarah Been in the 1600 and 3200 and Eastern Relays champion Amirr Evans in the 800. Last year Been won the 3200m by almost 20 seconds, but the 1600m title escaped her as she came through the line 4th. This year she'll be ready to pull off the double coming in as the Class AA leader in both events.

Evans has had an unusual path to become the Class AA leader in the 800. Last year she ran the 800 just once! At the 2018 State Meet she competed in the 400 and finished 4th. This year she hasn't lost a race yet and she'll be looking to continue that streak for her first state title. Although Evans has been on a tear this year we can't forget to mention the defending state champion in this event Victoria Dotson of Rockcastle County won as just a sophomore last year and she comes in as the top seed this year with her impressive 2:21.13 at her regional meet.

Amirr Evans has the race of her life at the cold rainy Eastern Relays



Girls Relays

The young core of Mercer County has a solid team in each of the relay events. Their team title hopes may lie in the balance of their relay performances. They come in ranked no lower than a 3 seed in each of the relays and hold a top 3 state mark in Class AA as well including the top time in the 4x400 which very well could be the deciding factor in team title discussion. With two of the top 400m runners in the class as just 8th graders, they'll be a top team in years to come.



Girls Throws

Mercer County's theme this year has been "We Coming Different" one young lady who will definitely rise to that is Junior thrower Zoe Yeast. Last year she took the discus title in dominating fashion as just a sophomore with her 115-01. This year she comes in with the top throw at 127-4 and if she can do anything like that at state there's a very good chance she'll be walking away as a back-to-back state champion.

Yeast also holds the current Class AA state lead in the shot put with her 39-3 throw back in March, but will have to hold of a handful of others. She was edged by Ciara Mosely last year who won't be competing this year, but three come in seeded ahead of Yeast. Denaleigh Starks took home bronze in the shot last year behind both Mosely and Yeast, but comes in as the top seed after she threw for a personal record of 38-1 in her regional round and will be looking to improve on that for the gold medal this year.


Girls Jumps

    Promise Cross isn't just a threat to win the 300mH, she also comes in with the Class AA state lead in the high jump. She'll enter with just a 5-02 though which puts her as the second seed behind Jaida Tooley of Warren Central. Cross will have a very busy day as she will also compete in the long jump. It'll be an uphill battle to beat out Paducah Tilghman's Jaaliyah Biggers who will be the heavy favorite as just a Freshman! Jasmine Claunch will not be forgotten either as she will be fending off many competitors to defend her state title in the long jump as well as the triple jump. Claunch and Biggers will be battling it out in the triple jump as well coming in as the 1 and 2 seeds respectively.