The Missouri Class 3-4 State Track and Field Championships will be held this weekend in Jefferson City. As we approach another exciting state meet, here are some of the storylines that you will want to follow this weekend.
Alishea the Great: McCluer South-Berkeley star Alishea Usery will attempt to close out her spectacular career by completing a “four-peat” as the individual Class 3 state-champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. She will also anchor the Bulldogs’ state-record 4×400-meter relay. Despite battling a hamstring injury in recent weeks, she continues to compete at a high level. If she pulls off this feat, she will become an individual 12-time state champion. Wow!
Class 3 Girls Battle Royal: The Class 3 girls team race to the state title could be one of the most exciting and compelling competitions in recent memory. McCluer South-Berkeley has a loaded crew ready to defend their state title, but they will receive a strong challenge from perennial power and Suburban East rival Ladue, with star hurdler Danisa Bennett and the excellent Atkinson twins. You throw in Festus with its dynamic duo of Alyssa Allison and Brittany Borman, Villa Duchesne and its terrific trio of Cydney Ross, Brianna Isom-Brummer and Lauren Hollingsworth and a talented young group of athletes from Cardinal Ritter, who recently won their first ever district championship, and are primed to be a state power in the next few years and you have a real smoker. The battle for the state trophies should be intense. Ladies, start your engines.
The Price is Right: Normandy High senior Darwin Price will try to pull off a rare distance triple as he is entered in the Class 4 800-, 1,600-, and 3,200-meter runs. He is the defending state champion in the 800 and the runner-up in the 1,600, so he has a good chance of winning both of those races. He has also added the 3,200, where a big challenge looms from defending state champion and Class 4 cross country champion Eric Fernandez of Parkway West. Alyssa Allison of Festus (Class 3) and Diane Robison (Class 4) of Parkway Central are also threats to win all three distance events this weekend.
Maurice the Magnificent: One of the top sprinters in the history of Missouri will close out his career as Maurice Mitchell of Raytowon South will attempt to repeat his sprint triple in the 100, 200 and 400. He won all three races easily at last year’s state meet, while breaking state records in the 100 and 200. The Florida State-bound Mitchell is a showtime performer who would like nothing better than to leave Jefferson City with three state records under his belt.
The Hazelwood Showdown: Hazelwood Central and Hazelwood East has put on some scintillating performances in the sprint relays this season. Hazelwood East has the upper hand in the 4×100 while Central has dominated the 4×200 with all four members of their state-record team returning this year, led by star Gerren Hendricks. Those two teams should dual all the way to the state finals in both events. As a bonus, Raytown South’s 4×100 should also join the party with the magnificent Maurice Mitchell in the mix. If he is on the anchor, look out Hawks and Spartans. By the way, Hazelwood East also posted a time of 3:16.12 in the 4×400 in the sectionals.
1-800-Big Race: The Class 3 Girls 800-meter run should be one of the top individual showdowns of the entire state meet. You have defending state champion Alyssa Allison of Festus going up against Cydney Ross of Villa Duchesne. Allison edged Ross for the state title last year. Both girls have turned in times of 2:09 during the season, which makes an overall new state-record time a possibility. The Class 3 record of 2:15.67 will definitely go down. Hard.
Big Game James: Rockwood Marquette senior James Coleman will attempt to continue his dominance in the weight events this weekend. The defending state champion in the discus (and Tim Duncan look-alike), Coleman has been throwing the saucer more than 180 feet consistently this season. Coleman will also try to double in the shot put, after finishing third last season at the state meet.
Jumping Beans: Their should be some outstanding jumpers on display this weekend. The top combination jumper will be Park Hill’s Andre McDonald, who is a threat to win the high jump, long jump and triple jump. The long jump will feature Ray South’s Derek Blevins, who has already jumped 24 feet 6 inches. In the triple jump, you have Parkway North’s Josh Bankston (49 feet 1 inch), Blevins (48-10) and a host of other talented jumpers who have bounded 47 feet or better. McDonald is the favorite in the high jump after clearing 7 feet at last week’s sectionals.
Encore Relay: At last season’s Class 3 state championships, the McCluer South-Berkeley foursome Ashley Usery, Angel Williams, Kianna Ruff and Alishea Usery electrified Dwight T. Reed Stadium by smashing the 4×400-meter state record with a time of 3 minutes 45.78 seconds, which was one of the best in the country. It would be an incredible feat for these young ladies if they were able to lower that time.
Returning Champs: These area athletes are attempting to repeat as individual state champions: Class 4 Boys; Darwin Price (Normandy), 800; Eric Fernandez, (Parkway West), 3,200; James Coleman (Marquette), Discus…Class 4 Girls; Tierra Jones (Hazelwood East), 300-meter low hurdles; Jasmine Boyer (Fort Zumwalt West), Shot Put; Jelani Kelly (Hazelwood Central), Discus…Class 3 Boys: Tyler Shaw (Lutheran North), 110-meter high hurdles…Class 3 Girls Alishea Usery (McCluer South-Berkeley) 100, 200, 400; Alyssa Allison (Festus), 800, 1,600; Danisa Bennett (Ladue) 300-meter low hurdles.
