State championships are on the line this weekend at the Missouri Class 3-4 State Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City and the IHSA Boys Class A & AA State Meet in Charleston, Ill. As we like to do every year, here are some things to watch as the state meets unfold.
1. Cahokia vs. East Side III, It’s On!: East St. Louis won the IHSA Class AA state title in 2005 with Cahokia finishing in third. In 2006, Cahokia won the state title in record-breaking fashion while East Side finished second. Both teams are loaded and ready to break the tie in Charleston this weekend. The Comanches have only lost one meet in two years, and that was to East St. Louis at the Al Joyner Classic last month. Both teams are loading up the bus to Charleston. Cahokia is taking athletes in eight individual events and three relays while the Flyers have athletes headed to state in eight individual events and all four relays. The Comanches had 10 sectional champions at Belleville East while East Side had eight sectional champions at Chatham-Glenwood. These two rivals represent two of the top track teams in the country. For you track diehards in the state of Illinois, Enjoy.
2. Alishea the Great: McCluer South-Berkeley junior phenom Alisha Usery is already a two-time state champion in the Class 3 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes while rewriting the state record books in the process. Usery is now looking for individual state titles seven, eight and nine as she is the heavy favorite in all three events. The one goal still out there is the overall state record of 11.6 seconds in the 100, which is still held by former Kansas City Central star Muna Lee. Usery has even more to run for as the Bulldogs are in prime position to win a Class 3 state championship.
3. A new barrier: In 2006, McCluer South-Berkeley’s 4×400-meter relay team set a new girls state record in the 4×400-meter relay that was 20 years old. The record time of 3 minutes 51.4 seconds could be in jeopardy this weekend. With the team of Alishea Usery, Ashley Usery, Angel Williams and Kianna Ruff, the Bulldogs have a chance to break the 3:50.0 mark in the event, which may be the first time a St. Louis team has ever accomplished the feat. The quartet ran 3:51.1 at the MICDS last Sectional last Saturday. Those all-time great times were achieved by three of those great East St. Louis Lincoln teams in the 1980’s.
4. The Price is Right: Normandy High junior Darwin Price has enjoyed a successful season while participating in two sports this spring. While leading the Vikings with his excellence in the middle distance and distance events, Price has also been travelling around the country as a talented amateur boxer. This weekend, Price will away the gloves and concentrate on the 800 and 1,600-meter runs. He has an excellent chance to place very high in both events, especially the 800. Another talented athlete to watch in the same events is Jared Green of Gateway Tech.
5. Defending the title: Several area athletes are returning to Jefferson City in hopes of retaining their individual state titles. They include McCluer South Berkeley’s Alishea Usery (Class 3: 100, 200 and 400), Fort Zumwalt South’s Andre Thomas (Class 4, 400), Lutheran South’s Rickeal Roach (Class 3, shot put), Hazelwood Central’s Danielle Parrish (Class 4, 100), Westminster’s Ryan Blackwell (Class 3, Triple Jump), Festus’ Brittany Borman (Class 3, High Jump), MICDS’ Mickey Defilippo (Class 3, Pole Vault).
6. Soaring Hawks: The Hazelwood Central Hawks’ 4×100-meter relay team has been posting some serious times throughout the season. The Hawks are also the only team to defeat metro east powers Cahokia and East St. Louis this season. The team of Ahmad Vincent, Maurice Scott, Eric Rogers and Gerren Hendricks are the favorites to win this event and possibly break the state record of 41.82 seconds, which is held by fellow Suburban North Conference team McCluer in 1992. The Hawks also have an excellent 4×200 relay as well. Hendricks is also a threat in the 100.
7. Shot Put Standouts: The Class 3 girls shot put competition should be one of the most hotly-contested events of the meet. Several girls enter the state meet with throws of more than 40 feet, including defending state champion Rickeal Roach of Lutheran South, who had a throw of 44 feet 10 inches at the sectional meet last weekend. Also in the field are Brittany Borman of Festus (44-9 ½), Rachel Travis of St. Charles Lutheran (42-10), Brittany Fields of MICDS (41-0 ¼) and Hope Harris of Clinton (41-2). There are also several girls who are coming in at 39 feet.
8. Outstate standouts: A few top athletes outside the St. Louis area to watch this weekend are Raytown South sprinter Maurice Mitchell, who is looking to triple in the 100, 200 and 400 in Class 4. Andre McDonald of Park Hill is a threat to win all three jumps as well as the 110-meter high hurdles. The Potosi boys’ team will try to defend their Class 3 state title with its talented group of distance runners. Potosi has two runners in the 800, two in the 1,600 and four entries in the 3,200, plus their state-champion 4×800 relay team is back. On the girls side, watch for Jefferson City.
*The Metro girls took home a third-place trophy from last weekend’s Class 2 state championships in Jefferson City. Senior Kali Strother finished third in the 100, second in the 200 and anchored the Panthers’ 4×100-meter relay to a state title and the 4×200 to a second-place finish. Senior Lauren Brown finished sixth in the 400 while senior LeChelle Livingston was fifth in the triple jump. The Panthers also finished sixth in the 4×400 relay.
Crystal City’s boys finished second in the Class 2 boys competition. Demetrius Terry won the 100 for the second successive year and anchored the Hornets to a state title in the 4×200. Other Class 2 state champions from St. Louis included Jay Parker from Maplewood in the 100 and Keenan Conrad of Whitfield in the pole vault.
*The East St. Louis Flyerettes finished second at the IHSA Class AA girls state meet in Charleston. Junior RoNecia Nash was tremendous in winning the 100 (11.94) and 200 (24.86). She also anchored the Flyerettes to state titles in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays. The 4×100 team consisted of Nash, Chare’ Wilson, Chelsey Robinson and Amber Haywood while the 4×200 crew was made up of Watson, Robinson, McNeal and Nash.
Sophomore Yolanda Suggs of Belleville West earned three All-State medals after finishing third in the 100, fourth in the 200 and third in the 400.