The track and field season is underway and going strong in the St. Louis area. As we get into the 2013 season, here are a few of the top athletes to watch in the area.
Boys
Charles Jones (Cardinal Ritter) – One of the top young middle distance performers in the nation
Aaron Mallet (McCluer North) – The defending Class 4 state champion in the 110-meter high hurdles
Ezekiel Elliott (John Burroughs) – Returns for his senior year as one of the top hurdlers in the Midwest region
Josh McDonald (Timberland) – The defending Class 4 state champion in the discus
Michael Wells (NJROTC) – Talented sprinter returns after leading Commanders to the Class 2 state championship
Jamal Robinson (CBC) – All-State performer who returns as one of the top sprinters in the area
Amos Bartlesmeyer (MICDS) – Senior standout who won the Class 3 state title in the 1,600-meter run
Ja’ Mari Ward (Cahokia) – Talented young jumper who will be an impact performer as a freshman
Malik Ray (McCluer) – Excellent leaper who will be one of the state’s best in the high jump
Girls
Emmonnie Henderson (Edwardsville) – All-American performer in the throws who led Tigers to their first state championship last season
Whitney Adams (Francis Howell) – Excellent sprinter who led the Vikings to the Class 4 state championship
Nataliyah Friar (Holt) – Tremendous combination sprinter/jumper who is back for her senior year. Won state title in the triple jump
Ashley Henderson (Hazelwood Central) – One of the state’s top sprinters returns for her junior year
Kimberlin Simon (McCluer North) – The defending Class 4 state champion in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles
Alexandria Isom (Nerinx Hall) – One of the area’s top sprinters returns after earning All-State honors in the 100, 200 and 400
Aiesha Irvin–Muhammad (St. Elizabeth) – Returns as one of the top sprinters in the Class 3 ranks
Markita Rush (East St. Louis) – Former state champion hurdler is back for her senior year
Jordan McClendon (John Burroughs) – Won the Class 3 state title in the shot put as a freshman last season
Hannah Long (Eureka) – Class 4 cross country champion returns as one of the area’s top distance performers
Hazelwood Central sweeps
The Charlie Beck Invitational at University City featured many of the area’s top performers. Hazelwood Central swept both the boys and girls team championships.
Junior sprinter Ashley Henderson led the Hawks to victory with victories in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Henderson also ran a leg on the Hawks’ first-place 4×200-meter relay. Junior Alliah McClendon also swept the 100-meter high hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles.
Senior Whitney Adams of Francis Howell won the 400-meter dash and anchored the Vikings’ victorious 4×400-meter relay team. Valeska Halamicek won the 1,600-meter run and anchored the Vikings’ first-place 4×800-meter relay team.
On the boys side, senior Aaron Mallett of McCluer North won the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles and set new meet records in both events. Jamal Robinson of CBC won the 200 and helped the Cadets’ 4×100-meter relay team to a first-place finish. Hazelwood Central’s boys scored 115 points and won six events to take home the team title. The quartet of Matt Quarells, Kendall Preston, Marcus Davis and Brandon Chunn won the 4×200-meter relay in a meet record time of 1 minute 28.34 seconds.
Cahokia in fine form
The Cahokia boys were in fine form in winning the Norm Armstrong Invitational at Belleville West. The Comanches are coming off a IHSA Class 2A state championship.
The duo of Chris Moore and Ja’Mari Ward dominate the jumps as they finished first and second in both and long and triple jumps. Ward, a freshman, won the long jump with an effort of 23 feet 2 ½ inches while Moore won the triple jump with by bounding 48 feet 1 ¾ inches. Moore also won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles while Trey Story clocked an impressive 21.46 in winning the 200.
SLUH high junior sprinter Ramon Wingo won the 100 in an impressive time of 10.64.
201 for ESL
The East St. Louis Flyerettes put on an excellent show in winning the championship at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Relays at Jordan Stadium. East Side won the meet with a whopping 201 points. Senior Markita Rush won the 100-meter hurdles while senior Micayla Collins won the long jump to lead the Flyers.
