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2013 Previews - USATF Junior Olympics - Boys 17-18

Published by
DyeStat.com   Jul 22nd 2013, 9:03pm
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USATF Junior Olympics
17-18 Young Men’s Previews

By Steve Underwood

These are the previews of all of the sprint, hurdle, distance (including walks), jumping, throwing, relay, and multi events for the 17-18 year-old Young Men’s division at the USATF Junior Olympics.  They are based on entries listed on the USATF web site, including some individuals who did not qualify from regionals, but rather acquired waivers and entered based on participation in USA Juniors or the World Youth Champs.  Some of those athletes, however, will elect to end their season after those major meets or otherwise bypass JOs, so keep in mind that these leading entrants are subject to change.

Sprints/Short Relays: Chip on Williams’ shoulder
The 17-18 Young Men’s dashes are, in a word, loaded.  Make that three words: Loaded, loaded, loaded.  Two names, perhaps, stand above all others: Stanton Prep FL jr Kendal Williams (1st Coast TC) and Henry Foss WA sr Marcus Chambers (Seatown Express).

Williams, after a great regular-season that included U.S. #2 legal marks of 10.28 100 and 20.64 200, has had a rough post-season.  Oh, it started well enough, with his 200 PR at Golden South.  But then at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, he was 3rd in a brutal 100 behind Trayvon Bromell and Cameron Burrell, then missed the 200 due to injury.  At USA Juniors a week later, he was 6th in the 100, then DQ’d in the 200 qualifying due to a lane violation.

Here, if he competes, he’s the top seed in the 100 and 200, but hardly the only threat to win or double.  In the 100, it would appear there would be some separation between the entry marks of Williams, the 10.26w/10.36 of O’Dea WA sr Tatum Taylor (Seattle Speed) and the rest of a group that includes a galaxy of rising stars in the 10.6 to 10.8 range.  But remember the entry marks of most entries are based on regional qualifying times, so remember (for example) that Forest Park VA jr Mustaqeem Williams (PWC Prince Williams) sports 10.32w/10.52 bests and Trenton Central NJ jr Zyaire Clemes (Trenton TC) has gone 10.43w.  Just making the final here will be tough.

The 200 has a similar cast, headed by Kendal Williams, but then you also have the long sprint sensation Chambers – who is doubling the 200/400.  Chambers does some of his best work in this meet; last year he ripped his PRs of US#3 46.18 and 21.06.  Taylor is listed with a 21.17 best, but he has actually run 20.78.  Mustaqeem Williams has run 20.97.  Also watch for Cherryville NC jr Trentavis Friday (GJTC) at 20.79nwi/21.10, Lincoln OH sr Riak Reese (Pacesetters TC) at 21.02w/21.13, Bishop Dunne TX sr Colin Heard (Texas Faces) at 21.09w/21.12, and Lewisville TX sr Malik Summers (Texas Faces) at 20.97w/21.29, among others.

In the 400, you have to give the big favorite’s role to Chambers.  Not only is he defending champ with that 46.18 PR from last year, but he is also coming off his USA Juniors victory in 46.55.  But the field is clogged with other guys capable of going anywhere from mid-46s to low-47s.  In the category of athletes trying to rebound from disappointments, Willis TX jr Chris Platt (CL Athletics) was a World Youth Champs favorite, tied with #1 in the world at 46.64, but was DQ’d for a lane violation at the Trials.  Although they didn’t break 47 in regionals, don’t forget about the aforementioned Clemes (46.28 at NBNO for 3rd) and Friday (46.97 best).  Then there’s Eureka CA jr Alexis Robinson, the Calif. state champ at 46.55.  That’s six entries with sub-47 PRs!

The relays are always kind of hard to peg, but in the 4x100, CL Athletics from Texas has a huge edge based on regional qualifying with a 40.28 best.  Eight others are sub-42, though, so expect a ton of quality.  In the 4x400, there are more than a dozen entries under 3:20, including the Baldwin Jets from Georgia at 3:14.80, the Clemes-led Trenton TC at 3:15.71, the Carolina Eagles at 3:16.65, and the Chambers-paced Seatown Express at 3:17.43.

Hurdles: Challenges for WY finalists
The 110m Hurdles shapes up as a battle between two World Youth team contenders – one who made it and one who didn’t.  Cummings NC jr Isaiah Moore (Durham Striders) was 2nd to Marlon Humphrey in the Trials, then advanced all the way to the finals in Donetsk, where he was 6th (13.66 for 36”).  FB Marshall TX soph Kendall “Cecil” Sheffield (CL Athletics) was the prelims leader at the Trials in 13.87, but did not compete in the final (injury?).  Sheffield was the Texas 4A runner-up with a 13.85 legal best, while Moore was a 13.98 runner over the prep 110s.

Also watch in the 110H for two Ohioans – Pickerington North sr Desmond Palmer (D1 state champ, 13.90 legal PR) and World Youth octathlete John Lint of Columbus Academy, who is listed with 14.00 – and Kenny Selmon, the WY 400H bronze medalist from Pace Academy GA with a 14.10 best.

The 400H should be a great battle between Selmon, who has that 50.90 best from the Trials over the 33” hurdles, and Palmer – who was US#3 36.31 this spring and is defending champ off his 51.59 from last year.  Also watch for El Paso Burges TX jr KeAndre Bates, the 51-6 TJ’er and World Youth finalist who’s run 38.07 for 300H.

Distances/4x800: Jones, Jr. could double again
Top distance performers, on an overall national scale, are less frequent entries in this meet due to the fact that most are in full-on preparations for cross-country.  But there are exceptions.  Most notable would be Cardinal Ritter MO jr Charles Jones, Jr. (St. Louis Express), who is the defending 800/1500 champ with his 1:49.78 and 4:02.59 PRs.  He’s run 1:50.33 and 4:03.34 (USA Youth champ) so far this year.  If he runs up to his potential, he’ll be tough for anyone to stay with, especially in the shorter race.  WY Trials 3-4 placers Oklahoma City Douglass jr Anthonio Humphrey (Eastside Steppers) at 1:51.80 and Homewood-Flossmoor IL jr Matthew Anyiwo (Illinois Elite) at 1:52.03 are probably the next best challengers in the 800.

In the 1500 – beyond the defending champ Jones – Cypress Lakes TX jr Ian Cazares (The Afterburners) has the top entry mark at 4:00.05, and he ran a 4:15.62 1600 during the state season (7th at 5A state with 4:16.64).  His club teammate, Fort Bend Christian TX jr Matthew Parham, could contend with him.  Yet another Texan, El Paso Jefferson jr Gerardo Escapito (El Paso Flames), has a 4:16.44 1600 PR dating back to 2012.

In the 2k steeple, the top contenders are Greensboro Day NC jr Clayton Wilson (Greensboro Pacesetters) with a 6:10.79 PR, 2012 JO champ (Intermediate) and Thomas Johnson MD jr Ben Freed (Lightning Running) at 6:20.15, Republic MO jr Ryan Way (Springfield) at 6:23.82, and WY Trials runner-up and Chapel Hill GA jr Paul McCloud (Titans TC) at 6:23.97.  Way at 9:05.01 and North Forney TX jr Kyle Garcia (Texas Titans) at 9:05.36 are the top entries in the 3000.

Domination by Bartlett IL junior twins Alexander and Anthony Peters (Elgin Sharks) should be the order of the day in the 3k Racewalk.  They finished 2-3 in the USA Juniors (10k), with Alexander getting outkicked by Nathaniel Roberts (not entered here).  They walked the fastest two 3k times in regional qualifying, 14:02.21 and 14:11.12.  Pharr TX soph Geraldo Flores (South Texas Walkers), 4th at USA Juniors and with a 14:15 3k best, should give the twins a battle – though Alexander and Anthony walked 13:18.40 and 13:45.80 for 3k indoors as well.

Jumps: Moore, Bates, Cunningham, Marshall top fields
Team USA World Youth long jump medalist Isaiah Moore (Durham Striders) and triple jump finalist KeAndre Bates (Texas Heat TC) are the guys to beat in their specialties, assuming they compete.  But in the high jump, one of the athletes most sorely missed in Edwardsville and Donetsk will be the favorite.

The above-mentioned Moore (also 110H) scored his monster legal PR of 24-8.5 less than two weeks ago and no one else is in that ballpark, at least in terms of legal jumps.  He’ll be expected to face USA Juniors finalists (2nd) Pius X NE sr Caleb Cowling (Tachyon Athletics), (6th) U. of Oklahoma frosh Kaelen Washington (Jenks America), and (9th) Parkland PA sr Nolan Hay, as well as Lake Park IL sr and USA Jr Decathlon runner-up Scott Filip and his teammate Shawn Koch, North Dakota state champ and West Fargo sr Jaime Heinen (Team NoDak), Georgia 6A champ and Tri-Cites sr Ken Fisher (Quicksilver TC), North Carolina 3A champ and Douglas Byrd sr Frank Quarles (Fayetteville Striders), and 50+ TJ’ers like Bates and Leavenworth KS sr John Warren.

Bates (Texas Heat TC) obviously highlights the triple jump field and if he’s up to another 51-footer, it’s likely over.  But Warren has leapt 50-10.25w and 49-6.25 (3rd NBNO), and Milford DE jr Ryan Thomas (49-3) and Tumwater WA jr Lane Russell (Flying AJs) (49-1i Simplot champ) are legit 49-footers. The JO Region 7 champ Folorunso Jegede, Filip’s teammate at Lake Park and Dupage TC, did a 49-5.5nwi in that meet, as well.

Moving on to the high jump, it has to be said that one huge hole in the Team USA lineup in Donetsk was WY#1 Randall Cunningham, Jr. (Nevada Gazelles), the Bishop Gorman NV jr whose 7-3.25 is also US#1 overall.  Cunningham may have bypassed Edwardsville, but he’s here in Greensboro after claiming the AAU JO title (Intermediate) last year with 7-2.  Can anyone jump with him?  Massac Co. IL jr Alex King (Swampfox TC) has done 7-1 and was 6th at USA Juniors.  Another from Illinois, Michael Monroe of Providence Catholic, won the Youth Trials at 6-10.75.  Olathe North KS sr Kai Shean-Rowden (Olathe Express) has done 6-9.75, and was the JO Intermediate champ last year and 3rd in the Trials.  Scott Filip (Dupage TC) and Isaiah Moore (Durham Striders) (see above) are also entered.

Finally, the pole vault field is paced by Desert Vista AZ sr Scott Marshall (Ultimate High), the only 17-footer in the field.  Elton LA sr Caleb Bertrand (New Heights Gym) at 16-7, decathlete Harrison Williams of Memphis at 16-6, Little Elm TX jr Lee Robert “Hawk” Griffin (Texas Pole Vault) at 16-6, Tamalpais CA jr August Kiles (Team Onalysis) at 16-4, and Mt. Baker WA sr Nathan Dunford at 16-1 are the next best entries.

Throws: WY Finalists battle older throwers
A trio of World Youth finalists highlight a mostly young group of throwers.  In the discus, WY 7th-place finisher and Liberty NV jr Reno Tuufuli (Throwers Respect) will be reunited with his USA teammate Amir Ali Patterson (Trebuchet Field), junior from Crespi CA, as both get used to the heavier implement again.  They’ll likely have to be at their best, though, to have a chance of beating Grant IL sr Brandon Lombardino (Dupage TC), who is the only 200-footer in the field at 201-7.  Patterson had a big PR 199-11 with the prep platter at USA Youth, which took place after the Trials, but didn’t match that with the smaller disc in Donetsk.

It’s basically the same lineup in the shot, though everyone should be bunched a little more closely, and Schuylkill Valley PA sr Jason Coon should be another key contender.  Anyone who can get 63 feet or better will have a great chance to win.

In the hammer, WY finalist Colin Minor, who had improved to 234-8 with the Youth hammer in Donetsk, returns to the prep implement here and will be an underdog with his 220-10 PR.  That’s because North Paulding GA sr Josh Whitener (Throw 1 Deep) is in the field with his 227-2 best.  Whitener was 3rd at NBNO and 5th at Juniors.  Landon Chase Carroll (Throw 1 Deep), a senior from North Cobb Christian, is another top contending 220-footer.  Several others over 200 are in the field.

Florence NJ jr Curtis Thompson, coming off the disappointment of missing Team USA for the WY himself, is the top entry in the javelin.  At a US#1 214-7, he appears to be more than 20 feet up on the field.

Decathlon: Mahler leads great field
The 10-eventer could be one of the most intriguing 17-18 events at JOs, as it is expected to bring together several top multi-eventers who have not yet clashed.  Wolf Mahler, the Belton TX sr who won USA Juniors with 7,419, as well as Great Southwest (7,420) with the HS implements, will be the favorite.  The aforementioned Lake Park IL sr and Juniors runner-up Scott Filip (Dupage TC) will look to challenge Mahler again.  But World Youth octathlon finalists Gabriel Moore (also 6,811 deca), the Freeport FL sr, and Columbus Academy OH jr John Lint (The Flying Js) should also be in the mix, too.  Finally, Memphis U. HS TN jr Harrison Williams – who scored over 7000 at Arcadia and won the NBNO Octathlon, only to be beaten in the WY Trials by Moore and Lint – is back and will also challenge for a top spot.




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