Making their mark: The country's best freshmen

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The top 10 freshmen girls (alphabetical order)

Kamiya Dendy, Pendleton SC: She matched the freshman class national record in the high jump with a 5-10 clearance at the Arcadia Invitational. Her state meet is this weekend in South Carolina. 

Lexy Halladay, Mountain View ID: She broke the Idaho all-time mile record with her 4:46.35 at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays. Last week she lowered her PR in the 800 to 2:14.82.

Markalah Hart, Miami Northwestern FL: Her jaw-dropping time of 40.28 seconds to win the 300 hurdles at the Florida state meet last weekend made her the fastest freshman of all-time in the event. It was also an all-time Florida record and the No. 6 performer of all-time.

Katelynne Hart, Glenbard West IL: She won the 3,200 meters at the West Suburban Silver Girls Conference Championships in 10:21.62. She has also run 4:48.61 in the 1,600 meters. Last fall, she won the Class 3A cross country championship and NXR Midwest Regional.

Jayla Hollis, Lancaster TX: This speedster won the UIL 5A Region II 200 meters in 24.41, but she also ran 23.80 in the prelims. Keep an eye out for her this weekend at the Texas state meet.

Ashton Lindley, Campbell GA: She ran 54.10 for 400 meters at her regional meet on April 22. She has also gone 43.47 in the 300 hurdles and 18-6.75 in the long jump. Her state meet is this weekend.

Mia Manson, Monarch CO: A strong sprinter and jumper, she cleared 12-8 in the pole vault back on March 25. 

Jadyn Mays, North Canyon AZ: She won four Division II state championships in Arizona last weekend, running 11.88 and 24.54 to sweep the 100 and 200, and flying 19-1.75 to win the long jump. She helped her team win the 4x400 as well. 

Kalynn Meyer, Superior NE: The daughter of the all-time Nebraska high school discus record holder, Andy Meyer, is off to a great start to her prep career. She has thrown 166-11 (April 13), which is just 14 inches shy of the freshman class national record.

Katelyn Tuohy, North Rockland NY: Already a veteran of national championship relays and intense big-time racing, this talented ninth grader ran 9:53.63 in the 3,000 and 4:26.72 in the 1,500 at her Section 1 league championship meet on May 4. She also anchored her team to the distance medley relay crown in the Championship of America race at Penn Relays.

The top 10 freshmen boys (alphabetical order)

Sean Burrell, Zachary LA: This ninth grader burned up the track last weekend at the Louisiana state meet and won Class 5A 400 meters in 46.29. He is already a standout as a wide receiver on the football team, too.

Trey Knight, Ridgefield WA: This upcoming star in the throws leads the class in the discus (172-5) and the hammer (192-6) and is No. 2 in the shot put (57-8). 

Brandon Miller, John Burroughs MO: Last weekend, he ran 1:52.56 at the Lutheran South Invitational and won by 10 seconds. He has also gone 48.94 in the 400.

Marcellus Moore, Plainfield North IL: He might just be the fastest freshman in the nation and has backed that up with the fastest times in the class. He doubled 10.55/21.28 in the 100 and 200 at the Norm Armstrong Invitational back on April 8.

Rhett Nelson, Trinity Christian AR: He may not be Mondo Duplantis, but nobody is. He won the Arkansas Class 1A pole vault last weekend at 15-4, which is really good for a freshman. 

Quincy Norman, Forest Grove OR: It could be the emergence of another big-time distance runner in Oregon. He has run 8:44.68 for 3,000 meters and 4:03.38 for 1,500. UPDATE - 8:34.72 at the Oregon state meet.

Matt Strangio, Jesuit CA: This emerging Californian ran 4:20.27 for the full mile at the Sacramento Meet of Champions and also ran 9:17.58 for 3,200 meters at Arcadia.

Trey Tintinger, Helena MT: In case you missed it, Tintinger broke the world record for 14-year-olds in the high jump with 6 feet, 11 inches in a low-key meet against C.M. Russell and Belgrade last weekend. 

Jevon Williams, Blanche Ely FL: This kid is off to a great start in Florida, where he placed fifth in the Class 3A 300-meter hurdles final in 38.65. His season's best was 38.50.

LenNeth Whitehead, Athens Academy GA: This 6-foot-2, 210-pound three-sport standout uncorked a massive PR in the shot put, 60-10.50, at the GHSA 1A Private School Sectional.