Kyler Brown Chasing Nation's Top Time In the 60 Meters; Marissa Ferebee Entered In Mile, 3,000

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Kylie Graham photo

Oklahoma's top high school sprinter, Kyler Brown of Oklahoma Cheetah TC, will return to the Arkansas HS Invitational on Saturday as the favorite in the 60-meter dash and 200 meters. 

Brown, who attends, Tulsa's Booker T Washington, has already run US#4 6.69 seconds in the 60 meters this winter. 

The Oklahoma Class 5A champion in both the 100 and 200 last year finished third in the 60 at last year's meet (pictured, far right) at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville. 

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The large high school meet, operated under a club format, follows Arkansas' home meet Friday, where Texas and other college will compete. 

The high school meet has drawn entries from neighboring states encompassing Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Tennessee. 

The girls distance races feature some of the top runners in the region. 

Gabbie Bishop (Providence Classical Christian Academy AR), who was third at the HOKA Festival of Miles last year, brings a seed time of 4:46 to the mile and will face Marissa Ferebee of Pella IA, the NXR Heartland champion who placed seventh at Nike Cross Nationals. 

Ferebee is also entered n the 3,000 meters and will face Ryin Miller (Seaman KS), another NXN qualifier. 

Jaylen Thomas of Legendary Track (Texas) has 46.65 credentials in the 400 meters and is the top entry in that event. He'll face Kansas 5A champ Jack Guthridge of KC Novas (Kapaun Mount Carmel KS), who has run 47.57.

Arkansas standouts Alan Gallardo-Lopez (Fayetteville) and Matthew Shelly (Bentonville) are due to race one another in the mile. 

Two young talents in the boys 3,000 meters will collide when freshman Ruel Newberry (Denton Guyer TX) races against sophomore Andrew Brown of Tupelo. 

Evan Martin (Rockwall-Heath TX) and Missouri Class 1 chmpion Cade Nold are the top entries in the boys 800, both with seed times under 1:54.

D'Shawn Finney (Plano West TX) is the top seed in the boys 60-meter hurdles. 

The standout sprinter on the girls side is Lilly Pierrot of Team Quest TX (Lancaster), a junior who is US#6 in the 60 meters at 7.48 and will run her first 200 of the winter as well. 

A marquee matchup in the girls 800 features Missouri Class 5 champion Paige Stuart (Blue Springs) racing against Texas 6A runner-up Faith Mirphy (Austin Anderson TX). Both of them could push into the national top 10 leaderboard if the race goes out fast.

Rogers AR standout Lilly Beshears, who placed seventh at Foot Locker last month in San Diego, is entered in both the 800 meters and the mile. 

Kyndall Spain (Cardinal Ritter MO), who placed fifth at the Brooks PR meet in the 100-meter hurdles, is the top entry in the 60-meter hurdles. She ran the US#6 time of 8.54 in December. 

DaNaucia Johnson (Longview TX) is the top entry in the girls 400 meters. 

In the field events, Cole Smither of KC Novas (Olathe North) is the top entry in the high jump with a best of 6-10.75. 

Ashton Hearn from Christian Brothers TN is the favorite in the boys shot put with a best of 63-2.

A compelling matchup in the boys pole vault features Zach Daugherty (Mountain Home AR), a 16-6 vaulter, competing with Connor Skopik of Mac Vault Academy (Lake Creek TX), who has gone 16-4.75. 

Kingston Williams (Princeton TX) could take aim at the national lead in the boys long jump. His best is 24-10. 

Tennessee state champ Miles Nesmith is the top entrant in the boys triple jump at 48-11. 

The girls long jump also has national implications with four 20-foot jumpers on the entry list: Jordin McGee (Granview MO), Jasmine Ross (Blue Springs MO), Kassidi Watkins (Mustang OK) and Arieanna Jefferson (Ferris TX). 

Briana Davis of Texas Pressure Track and Field (Red Oak) is the top entry in the girls shot put. 

Claire Hellbusch (Lincoln North Star NE) leads the entries in the girls high jump. 

Missouri Class 5 champion Alex Binkley (Lee's Summit) leads a deep field in the girls triple jump with a best of 39-6.75.