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The post track and field season ramps up this weekend.
State track and field meets are now over all across the country with the New York being the last of the state meets to wrap up their season last weekend.
Now, the barrage of national championship meets for high school competition will flood this weekend across the country. One of those events will be the Brooks PR Invitational.
Brooks annually invites a handful of the top national talent over a couple of events to Seattle, Washington to compete. That includes several Texas girls and boys athletes (19).
Below are the Texans who will compete for the chance to be a Brooks Inv. champion.
GIRLS 100M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Esther Akinlosotu | Alpha Speed Academy (WA) |
| Braelyn Baker | Bear Creek (WA) |
| Camryn Dickson | Clear Brook (TX) |
| Adaejah Hodge | Alexander (GA) |
| Micayah Holland | Montverde Academy (FL) |
| Jordan Washington | JSerra (CA) |
| Autumn Wilson | St. Dominic Savio Catholic (TX) |
Autumn Wilson (St. Dominic Savio) and Camryn Dickson (Clear Brook) will compete in the girls 100m. Last season, Wilson finished third in the event with a time of 11.39.
This season, Wilson was undefeated in the event. The Georgia signee won her second consecutive TAPPS 6A 100m. Dickson, was disqualified due to a false start at the Region 3-6A Championships that disabled her from competing at state. The Texas A&M signee did however finish second in the UIL 6A 200m
BOYS 100M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Jacob Andrews | Sehome (WA) |
| Carter Birade | Sehome (WA) |
| Gerard Holmes | Fort Bend Marshal (TX) |
| Trevin Moyer | Mountain Island Charter (NC) |
| Terrell Robinson | Mount Tabor (NC) |
| Charlie Sexton | Auburn (AL) |
| Max Thomas | Servite (CA) |
Gerard Holmes (Fort Bend Marshall) was the UIL 5A fourth place finisher in the 200m and had three races under 21.10 (NWI), including a 20.77. His 100m PR is only 10.89, but he clearly has the speed that may be unveiled over the shorter distance this weekend.
GIRLS 100MH
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Simone Ballard | Mallard Creek (TX) |
| Jaiya Covington | Aldine Eisenhower (TX) |
| Rylee Hampton | Cypress Ridge (TX) |
| Taylor McKinnon | Cardinal Gibbons (NC) |
| Aleesa Samuel | Somerset Academy (FL) |
| Falon Spearman | Providence Day (NC) |
| Jessicka Woods | Maynard Jackson (GA) |
Simone Ballard (Katy Mayde Creek), Jaiya Covington (Aldine Eisenhower), and Rylee Hampton (Cypress Ridge) are three of the best hurdlers in the Houston area and the state of Texas. This weekend, they'll be trying to prove three of the best nationally.
Ballard proved that already with her SB races of 13.28 (NWI) and 40.68. The Baylor signee won bothe events at the UIL 6A state meet. Hampton was also a qualifier in both events at the UIL 6A state meet. She was the bronze medal winner this year in the 100 meter hurdles. The Region 3-6A meet was so off the charts that Covington, the 2021 UIL 6A state meet bronze medalist in the 100 meter hurdles didn't make it to state out of the region. The Texas A&M signee was fifth at Brooks last year and has to be itching to end the season with a bang.
BOYS 110MH
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Donovan Bradley | Summer Creek (TX) |
| Patrick Daves | Bayside Academy |
| Miguel Dingle | Greer (SC) |
| Shane Gardner | George Ranch (TX) |
| Kai Graves-Blanks | Upland (CA) |
| Malik Mixon | Westlake (GA) |
| Kendrick Smallwood | Mesquite Poteet (TX) |
| Cyrus Ways | Nease (FL) |
Kendrick Smallwood (Mesquite Poteet), Donovan Bradley (Humble Summer Creek), and Shane Gardner (Richmond George Ranch) were just three of the many exciting boys hurdlers this season and they'll race for the chance to be a national champion.
Smallwood won his second consecutive UIL 5A 110 meter hurdle title. He ran a 13.36 (w) time to finish runner-up at Texas Relays. The University of Texas signee was undefeated last year until Brooks last year when he finished fifth overall; I expect him to try to amend that loss. Bradley helped his team win another state championship with his excellent hurdling at state. He was third at the UIL 6A meet in the 300 meter hurdles and was runner-up in the 110 meter hurdles. He was third behind Smallwood at Texas Relays. Gardner was just .02 behind Bradley at the state meet to finish with the bronze medal. The University of Pennsylvania signee ran a PR of 13.69 (w) this season.
GIRLS 400M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Takiya Cenci | Clovis North (CA) |
| Shawnti Jackson | Raleigh Wakefield (NC) |
| Twaneise Johnson | St. Francis Catholic (CA) |
| Christine Mallard | Mansfield Legacy (TX) |
| Hali Murphy | St. Dominic Savio Catholic (TX) |
| Haley Tate | Katy Seven Lakes (TX) |
| Kennedi Sanders | Madison Ridgeland (MS) |
| Roisin Willis | Stevens Point (WI) |
Christine Mallard (Mansfield Legacy), Hali Murphy (St. Dominic Savio), and Haley Tate (Katy Seven Lakes) all had fantastic seasons in the 400m and they will compete for the Brooks crown.
Mallard had an interesting season. The important thing is that she gained health just in time for the Texas UIL championship season when she finished second in the 200m and won the 400m at the UIL 5A state meet. The Southern California signee ran a 53.63 SB to win that title, but now over a month later, we just might see her improve on her 52.66 PR. Murphy also experienced some pitfalls with health this season, but at this point, she may be at her healthiest of the entire season. She did run 55.98 to win the TAPPS 6A state meet; The Georgia signee was fourth in this race last year. Tate's only loss in the 400m came at the UIL 6A state meet when she finished runner-up in 53.03. She has a 52.97 PR and could be looking to avenge her only loss of the season with a Brooks win.
BOYS 400M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Justin Braun | Westerville Central (OH) |
| Will Floyd | Seattle Prep (WA) |
| Judson Lincoln | Oakland Mills (MD) |
| Sidi Nje | Westlake (GA) |
| Avaunt Ortiz | McClintock (AZ) |
| Darius Rainey | Summer Creek (TX) |
| Will Sumner | Woodstock (GA) |
Darius Rainey (Humble Summer Creek) was one of the most recognizable athletes at the UIL state track and field meet. That is because he won three state titles (400m, 800m, and 4x400 relay) as well as the team championship.
He'll head into this meet where he'll compete in the 400m where he is coming off a 46.36 PR at state and a 47.18 at the Wings Track Club Championships.
GIRLS 800M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Mia Chavez | Chino (CA) |
| Ashlee Gallegos | JSerra Catholic (CA) |
| Samantha Humphries | Flower Mound (TX) |
| Ali Ince | Normal Community (IL) |
| Kailey Littlefield | Lucas Lovejoy (TX) |
| Morgan Monesmith | Hathaway Brown (OH) |
| Cate Peters | Monte Vista (CA) |
| Lilly Shapiro | Colts Neck (NJ) |
| Lauren Tolbert | Highland Tech (NC) |
Two UIL 800m state champions will compete at Brooks. Samantha Humphries (Flower Mound) will look to improve on her 2:07.68 PR from last month's state meet. With only one race to compete in, she'll finally have the chance to throw all of her efforts at this race for the first time in a long time.
Kailey Littlefield (Lucas Lovejoy) ran a UIL 5A state meet record in 2:06.21 to win her second consecutive state title. She then ran 2:09.25 to finish fourth at the RunningLane Track Championships. The sophomore had an underwhelming race here last year; look for her to correct that this year.
BOYS 800M
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Carter Cutting | Corner Canyon (UT) |
| Jai Dawson | Dana Hills (CA) |
| Aiden Neal | Manchester Valley (MD) |
| Miguel Pantojas | Hagerty (FL) |
| Nick Plant | Canfield (OH) |
| Colin Sahlman | Newbury Park (CA) |
| Yordanos Zelinski | Oregon (WI) |
| Gary Martin | Archbishop Wood (PA) |
GIRLS MILE
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Mia Cochran | Moon Area (PA) |
| Isabel Conde de Frankenberg | Cedar Park (TX) |
| Sadie Engelhardt | Ventura (CA) |
| Mary Ellen Eudaly | Cambridge Christian (FL) |
| Julia Flynn | Traverse City Central (MI) |
| Sam McDonnell | Newbury Park (CA) |
| Ava Parekh | Chicago Latin (IL) |
| Lauren Ping | Desert Vista (AZ) |
| Kaiya Robertson | Portland Franklin (OR) |
| Taylor Rohatinsky | Lone Peak (UT) |
| Riley Stewart | Cherry Creek (CO) |
| Caroline Wells | Winter Springs (FL) |
| Juliette Whittaker | Mount De Sales (MD) |
Isabel Conde de Frankenberg (Cedar Park) broke the UIL 5A 1,600m state record when she ran 4:45.95 last month. The sophomore will now look to go faster against national competition at Brooks.
BOYS MILE
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Jackson Barna | Ridge (NJ) |
| Zane Bergen | Niwot (CO) |
| Simeon Birnbaum | Rapid City Stevens (SD) |
| James Donahue | Belmont School (MA) |
| Aiden Emerson | Arlington (WA) |
| Myles Hogan | Fordham Prep (NY) |
| Devan Kipyego | St. Raphael Academy (RI) |
| Caleb Lakeman | Tualatin (OR) |
| Charlie North | Portland Franklin (OR) |
| Chris Riley | Austin McCallum (TX) |
| Aaron Sahlman | Newbury Park (CA) |
| Isaac Teeples | Kamiakin (WA) |
Chris Riley (Austin McCallum) won his first UIL 5A state title last month when he captured the 1,600m title in 4:08.56. He ran a 4:05.78 PR to win Texas Relays and could be on a sub 4:00 in the mile with the type of talent lining up in this field. In 2017, Reed Brown (Southlake Carroll) ran the fastest time in the state at 3:57.91.
GIRLS 2-MILE
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Charlotte Bednar | Lawrenceville School (NJ) |
| Ella Borsheim | Bellarmine Prep (WA) |
| Lily Cridge | Bishop Chatard (IN) |
| Natalie Cook | Flower Mound (TX) |
| Dalia Frias | Mira Costa (CA) |
| Sophia Kennedy | Park Tudor (IN) |
| Eva Klingbeil | Niwot (CO) |
| Caroline Lehman | Cambridge Christian (FL) |
| Bethany Michalak | Air Academy (CO) |
| Jenna Mulhern | West Chester Henderson (PA) |
| Arianne Olson | Holland West Ottawa (MI) |
| Irene Riggs | University (WV) |
| Ellie Shea | Belmont School (MA) |
| Kayla Werner | Lynchburg (VA) |
(Natalie Cook) Flower Mound) is perhaps the most recognizable face and name in the country. She'll compete in the 2-mile for the first time since the indoor season when ran the US No. 2 all-time 9:44.44. She ran three sub 10-minute 3,200m races including another US No. 2 all-time performance of 9:48.25 for a UIL state meet record and Texas state record.
The competition will be the best she's seen since running a 15.25.93 5,000m national record at the Stanford Inv. If the weather cooperates, we could see another national record from Cook before the heads to Oklahoma State.
BOYS 2-MILE
| NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|
| Connor Burns | Southern Boone County (MO) |
| James Crabtree | Sherwood (OR) |
| Kelton Gagnon | Klahowya Secondary (WA) |
| Jaron Hartshorn | Lone Peak (UT) |
| Aaron Lakeman | Tualatin (OR) |
| Michael Maiorano | South Medford (OR) |
| Zack Munson | Sehome (WA) |
| Vince Recupero | Bishop Blanchet (WA) |
| Will Schneider | Bishop Blanchet (WA) |
| Emmanuel Sgouros | St. John's Houston (TX) |
| Wesley Shipsey | Portland Central Catholic (OR) |
| Aiden Smith | Portland Lincoln (OR) |
| Keegan Smith | Knoxville Catholic |
Emmanuel Sgouros (Houston St. John's) will be searching for a bounce back race. The University of Texas signee ran a Texas state 3,200m record of 8:47.91 at the Arcadia Invitational. He was then under the weather at the SPC state meet in April. Now, he can go for the top 2-mile TX all-time performance in this field. Colby Lowe (Southlake Carroll) ran the state's top time of 8:44.01 in 2008.