Angel Brefo wins the UIL 5A 400m
This weekend, some of the best athletes in Texas will compete for the first time in two weeks.
With the SPC, TAPPS, and UIL state meets in the books, we have a season long list of stats to know who are to look out for at the TTFCA Meet of Champions.
Below are the athletes we think you'll want to keep an eye out for this weekend.
Girls 100m and 200m
In the 100m, there are a lot of girls who are very good in other events that will try their hand in the most iconic event in track and field.
Several jumpers like Ryhan Balous (McKinney North), Samantha Ennin (Plano St. John Paul II), and sprinter, hurdler, jumper Yierra Flemings (Cameron Yoe).
At the same time, other event stars like hurdlers Rylee Hampton (Houston Cyp. Ridge), Kelis Jules (Frisco Lone Star), Gabrielle Goodgames (Duncanville), and hurdler/quarter miler Phoenix Phillips (Humble Summer Creek) are also entered.
While those athletes are legit in their primary events, the 100m would be them working to compliment their main event, there are legit sprinters who they will get to measure themselves up against.
Kyaliah Davis (Klein Forest) is a 100m-400m sprinter who has run sub 12-seconds each of the last two seasons. She is also a mainstay on one the fastest girls 4x100 relay teams in the country over the past two seasons.
Amariya Hardeman (Fort Bend Bush) is another versatile sprinter and the 100m is one event she has excelled in. Hardeman is a state meet qualifier in the 200m with a blazing 23.69 personal best. However, she has run sub 12-seconds 13 times this season and also boasts a 11.51 (w) personal best from the 2024 Texas Relays.
Angel Brefo (Midlothian Heritage) first made her name in the 400m last year, but this year, she showed her moxy and flat speed in the 100m. She was the bronze medalist at the UIL 5A state meet in the 100m with a time of 11.65.
In the 200m, Davis and Hardeman are both the clear favorites based on their resumes from this season alone.
However, Brefo will be one to look out for again. Her 11.65 and 53.41 runs this year raises question marks on her 24.94 SB. She did run 23.80 last year at the Great Southwest Track & Field Classic, so there's that to look out for.
Girls 400m
The girls 400m is another sprint event and it be just as intriguing as the 100m and 200m events. It is also what the Meet of Champions is about.
Registered is UIL 2A state champ Riley Haug (Refugio) UIL 5A back-to-back champ Angel Brefo (Midlothain Heritage), and TAPPS 5A runner-up Jane Watkins (The Woodlands Christian).
Adding with the three top finishers in their leagues and classes is Madyson Thurmond (Shadow Creek) who ran 55.13 at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet High School Invitational.
Klein Forest's Kyaliah Davis has been mentioned already in the shorter sprints, however she ran 55.83 this season and helped her squad run a blazing 3:42.77.
Adding established half milers Elizabeth Brooks (Katy), Grace Kowalski (Conroe Grand Oaks), and Caila Lyons (San Antonio Brennan) who all have blazing 400m races on their profiles.
Girls 800M
The girls 800m will be loaded and should be blazing fast.
Last year's boys 800m was one of the meet highlights, but the girls could take the cake this Saturday.
Two-time UIL 3A 800m state champ Sophia Bendet (Randolph) has developed into one of the best half milers nationally. She proved indoors and backed it up so far outside. She has a 2:09.03 season best in 2024.
Elizabeth Brooks (Katy) has yet to medal at the state meet, but improved from 2:10 last year as a freshman to 2:09.68 and a fourth place state meet finish.
Included Grace Kowalski (Conroe Grand Oaks) - 2:10.30, Caila Lyons (SA Brennan) - 2:11.04, Mia Perez (Smithson Valley) - 2:12. 44, Ivy Parada (Round Rock) - 2:13.17 and this race should be elite.
Girls 1,600m
The girls 1,600m will have some clear favorites based on personal bests as well as accomplishments.
One favorite will be Kaylin Rendon (FW White Settlement Brewer) coming off her UIL 5A 1,600m battle where she fought for the bronze medal in a 4:53.47 personal best.
Another favorite is Hannah Stuart (Canyon) who capped off her high school career with back-to-back 1,600m and 3,200m state titles at the UIL 4A state meet. She brings 4:55.04 seed.
Other runners who figure to be in contention at some point of this race are freshman Savanah Moya (New Braunfels) who has run under 5:00 with a 4:56.98 personal best this year, Ella Magallan (Burleson Centennial) who has had a breakout year in cross and all three distance races on the track, and "DRV from the RGV" aka, Dana Rojas Vasquez (McAllen) who has run 5:00.51.
My sleepers for this event are some girls who technically might not really qualify as sleepers. Cara Sims (Elysian Fields) is coming off a UIL 3A state meet silver medal in the 3,200m, Brooklyn Albert (Poth) who was third in that race, Ivy Parada (Round Rock) who is well known for her 400/800m running, but did go 5:15 last year, and Kailey Littlefield (Lucas Lovejoy) who just ran 2:08.19 in the 800m at state and has a 4:55 personal best in the event.
Girls 3200m
On Friday evening, we'll see a field of girls all searching for sub 11-minute runs. If they approach the race with that in mind, it could result in a barrage of them by the end of the race.
Moya Savanah (New Braunfels) enters with a 11:02.33 personal best, Lincoln Husbands (Midlothian) checks in with a 11:02.04,
Katherine Brunson (College Station) and Clara Dye (Humble Kingwood) will help push the pace of the race. Both have competed in major races before and their 11:09 and 11:12 season bests show that they will be in the mix.
Also with chances of getting sub 11-minutes will be Araceli Ford (SA Northside O'Connor) at 11:13.16, 11:13.16, Kassia Kozarski (Cibolo Steele) at 11:14.36, Emma Goetz (Tyler Grace) at 11:15.31, and Jocelyn Karry (McKinney Boyd) at 11:15.90.
Girls Hurdles
There might not be any track left after the 100-meter hurdle girls burn up the track.
We are just at the beginning stages of discussing this field when mentioning state medalists and sub 14-second hurdlers in Rylee Hampton (Houston Cyp. Ridge), Kaylah Braxton (Frisco Heritage), and Kelis Jules (Frisco Lone Star).
However, add sub 14-second hurdler Kelly Frederick (Humble Summer Creek) along with junior 14.06 hurdler Gabrielle Goodgames (Duncanville) and the 14.10 junior Zoe Williams (Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill) we will see some supreme hurdle races on Saturday.
The girls 300 hurdles could be just as exciting as the shorter hurdles.
There are four 43-second hurdlers in the field with Madisyn Jackson (SA Northside O'Connor) and her 43.69 season best performance and the fantastic Humble Summer Creek trio of Phoenix Phillips - 43.58, Kelly Frederick's 43.75, and Brianna Rivers (Summer Creek) with her 43.87.
They'll have Yierra Flemings (Cameron Yoe) who could be motivated to get her national lead ranking back. Her 40.74 from the Texas A&M Bluebonnet High School Invitational on March 2nd is now the US No.2 mark after Jasmine Robinson ran 39.89 at the Georgia 7A state meet last weekend.
Flemings didn't run the 300-meter hurdles during the championship season and hasn't ran the event sinc Texas Relays on March 29th.
Girls 2,000 Steeplechase
This race could see the state record fall.
Staucie Lees (Conroe Grand Oaks) has the Texas state record from earlier this season with her 6:43.60 at the Sam Mosley Relays way back on February 24th.
Lees could look to lower that mark and she'll have the competition to do it.
Sara Morefield (Lucas Lovejoy) won last year's TTFCA Meet of Champs race in this event with her TX No. 4 all-time 7:00.15 mark. Earlier this year, she won the event at the Lovejoy Spring Distance Festival on March 9th with a 7:14 just ahead of Delaney Ulrich (College Station) who was runner-up in 7:15.
Taking this race up a notch is the entry of Evanna Jacobsen (Midlothain Heritage) who finished third at this year's Texas Relays with a 7:03.87.
Girls High Jump
This event could get pretty good with high bars between a trio of Houston area girls.
Cali Bryant (Houston Memorial) began the 2024 track season off with some outstanding jumps indoors including a 5-10 best.
Savannah Byers (Humble Kingwood) was able to qualify for state and then finished sixth at the 6A state meet when she jumped 5-10 at the Region 3-6A meet.
Also scheduled to compete is the reigning UIL 6A state champion Brianna Rivers (Humble Summer Creek). She out jumped Bryant and beat Byers on misses after clearing the 5-10 bar.
This could be a rematch for the Region 3-6A meet.
Girls Jumps
If a girl wants to place in the triple jump event, they'll probably have to leap well over 40-feet.
With four girls who are national level jumpers in Sydnee Burr (Cypress Park), Samantha Ennin (Plano John Paul II), Whitney Robinson (DeSoto), and Jayana Phillips (Yoakum) it will take fresh legs ready to hop, skip, and jump.
There are several 39 and 38 footers who will also make this an outstanding event.
Several of the same girls are listed for the long jump as well.
Burr enters with a 20-9 personal best and Ennin has a 20-1.5 seed. Rhyan Balous (McKinney North) has a 20-2 best
There are also four girls with 19-feet jumps who are competing in Nyima Williamson (SA Veterans Memorial) - 19-8.50, Caitlyn Johnson (Frisco Emerson) - 19-1.5, Jayana Phillips (Yoakum) - 19-3, and Aaralyn Strambler (Midland Legacy) - 19-0.50.
Girls Throws
Several girls are listed for the javelin without marks. It's an event that isn't competed in throughout Texas, but this is their shot at adding a solid mark to their profiles.
Amber Bowling (FBCHA) has the top entry mark of 123-7.75.
In the shot put, four girls have over 44 feet throws this season.
UIL 6A runner-up Madeleine Fey (Killeen Chaparral) has the top throw in the state this year with her 49-3. Janey Campbell (Katy Seven Lakes) was fifth at the UIL 6A state meet and has a 46-9 season best mark.
One of TAPPS top throwers Sophia Grinstead (Bracken Christian) has a 46-0 personal best toss that she'll be trying to improve upon. Jayden Kimble (Humble Atascocita) will bring her 44-11 in with expectations to improve that.
The discus is another big time loaded event with four girls who have thrown over 150 feet.
Madeleine Fey won her fourth 5A discus state title two weeks ago. She will enter with a 176-5 personal best.
Freshman Jayden Kimble (Humble Atascocita) found success in the discus with a runner-up finish at state and a 157-10 best throw.
Logann Edwards (Humble Summer Creek) with a 153-2 and Janey Campbell (Katy Seven Lakes) with a 151-1.75 both enter with best throws over 150-feet.
Girls Pole Vault
There are three girls entered with jumps over 12-feet.
Natalie Murray (Hudson) enters with a 12-3 best mark this season and Leeah Boyd (Hebron) enters with a 12-4 personal best this season.
It's SPC state champ Milla Signorelli (John Cooper) who has the best entry mark of 12-6 this season.