The New England Championships and a handful of indoor state meets highlight the national calendar this weekend. In Boston, the New England Championships bring together six northeast states, always creating a lot of excitement. Meanwhile, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wyoming host their state meets. Come read which athletes and teams should highlight each event!
Weekend Preview (2/29-3/02)
New England Championships (MA)
New England Championships Meet Page
New England Championships Performance List
Perhaps the biggest and best meet of the entire weekend is the New England Championships. This historic championship will take place Friday evening at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, MA. The best of the best from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont will square off for regional bragging rights.
One of the top all-around teams this indoor season thus far has been Danbury (CT). During the fall the squad was known for their distance runners, dominating the northeast in cross country. However, this winter their line-up has challenged and won all-takers and looks to prevail as the top team at New Englands.
Danbury is led by Willie Ahearn, Parker Bourdreau and Daryl Baptiste. Each athlete is ranked #1 in their respective event. Ahearn is ranked first in the mile, while Bourdreau is ranked first in the 1000m run and Baptiste in the long jump. If each athletes lives up to their ranking, and they get a bit of help in some other events, which is very possible, look for Danbury to prove they are the best team in the northeast.
The marquee distance event is easily the two-mile run. The depth of the event is very apparent, as seven athletes have run under 9:30. Meanwhile, the top seed is Everett Hackett (CT), whos top ranked time is 9:24.6. As one can imagine, there are over a half dozen athletes within six seconds of each other, which should make the event incredibly fast if someone is willing to push the pace.
In the relays, Woburn (MA) is ranked #1 in both the 4x200m relay and the 4x400m relay on the boys side. They won't be without competition, but this squad is strong. On the girl's side, Lincoln-Sudbury (MA) looks for some revenge after losing the 4x8 last weekend. However, they are still ranked #1 in both the 4x400m relay and 4x800m relay, and if they stack each relay with their top talent they are going to be incredibly hard to beat.
On the girls side, one of the best match-ups of the entire evening takes place between Emily Jones (MA) and Georgia Griffin (NH) in the two-mile. During the fall, these two athletes were consistently two of the best cross country runners in the nation. Now, Jones is ranked U.S. #1 in the event, while Griffin is gaining steam after a slow start to the season. Both athletes have the abilities to push this race well under 10:30.
In the sprints, Meg Looney (MA) and Ann Marie Clarke (CT) are heavy favorites in their respective races. Looney is ranked #1 in the 600m dash, while Clarke is ranked #1 in the 300m dash. Both athletes are favored heavily, but there is a wealth of talent that will be keeping them on their toes.
The top field event should come in the girls shot put. Becky O'Brien (ME) is fresh off her sixth place finish at USATF Indoor Nationals, where she faced the best throwers in the nation at a professional level and earned a U.S. #1 ranking at the prep level in the process. While O'Brien is the overwhelming favorite, you cannot discount U.S. #1 in the weight throw Victoria Flowers (RI). Flowers is ranked number two in the shot put with her 46 footer earlier in the season. She has the power to throw a bit farther than that, so it could be a close one.
All around, this championship is one of the deepest and most talented off the entire indoor season nation wide. Head-to-head match-ups will keep this meet exciting and rolling along, while U.S. #1 performances are certainly not out of the question either.
PTFCA Indoor State Championships (PA)
PTFCA Indoor State Champs. Meet Page
Previews by Don Rich & Aaron Rich (PennTrackXC.com)
Girls Preview: This is the final indoor meet in Pennsylvania in the careers of (in alphabetical order, of course), Ryann Krais, Chanelle Price, Carly Seymour and Karen Shump. Each has won state championships. Each is a defending indoor state champ. And each is favored in at least one event to win another title this year. Click Here to Read More
Boys Preview: In almost every event PA kids are ranked in the top-20 nationally. So my very bold prediction will be that this weekend will be a joy for anyone with a passion for following the sport. From the sprints, to the distance events, and the relays to the field there isn't an event that won't be exciting to watch. What follows is a cursory look at each event, designed to highlight the talent that will be on display at the 2008 PTFCA Indoor State Championships. Click Here to Read More
VHSL Indoor T&F Championships (VA)
VHSL Indoor T&F Champs. Meet Page: Group AA / Group AAA
The Western Branch (VA) relays should dominate in Virginia this weekend
(Photo by John Herzog)
Healthy and strong Western Branch individuals and relays dot much of the scene in the boys and girls AAA Indoor Championships this weekend. The school consistently has strong sprinters, and this year's group seems to be as strong as ever.
Chris Copeland will be one to watch as well in the boys high jump. The senior star is only one of three athletes nationally to break seven feet this year in the high jump, and with another big jump he could very easily move up the board.
The closing event of the day, the 4x400m relay, should prove to be incredibly exciting. Osbourn Park girls and Bethel boys are the heavy favorites based off of their heated marks, but the talent runs deep. Click Here for AAA Start Lists
MITS State Championships (MI)
MITS State Championships Meet Page
What a night it will be tomorrow (Friday), as the top track and field stars in Michigan clash at Central Michigan University at the MITS State Championships. This meet annually hosts some of the best indoor results you'll see all season long.
This year, the boy's side is stacked with talent in nearly every event. Some of the headlining athletes are: Varick Tucker in the 400m dash, Matt Armstrong in the shot put and Joe Wesley & Codi Mattix in the pole vault. All four athletes are nationally ranked and have a chance to improve their standing.
In the distance events, a dual between all-stars Bobby Aprill and Maverick Darling will not be taking place, as Aprill is planning to run the 1600m and Darling the 3200m, however, you can be sure each will be keeping an eye on the other and will want to throw down the best distance performance of the night. However, the two might need to sit back and watch Isaiah Ward run the 800m dash. Last weekend in Ohio, Ward ran 1:52 on the large Kent State track, earning himself a U.S. #2 ranking in the event.
One of the best match-ups of the night may come in the high jump, where consistent Mitchell White takes on Derek Drovin. Both athletes have cleared 6-08 this season, although White has been consistently jumping 6-06 and 6-08. In the relays, Motor City is the heavy favorite in the 4x800m relay, and after some of their athletes performed last weekend in Ohio, do not be surprised to see this team dip way under the eight minute barrier in the event.
On the girls side, the main match-up will come in the 60m hurdles, where Leslie Aririguzo will take on rival Raven Clay. Both young ladies are easily the class of the field, both running at or under 8.81 in the event. Also, Kendell Baisden is entered in the 200m dash, where she is the only girl under 26 seconds in the event, with her leading mark of 25.68.
Meanwhile, super freshman Dynasty McGee will be running in her first high school championship. McGee is entered in the 400m dash and is the top seed. Becca Addison is also ranked high in her event. She is favored in the 800m dash, easily having the best mark with the 2:11 she ran last weekend, which ranks her U.S. top five in the event.
In the girl's field events, Ariel Roberts is entered as the top seed in both the high jump and long jump. She has cleared some amazing distances and heights this season, so expect big things from her.
Wyoming Indoor State T&F Championships (WY)
Wyoming Indoor State Champs. Meet Page
While many states west of the Mississippi avoid indoor track and field all winter long, Wyoming actually hosts an indoor state meet. Most of the top athletes in the state will coverge on the University of Wyoming with hopes of earning a high finish and an indoor PR.
The two athletes capturing most of the headline should be Stephen Michael (Sr., Laramie) and Justin Gebicki (Sr., Cheyenne East). Michael is one of the top ranked jumpers in the nation this season, with U.S. top twelve performances in the long jump and triple jump. He is also entered in the 55m and 200m sprint events, which he is favored in as well.
In the field events, Gebicki is entered in his specialty of the pole vault, as well as the high jump, long jump and triple jump. The senior star has cleared 16 feet in the vault this season, which ranks him in the top twenty nationally, while he should compete very well against Michael in the long jump, and is favorite in the high jump.
With a few head-to-head match-ups between these two great athletes taking place, the crowd should be on their feet as each athlete attempts to win four individual events.
The New England Championships and a handful of indoor state meets highlight the national calendar this weekend. In Boston, the New England Championships bring together six northeast states, always creating a lot of excitement. Meanwhile, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wyoming host their state meets. Come read which athletes and teams should highlight each event!