American Heritage's return to the track marked a rather quick first impression.
The squad's esteemed 4x100 meter relay, which returns three of four from its lineup last year -- including a potential fourth, Patrick Surtain (Alabama), who was injured last spring -- opened up at the Louie Bing Classic on Friday in Miami and laid down an immediate US No. 1 in 40.44 seconds.
That time would have finished as the eighth best mark from last year, and it stood just 0.27 seconds shy of tying its 40.17 mark from 2017.
There's no doubt the squad, which also features high profile seniors Anthony Schwartz (Auburn) and Tyson Campbell (Georgia), is out to set an all-time best in Florida, which currently stands at 40.09 by Boyd Anderson back in 1998.
The team on Friday consisted of Clarence Burley, Campbell, Miles Jones and Schwartz.
Schwartz, meanwhile, opened up his season with a rather impressive showing, too, going 10.38 (-2.9) in the 100m and 21.51 in the 200m. Campbell, last year's Class 2A champion at both distances after Schwartz went down with an injury, went 11.03 in the 100m.
The only question, perhaps, is how soon will it come?
Cooper Draws Onlookers In The 800m: There's no doubt all eyes were on Miami Norland (FL) junior Tyrese Cooper in the half mile.
The sprint star decided to try his hand at the 800m for the first time of his career, commenting over the week that he was on "base training," and didn't disappoint, dropping a solid 1:57.93 to finish third overall in the preliminaries.
It remains to be seen whether Cooper will run in the finals on Saturday, but the Miami Gardens Xpress talent did give an indication for potential success at the distance if he so chooses.
Cooper also opened with a 48.02 in the preliminaries of the 400m on Friday, finishing second overall over all sections.
Other notable finishes:
3,200 Finals: Ryan Szklany, Highlands Christian, 9:25.58
3,200 Finals: Rylee Pustilnik, Spanish River, 10:59.84
100mH: Markalah Hart, Miami Northwestern, 14.61
100m: Zatoria Thompson, St. Thomas Aquinas, 11.92
200m: Jamal Walton, Miramar, 21.53
200m: Briana Wiliams, Northeast, 24.32
300mH: Imani Christian, St. Thomas Aquinas, 43.75
Shotput: Milton Ingraham, Hallandale, 55-1
