7 Heavily Anticipated Duels We Can't Wait For This Weekend

There will be fireworks this weekend on the track.  

Below, we listed seven of the best head-to-head matchups between some of the country's best athletes this weekend. 

Check out the lowdown on the nation's marquee matchups, and let us know what you think on Twitter @milesplit or on Instagram or Facebook. 

A List Of All Of Our Live Events This Weekend

The Top 7 Matchups This Weekend

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7. Samantha Schadler (Rio Rico, AZ) vs. Jaybe Shufelberger (Washburn Rural, KS) 

Event: Festival of Miles, 1-Mile

Analysis: While there are a few athletes with the requisite fitness to stay in the top pack and of which could force a rapid early pace -- Clara Mayfield, Madeleine Burns, Sarah O'Sullivan, among them -- the compelling matchup here will be between Schadler and Shufelberger, two athletes who qualified for and competed at NXN. Schadler, a Duke signee who beat Shufelberger head-to-head in Portland, will square up with the future Kansas State athlete for the second time. The pair represent the class of their respective states. Schadler went 4:53.86 in the 1600m at the Chandler Rotary Invitational in March and Shufelberger managed a best of 4:54.76 at her Centennial League Meet in May. With both fresh for the 1-mile, we could see both vying for a sub-4:50 time. And this is a great venue to do just that. 

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6. Na'Taja Ballard (Western Branch, VA) vs. Hannah Waller (South Lakes, VA)

Event: Virginia's Class 6A 400m Final

Analysis: Here's a matchup between two of Virginia's most promising athletes. Ballard, the younger sister of Shadajah Ballard, is the defending champion in the 400m, having raced to a PR of 54.74 last year. But this is the kind of race that will likely bring her under 56 seconds for the first time this season. Still, watch out for Waller, who's the higher seed with a time of 55.14. While Ballard is younger than Waller (she's a sophomore, to Waller's junior status), don't expect age or experience to come into play here. This will be about heart. 

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5. Carter Cheeseman (Fort Worth Christian, TX) vs. Camren Fischer (Fayetteville, AR)

Event: Festival of Miles, 1-Mile

Analysis: Fischer's best career mile effort came at this very venue last year when he was a junior. The future Princeton man went 4:13.03 ... in the slow heat. Maybe a little bit of that underdog feeling -- he was fast enough to race with the best high schoolers last year -- will pace the Arkansas senior, who won three state titles this outdoor season, but he'll go up against one of Texas' best distance talents. Cheeseman hasn't raced since the first of the month, so he'll come in as a little bit of a mystery. But it would be a disservice to anyone who underestimate 'The Cheese,' whose kick is something else. Cheeseman's best at 1-mile is 4:12.20. So, yeah, this should be a good one. 

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4. Athing Mu (Trenton Track Club, NJ) vs. The Pros

Event: Music City Distance Carnival, Professional 800m

Analysis: What exactly will Mu run here? It would be unfair to put undue expectations on Mu and expect the high school junior to go after a sub-2 effort after two opening performances of 2:12. But at the very least, Mu has shown over her career that she will compete with anyone, high schooler or professional. Three athletes are entered in the fast heat alongside Mu with PRs of 2-minutes. Mu's best career time entering Saturday's elite race is 2:03.98. She will go up against recently minted pro Samantha Watson -- 2018 NCAA outdoor champ in the 800m -- and Alexa Efraimson, one of the best high school mid-distance runners of all-time -- also a Nike runner. This outing will feature "Race Ready Athing Mu." And you shouldn't miss that. 

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3. Jenna Hutchins (Science Hill, TN) vs. Parker Valby (East Lake, FL)

Event: Music City Distance Carnival, 1-Mile

Analysis: In the high school section of the girls mile, we'll get to see the ever steadiness of Jenna Hutchins. Few high school freshman have been as rock solid as Hutchins, who was an All American at Foot Locker Nationals, ran 4:55.60 in the mile indoors, and then scored two outdoor state titles in the 800m and 1600m. But tactical races in Tennessee will be different than a national-caliber 1-mile effort featuring veterans like Valby, who set a Florida state record in the 3200m at her state championships. Valby has gone 4:50.59 for 1600m, while Hutchins has produced a full mile at 4:51.87. Converted, those times are nearly identical. Hopefully this isn't a tactical race, because when you got a group this good, you just have to go. 

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2. Jake Renfree (Knoxville Catholic, TN) vs. Cole Sprout (Valor Christian, CO)

Event: Music City Distance Carnival, 1-Mile

Analysis: This same matchup played out this winter at New Balance Nationals Indoor. But it was Renfree who was the victor in 4:06.39, while Sprout followed in 4:06.68. And yet, this race will mark the beginning of what will hopefully be a fruitful national postseason for both of these athletes. Renfree, an athlete headed to Notre Dame who's gone 1:53.19 for 800m and 9:13.90 for 3200m, has the speed to turn it on late. But will he have enough to beat out Sprout -- one of the best junior recruits in the country? Sprout's gone 1:53.87 outdoors for 800m and 4:08.61 for the full mile. It could be a toss up -- which is what's so great about this matchup. Expect both of these athletes to really charge after the race late. 

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1. Theo Woods (E.C. Glass, VA) vs. Samuel Affolder (Loudoun Valley, VA)

Event: Virginia's Class 4A 800m Final

Analysis: In seven head-to-head matchups these two runners have had all-time, Affolder has won four and Woods has won three. But it's been Woods who's taken every race under 1,000 meters. And he's got a win over Affolder in the 800m this season. Woods shouldn't be too confident against Affolder, the Washington signee who's capable of running ahead of his current season and career best of 1:52.46. But Woods does have the upper hand with his US No. 1 time of 1:50.24 -- one of two open times at 1:50 this year for the future Georgetown man. Woods also beat Affolder in a chase down in the 1K at indoor states this winter. So if we're taking all these results at face value, there's a handful of factors that could produce magic for either runner; redemption for Affolder and continued validation for Woods. Either way, in our book this is the best matchup of the weekend and a race to be discussed. Based on what MileStat is reporting, these two are also going to go fresh against each other.