16 HS Athletes Would Have Been All-Americans At NCAAs


* Hobbs Kessler and Paige Sommers could have scored points at this year's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

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The 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships wrapped up this weekend in Eugene, Oregon. Over a four-day span, the men and women were crowned NCAA champions and All-Americans.

There were a handful of high school track and field athletes who would have made the finals, based on their performances throughout this season, and would have scored points at this year's NCAA Championships.

Based on this year's performances, there would have been two NCAA champions and 13 All-American honors earned. 

Check out the athletes below who would have made the final and where they would have stood based on their top legal performance marks this season.



* Hobbs Kessler of Ann Arbor would have stirred up the competition in this year's NCAA 1500m final

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Oregon's freshman Cole Hocker had an astonishing final kick in the 1500m. He finished with a personal best of 3:35.35 to edge out the collegiate record holder, Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame. 

Ann Arbor Skyline's (MI) Hobbs Kessler has leveled up this year. The senior shattered the high school 1500m national record of 3:38.26 which was held by Alan Webb from 2001.

At the Portland Track Festival, Hobbs set a lifetime best of 3:34.36.

Based on his best performance this year, Hobbs would have made the finals in the 1500m, broken the collegiate record and based on his season's best, would have won the NCAA title. 



* Jerry Philippe won the Louie Bing Memorial Classic earlier this year

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In the short hurdles, two explosive sprinters from Florida could have made the finals at the NCAA Track and Field Championships -- though it should be noted that NCAA hurdles move up to 42-inches from the standard 39 in high school. 

Both Jerry Philippe of Dillard (FL) and Ethan Exilhomme of Timber Creek (FL) posted wind-legal marks of 13.62 (+2.0) and 13.67 (+1.2) respectively in the 110mH this outdoor season.

Based on their season's best, Philippe would have finished seventh to earn All-American honors. Exilhomme would have just missed the podium by finishing ninth if both athletes were competing. 



* Jaylen Slade won the IMG Spring Break Invitational in 10.23w in March

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The indoor 200m national high school record holder would have made both the 100m and 200m final.

Jaylen Slade of IMG Academy's (FL) fastest wind-legal mark this year was 10.09 (+0.2) from the Pure Summer Invitational. 

Slade not only would have the No. 1 seed going into the finals, but he would also have tied for second place with Houston's freshman Shaun Maswanganyi



* Connor Washington won the 6A UIL State Championship in the 200m

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Along with Slade, Connor Washington would have made it in the 200m final at the NCAA Championships. 

Slade ran a personal best of 20.20 (+0.3) at the Pure Athletics Sprint Elite Meet. Meanwhile, Washington of Woodlands College Park (TX) earned the UIL Class 6A state title in 20.39 (+1.8). 

In this sprint event, Slade would have finished fourth and Washington would have just edged out Matthew Boling, who ran 20.48 for fifth, to earn All-American honors. 




* John Lester ran a 1:47.65 earlier this year in the 800m

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In the boy's 800m, John Lester ran a personal best this year of 1:47.65 at the Stumpton Twilight. This is the fastest time in the country so far this season. 

In the NCAA semi-finals, he would have just made it into the finals. The top eight finishers in the final ran faster than 1:46.76.

Even though he would have just missed All-American honors as a high schooler, there's a promising future for Lester in middle distance events. 




* Curtis Williams jumped a personal best this season in the long jump

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In the long jump, Leon's (FL) senior Curtis Williams showed progress all season. At the FHSAA Class 3A Track and Field Championships, he earned the state title in the long jump with a leap of 25-5 (+1.6) and is currently US No. 1 in this event. 

In his most recent performance, Williams would have grabbed an All-American honor by finishing eighth. 




* Kamyren Garrett cleared 7-2.50 at the adidas Indoor Nationals this year

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Two athletes would have tied for fifth at the NCAA Championships in the high jump.

Kamyren Garrett and Tyus Wilson both cleared 7-3 this year. 

Out of 10 high jump competitions, seven of Garrett's clearances were 7-0 or higher. He cleared the 7-3 bar at the Lawrence Central Invitational in April. During the indoor season, he cleared 7-2.25 twice. 

Wilson also cleared 7-3 in April at the Hillsboro-James Thomas Invitational. The Kansas State high jump champion cleared 7-0 or higher nine of the 10 jump competitions he's faced this year. 



* Tyus Wilson cleared 7-2 at the Kansas State Track and Field Championships this season




* Paige Sommers cleared 14-9 to improve on her national pole vault high school record 

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On the girl's side, there would have been an athlete in high school who would have dominated the NCAA competition and four other athletes who would have earned All-American honors.

Paige Sommers, the national pole vault record holder, broke the record twice this season. 

In April, the Westlake (CA) senior and Duke commit cleared 14-8.50 at the Vaulter Magazine Frosh-Soph Championships, to surpass Leah Pasqualetti's former mark of 14-8.25 from a year ago. 

About a month later, Sommers competed at the Marmonte League Prelims/Finals and improved by a half of an inch. The bar stood still at 14-9. 

Looking into the NCAA finals, Sommers would have cleared the competition by nearly four inches to be crowned the champion. 

Amanda Moll set a sophomore class record with a clearance of 14-7.25 and would have finished second behind Sommers. Finishing right behind Moll would have been Rancho Bernardo's (CA) Ashley Callahan who cleared 14-6 earlier this season. Clear Creek's Olivia Lueking would have also earned All-American honors with her 14-3 clearance from the UIL Class 6A - District 24 performance. 



* Juliette Whittaker was the first girl to hit the U.S Olympic Trials qualifying mark of 2:02.50 this season

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The top three high school girls in the 800m this year would have grabbed spots in the NCAA final. These girls have also hit the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying standard of 2:02.50 during this year.

Juliette Whittaker had the No. 1 performance in the 800m during the indoor season and was the first high schooler to hit an Olympic Trials qualifying mark. At the VA Showcase, she crossed the finish line in 2:02.07, which was the third-fastest high school all-time performance.

Mount De Sales Academy's (MD) junior hit the standard two more times during the outdoor season. She improved her time to 2:01.34 and then ran even faster at the John Hays Pennsylvania Distance Festival where she crossed the finish line in 2:01.15. 

Sophia Gorriaran of Moses Brown (RI) has been right in the mix all season. At the American Track League #3, Gorriaran grabbed the standard in 2:02.44 at this indoor meet and became the second girl this season to punch her ticket to the Olympic trials.

During this outdoor season, Gorriaran ran a season's best of 2:02.93 at the Trials of Miles NYC Qualifier. At this meet, Roisin Willis, who is now the fastest girl in the country, ran a 2:00.78 to win this event. 

Looking at the NCAA semi-final, all three girls would have made it to the final round. On Saturday, Willis would have finished third while Whittaker would have crossed the finish line for fourth. Gorriaran's fastest time of the year would have been the seventh fastest time at the championships.



* Sophia Gorriaran, Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis have the top three fastest times in the country this year in the 800m




* Jasmine Montgomery won the UIL Class 6A state title in the 100m

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Jasmine Montgomery of San Antonio Reagan (TX) and Shawnti Jackson of Run U XPress (NC) would have survived the semi-final round at the NCAA Championships in the 100m. 

The UIL Class 6A state champion in the 100m and 200m set a personal best of 11.27 (-0.7) at the adidas Boston Boost Games. She would have been the fifth-fastest girl for this round.

Jackson would have been the sixth-fastest girl going into the finals with a personal best of 11.28 (+1.8), which she ran at the Pure Athletics Sprint Meet Elite back in May. 

In the finals, these ladies would have finished eighth and ninth respectively.


* Jasmine Montgomery and Shawnti Jackson are US No. 1 & 2 in the 100m



* Alyssa Jones cleared 5-11.5 earlier this season

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Earlier this season, Alyssa Jones of Miami Southridge (FL) cleared 5-11.5 at the Spartan Invitational. This is the highest jump this season. 

This would have placed her sixth in the high jump final.