* Jack Michalak is the fastest freshman this season over 800m
Photo Credit: Dave Tibbetts/MileSplit Florida
- - -
A big weekend at the FSU Relays in Tallahassee and the Texas Relays in Austin provided plenty of competition for the nation's freshmen, and it's safe to say they didn't let the opportunity go to waste.
Check out the first four 'Future Stars' of the outdoor season.
San Diego (Calif.)
Class of 2028
After making the trip in for the Texas Relays from San Diego, the freshman held his own against a challenging field in both races. Fontenot won both the Boys Division II prelim and final, clocking a wind-aided 13.47 in the final. The freshman also ran the 100m, finishing ninth overall with a wind-aided 10.85, a new PB. Fontenot sits No. 1 overall in the state in the 110mH but is No. 1 and No. 3 in the 300mH and 100m compared to in-state freshman.
South Texas Heat (Texas)
Class of 2028
The freshman continues to put on a show in her first year at the high school level, most recently running 10:12.54 in her runner-up finish in the Texas Relays 3200m final. Latta was the lone freshman in the field but pulled away from a field that saw seven girls run under 11:00. Latta currently leads all Texans in the eight-lap race, and is the top freshman in the nation so far. She also ran 4:45.47 for 1600m less than two weeks ago
Belen Jesuit Preparatory (Fla.)
Class of 2028
The next great runner to don the yellow Belen Jesuit Prep singlet has made his presence known already this outdoor season. At his first FSU Relays, Michalak registered a new 800 PB, winning his heat in a lifetime PB of 1:55.13. Michalak led 10 competitors under 2:00 and was the tenth-fastest on the day out of over 50 racers. He also ran the 1600m, finishing 22nd in 4:41.65, 19 seconds back from his season best he ran in February.
Pearland Dawson (Texas)
Class of 2028
At the Texas Relays over the weekend, one of the best young throwers in the country left Austin with two new PBs in the discus and the shot put. Herpin finished third and sixth in both events, respectively. Her best mark in the disc was 151-11, her first time surpassing the 150-0 barrier. In the shot, she added nearly two feet to her previous best, with a new best mark of 45-8.5. Herpin leads the country's freshman in the discus and the shot put and sits inside the top five in Texas freshman history in both events.
