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| girls sprints-hurdles | 08-09 most outstanding performers |
This is the eighth of a series of DyeStat year-end awards for 2008-09. The DyeStat Most Outstanding Performers series, which precedes the DyeStat Athlete of the Year awards, includes top honors for boys and girls distances, sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws, relays, and multi-events. Selections are made by DyeStat editors and are based a combination of multiple major victories/honors won and performances on all-time and yearly lists. Performances from outdoor track, indoor track, and cross-country are taken into account..
Text by SteveU - Photos by John Nepolitan, Walter Pinion, John Dye, and Greg Smotherman
Chalonda Goodman
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 For all of the NON titles Chalonda Goodman won through her junior year (4), there were occasional comments from pundits to the effect that she didn’t beat the best sprinters in the championships she won (if the competition was racing at USATF Jrs or elsewhere) or that she didn’t have the fastest times. In 2009, however, the Newman GA senior – stronger, faster, better than ever – prepared herself to reach new levels and make sure that this was her time. The results, in a truly epic year, were just about everything she could have hoped for.
Oh, she had a loss here and there, but nothing in the 100 or 200, her specialties. One of the defeats came to fellow Georgian Takeia Pinckney in the 60 at U. of Kentucky, but she still ran a fast 7.34 in 2nd, US#2 for the year, and won the 200 in an indoor PR 23.79 (oversized), #3 for the year. A month later in Boston, Goodman showed she can won Nike titles indoors as well as out, taking the 60 in 7.42 and the 200 in 23.96. She had had her best indoor season, but the goals of having the fastest times were still out there.
Outdoors, four weeks later, Goodman quickly achieved that goal, blazing legal 11.30 (+0.8w) and 23.32 (+0.4w) dashes at Taco Bell. Those national leaders would hold up all spring, until she broke them herself at NON. Meanwhile, she had big doubles at Mobile with 11.64 (-1.4w)/23.69(-0.2w) and her 5A state meet with 11.54/23.91 (both nwi). She passed on the early post-season meets to prepare for NON and USATF Juniors.
It was in Greensboro that Goodman really began to establish her legacy as one of the best ever. Friday, she tied her PR with an 11.30 100 prelim (0.8w), then ran a strong 11.38 into a 1.8 headwind. Her 200 prelim Saturday was an unspectacular 23.59 (+0.5), but in the final she ran like never before and crushed her PR with a US#1 22.94 (-0.6), good for =#10 all-time. Goodman was now the heavy favorite at USATF Jrs and she flew to wind-aided marks of 11.17 and 11.19 in the 100, then 23.41 and a big 22.74w (+2.6) in the 200. The final goal was a sweep at Pan Am Juniors and she finally lowered he legal 100 PR down to 11.22 (+0.8w), giving her a 2nd #10 all-time US, and ran her second best legal 200 ever at 23.08 (+1.3w). In almost every way, it was a satisfying dream year for Goodman.
| Ebony Eutsey
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 Eutsey started to earn attention amongst prep track fans when she started running 54s and 53-high for 400 as a Miami Southridge freshman, then really made jaws drop when she drilled her time down to 52.67 at the USATF Youth meet that year. As a soph in 2008, she wasn’t quite as fast, but still ran 53.23 in winning Golden West and added 200 PRs of 23.79 and 23.67w. The thing was, outside of Florida, it was very difficult to find her except at the aforementioned meets in those respective years. In 2009, however, Eutsey really took to the national stage and truly established herself as the ruling 400 runner in the country – and inspired excitement for what she might do as a senior next year.
Eutsey came out of the gate very strong, hitting early US#1s of 53.36 and 24.02 (+0.0w) at the Sam Burley meet in early March. Then in early April, she had a chance to race pro Dominique Darden at the Miami Elite meet and finished 2nd by .41 in a stellar PR of 52.42. Known for keeping it on cruise control when it makes sense, she sailed through much of the rest of her regular season, though she threw down a 53.43/23.84 (+0.1w) double at the GMAC meet. The next big test was the Florida 4A state meet, where she rolled to titles in 52.68 and 24.06 (+1.6w).
It was six long weeks until her next test, but she made her first NON appearance in mid-June and made it a good one, dropping her PR to 52.07, good for #16 all-time US. Next was the World Youth trials, something she had been aiming for all year. Against most of the country’s best overall – the 400 had the meet’s top field – she won in 52.78, despite a bad lane 1 draw after an uninspired prelim. That sent her to Italy, where she was the favorite to win the World Youth title. Continuing her unfailing consistency below 53 seconds, she won in 52.88 and capped off the meet by anchoring the winning medley relay. It will now be several months until we what Eutsey might have in store for us as a senior.
| Jasmin Stowers
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 Since her middle school years, Jasmin Stowers has been a national class hurdler. Even in 2005, as a 7th-grader, she ran 14.27 for the 100H. As an 8th-grader, she ran 13.90 and 13.82w, setting an age-14 USR. Her first two years of high school at Pendleton SC, she continued to progress, eventually five setting age- and class-records, indoors and out. But while she ran times that would win titles in a lot of years, she most often was overshadowed by upperclassmen like Jackie Coward – who won almost every short hurdle race she ran in 2007 and 2008. Still, Stowers was 4th in the World Youth meet in 07 and won NON in 08 when Coward was running USATF Jrs.
This year, however, Stowers was finally one of those upperclassmen – and she made sure she stepped up to the plate. Indoors, she cranked out some fast 60H times early, working her way down from the 8.5s to a then-US#1 8.43 by the mid-February Kentucky Invite. At NON, she would have tough competition, like Donique’ Flemings TX, who was right behind her on the national list. Stowers looked solid in the quarters and semis, but in the final she surprised even herself – reaching a new level with a big PR 8.30, #4 all-time U.S.
Outdoors, Stowers hit a solid 13.72w (+3.2) at Taco Bell to get going. She would find that a tough mark to beat, as sub-14s eluded her again until the Dekalb Atlanta International, when she ran 13.81 in her prelim. At Great Southwest, she had strong winds at her back and used a 4.0 breeze for her fastest mark ever: a 13.32. Then it was on to NON, where she faced Kori Carter CA, who had led the U.S. list all spring at 13.59. It looked to be one of the better matchups of the meet, but Stowers won by more than a quarter-second, matching the national lead with her own 13.59 (-1.1w). She also ran a very fast 13.49w (+2.2) in the prelims. She bypassed the USATF Jrs, but came back for the USATF JOs and won that in 13.85 into a 1.6 headwind.
| Kori Carter
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 Kori Carter entered action this year after a very successful 2008. She had made a big breakthrough in 300H at Arcadia, dropping her time down to 41.58, a mark she would lower by .30 more at state. She would end up US#4 for the year there, and also run 13.89 for 100H. And although 10 preps ran faster than her at 400H, her 1:00.26 at USATF Jrs was the right race at the right time and earned her 2nd at a trip to the World Juniors in Poland – despite the fact that she was young enough that THIS year she could compete at World Youths. It was a great year and would be tough to improve on, but for the most part, Carter did it.
The Claremont CA junior didn’t run indoors, but outdoors she started like a house afire, hitting the year’s first sub-60 400H with her PR 59.89 the week before Arcadia. Then at that big invite the next week, Carter shredded both the 100H and 300H fields with US#1 marks of 13.67 (-0.9w) and 41.09 – the latter mark staying on top all year. She followed that up with 100H/300H victories at Mt. SAC, then headed to the Penn 400H the next week – but there the crush of big meets caught up with her and she was just 8th in 1:01.67 on a tough day. She went back to California and got ready for the rest of the year and the World Youth trip she hoped to earn.
By the CIF state meet, Carter was back down to 41.26, her 2nd best ever, and she hit 13.59 (+1.8w) for a new US#1. NON was something of a letdown, as she was well-beaten in 3rd at the 100H and passed on the 400H. Maybe she was just listening to her body better. After a pedestrian 100H prelim (30” hurdles) at World Youth Trials, Carter ran a sizzling 13.48 final (+1.0) for the win, her 2nd Team USA vest, and a co-favorite’s role in Italy. She didn’t quite get the win, but she crushed her new 100H 30” PR with a 13.23 for the silver, #3 all-time US. Carter had dealt with the ups and downs in an ambitious year and still has another to go.
| Ashton Purvis
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 Ashton Purvis hasn’t been around forever – it just seems like it since she first started running with the elite preps as a middle schooler. Remember her 24.12 200 at Simplot in 2006, which ranked her #9 indoors, as an 8th-grader? As a freshman and sophomore at St. Elizabeth’s (Oakland CA), she has always been in the hunt for titles at the state and national level, and 2009 would be no different.
Purvis annually makes Simplot and NSIC part of her schedule, and after starting her season at the U-W Invite, she went to Idaho to defend her 60 and 200 titles. She did just that, in 7.47 and 23.99 – not quite as fast as 2008, but getting the job done. A month later in New York, however, she did more than get the job done. In the 200 prelims she served notice she was ready to rock with a 23.49 and, in the final, she knocked down her PR to a US#1 23.37, improving her hold on #5 all-time US.
Outdoors followed a similar pattern. Purvis repeated her 100/200 sweep at Arcadia, but with slower times, and cruised through the rest of her regular season. She had a setback at CIF state when she false-started in the 100 prelims, but she won the 200 with a fast, dominant 23.46 (+0.0w). Purvis used USATF Jrs basically as a tuneup meet for the World Youth Trials a few days later, where she hoped to become a rare two-time qualifier for the team. The fields were very strong, but she won decisively in 11.61 (+0.0w) and a near-PR 23.38 (+0.2w). In Italy, she was a clear medal favorite and gold medal threat and came up with a pair of bronzes, plus a medley relay gold. In the 100 final, she came within .08 of her PR with a 11.48 (+0.7), but in the 200 smashed her PR with a sterling 23.15 (+0.9) – both US#3. She still has her senior year to look forward to.
| | | | Honorable Mention |
Octavious Freeman – Freeman was the top freshman at 100 and 200 in 2008 (11.66/23.95) and quickly started chipping fractions off those marks this spring. By late April, she had run 11.36 and 23.66, both nwi. She battled headwinds at 2A state, but still got the double win with 11.95 (-0.9w) and 24.22 (-2.4w). The Lake Wales FL soph then began a strong, extended post-season that saw terrific doubles at Golden South – US#3 11.48 (+1.1w)/23.78 (+0.5w) – and Great Southwest – 11.20w (+6.9)/ then-US#2 23.36 (+1.5w). At NON, she knew she would have to face the reigning queen in two-time champ Chalonda Goodman GA. In the 100, she ran 11.66 in getting beat by 0.28, a race she seemed clearly unhappy with. In the 200, though, she hammered a big PR and US#2 23.20 (-0.6w), pushing Goodman to her first sub-23. Foes can’t be pleased they’ll be facing Freeman for two more years.
Trinity Wilson – Wilson came into her freshman year at St. Mary’s CA already a national-class hurdler and quickly took aim at class records – and major victories. She missed Jasmin Stowers’ frosh 55H mark by just .01, but her 7.94 actually led the nation. At 60H, she lowered Stowers’ record to 8.44 in winning Simplot, then in March claimed the NSIC title in 8.61. Outdoors, she broke 14 in the Arcadia 100H (13.92, -0.9) in getting 2nd to Kori Carter. Wilson had a 100H DNF in her section finals, so only ran the 100 open at state, but came back at Golden West for a legal 13.77 win (+1.5w) that was an age-14 USR and would end up US#4. She didn’t try for the World Youth meet, but against girls/women up to five years older at USATF Juniors, she ran a super 13.51w (+3.4) prelim and 13.55w (+2.6w) final. She was too young to be chosen for the Pan Am Games, but watch out for her the next three years.
Turquoise Thompson – Finally with a chance to compete on the CIF level again, Thompson had a strong season at her new school, Gardena Serra CA – with ups and downs, to be sure, but with some very good performances. She low-keyed it indoors, running just a prelim and relays at Simplot, and obviously not in top form yet at NSIC. At Arcadia, she was 2nd to Kori Carter at 300H at 42.41, then beat her at the Penn 400H, though both were well back. Then her times started coming down; she hit US#2 41.45 at the CIF SS D4 prelims, then 53.45 400 flat at the SS Masters – but she fell in the 300H in the latter meet. At state, Thompson won a 400 thriller over Akawkaw Ndipagbor, then US#2-53.10 to 53.12. She returned to the 400H at USATF Jrs and made the Pan Am team with a 2nd, her 57.93 a US#1 and just .26 off her PR. She finished 4th at Pan Ams in 59.08.
Briana Nelson – Nelson has been at or near the top of the 400 wars since she was a surprise 2nd overall at NON as a soph in 53.74. Each season, she has pushed to shave fractions off her times and in 2009 finally broke 53. First came an indoor campaign where she won her 2nd straight NIN 400 title in 54.15, and was 2nd in the 200. Outdoors, she hit 53.71 to win Taco Bell early, but then raised eyebrows at state with a sterling PR 53.18/24.06 double. After winning the 400 and 2nd in the 200 at Great Southwest, the J.L. Mann SC junior went to NON and got her first 52 – a then-US#2 52.38 for 2nd behind Ebony Eutsey. At the World Youth Trials, the she was edged for a team spot in the 400, but ran a PR 23.71 to make the 200 team. In Italy, she again PR’d with a US#9 23.63 (+0.9) for 4th and ran on the winning medley relay. Nelson finished the season winning USATF JOs in 53.16 (Young Women) after a 52.93 prelim.
Robin Reynolds – A youth prodigy who had run a stupefying 53.10 400 as a 7th-grader in 2007, Reynolds’ first prep season at Miami Jackson FL was eagerly anticipated. Most notable early was her improvement in the shorter sprints, as she got down to US#6 11.56 (+1.4) and US#11 23.67 (+0.7) as part of a 3A state meet quadruple. Her 400s were still well off her PR, though. Her 400 got down to 54.07 as part of her Intermediate Girls quadruple at USATF Youth Nationals. Then at USATF JOs, she started with a 23.37w prelim on day 3 in IG, then wowed the track world with a US#3 52.60 400 PR prelim on day 4, plus a great 100 qualifier and LJ win. On day 5, she won the 200 in a slower time, then started day 6 losing the 100, but in the 400 she returned to truly epic form as she hammered her PR again, down to US#2 and frosh USR 52.15 – an amazing climax to a great freshman year.
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Year-End Awards Index |
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