by Ricky Quintana
Some of the nation’s top ranked hurdlers vie for the national high school championship title.
Here’s an event-by-event preview:
100m Hurdles
The 100m hurdles will bring together the three of the top six hurdlers in the country. Florida seems to be the hotbed for hurdling this year, and the two Sunshine State leaders will meet for the fourth time this season. A few Texans are entered for good measure.
Shantia Moss (Pompano Beach, FL)- Moss finished the season undefeated in the 100m hurdles, but a stumble in the 300m hurdles at the Great Southwest has left her slightly injured. She still has had a dominant season, winning at the NIKE Indoor Championships, the Florida Relays and 2A Florida state championships, where she set a state meet record of 13.53. She has pinned three losses against Florida rival and second fastest hurdler in the nation, Pavi’Elle James (Northwestern, Miami, FL), and at the Great Southwest lowered the national leading time to 13.51. Last year, she was runner-up.
Pavi’Elle James (Northwestern, Miami, FL)- James won the 4A state title for the second year in a row with a state meet record tying 13.53. The diminutive junior will have one more year to lower the state record. James finished 5 th last year at AOC and then went on to finish 6 th at the World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada.
Jessica Ohanaja (Westbury, Houston, TX)-Ohanaja placed 4 th at the Texas 5A state championships in a time of 14.10. She has a best of 13.85 this year. The Louisiana State signee finished 8 th in last year’s final.
LeeAndrea Robinson (Kimball, Dallas, TX)- Robinson, a junior, won the Texas 4A state championship in a season best time of 13.66 which is US#5. She finished 3 rd at the Great Southwest.
April Williams (Skyline, Dallas, TX)- The frosh lived up to her billing taking 3 rd at the Texas 5A state championships. At the Great Southwest Classic, she DNF’ed.
400m Hurdles
In the rarely run 400m hurdles, it is often unpredicted how high schoolers can handle the additional 100m of hurdles. With only one runner entered at under 60 seconds, this race could be wide open.
The top entrants are:
Selena Sappleton (AP Randolph, NY)- Pittsburgh bound Sappleton finished 5 th in time of 1:01.53 at the prestigious Penn Relays. She improved on that time twice at the NYSPHSAA to win in a personal best of 58.94. That time is the fastest of all the entrants and the second fastest time in the nation.
Lizzie Harris (Northwestern, Miami, FL)- Frosh Harris came up big placing 2 nd at the Florida 4A state championships in a time of 42.58.
Krystal Cantey (Winslow Township, Sickersville, NJ)- Sophomore Cantey placed second in both the group championships and the All Group Championships. Her best time this season was a 60.97. She finished 7 th last year.
Deandra Doyley (Ft. Lauderdale HS, Coral Springs, FL)- Doyley ran a quick 42.58 to finish 2 nd in the Florida 3A state championships. Doyley will have fewer duties required by running for team. That should leave the sophomore well rested and able to challenge for All-American.
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