AFTER A PANDEMIC-INDUCED YEAR OFF we’re happy to be back in the business of naming our High School All-America teams. This year’s girls honorees are the 43rd grouping we have chosen since we launched the project after the ’78 season.
There were no individual doible-No. 1s this year, although Niwot, Colorado, did top 2 events in the relays. Shawnti Jackson (2nds in the 100, 200 & 400) uniquely claimed a trio of A-A honors.
There were also no fewer than 10 performers who earned A-A status in a pair of events: Jasmine Montgomery (1/3) & Kenondra Davis (4/5) in the 100/200, Roisin Willis (3/1) in the 400/800, Juliette Whittaker (2/2) & Addy Wiley (5/1) in the 800/mile, Mia Barnett (4/2) in the mile/2M, Nonah Waldron (4/5) in the 100H/300-400H, Ariel Pedigo (3/1) in the HJ/hept, Alyssa Jones (2/2) in the HJ/LJ and Jayden Ulrich (5/5) in the SP/DT.
The 2021 team (for an explanation of the workings of our A-A selecting, check out the sidebar at the end of this story):
| 100 METERS | ||
| 1. | JASMINE MONTGOMERY | (Reagan, San Antonio, Texas) |
| 1)State-6A, 1)adidas Dream, 1)NSAF/Nike; 11.27 HSL/11.09w | ||
| 2. | **SHAWNTI JACKSON | (Gibbons, Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| 1)State, 2)adidas Dream; 11.28/11.13w | ||
| 3. | VICTORIA PERROW | (Bullis, Potomac, Maryland) |
| 1)Brooks; 11.37 | ||
| 4. | KENONDRA DAVIS | (Trimble, Ft. Worth, Texas) |
| 1)State-5A, 2)Brooks; 11.38/11.27w | ||
| 5. | *AUTUMN WILSON | (Savio, Austin, Texas) |
| 1)NSAF/MOC, 3) Brooks; 11.39/11.29w | ||
THE UNDEFEATED MONTGOMERY finished her top-rated season with three big wins: 11.09w at State, 11.27 HSL at adidas Dream, 11.44 NSAF/Nike. She’s the first Texan at No. 1 since Victoria Jordan in ’08… Jackson was just 0.03 behind Montgomery in Boston… The first three from the loaded Brooks race take places 3-4-5.
| 200 METERS | ||
| 1. | *KAILA JACKSON | (Renaissance, Detroit, Michigan) |
| 1)State; 23.01 HSL/22.85w | ||
| 2. | **SHAWNTI JACKSON | (Gibbons, Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| 1)State; 23.06 | ||
| 3. | JASMINE MONTGOMERY | (Reagan, San Antonio, Texas) |
| 1)State-6A; 22.94w | ||
| 4. | SAMIRAH MOODY | (BB&N, Cambridge, Massachusetts) |
| 1)NSAF/Nike, 23.32 | ||
| 5. | KENONDRA DAVIS | (Trimble, Ft. Worth, Texas) |
| 1)State-5A, 23.11 | ||
HOW TO SPLIT A PAIR of undefeated state-champ Jacksons? It basically came down to times, as USATF JO winner Kaila had the year’s fastest performances both legal (23.01) and windy (22.85)… Shawnti — who is coached by her father Bershawn, the ’08 Olympic 400H bronze medalist — was only 0.05 slower on the year… Montgomery, also undefeated, was in the unusual position of not having a wind-legal race all year, but her aided marks, topped by a sub-23 at State, were enough for No. 3.
| 400 METERS | ||
| 1. | *KENNEDI SANDERS | (Ridgeland, Madison, Mississippi) |
| 1)State, 1)Brooks; 52.62 | ||
| 2. | **SHAWNTI JACKSON | (Gibbons, Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| 52.54 HSL | ||
| 3. | *ROISIN WILLIS | (Stevens Point, Wisconsin) |
| 1)NSAF/MOC, 2)Brooks; 52.64 | ||
| 4. | KENNEDY WADE | (Clear Falls, League City, Texas) |
| 1)State; 52.72 | ||
| 5. | *CHRISTINE MALLARD | (Legacy, Mansfield, Texas) |
| 52.66 | ||
JUST NARROWLY MISSING a ranking spot in both the 100 and 200, Sanders scored the top prize in the 400, becoming the first Mississippi No. 1 ever. Her Brooks win sewed up her status over list leader Jackson… Willis spent most of her time in the 800, but won the first NSAF title and was just 0.02 behind Sanders at Brooks.
| 800 METERS | ||
| 1. | *ROISIN WILLIS | (Stevens Point, Wisconsin) |
| 1)Trials of Miles Texas, 1)Trials of Miles NYC; 2:00.78 HSL | ||
| 2. | *JULIETTE WHITTAKER | (Mt. de Sales, Catonsville, Maryland) |
| 2)Trials of Miles NYC; 2:01.15 | ||
| 3. | **SOPHIE GORRIARAN | (Brown, Providence, Rhode Island) |
| 2)Trials of Miles Texas, 3)Trials of Miles NYC; 2:02.26 | ||
| 4. | ***ALLISON INCE | (Community, Normal, Illinois) |
| 1)Brooks; 2:03.98 | ||
| 5. | *ADDY WILEY | (North, Huntington, Indiana) |
| 1)State, 2)Brooks; 2:04.40 | ||
THE PRECOCIOUS TRIO OF Willis, Whittaker & Gorriaran all made it to the Olympic Trials, not that that had anything to do with their ordering, but it did clarify at what an elevated level they were competing… The sorting out came when all of them clashed at the NYC Trials of Miles affair and that order is how they finish here… Ince and Wiley sorted themselves out at Brooks.
| MILE | ||
| 1. | *ADDY WILEY | (North, Huntington, Indiana) |
| 1)RunningLane, 1)NSAF/Nike; 4:38.14 HSL | ||
| 2. | *JULIETTE WHITTAKER | (Mt. de Sales, Catonsville, Maryland) |
| 1)Brooks; 4:38.65 | ||
| 3. | *RILEY STEWART | (Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colorado) |
| 2)Brooks, 2)State; 4:40.66 | ||
| 4. | MIA BARNETT | (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta, California) |
| 1)Sound Running, 3) Brooks; 4:39.19 | ||
| 5. | ****SADIE ENGELHARDT | (Cabrillo MS, Ventura, California) |
| 2)RunningLane, 10)NSAF/Nike; 4:40.16 | ||
A LIST-LEADING 4:38.14 at the RunningLane race followed by an NSAF/Nike win a few weeks later sewed things up for Wiley. She becomes the first Hoosier ever to earn A-A status, let alone the first No. 1… The top Brooks finishers take spots 2-3-4… Engelhardt was 2nd at RunningLane, claiming a national 8th-grade record.
| 2 MILES | ||
| 1. | SYDNEY THORVALDSON | (Rawlins, Wyoming) |
| 1)Virginia Showcase, 1)adidas Indoor; 9:47.95 HSL | ||
| 2. | MIA BARNETT | (Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta, California) |
| 1)Arcadia; 9:55.67 | ||
| 3. | BRYNN BROWN | (Guyer, Denton, Texas) |
| 2)Virginia Showcase, 1)State; 9:51.00 | ||
| 4. | AUDREY DaDAMIO | (Seaholm, Birmingham, Michigan) |
| 1)State, 1)Brooks; 9:54.71 | ||
| 5. *CHARLOTTE BEDNAR | (Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey) | |
| 2)Brooks; 10:02.82 | ||
ORDINARILY, IT WOULD BE TOUGH to give the No. 1 spot to someone who didn’t run outdoors, but in these unusual times list-leader/double winner Thorvaldson gets the nod. She’s the first Wyoming No. 1 ever… Arcadia winner Barnett had the year’s fastest outdoor time… Brown lost only to Thorvaldson.
| 100 HURDLES | ||
| 1. | EDDIYAH FRYE | (Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) |
| 1)Bing, 1)State-4A, 1)Brooks; 13.35 HSL/13.14w | ||
| 2. | LUCHEYONA WEAVER | (Dunbar, Ft. Myers, Florida) |
| 1)State-3A, 2)Bing, 2)Brooks; 13.42 | ||
| 3. | JALAYSI’YA SMITH | (DeSoto, Texas) |
| 1)Texas Southern Relays, State-6A; 13.53/12.93w | ||
| 4. | **NONAH WALDRON | (Oak Park, Michigan) |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 13.56 | ||
| 5. | **YAHNARI LYONS | (Jonesboro, Georgia) |
| 1)State; 13.41 | ||
THE BROOKS RACE gave the undefeated Frye —with a list-leading 13.35 — a 2-0 record over Weaver as the Floridians rate 1-2… The last time a state had a 1-2 was ’10 for Californians Kori Carter & Trinity Wilson… Smith’s 12.93w to win Texas State moved her to =No. 4 on the all-time all-conditions list.
| 300/400 HURDLES | ||
| 1. | **AKALA GARRETT | (Harding, Charlotte, North Carolina) |
| 1)State, 1)Mark Trail, 1)NSAF/Nike; 41.23/57.48 HSL | ||
| 2. | ALEXIS GLASCO | (Aquinas, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) |
| 1)State, 3)Bing; 40.28 HSL | ||
| 3. | AMANDA KINLOCH | (North Miami, Florida) |
| 1)Bing, 2)State; 41.14/59.15 | ||
| 4. | ***MAKERIAH HARRIS | (Scotlandville, Louisiana) |
| 2)Mark Trail; 58.08 | ||
| 5. | **NONAH WALDRON | (Oak Park, Michigan) |
| 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 58.10 | ||
A TIGHT CALL between the 300H (Glasco) and 400H (Garrett) list leaders. The undefeated Garrett, who won the NSAF/Nike race, gets the nod over 1-loss Glasco, who wasn’t in the post-season battles. Glasco’s 40.28 moved her to =No. 8 on the all-time list… Kinloch won the one race Glasco lost.
| 4 x 100 RELAY | ||
| 1. | SEVEN LAKES | Katy, Texas |
| 1)State; 44.89 HSL | ||
| 2. | REAGAN | San Antonio, Texas |
| 2)State; 45.00 | ||
| 3. | BULLIS | Potomac, Maryland |
| 45.20 | ||
| 4. | RENAISSANCE | Detroit, Michigan |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 45.56 | ||
| 5. | DeSOTO | Texas |
| 3)State; 45.22 | ||
THE ONLY TEAM TO BREAK 45, undefeated Seven Lakes solidified its claim to No. 1 with a list-leading Texas State win… Reagan’s only loss was to Seven Lakes at State… Bullis had limited opportunities to run against quality competition but was fast enough for No. 3.
| 4 x 200 RELAY | ||
| 1. | DeSOTO | Texas |
| 1)State; 1:36.93 HSL | ||
| 2. | RENAISSANCE | Detroit, Michigan |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF; 1:36.99 | ||
| 3. | BUSH | Richmond, Texas |
| 2)State; 1:37.69 | ||
THE FIRST 2 TEAMS repeat from their ’19 positions, with DeSoto winning the always-loaded Texas 6A title and Michigan winner Renaissance also capturing the NSAF crown… No. 3 Bush was closest to DeSoto at State.
| 4 x 400 RELAY | ||
| 1. | NIWOT | Colorado |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 3:42.72 HSL | ||
| 2. | OAK PARK | Michigan |
| 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 3:43.62 | ||
| 3. | NORTHWESTERN | Miami, Florida |
| 1)State; 3:43.84 | ||
| 4. | SEVEN LAKES | Katy, Texas |
| 1)State; 3:44.23 | ||
| 5. | DeSOTO | Texas |
| 1)Texas Southern Relays, 2)State; 3:45.06 | ||
COLORADO’S FIRST No. 1 ever, Niwot won the NSAF/Nike race in the year’s fastest time… Eugene runner-up Oak Park takes the No. 2 spot behind undefeated State champs Northwestern and Seven Lakes.
| 4 x 800 RELAY | ||
| 1. | NIWOT | Colorado |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 8:52.48 HSL | ||
| 2. | IMG ACADEMY | Bradenton, Florida |
| 1)adidas Indoor; 8:56.87 | ||
| 3. | MEMORIAL | Haddonfield, New Jersey |
| 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 9:00.51 | ||
| 4. | UNION CATHOLIC | Scotch Plains, New .Jersey |
| 3) NSAF/Nike, 4)State; 9:01.49 | ||
| 5. | LA CAÑADA | La Cañada Flintridge, California |
| 4)NSAF/Nike; 9:01.95 | ||
THE ONLY SCHOOL to break 9:00 twice, Niwot produced an 8:55.86 in an invitational then cranked off the year-leading 8:52.48 to win Nike/NSAF… IMG didn’t have an outdoor time, but its 8:56.57 to win the adidas Indoor race was enough for No. 2… Then come the next 3 Nike finishers, all with seasonal bests in that race.
| 4 x MILE | ||
| 1. | SARATOGA SPRINGS | New York |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 19:40.67 HSR | ||
| 2. | NIWOT | Colorado |
| 2)NSAF/Nike; 19:45.37 | ||
| 3. | ONALASKA | Wisconsin |
| 3) NSAF/Nike; 20:11.12 | ||
THE SARATOGA SPRINGS QUARTET of Ella Kurto (4:52.82), Alycia Hurt (4:57.74), Mackenzie Hart (4:55.84) & Emily Bush (4:54.26) crushed the national record by almost 20 seconds. The old mark of 19:56.75 was set by Suffern, New York, in ’06)… Runner-up Niwot broke the former standard by almost 15 seconds.
| SPRINT MEDLEY | ||
| 1. | OAK PARK | Michigan |
| 1)Virginia Showcase, 1)NSAF/Nike; 3:57.43 HSL | ||
| 2. | UNION CATHOLIC | Scotch Plains, New .Jersey |
| 2)NSAF/Nike; 4:02.25 | ||
| 3. | AMERICAN HERITAGE | Plantation, Florida |
| 4:02.24 | ||
OAK PARK WAS THE national list leader both indoors and out, the fastest time coming in winning NSAF by almost 5 seconds… With a deeper overall record, Union Catholic edges American Heritage for the No. 2 spot.
| DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY | ||
| 1. | NIWOT | Colorado |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 11:33.51 HSL | ||
| 2. | IMG ACADEMY | Bradenton, Florida |
| 1)adidas Indoor; 11:34.86 | ||
| 3. | SARATOGA SPRINGS | New York |
| 2)NSAF/Nike; 11:42.02 | ||
POWERFUL NIWOT won the important Nike race by almost 9 seconds for a year-leading mark that rates ahead of IMG’s indoor biggie… Saratoga Springs was a clear No. 3.
| HIGH JUMP | ||
| 1. | NYALAAM JOK | (Annandale, Minnesota) |
| 1)State; 6-0 =HSL | ||
| 2. | *ALYSSA JONES | (Southridge, Miami, Florida) |
| 1)Bing, 1)State; 5-11½ | ||
| 3. | ARIEL PEDIGO | (Parkview, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| 1)adidas Indoor, 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 5-10 | ||
| 4. | ****JaiCIEONNA GERO-HOLT | (Middle School, Puyallup, Washington) |
| 5-11¼ | ||
| 5. | *EMMA GATES | (Cascade, Turner, Oregon) |
| 1)State; 5-11 | ||
THE YEAR’S CO-LIST LEADER, Minnesota champion Jok was undefeated in becoming her state’s first-ever No. 1 here… Jones was an undefeated state champ… Top-rated heptathlete Pedigo was very consistent in the high jump… Another burgeoning 7-event star, Gero-Holt got all her big marks in hept competition.
| POLE VAULT | ||
| 1. | PAIGE SOMMERS | (Westlake, Westlake Village, California) |
| 1)Vaulter Mag, 1)Arcadia, =12)NSAF/Nike; 14-9 =HSR | ||
| 2. | **AMANDA MOLL | (Capital, Olympic, Washington) |
| 4)NSAF/Nike, 14-7¼ | ||
| 3. | **HANA MOLL | (Capital, Olympia, Washington) |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 14-4 | ||
| 4. | *KENNA STIMMEL | (Margaretta, Castalia, Ohio) |
| 1)adidas Indoor, 1)State, 3)NSAF/Nike; 14-1 | ||
| 5. | OLIVIA LUEKING | (Clear Creek, League City, Texas) |
| 3)State; 14-3 | ||
THE CLEAR NO. 1 was AOY Paige Sommers, who equaled the national record… The tough decision was which of the Moll twins should get No. 2. Hana won at NSAF, but overall Amanda was 6-3 against her. On pure marks, Amanda led 6-4 in marks over 14-feet, and had a 3¼-inch edge on seasonal best, so Hana ends up as No. 3. They’ll have 2 more years of battling it out in the prep ranks… Stimmel was a 4-time 14-footer.
| LONG JUMP | ||
| 1. | ***AVERY LEWIS | (Friends’ Central, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania) |
| 1)Virginia Showcase, 1)adidas Indoor; 21-2½ HSL | ||
| 2. | *ALYSSA JONES | (Southridge, Miami, Florida) |
| 1)State; 20-7¼/21-4w | ||
| 3. | PAIGE FLORIEA | (Mentor, Ohio) |
| 1)State; 19-10¼/20-4¾w | ||
| 4. | **SOPHIA BECKMON | (Oregon City, Oregon) |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 19-10¼ | ||
| 5. | *KEVIAH EALY | (Rockwall, Texas) |
| 1)State, 20-1/20-2w | ||
ALL 5 RANKERS were undefeated outdoors… Lewis dominated the indoor season with the best legal jump of the year, indoors or out, at 21-2½ and wins in two big invitationals. Outdoors she had just two meets but produced 3 windy 20-footers in those… Jones was the outdoor leader with a legal 20-7¼ and a 21-4 with no wind information).
| TRIPLE JUMP | ||
| 1. | BRYA BREWER | (Cedar Hill, Texas) |
| 1)State; 43-0 HSL | ||
| 2. | *KAYLA PINKARD | (Carrollton, Georgia) |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 42-6 | ||
| 3. | RILEY AMMENHAUSER | (Nequa Valley, Naperville, Illinois) |
| 1)State, 5)NSAF/Nike; 41-½/42-11w | ||
| 4. | ELISE MILLER | (San Pasqual, Escondido, California) |
| 1)Arcadia; 42-3½ | ||
| 5. | RIEKO WILFORD | (Curtis, University Place, Washington) |
| 2)NSAF/Nike; 41-½ | ||
BREWER WAS THE undefeated Texas champion and national leader at 43-0… She’s followed by NSAF/Nike winner Pinkard (who also won the USATF JO late in the summer)… Ammenhauser put up 7 meets over 40-feet, taking No. 3 ahead of Miller, who while undefeated also had a thin record.
| SHOT | ||
| 1. | SARAH MARVIN | (Byron, Michigan) |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 51-11 | ||
| 2. | MAKAYLA LONG | (Perry, Gilbert, Arizona) |
| 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 50-8 | ||
| 3. | ASHLYN GILES | (Schuylkill Valley, Leesport, Pennsylvania) |
| 1)adidas Indoor, 1)State-2A, 6)NSAF/Nike; 52-11 HSL | ||
| 4. | SINIRU IHEOMA | (Council Rock South, Holland, Pennsylvania) |
| 1)State-3A, 2)adidas Indoor, 3)NSAF/Nike; 51-8½ | ||
| 5. | JAYDEN ULRICH | (East Alton-Wood River, Wood River, Illinois) |
| 1)State, 1)Throws Fest, 5)NSAF/Nike; 51-10¾ | ||
THE 5 FARTHEST throwers in the nation met at the NSAF Nationals, with their order in Eugene looming large. For champion Marvin it marked a 15th straight win and sixth straight meet over 50-feet… Even though she was the national list-leader, Giles ends up as No. 3 after her poor Nike finish.
| DISCUS | ||
| 1. | FAITH BENDER | (Liberty, Bakersfield, California) |
| 1)“State”; 176-3 HSL | ||
| 2. | AMELIA FLYNT | (Cinco Ranch, Katy, Texas) |
| 1)State, 7)NSAF/Nike; 173-7 | ||
| 3. | CHRYSTAL HERPIN | (Dawson, Pearland, Texas) |
| 2)State; 168-7 | ||
| 4. | **EMMA SRALLA | (Marcus, Flower Mound, Texas) |
| 3)State; 170-8 | ||
| 5. | JAYDEN ULRICH | (East Alton-Wood River, Wood River, Illinois) |
| 1)State, 1)Throws Fest, 24)NSAF/Nike; 168-1 | ||
BENDER DID IT ALL, going undefeated and producing the year’s two farthest meets, 176-3 and 173-9… Despite a poor NSAF showing, Flynt takes the runner-up spot after beating Herpin and Sralla in the deep Texas-6A… Ulrich had 8 meets over 160 but bombed at NSAF.
| HAMMER | ||
| 1. | SOPHIA GALLUCCI | (Coventry, Rhode Island) |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 179-11 | ||
| 2. | CARA SALSBERRY | (Somerset Canyons, Boynton Beach, Florida) |
| 182-3 HSL | ||
| 3. | *KATELYN PETERSON | (Dixon, California) |
| 2)NSAF/Nike; 175-4 | ||
SALSBERRY HAD the farthest throw, but no major meet credentials so she ends up behind NSAF winner Gallucci and ahead of NSAF runner-up Peterson.
| JAVELIN | ||
| 1. | KATELYN FAIRCHILD | (Andale, Kansas) |
| 1)State, 2)NSAF/Nike; 175-4 | ||
| 2. | KOHANA NAKATO | (Summit, Bend, Oregon) |
| 1)State, 1)NSAF/Nike; 169-1 | ||
| 3. | SYDNEY JUSZCZYK | (Trinity, St. Louis, Missouri) |
| 1)State, 3)NSAF/Nike; 177-11 HSL | ||
| 4. | **McKENZIE FAIRCHILD | (Andale, Kansas) |
| 2)State, 6)NSAF/Nike; 159-2. | ||
| 5. | *NICOLE WOODS | (Northern-Demarest, Demarest, New Jersey) |
| 1)State, 2)JavFest; 153-4 | ||
THE PROLIFIC Katelyn Fairchild didn’t have the year’s longest throw but had 4 meets over 170 and another 6 over 160. Along the way she became the only prep to make an Olympic Trials final, finishing 12th… Nakato came up with a big PR to capture the NSAF title… List leader Juszczyk had only the one meet past 160.
| HEPTATHLON | ||
| 1. | ARIEL PEDIGO | (Parkview, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) |
| 1)NSAF/Nike; 5493 HSL | ||
| 2. | *BRYANNA CRAIG | (Coronado, Lubbock, Texas) |
| 1)NSAF/MOC, 2)NSAF/Nike; 5138 | ||
| 3. | SOPHIE GALLOWAY | (Graves, Mayfield, Kentucky) |
| 3) NSAF/Nike; 5111 | ||
SORTING THIS ONE OUT was easy, the top 3 scorers getting their marks at NSAF… Pedigo was busy for a heptathlete, racking up scores of 5493, 5493, 5363 & 5323 (yes, all ending in 3).
| SPECIAL MENTION | |||
| SYDNEY MASCIARELLI | (Marianapolis, Thompson, Connecticut) | steeplechase | |
Masciarelli set a national record in the 2000 steeple at 6:25.35 and won the NSAF/Nike race at 6:36.34.
| SPECIAL MENTION | |||
| *JENNA HUTCHINS | (Science Hill, Johnson City, Tennessee) | 5000 | |
Running in December of ’20, Hutchins lowered the national record in the 5000 to 15:34.47.