PREPS BROKE FAST from the startline in the new year, taking down no fewer than 3 High School Records before the second weekend in February.
Fast 600 Ignites Season
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, December 29 — The foreshadowing of the big Quincy Wilson (Bullis, Potomac, Maryland) season started at the USMC Holiday Classic, where Jaden Marchan (Leonia, New Jersey) zipped 600 in 1:17.66, becoming No. 4 ever. Wilson finished a step behind him in 1:17.81, a new soph-class record.
HSRs Fall At Virginia Showcase
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, January 12–13 — Quincy Wilson made a big splash at the Virginia Showcase, winning the 500 in 1:01.27, a soph-class record that ranks No. 2 all-time. He also ran a 46.66 leg on the Bullis sprint medley that broke the High School Record at 3:23.86 (old best 3:24.02 by Chantilly, Virginia, in ’16).
A fast 4×2 put Carroll (Washington, DC) at No. 3 all-time with a 1:25.79, while Smith (Chesapeake, Virginia) equaled No. 4 with its 1:26.01. IMG (Bradenton, Florida) ran 1:26.28 to move to No. 9.
The girls side saw an epic 60 dash clash between Mia Brahe-Pedersen (Lake Oswego, Oregon) and Adaejah Hodge (Academy, Montverde, Florida). At the 50 point, cameras registered Hodge in front with a 6.24 HSR that tied the World Junior Record set by East Germany’s Marlies Göhr in ’77. Brahe-Pedersen passed in 6.25, No. 2 prep ever. Close behind was Brianna Selby (Indian River, Chesapeake) in 6.26 (=3 HS).
At the 60 finish, however, fast-closing Brahe-Pedersen slipped past in 7.22 to become =No. 6 prep ever, while Hodge finished in 7.24 for = No. 9. Selby ran 7.28 in 3rd.
Brahe-Pedersen also won the 200 in 22.92, the No. 5 prep performance ever, and Hodge clocked 36.97 at 300 to move to No. 3 performer ever. Hodge got a share of another HSR in the 4 x 400, where her 54.09 led off the Montverde team that clocked 3:37.63, taking 1.28 off the 3:38.91 set by Long Beach Poly 20 years ago.
Gero-Holt Soars
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, January 13 — At the Washington Preview, JaiCieonna Gero-Holt (Emerald Ridge, Puyallup) served notice that she hasn’t lost a step. The junior multi-eventer cleared 6-1¼ in the high jump, tying for the No. 4 performer in prep history.
Fast 300 In New York
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, January 20 — At the Hall Of Fame Invitational, junior Jayden Horton-Mims (Imhotep, Philadelphia) cruised 32.92 over 300, moving to No. 7 ever at that distance. Close behind was busy soph Quincy Wilson at 33.12, good for =No. 9 on the list.
More 600 Speed
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA, January 19 — The altitude helped, and the 300 track did as well, but BYU recruit Tyler Mathews (Red Mountain, Mesa, Arizona) still produced a notable 600 time at the Lumberjack Team Challenge, clocking 1:17.76. On the all-conditions list he moved to No. 5 all-time.
And A Big Score For Gero-Holt
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, January 26 — Competing against collegians at the Illini Challenge, JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, who has already committed to Illinois, racked up 3865 in the 5-eventer to move to No. 5 on the all-time list. She hurdled 9.20, then dominated the high jump at 6-0. She finished up the day with a 43-1 shot, 17-9¾ long jump, and a 2:40.77 over 800.
Wilson Burns A 200
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, February 03 — Quincy Wilson took down another soph-class record at the East Coast Invitational. This time he blazed 21.02 over 200, and added a 1:03.24 win at 500.
Muhammad With Big Vault
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLORADO, February 03 — Home-schooled Jathiyah Muhammad (Dublin, California), last year’s No. 3-rated All-America showed that she will again be a force on the vault scene. At the Air Force Open, she cleared 14-7¼ to become No. 4 ever indoors (and =7 in/out). Brother Khaliq, a junior, rates high on the boys’ list at 16-5.
Engelhardt 1000 In Weekend Double
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, February 03 — At BU’s Lehane Scarlet & White meet, junior Sadie Engelhardt (Ventura, California) went after a fast 1000 the day before New Balance, and finished in 2:41.00—a mark only 3 other preps have bettered.
Jourdon Joins The Sub-4 Club
BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, February 03-04 — Jojo Jourdon (Olympus, Salt Lake City) blazed 3:59.87 to win the Junior International mile at the New Balance GP, in the process becoming the first-ever NXN champion to break 4:00 indoors as a prep. The Wake Forest recruit moved to No. 6 all-time indoors and is the 21st prep under the once-foreboding barrier. Behind him, Drew Griffith (Butler, Pennsylvania) clocked 4:02.71.
Sadie Engelhardt won the girls mile in 4:34.45, good for No. 3 ever indoors (and No. 5 in/out). Allie Zealand (Home, Lynchburg, Virginia) moved to =7 with her 4:37.76. Two others broke 4:40: Samantha Humphries (Flower Mound, Texas) at 4:39.11 and Allison Ince (Community, Normal, Illinois) at 4:39.74.
Said Engelhardt, “I had a little bit of a quicker time in mind, but honestly, it’s a PR, so I’m happy with that. I did double yesterday, so I just wanted to do the best that I could on this day.”
Leachman Runs Fast Outdoor 8-Lapper
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, February 01 — February might seem early for big outdoor news, but that didn’t slow soph Elizabeth Leachman (Champion, Boerne), the Foot Locker XC champion. She covered 8 laps in 9:45.57, the fastest 3200/2M ever outdoors (there are 3 faster indoors). The time converts to 9:48.87 for the full yard distance.