Frank Horton Invitational
Now for the runners who aren't looking to just qualify but
rather looking to win, they were on full display as well on Friday night.
Arlington's Ann-Marie Braese got the victory on Friday running a Season's Best 18:18 gapping the field by 21 seconds. Last season she placed 4th overall and is looking to improve on that finish this November.
Braese has finished 19th, 10th, and 4th at the state meet and would like to keep that trend going.
So let's just assume that the runners in AAA that have documented
a time season will be the ones lining up in November. I see a three person race
between Hayes, Braese, and Jones with a chase pack of Headrick, Archdale,
Duncan, and any one of the Brentwood Girls who is having a good day.
On the boy's side of AAA, it is equally difficult to make a prediction as well. I think Landen McNair and Conner Wingfield have separated themselves over the past couple of weeks but hanging around within striking distance is Lovelace, Adams, and Coggins. But what stood out on Friday to me a validation of a statement I made earlier in the year when previewing Class AA/A and that is something along the lines of "the top talent in this classification can run with the best in any classification." Will Douglas and Tucker Allen placed 2nd and 3rd behind McNair and over three races, Camden Central's Douglas has not finished more than 10 seconds behind the Bartlett senior.
Douglas will have a full suite of challengers in November. Abdul Jaber, Joshua Pote, Carter Bradford, and the aforementioned Tucker Allen are all within striking distance.