Performer of the Week
Every week this season we will be conducting a poll from beginning Monday and ending Wednesday to highlight the performances from the previous week. This will give us an opportunity to showcase the best talent in Tennessee. Though some athletes will likely lay down marks every meet that are worthy of being in the poll every time, our goal is to cast a wide net and showcase a vast array of athletes from all parts of the state.
Jeremiah Flemmons - East Hamilton
Every year this happens. A senior who has likely spent the first three spring seasons of his high school career focusing on football decides to try out track before he graduates and well... in most cases they're pretty good at it and in some cases they're REALLY good at it. This is the case for East Hamilton's Jeremiah Flemmons. In his third meet ever and only the second time competing in the high jump he set a TN #1 becoming the first jumper over 6' 8".
Only one other jumper accomplished this feat all of last season and that was Grant Campbell of Heritage who has cleared 6' 6" this season. Flemmons also has a PR in the high hurdles with a 14.34 which ranks 2nd in Division I Class AA and 4th overall. He's committed to Austin-Peay for football but for now he's swapped his cleats for spikes and may head to Clarksville with some gold around his neck because of it.
Aidan Nix - Father Ryan
On Friday, Aidan Nix set a TN #1 performance in the 3200m run at the Early Bird Endurance Meet at Brentwood Academy run an 9:35. For the senior, it was a 7 second PR from the end of cross country season and 11 second better than his best time last season. He also has a 4:27 under his belt in a scrimmage meet a USN which currently ranks 4th overall. He placed 7th in both events at state last season but looks on track to improve on those finishes.
Kyler Nichols - Green Hill
I wrote this article last season outlining the immediate impact that "California Refugees" were going to have on our season in 2021. I would later learn after posting that article another hurdler/high jumper from East Hamilton would be competing in Section 2 as well. Both would eventually qualify for the state meet but neither would medal. That's not going to be case for Green Hill's Kyler Nichols who just last season was competing for West Park High School in Roseville, California. He more than likely will medal at state considering after this vault on Friday night propelled him to the top of the outdoor list with a 15' 7" clearance.
Only two vaulters last season cleared a height higher and only one vaulter this season has done so but it was indoors and he's in Division II while Nichols is in Division I.
Jaden Stevenson - Greeneville
Early in the day at Hardin Valley after their long jump competition I asked Jaden Stevenson and Ben Smith who were standing next to each other, "How did that go?" They both were like "meh, we knew we weren't going to PR today." The wind was whipping around the complex seemingly from a different direction every two to three minutes. Nevertheless, Stevenson claimed a victory in the long on tiebreaker and would later win the 100m as well with an 11.04 into a -1.2 wind reading. No one really had that high of expectations for the day so the results of this race came as a surprise.
The Greeneville senior would use the change in wind (+0.5) to his advantage and post a new TN #1 in the process with a 21.35. It's a .37 second improvement from his best time last season which gave him a 5th place finish at state. This year he may be in a class of his own in Class AA but victories will be necessary if Greeneville is going to leave with a team title as well.
Christian Brothers Throwers
DJ Harden may have graduated, but BJ Robinson and Patrick Kutas did not and the throwers the Brothers have to back fill that third spot are no slouches. This weekend at Jack Moran, the quartet of Kutas, Robinson, Will Davenport, and Tristian Johnson broke in the new Ligon Throwing Arena taking the top four spots in the discus and top three spots in the shot.
Event 53 Boys Discus Throw
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Name Year School Seed Finals Points
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1 Kutas, Patrick Christian Br 157-03 162-08 10
2 Robinson, BJ Christian Br 162-02 144-03 8
3 Davenport, Will Christian Br 125-00 140-01 6
4 Johnson, Tristian Christian Br 28-05.50 138-03 5
Event 55 Boys Shot Put
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Name Year School Seed Finals Points
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1 Robinson, BJ Christian Br 53-05.50 53-06.00 10
2 Kutas, Patrick Christian Br 51-08.50 53-03.00 8
3 Johnson, Tristian Christian Br 49-03.50 49-01.00 6 It's pivotal for CBHS to retain these points they scored in 2021 in these events this season as they make another run at a state title. They look well on their way to doing so.