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. Polls open Monday and close Wednesday at midnight.
Cierra Bowser - Clarksville Northeast
There must be something about the pits at Rossview that Cierra Bowser likes. Last year she set a personal best in the long jump with a State Top 10 mark of 18-4. She hasn't been in the 18's again until yesterday at the same meet.
She is the fifth jumper this season to reach that distance but there are no guarantees in Section 3 in this event. Seven of the state's top 20 jumpers in the Middle Tennessee sectional with her and they all are all within a foot of each other. She also posted the 5th best mark in the state in the high jump clearing 5-4. This may be the easier path for her to the state meet since she sit alone at that height in her section.
Morayo Kassim - USN
The Penn Relays are this weekend and a Tennessee athlete that will be part of that competition for many year's to come is USN's Morayo Kassim who committed to the Quakers this past fall. But before she graduates she's busy cementing her legacy as one of the premiere sprinters in Middle Tennessee History. As a freshman, Morayo won the Nashville City Championship in the 200m dash and after a two year hiatus of the event due to Covid, defended her title as a senior in emphatic TN #1 fashion.
The winning time was 24.27 which is a new PR for her. She also won the 100m dash with a 12.01 (TN #2). She'll see a lot of the same competitors this Thursday at Great 8 and if the forecast holds, it may be favorable conditions to dip under 24 and 12 with a loaded field to push her.
Bella Guillamondegui - Harpeth Hall
Bella Guillamondegui had two stand out performances last week spanning two meets in two states in two days. On Friday night, Bella placed first in the Nashville City Championships becoming the second runner this season to dip below the the five minute barrier running a 4:58.64. It was a solo effort for the most part with teammate Annamaria Bacchetta finishing runner up 15 seconds behind. She'll likely have more company this week at Great 8 where she ran 4:53 last season. Her second performance of note came a day later in Louisville, Kentucky. Last year, Eastern Relays was so late in the schedule most school could not attend. It was also held at a high school when it is traditionally held at the University of Louisville. The meet returned to that location this season and so did Guillamondegui who placed runner up in the 800m in 2021. Though her time was a little slower this year (I've been told the wind conditions were not forgiving), her place was a little better.
As stated above, with favorable conditions and a loaded field on Thursday at Father Ryan, we could see some very quick times out of the defending state champion in whatever events she ultimately decides to enter.
Emily Tiepelman - White House
The last time White House was in a classification with appropriately sized schools to their own, Payton Barlow won the state title in 400m dash. That was 2017. For the last four seasons they've been competing in Large Division I and did not find the same success. They're back in Class AA now after the most recent realignment and Junior Emily Tiepelman looks ready to pick up with Barlow left off. At the Battle of 109, the expanded version of the former District 9 - AAA Championship, Tiepelman became the 22nd girl state wide to crack the one minute barrier posting a 59.88. It's nearly a five second improvement from her best mark last season.
She currently ranks third in Division I Class AA with that performance. Will be curious to see if she can get into Great 8. It really depends on how everyone else enters but she's on the bubble assuming all declare.
Emily Kreek - GPS
Through six races last season, Emily Kreek was undefeated in the 300m Hurdles. Her only loss came at the state meet where she finished 3rd losing to an Ensworth duo who have since graduated. Prior to this weekend, she had only raced the event twice with a season best time of 46.48 which had her in the top 10 statewide. On Saturday, after a very tight race with an out of state competitor from Georgia, she tied the TN #1 time in the event.
The other runner who sits atop the rankings with her is Lipscomb Academy's Taylin Segree. Both competitors are a full two seconds ahead of the next best in their classification. Should be a great two person race like the one you saw above. We caught up with Kreek after her event to discuss her mindset moving forward.