Fairview Half Meet
There are a couple of areas of the state who host meets on a regular basis that since becoming editor I've not been able to make it out to. Jackson, Clarkesville, Cookeville, and Fairview have all been on my radar as ones I need to make a point to visiting and last night I was able to check one of those locations off. Though some teams, in lieu of the forecast, pulled from attending late there was still enough competition on the track worth making note of.
Alyssa Andrea Returning To Form
Fairview's Alyssa Andrea is a name we haven't talked about in a while. After winning back to back state titles in Cross Country in 2019 and 2020, she's finished outside the Top 10 in the two subsequent falls and failed to qualify for the track and field championships last season. Though she just barely missed winning this 800m race on Thursday night by .01 seconds to Gabrielle Boutros, her 2:24.40 was a four second PR in the event and the first time she had done so since 2021. This is a very promising development as the senior hopes to end her high school career on as high of notes that they started. Boutros, Andrea, and Sophia Boutros (2:24.89) will occupy the top 3 spots in the Class AA rankings prior to this weekend's competitions.
Results | Race Videos
Can Franklin Win The 4x800m Again?
When we did our historical rankings for team 4x800m averages, Franklin came in with the 5th best average of the last four years. In that time frame they won the 2019 title in the event and finished runner up in 2021. They currently rank 4th in the event in Class AAA with a 8:13 at Scott Hartman and if they're going to going to return to championship form, that will likely hinge on more performances like this from Junior Stephen Mattis. Mattis raced the open 800m for the first time in his career on Thursday winning the event with a 2:02.58. Pair this type of performance with teammates Parker Harris and David Brown who are both two flat capable, and the Admirals are one leg away from a team capable of running eight-flat or under by the end of the season.
Can Cooper Win Two Events?
Columbia Academy's Griffin Cooper is the defending Division II Class A High Jump State Champion and looks on pace to defend that title this season. He's already exceeded his best from 2022 with a 6-6 clearance in March and cleared 6-4 last night in 45 degree weather. He also won the 300m Hurdles with a new PR in the event of 43.96. While that time is about three seconds off the top of the rankings for his division, there's no denying his athleticism and potential for later in the season. Former teammate Collins Malone won the event for the Bulldogs last May and if they want to keep the title in house, Cooper gives CA the best opportunity to do so.