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Way Too Early Sprint Power Rankings
While we still have the Ware's, Sherman's, and Hammond's for another month to OOOooo and AHH over before they graduate, three of the top returning sprinters for next year all notched impressive wins on Saturday at three separate competitions. At the Volunteer Track Classic, Sophomore Taylor Madison of Sevier Co. won both short sprints with this impressive victory in the 100m dash (above) posting a new Class of 2025 best of 10.72 over fellow sophomore Tamari Hill who finished in 2nd with a 10.89. Earlier this season we noted the potential of the Smoky Bears relay teams and after Saturday is clear why they're such a force in Section 1. Madison currently sits #8 overall in the 100m dash.
A couple of spots ahead and a couple of spots behind him in the rankings are two Juniors from the Class of 2024 in Javarian Otey of Stewarts Creek and Keandre Martin of CCS. At the Siegel Invitational, Otey doubled back a couple of days after Great Eight and won both short sprint events in 10.68 and 21.79.
Boys 100m Dash Overall Rankings
Otey was the top returning sophomore heading into 2023 and is currently tied for the top junior in the state with a 10.65 at Great Eight. The junior ranked behind him at #10 overall is Keandre Martin who won the Front Runner Top 16 100m dash on Saturday with a new PR and school record of 10.76. Last year we pointed out Martin was one of the most improved 200m dash runners year over year. Its apparent that he and the whole Charger sprint program has continued on that trajectory with a 42.10 (TN #4 overall) 4x100m relay also run at that same meet. Needless to say, the short sprints are going to be in good hands heading into 2024.
Powe Continues To Climb Leaderboard
I don't know if you can be a former state champion and also fly under the radar but in the absence of some of the top returners in Division II Class AA girls distance this outdoor season, Mae Mae Powe has quietly positioned herself at the top of two of the distance events for this 2023 season. After a lengthy recovery from injury that kept her out all but one meet in Cross Country, the junior form Baylor has raced strategically this season with only two attempts at each distance but had made the most of her opportunities PR-ing literally every time she has stepped on the track including this full two mile victory on Friday night at VTC where she finished in 10:53 converting to 10:49 for the 3200m and top the Division II AA leaderboard by eight seconds. She also sits ranked #1 in 800m with a 2:19 and second in the 1600m with a 5:06c. With the 3200m being contested in the morning, I'll be curious to see how many open events she attempts to qualify in for state with what I assume will also include the 4x800m relay.
Battel Surprise Victor At Six Rivers
Six Rivers Results | Race Videos | Photos
If you had asked me prior to Friday if I knew anyone with the name Battel that ran in the state of Tennessee I would've been able to at least recall that one did attend Daniel Boone and was one of the top freshman in the state for cross country last fall. If you had asked me anything about Fisher's older sibling I wouldn't have been able to say much about them. After the Six Rivers Relays, I can tell you a little bit more about Ella Battel however as the Junior just asserted herself as one of the contenders to podium in the 800m in Division I Class AAA. Now she ranks 8th in the division after this head to head victory over Autumn Headrick in which she ran 2:18.12, a four second PR over her previous best. In yesterday's article we pointed out the performance of the Pioneer 4x800m squad from this meet and it's easy to see why that relay is performing at such a high level.
Runkle Moves Into Top 25 Nationally
After the Walker Valley Jamboree, we pointed to the performance of Silverdale's Liam Runkle in the 400m. On Saturday, he turned his focus to the 300m hurdles where he became the first sophomore in the state to break the 40 second barrier in the event running a 39.45 at Front Runner Top 16. The time catapults him to the top of the Division II Class A leaderboard in the event and also #21 Nationally for Sophomores.