DyeStat and RunnersSpace host a mythical National Girls and Boys Dual Meet Championship each year. To be eligible teams must have been a state champion. (In the case of California, because of its huge population, you have to be a state champion or a section champion). Thirty-two teams are chosen for the tournament, 16 from West of the Mississippi River, 16 from the East, and are matched against another in a bracket. The West region has 23 states and includes more than 110 different girls' state champion teams to choose from (all states have multiple classes).
Performances used for the tournament are from the spring season and include marks all the way through New Balance Nationals and USATF Juniors.
Scoring is 5-3-1 for the top three placewinners in all events that both schools participate in, along with 5-0 for the relays. 16 events are included. The Javelin, 4x200m, and 4x800m are not.
A particular athlete can only "participate" in four events.
Fargo Davies was chosen for the 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023 tournaments. In 2018 the team made it to the Regional Semifinal (final 8 teams nationally) before being defeated by eventual national champion, Chandler, AZ. That puts the team somewhere between #5 -8 nationally as a dual team. In 2019 the girls won their first round match up over Lee's Summit, MO before succumbing to Buchanan, CA making them a #9- 16 dual team nationally. In 2022 the girls had a rematch of sorts with Rosemount, MN in the first round. After opening the outdoor season with a victory at a triangular at Rosemount, the girls prevailed in the dual tournament, 72-64. In round two Texas 6A champ and eventual national runner-up, Flower Mound, was too much to handle handing the Eagles a 90-46 defeat.
Of the qualifying 32 teams in 2019, 11 teams began their outdoor season in February or sooner and 23 teams March or earlier. Seven schools began their outdoor season in April, including Davies. Four schools had more than 3,000 students, 20 had enrollments over 2,000. Davies had the lowest enrollment of all public schools and the lowest of all but three private schools.
Seventh Dual Meet Championship Tournament Named For Web Site Founder John Dye
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
John Dye loved high school track and field and he loved the numbers. That's why, after his passing last fall, a decision was quickly made to name something (perhaps only the first of many), in his honor.
The seventh edition of our year-end calculation to find the best overall teams in the country is now the John Dye Dual Meet Championship Tournament.
Our make-believe dual meet national championship tournament has become an annual tradition. We believe nothing demonstrates more what a high school is capable of, athletically, than a thriving track and field team.
And this year we have a trophy, in honor of John.
Building upon six previous tournaments, we are rolling out a theoretical tournament, crunching the numbers with our database at Athletic.net, and scoring the matchups. Last year, we revealed winning teams from Humble Summer Creek in Texas (boys) and Bullis School in Maryland (girls).
In the first round, when it makes sense, we try to arrange neighboring states for compelling matchups while also attempting to keep top teams apart.
Here are the ground rules.
- Almost every team listed in the tournament is a state champion.
- Performances used for the tournament are from the spring season and include marks all the way through June.
- Scoring is 5-3-1 for the top three placewinners in all events that both schools's states participate in, along with 5-0 for the relays (4x100 and 4x400 in all cases, and sometimes 4x200 and/or 4x800 when it makes sense).
- An athlete can only "participate" in four events.
- There are 32 teams in the bracket; 16 from West of the Mississippi River, 16 from the East.
- The boys bracket will be scored by yours truly, DyeStat editor Doug Binder; the girls bracket is scored by DyeStat editor Erik Boal. Round-by-round recaps, with each matchup being analyzed, will be posted during the next week, with the winners being revealed July 24.
Previous Winners
2016 - Boys: Auburn (Alabama); Girls: Miami Northwestern (Florida)
2017 - Boys: The Woodlands (Texas); Girls: Chandler (Arizona)
2018 - Boys: Hoover (Alabama); Girls: Chandler (Arizona)
2019 - Boys: Hopkins (Minnesota); Girls: DeSoto (Texas)
2021 - Boys: Carmel (Indiana); Girls: Buchanan (California)
2022 - Boys: Humble Summer Creek (Texas); Girls: Bullis School (Maryland)
2023 First-Round Matchups
Girls West
Duncanville TX vs Edmond Memorial OK
Fargo Davies ND vs Minnetonka MN
Long Beach Wilson CA vs Liberty NV
Papillion-La Vista South NE vs Cardinal Ritter College Prep MO
Lake Oswego OR vs Emerald Ridge WA
Comal Smithson Valley TX vs Bentonville AR
Girls East
Bullis School MD vs South County VA
Gahanna Lincoln OH vs Cuthbertson NC
Miami Northwestern FL vs DuPont Manual KY
Miami Southridge FL vs Blythewood SC
Padua Academy DE vs Haverford Township PA
Union Catholic NJ vs Bloomfield CT
Boys West
Mountain View Mesa AZ vs Fort Bend Marshall TX
Corner Canyon UT vs Cherokee Trail CO
Granada Hills CA vs Lincoln OR
Rock Bridge MO vs Olathe North KS
Sioux Falls O'Gorman SD vs Century ND
Klein Forest TX vs Catholic (Baton Rouge) LA
Boys East
Hall CT vs Christian Brothers Academy NJ
St. John's Jesuit OH vs St. Joseph MI
Homewood-Flossmoor IL vs Brownsburg IN
St. Xavier KY vs Chambersburg Area PA
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the first-round matchups:
WEST REGIONAL
Duncanville TX 91, Edmond Memorial OK 45
Making its tournament debut, UIL 6A state champion Duncanville was impressive in its opening-round victory, sweeping both hurdles events, in addition to winning both relays. Edmond Memorial, the Oklahoma 6A state champion, was making its first appearance since a first-round loss in 2019 to another Texas 6A power in DeSoto. The Bulldogs received a victory from senior Chloe Ezell in the 800 meters, plus a sweep in the 3,200 from the sophomore trio of Sienna Collins, Ella Talley and McKellee Pape. But Edmond Memorial was overwhelmed in the field events, aside from an uncontested sweep of the pole vault. Ariyonna Edmond won the shot put, Alana Butler prevailed in the discus, Brooklyn Williams triumphed in the high jump, Ashley Lister was victorious in the long jump and freshman Zipporah Jones took the triple jump for Duncanville, which had Aaliyah Gipson win the 100 and 400, along with Indyia Walton earning victories in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
Minnetonka MN 89, Fargo Davies ND 47
The Skippers, the Minnesota Class AAA champions, returned to the tournament for the first time since 2018 and secured another first-round victory. Fargo Davies, the North Dakota Class A winners, prevailed in the opening round last year, but was unable to keep pace with Minnetonka’s distance depth. Eighth-grader Evie Malec and sophomore Avery Marasco-Johnson were big contributors for Minnetonka, which also swept both relays and had sophomore Zeal Kuku produce valuable points in the sprints and junior Claire Kohler win both hurdle events. Bariborve “CeCe” Deebom won the 100 and 200 for the Eagles, who received additional victories from Camille Deringer in the shot put and Maci Wheeldon in the discus throw. Lucy Hiller triumphed in the long jump and triple jump for Minnetonka, with Winona Stone and Mya Folken achieving a 1-2 finish in the high jump. Onya Kretchman from Fargo Davies and Harley Wock of Minnetonka both cleared 11 feet to share top honors in the pole vault.
Boise ID 73.5, Lone Peak UT 62.5
Following an opening-round setback last year to Helena High from Montana, Idaho 5A state champion Boise rebounded to achieve its first tournament victory since making an impressive run to the 2021 regional semifinals. The Brave relied significantly on field-event performances, including sweeps in the discus, shot put and triple jump, to emerge victorious. Lone Peak, the Utah 6A state winner, was impressive in the distance events and hurdling races, including a sweep of the latter by Nadia Chiara. Addie Meldrum and Boston Bybee were also significant contributors for the Knights, who had Sabrina Fairbanks earn the win in the pole vault and Isabelle Devey edge Boise’s Sophia Clark by one-hundredth in the 100-meter dash. The Brave had Alexis DeAlba prevail in the shot put, Aurora Kyle triumph in the discus, Alexandra Gustavel win the high jump and Autumn Shomaker sweep the long jump and triple jump to contribute to 42.5 points in the six field events.
Long Beach Wilson CA 85, Liberty NV 51
After winning its first California state championship since 2006, Long Beach Wilson demonstrated a strong performance in its tournament debut. One of the most well-rounded hurdle, sprint and relay lineups in the country, Long Beach Wilson accumulated 74 points on the track, including winning the 4x100 and 4x400. Natalie Maahs and Xcaret Tirado led sweeps in the distance events for the Bruins, with Kaylin Edwards, Aujane Luckey and Loren Webster excelling in the hurdles and sprints. Ali’a Matavao, also an elite basketball player for Liberty, won the shot put and high jump, in addition to scoring in the long jump for the Nevada 5A state champion Patriots. Chayanne Gordon was victorious in the discus and Destinee Franklin prevailed in the pole vault for Liberty. Daqari Hampton took the top spot in the triple jump and Webster triumphed in the long jump for the Bruins.
Niwot CO 92, Highland AZ 44
The Colorado 4A state champion Cougars earned their third consecutive first-round victory, knocking off the top program from Arizona for the second year in a row. Niwot prevailed by a 40-point margin last year against Perry High and was even more impressive against Highland, which captured the inaugural team title at the Arizona Open State Championships. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Niwot’s victory was earning 26 of a possible 27 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 against Highland, also the reigning Arizona Division 1 state cross country champion. Madison Shults, Addison Ritzenhein, Mia Prok and Olivia Alessandrini were catalysts for Niwot, which also received a sweep in both hurdling events from Kimora Northrup. Lainey Jones was victorious in the 100 and 200 for Highland, which also had Gabby Taylor prevail in the long jump and share top honors with Rylie Scott in the high jump, with Maibri Bland winning the pole vault. Jade West doubled up in the discus and shot put for the Cougars, who had Keagan McGuire, Sienna Knight and Annmarie Knight sweep the triple jump.
Cardinal Ritter College Prep MO 70, Papillion-La Vista South NE 66
The Missouri Class 5 state champion Lions endured a heartbreaking four-point loss in last year’s opening round to Nebraska Class A winner Lincoln Southwest. The roles were reversed this year for Cardinal Ritter College Prep, which swept both relays, including the meet-clinching 4x400 to prevail against Nebraska Class A title holder Papillion-La Vista South. The Lions relied significantly on their performances in the sprints, hurdles and jumps to emerge victorious. Aniyah Brown and Alexis Taylor, both juniors, and sophomore Kyndall Spain contributed valuable points for Cardinal Ritter College Prep. Junior Kaitlyn Swartz was exceptional for the Titans, winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Morgan Bode prevailed in the high jump, Olivia Brodersen was victorious in the pole vault and Lauren Medeck triumphed in the shot put for Papillion-La Vista South. Freshman Priya Cheathman came through with a clutch discus performance for Cardinal Ritter College Prep to edge Titans’ senior Clare Ullery by an 11-inch margin.
Lake Oswego OR 82, Emerald Ridge WA 54
A showdown showcasing two of the most dynamic athletes in the country in Lake Oswego junior Mia Brahe-Pedersen and Emerald Ridge sophomore JaiCieonna Gero-Holt demonstrated that the Oregon 6A state co-champions have more depth surrounding their star competitor than the Washington 4A state winner. Lake Oswego tied Tualatin at the Oregon 6A state final, but the Lakers earned the nod in the tournament based on a stronger dual-meet lineup. It also marked the second year in a row Lake Oswego prevailed in the first round after defeating Curtis High from Washington in last season’s opening matchup. The Lakers accumulated 56 points in the track events, more than enough to prevail against the field-event strength of Emerald Ridge. Gero-Holt won the 100 hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot put for the Jaguars, with Emme Bates adding a victory in the 800. Berit Ballew, Josie Donelson, Morgan Hoover, Casey Moran and Ana Peters earned wins for Lake Oswego, with Brahe-Pedersen capturing the 100 and 200, in addition to contributing to a pair of victorious relays.
Bentonville AR 79.67, Comal Smithson Valley TX 56.33
For the first time in tournament history, Arkansas not only earned a spot in the 32-team girls bracket, but the 6A state champion Tigers also prevailed against UIL 5A winner Comal Smithson Valley. Following several competitive matchups on the track, Bentonville pulled away with 40.67 points in the field events, highlighted by sweeps in the shot put and triple jump, along with a 1-2 finish plus a tie for third in the high jump. Senior Emelia Thurston contributed valuable points in the horizontal jumps, Nadia Clark and Bree Anglin shined in the throwing events, with Paisley Hight and Hannah Hanson placing first and second in the high jump for Bentonville. Alyssa Jones, Jazmyn Singh, Zada Zimmerman and Mia Perez all earned victories on the track for the Rangers. Jones also won the long jump and Ella Pickron triumphed in the pole vault for Comal Smithson Valley. Senior Madison Galindo came through in the 1,600 and 3,200 for Bentonville, with Hight also adding a victory in the 300 hurdles, as the teams traded wins in the relays.
EAST REGIONAL
Bullis School MD 97, South County VA 34
The defending tournament champion Bulldogs remained unbeaten in first-round matchups in tournament history with a victory against the Virginia Class 6 state title holder. Bullis was not part of the tournament field in 2016 or 2021, but has prevailed in all five of its first-round appearances. The Stallions had Kendall Williams, Julia Mattson, Isabella Garcia and Reese Pavlak combine to sweep the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, in addition to earning another win in the uncontested pole vault, but the Bulldogs accumulated 38 points in the six field events to outscore South County overall. Aleah Schwartz doubled up in the discus and shot put, Morgan Bridges triumphed in the high jump and triple jump, with Reagan Schwartz securing victory in the long jump for Bullis. Sydney Sutton prevailed in the 200 and 400, Jade Ofotan won the 100 and Lauren Leath prevailed in the 800 for the Bulldogs, who also had Myla Greene sweep the hurdling events, in addition to contributing to dominant performances in both relays.
Clinton MS 73, Huntley IL 63
Following first-round losses in 2016 and 2018, the Mississippi 6A state champion Arrows finally hit their mark to advance for the first time in tournament history. The Red Raiders, the Illinois Class 3A title holder, amassed 26 points in the three distance events behind senior twins Breanna Burek and Brittney Burek, as well as freshmen Cori Kilvinger and Aspen Maldonado, to put the pressure on Clinton. Huntley also had senior Ally Panzloff prevail in the discus throw and took the top two spots in both the long jump and triple jump, relying on senior Alexandria Johnson and sophomore Dominique Johnson to score valuable points. But the Arrows swept both relays, with Kaitlyn Jones winning both hurdling events, along with the 400, in addition to Tacherria Lawson taking the 100 and Nakirsten Hughes earning a victory in the 200. Meagan Womack triumphed in the shot put, Jada Brooks achieved a win in the high jump and Kennedi McCord was victorious in the pole vault for Clinton.
Gahanna Lincoln OH 71.5, Cuthbertson NC 64.5
The Golden Lions, the Ohio Division 1 state champions, won a first-round matchup for the third time in tournament history, including for the second year in a row. Cuthbertson, the North Carolina 4A state winner, swept all three distance events behind one of the most impressive quartets in the country in Charlotte Bell, Stella Kermes, Alyssa Preisano and Justine Preisano, along with accumulating another 33.5 points in the six field events. Amanda Sacoto doubled up in the discus and shot put, with Maya Studney prevailing in the triple jump for Cuthbertson, which also amassed nine points in an uncontested pole vault. Camden Bentley swept both hurdling events for Lincoln, which also won both relays. Ayanna Stafford triumphed in the 100, Keena Sanders was victorious in the 200 and Amryne Chilton earned the win in the 400 for the Golden Lions. Daisha Decree shared the top spot in the high jump with Anna Sergio, in addition to winning the long jump for Lincoln.
Miami Northwestern FL 75, DuPont Manual KY 57
Although it was a more competitive matchup than last year’s first-round showdown, which Miami Northwestern won by a 93.5-33.5 margin, the Florida Class 3A state champion still managed to extend its streak of opening-round victories. The Bulls are one of two girls teams to advance to the second round in all seven editions of the tournament. DuPont Manual, the Kentucky 3A winner, relied on Jessica Secor, Flora Biro, Maggie May, Emerson Wyatt and Bailee Montgomery to sweep the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Alexandra Allen added victories in the 200 and 400, with E’ternity Starks taking the high jump for the Crimsons, who also won an uncontested pole vault. Jaiya Burchell swept the shot put and discus, with freshman Nyla Christian winning the long jump and 100 hurdles, junior Shakynah Tresvant taking the triple jump and 400 hurdles, in addition to sophomore Kimora Kinsey emerging victorious in the 100 for the Bulls, who also prevailed in both relays.
Miami Southridge FL 84, Blythewood SC 52
After enduring an opening-round loss in 2017 to Western Branch High from Virginia on a 4x800 relay tiebreaker, Miami Southridge finally returned to the tournament and secured its first victory against the South Carolina 5A state champion. The Spartans, who won the Florida 4A title, swept both relays, but neither team took the top three spots in any individual event. Cynteria James won the 100, 200 and 400, with Takiyah Ferguson doubling in the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles for Miami Southridge. Juniors Amaya Pleas, Shanaii Gamble and Amari Williams also added victories for the Spartans. Freshman Anna Kelly was victorious in the 1,600 and 3,200, with sophomore Kaitlyn McFadden earning a win in the 800 for the Bengals, who had senior Ashlynn Scott take the triple jump and junior Aniya Fluker prevail in the shot put. Since neither team contested the pole vault, the javelin was included in the schedule instead, with junior Inenazia Dean securing the top spot for the Spartans.
Hoover AL 73, Westlake GA 62
Since suffering first-round setbacks to Miami Northwestern High from Florida in both 2016 and 2017, Hoover has responded with four consecutive opening-round victories, including the past three years. The Buccaneers, who won the Alabama Class 7A title, produced a 72-64 victory against Alexander High from Georgia last season and returned to knock off the 7A state champion Lions this year. The triumph was even more impressive for Hoover, since Westlake won both relays and swept the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles behind the performances of Jaden Billings, Zaniyah Jones, Jasmine Harmon and Zhai Holmes. The Lions also had freshman Adyn Kinard secure victories in the 100 and 200, as well as Caylie Jefferson teaming with fellow junior Zion Lockette and Holmes to take the top two spots in both the long jump and triple jump. Hoover responded with sweeps in the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200, receiving significant contributions from Gabrielle Washington, McKenzie Blackledge, Daisy Luna, Catherine Wallace, Lila Hunter and Ava Sparks. Nicolette Lewis, a senior, doubled up in the discus and shot put for the Buccaneers, who received a high jump victory from freshman Nyel Settles and an uncontested sweep in the pole vault.
Padua Academy DE 90, Haverford Township PA 46
The Delaware Division 1 state champion Pandas followed last season’s first-round victory against South County High from Virginia with another impressive performance to open this year’s tournament. The Fords, the Pennsylvania Class 3A state title holder, didn’t contest the pole vault or triple jump. But Padua Academy still had more than enough depth to advance, sweeping both relays and receiving victories in the 100, 200, 400 and long jump from junior standout Juliana Balon. Sophia Holgado, a junior, added a win in the 3,200 and senior Mary Mancini triumphed in the shot put for the Pandas, who also received significant contributions from junior Mary Flanagan. Sophomore Olivia Cieslak prevailed in the 800 and 1,600, with senior Molly Carpenter taking the top spot in the discus and junior Sydney Jones winning the high jump for Haverford Township, which also had senior Aubrey Leneweaver deliver a sweep of both hurdling events.
Union Catholic NJ 99, Bloomfield CT 37
There is plenty of history with Connecticut programs and Union Catholic in first-round matchups in the tournament’s seven editions, and the outcomes have all favored the Vikings, who continued their dominance against Bloomfield by defeating the Hawks for the third time, including 2016 and 2017. Union Catholic, which won the New Jersey Non-Public A Group title for the eighth season in a row, became only the second girls program in tournament history to advance to the second round every year. The Vikings won both relays, in addition to sweeping the 200, 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Senior Layla Spann-McDonald triumphed in the discus, freshman Payton Sirdine prevailed in the shot put for Bloomfield, which also received victories from Laniyah Henderson in the triple jump and fellow senior Amyra Ettienne-Modeste in the pole vault. Freshman Ebony Turner took the high jump and junior Vonya Gould earned the win in the long jump for Union Catholic, which had sophomore Taylor Cox contribute victories in the 100-meter dash, 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. Taylor Aska, Peyton Hollis, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski and Courtney Kaiser added to the Vikings’ impressive showcase on the track, which accounted for 74 points.
Sixth DyeStat Dual Meet Championship Tournament
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
The truth is, there is no trophy. At least not yet.
That didn't stop the coaches from Carmel High in Indiana from making beautiful championship rings after winning last year's DyeStat Dual Meet Boys Championship. They were well-earned one-of-a-kind keepsakes.
After an amazing high school season in 2022, it's time to pair off the best teams in the United States once again and find out which schools come out on top in our make-believe dual meet national championship tournament. In our view, nothing demonstrates more what a high school is capable of, athletically, than a thriving track and field team.
Building upon five previous tournaments, we are rolling out a theoretical tournament, crunching the numbers with our database at Athletic.net, and scoring the matchups. Last year, we revealed winning teams from Carmel (boys) and Buchanan, California (girls).
In the first round, when it makes sense, we try to arrange neighboring states for compelling matchups while also attempting to keep top teams apart.
Here are the ground rules.
- Almost every team listed in the tournament is a state champion. (In the case of California, the runner-up girls team was selected).
- Performances used for the tournament are from the spring season and include marks all the way through June.
- Scoring is 5-3-1 for the top three placewinners in all events that both schools's states participate in, along with 5-0 for the relays (4x100 and 4x400 in all cases, and sometimes 4x200 and/or 4x800 when it makes sense).
- An athlete can only "participate" in four events.
- There are 32 teams in the bracket; 16 from West of the Mississippi River, 16 from the East.
- The boys bracket will be scored by yours truly, DyeStat editor Doug Binder; the girls bracket is scored by DyeStat editor Erik Boal. Round-by-round recaps, with each matchup being analyzed, will be posted during the next week, with the winners being revealed early next week.
Previous Winners
2016 - Boys: Auburn (Alabama); Girls: Miami Northwestern (Florida)
2017 - Boys: The Woodlands (Texas); Girls: Chandler (Arizona)
2018 - Boys: Hoover (Alabama); Girls: Chandler (Arizona)
2019 - Boys: Hopkins (Minnesota); Girls: DeSoto (Texas)
2021 - Boys: Carmel (Indiana); Girls: Buchanan (California)
2022 First-Round Matchups
Girls West
Flower Mound TX vs Waukee Northwest IA
Fargo Davies ND vs Rosemount MN
Clovis North CA vs Las Vegas Centennial NV
Lincoln Southwest NE vs Cardinal Ritter College Prep MO
Girls East
Miami Northwestern FL vs DuPont Manual KY
West De Pere WI vs La Salle Academy RI
Gahanna Lincoln OH vs Morgantown WV
Bullis School MD vs Cuthbertson NC
Padua Academy DE vs South County VA
Union Catholic NJ vs Glastonbury CT
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the first-round matchups:
WEST REGIONAL
Flower Mound TX 99, Waukee Northwest IA 37
In a showdown of two schools both making their debuts in the dual-meet event, the depth of Texas 6A state champion Flower Mound was on display against Iowa 4A winner Waukee Northwest, a first-year program featuring several athletes from Waukee High, which competed in last year’s event. Despite a pair of hurdling victories from Iowa State commit Mackenzie Carney, along with a 200-meter triumph from Iowa signee Natalie Harris, a long jump win from Za’Mauri Bates and Ava Smith prevailing in the shot put, Waukee Northwest didn’t field athletes in the pole vault and triple jump, in addition to Flower Mound relying on Oklahoma State signee Natalie Cook, along with sophomores Nicole Humphries and Samantha Humphries combining to sweep the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, as well as winning both relays. Riley Ward secured a high jump win and Lauren Drew triumphed in the discus for Flower Mound, which received sprint victories from Dayana Felicien and London Gray.
Fargo Davies ND 72, Rosemount MN 64
A matchup showcasing two of the most dynamic athletes in the country in Davies junior Cece Deebom and Rosemount senior Ava Cinnamo, an Iowa State signee, resulted in North Dakota Class A state champion relying on its sprint strength and success in the jumping events to edge the Minnesota 3A winner. Kinley Steckler earned the 3,200 win, Linnea Axtman captured the high jump victory and Onya Kretchman won the pole vault for Davies, which overcame a late push from Rosemount behind huge performances in the discus and shot put from Jordan Hecht and Ava Webster. Taylor Heimerl won the 800 and 1,600 for Rosemount, with Jenna Johnson producing a 400 victory to support a pair of triumphs from Cinnamo in the 300 hurdles and triple jump.
Helena MT 81, Boise ID 55
Sisters Logan Todorovich and Madilyn Todorovich, along with Northern Arizona commit Odessa Zentz and Utah signee Kylie Hartnett, combined to secure victories in nine individual events for Montana Class AA state champion Helena in an impressive performance against Idaho 5A winner Boise, which received wins from Logan Smith, Allie Bruce and Suzi Woodall. Sydney Mattfeldt triumphed in the discus and shot put for Helena, which swept the long jump to overcome Boise taking the top three spots in the pole vault. It marked only the second time in event history that a Montana girls program earned a first-round victory, with Bozeman High prevailing in 2019 in its opener against Eagle High from Idaho.
Clovis North CA 82, Las Vegas Centennial NV 54
Zoey Bonds, a Brigham Young commit, won both hurdling events, in addition to prevailing in the long jump and high jump for Nevada 5A state champion Centennial, which also swept the 100-meter dash led by Iyonna Codd, but California runner-up Clovis North relied on USC signee Takiya Cenci to take the 200 and 400 and contribute to a sweep of both relays, in addition to taking the top three spots in five other events. Ashlyn Leath earned victories in the 1,600 and 3,200, along with Tatum Zinkin capturing the 800 for Clovis North and Gauri Shetty securing the triple jump. Loie Madsen doubled in the discus and shot put for Clovis North, making its debut in the dual-meet event after Central Section rival Buchanan won the girls overall title last year.
Niwot CO 88, Perry AZ 48
For the first time in the history of the event, Perry High earned the opportunity to represent Arizona after winning the Division 1 title against Chandler, which secured the overall girls dual-meet championship in 2017 and 2018 and had made five consecutive appearances in the event before this year. Although Perry produced a 29-25 margin in the field events, Niwot showcased its impressive depth on the track, with Madison Shults winning the 400 and 800 along with North Carolina signee Eva Klingbeil doubling up in the 1,600 and 3,200. Kimora Northrup and freshman Jade West also earned victories for Niwot, the Colorado 4A champion. Ohio State commit Avery Clark won both hurdles and triumphed in the high jump, Northern Arizona signee Brenna Rodriguez swept the long jump and triple jump, with Kaytlyn Jackson and Anna Kaup also producing valuable points for Perry.
Lincoln Southwest NE 70, Cardinal Ritter College Prep MO 66
A clash involving Nebraska Class A state champion Lincoln Southwest and Missouri Class 5 winner Cardinal Ritter College Prep featured sweeps in nine events, but a 16-point advantage in the field competitions proved to be the deciding factor in the overall outcome. Cardinal Ritter swept both relays, but Lincoln Southwest took the top three spots in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to the pole vault, discus and shot put. Brianna Rinn, a Utah commit, was a catalyst on the track for Lincoln Southwest, with Courtney Holsteen winning the shot put and Evynn Shelton earning the discus victory. Hannah Wallace triumphed in the high jump and triple jump for Cardinal Ritter, with freshman Kyndall Spain sweeping both hurdling events, Aniyah Brown doubling in the 100 and 200, Charlye Moody taking the 400 and Nazariah James prevailing in the long jump.
Lone Peak UT 71, Los Alamos NM 65
Taylor Rohatinsky, a Brigham Young signee, was the star for Utah 6A state champion with her victories in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, allowing Lone Peak to prevail against New Mexico 4A winner Los Alamos, which remained within striking distance throughout the matchup behind a 12-point advantage in the field events. Angelina Passalacqua doubled in the 100 hurdles and long jump, Kayli Lincoln triumphed in the triple jump and Annie Beus was victorious in the high jump for Los Alamos, in addition to Nyla Lee leading a sweep in the 100-meter dash and Sara Tompkins adding a win in the discus. Hannah Hawkins produced a pair of victories in the 200 and 400 for Lone Peak, with Megan Eaton earning the win in the 300 hurdles, Anya Chiara securing the top spot in the shot put and Sabrina Fairbanks taking the pole vault.
Lake Oswego OR 86.5, Curtis WA 49.5
In a clash for Northwest supremacy, Oregon 6A state champion Lake Oswego demonstrated its dominance on the track by winning nine of 10 events, led by sophomore standout Mia Brahe-Pedersen in the sprints and Oklahoma State commit Kate Peters in the distance events. Abigail Klein earned the lone track victory for Washington 4A winner Curtis with her performance in the 300-meter hurdles, with Hazel Gillespie prevailing in the high jump and long jump. Josie Donelson earned the 400 victory and Quinn Greene triumphed in the 100 hurdles for Lake Oswego, which also received a sweep in the discus and shot put from Casey Moran. Katelyn Howard took the pole vault and Dakota Webb-Hawkins was the triple jump winner to support a relay sweep for Lake Oswego, which joined Summit in 2016 and 2017 as the only Oregon programs to produce first-round victories.
EAST REGIONAL
Miami Northwestern FL 93.5, DuPont Manual KY 33.5
One of the most successful teams in event history and the winner of the inaugural girls dual-meet tournament in 2016, Florida 3A state champion Miami Northwestern showcased its depth and versatility once again by sweeping five events, in addition to winning both relays against Kentucky 3A winner DuPont Manual. Jessica Secor prevailed in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, with DuPont Manual taking the top three spots in the latter two races, but it was all Miami Northwestern beyond that. Aaliyah Butler, a Georgia commit, triumphed in the 200 and 400, with Paris Baker capturing both hurdling events and Shakynah Tresvant sweeping the long jump and triple jump for Miami Northwestern, which also received victories from Jayda Bushay, Emani Perry, Me’Kayla Rothmiller and Shanell Hester. Miami Northwestern joined Union Catholic from New Jersey as the only girls programs in event history to secure first-round victories in all six tournaments.
West De Pere WI 97, La Salle Academy RI 39
Junior Caroline Cummings managed the only three victories for Rhode Island state champion La Salle Academy with her performances in the distance events, but Wisconsin Division 1 winner West De Pere made an impressive debut in the dual-meet tournament by accumulating a 44-10 advantage in the field event competitions. Rachel Breu doubled up in the discus and shot put, with freshman Ashlyn Magnin prevailing in the long jump, sophomore Emma Schoenwalder taking the triple jump, junior Eliza Aitken securing victory in the pole vault and senior Madeline Zirbel winning the high jump for West De Pere. Ellie Drews swept both hurdling events and Kayla DeBruin led a talented trio in the 100-meter dash for West De Pere, which triumphed in both relays and also had Aitken earn victories in the 200 and 400.
Gahanna Lincoln OH 87, Morgantown WV 45
Sweeping five track events, in addition to winning both relays, propelled Ohio Division 1 state champion Gahanna Lincoln to an impressive victory, overshadowing the exceptional efforts of Morgantown junior Irene Riggs. The Stanford commit triumphed in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for West Virginia 3A winner Morgantown, receiving strong support from Penn State signee Lea Hatcher. But Morgantown managed only two additional wins from Jonna Butcher in the high jump and Morgan Ryan in the pole vault. Ayanna Stafford and Amryne Chilton helped Lincoln dominate the sprinting events and win both relays, with Camden Bentley adding a pair of victories in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. Nahjae Pinager doubled up in the discus and shot put for Lincoln, which also received wins in the long jump and triple jump from Daisha Decree to advance in its return to the tournament for the first time since 2018.
Bullis School MD 89, Cuthbertson NC 47
Following an impressive showcase at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor event that included multiple relay crowns, Maryland private school power Bullis demonstrated its depth on the track, supported by Michigan signee Trinity Franklin in the discus and shot put to prevail against North Carolina 4A winner Cuthbertson. Bullis established a 30-point advantage on the track, sweeping both relays in spectacular fashion, but the presence of Franklin, in addition to three high jumpers clearing at least 5 feet – led by senior Mikayla McFarland – as well as Reagan Schwartz and Morgan Bridges surpassing 18 feet in the long jump also established a 12-point edge in the field event competitions. Maya Studney won the triple jump, with the sophomore trio of Stella Kermes, Charlotte Bell and Justine Preisano delivering quality distance performances for Cuthbertson. Payton Payne, Mirai Bernard and Sage Hinton shined in the sprints, with Myla Greene sweeping both hurdling events for Bullis, which earned its fourth opening-round victory in as many tournament appearances, including 2017-19.
Niceville FL 95, Greenville SC 41
Florida demonstrated why it is the only state to secure two entries in the girls bracket, with 4A state champion Niceville producing a profound debut by showcasing one of the most dominant performances in the field events in tournament history. Despite the teams being evenly matched on the track, Niceville swept the discus, shot put, long jump, triple jump and pole vault, only allowing South Carolina 4A winner Greenville to secure second- and third-place finishes in the high jump. Mikayla Williams doubled in the long jump and triple jump, with Auburn signee Mikayla Hague earning victories in the discus and shot put for Niceville, which boasts a talented pole vaulting trio of Kennesaw State commit Lilly Chouinard, Skye Tolbert and Aleena Ponto. Tolbert also won the 100 and 200, plus the 100 hurdles for Niceville, which had Jasmine Dereje triumph in the 300 hurdles. Caroline Lyerly was victorious for Greenville in the 1,600 and 3,200, with Keniya Walker edging Dereje in the 400. With St. Thomas Aquinas, last year’s East Regional winner and national runner-up, moving from the 4A classification to 3A in Florida this season, Niceville took advantage of its opportunity to contribute the legacy of state success in the dual-meet event.
Hoover AL 72, Alexander GA 64
Despite the best efforts of Georgia 6A state champion Alexander to maximize the performances of sophomore standout Adaejah Hodge, Alabama 7A winner Hoover held on for victory in an exciting first-round showdown. Hodge triumphed in the 100, 200, 400 and long jump, but Hoover helped neutralize her victories by sweeping both relays and taking the top three spots in both the high jump and pole vault. Langley Jung, Layla Wilson and Nyel Settles all cleared at least 5-2 in the high jump, with Alex Inglis leading an improved pole vault trio for Hoover, which also had Amyah Ellington win both hurdle competitions, McKenzie Blackledge earn an 800 victory, Lila Hunter triumph in the 1,600 and Nicolette Lewis prevail in the discus. Alisa Gordon supported Hodge by winning the triple jump, with Kinsley Williams securing the shot put victory and Brooklyn Crabtree taking the 3,200 for Alexander.
Padua Academy DE 81, South County VA 54
The distance depth of Mary Katherine Dorsey, Elena Bocchetti and Mary Flanagan, along with the impressive range in the field events demonstrated by Sophia Curtis, Juliana Balon, Elce Walsh, Cassidy Becker, Libby Neiburg and Alexa Frick, helped Delaware state champion Padua Academy offset the strength in the sprints and relays showcased by Virginia 6A winner South County. Victoria Higgins, an Ohio State commit, along with freshman Catalina Sanchious, helped South County remain within striking distance on the track. But Olivia Woodham earned the only victory for South County in the field events with her discus triumph, allowing Padua Academy to produce a 23-point edge in those six competitions. In addition to winning the triple jump, Curtis also swept both hurdling events for Padua Academy, which was making its first appearance in 2018, earning the first victory for a Delaware girls program in event history.
Union Catholic NJ 101, Glastonbury CT 35
Following an impressive performance at the Connecticut Class LL Championships, Glastonbury met its match in an opening-round clash with New Jersey Non-Public A program and state powerhouse Union Catholic, which remained unbeaten all-time in first-round competition in event history. Glastonbury managed to score in every field event but the triple jump and earned a victory from Kathryn DeSousa in the high jump, but could only manage one win on the track from Ava Gattinella in the 3,200, since Union Catholic was only able to use sophomore standout Peyton Hollis in four events, one of which was the 4x400 relay. Hollis swept the 400, 800 and 1,600 for Union Catholic, which also received victories from freshman Taylor Cox in the 100 and 200, in addition to the 100 hurdles, and had Alexandra Bonn double in the long jump and triple jump. Jada Mia Puryear, a Columbia commit, triumphed in the discus and shot put, with Asydiah Pray-Brown and Daniela Peralta also contributing wins for Union Catholic.
WEST REGIONAL
Flower Mound TX 90, Fargo Davies ND 46
Cece Deebom won four events for Fargo Davies, but the North Dakota Class A state champions only received a pair of supporting wins from junior Camille Deringer in the discus and freshman Kate Laqua in the 400 against Texas 6A winner Flower Mound, which continued its impressive run in its tournament debut. Deebom prevailed in the 100 hurdles and 200, along with helping Davies take the top three spots in both the long jump and triple jump. But Flower Mound offset being swept in those events thanks to its strong performances in the distance events and the pole vault. Oklahoma State signee Natalie Cook, Nicole Humphries, Samantha Humphries and Alexandra Fox combined to shut Davies out in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, with Amanda Quinn, Maddison Goodin and Mikaela Honsinger sweeping the pole vault for Flower Mound, which also had Riley Ward and Grace Bettencourt finish first and second in the high jump. Dayana Felicien led another sweep in the 100-meter dash and Halee Jackson triumphed in the shot put for Flower Mound, which also secured victories in both relays. Davies was looking to advance to the elite eight for the second time after defeating Great Oak from California as well as Mountain View of Idaho in 2018. Davies lost to Buchanan from California in a 2019 second-round matchup.
Helena MT 84, Clovis North CA 52
For the first time in event history, a Montana girls program moved on to the quarterfinals, with Class AA state champion Helena overcoming setbacks in both relays to score in all the other events, including sweeps in the 300 hurdles and high jump against California runner-up Clovis North. Despite USC commit Takiya Cenci winning the 200 and 400, San Diego State signee Tatum Zinkin prevailing in the 800 and junior Ashlyn Leath emerging victorious in the 3,200, Clovis North managed only one other triumph from junior Loie Madsen in the discus. With Cenci focusing on running the 200, 400 and both relays for Clovis North, it allowed Logan Todorovich to secure the 100-meter victory for Helena, along with winning the 100 hurdles, long jump and triple jump. Kylie Hartnett, a Utah signee, won the 1,600 and freshman Madilyn Todorovich took the 300 hurdles and high jump for Helena, which also received victories in the pole vault from Annika Nehring and the shot put from Montana State-bound Sydney Mattfeldt. Clovis North was seeking a deep tournament run similar to Central Section rival Buchanan, which captured the girls dual meet championship for the first time last year.
Lincoln Southwest NE 75.5, Niwot CO 60.5
Following a back-and-forth battle in its opening-round matchup against Cardinal Ritter College Prep from Missouri, Nebraska Class A champion Lincoln Southwest was able to absorb the distance depth of Colorado 4A winner Niwot with exceptional performances in the field events, taking the top three spots in the high jump, discus and shot put, along with nearly sweeping the pole vault as well to become the first girls program from its state to reach the quarterfinals in tournament history. Courtney Holsteen led three shot put efforts beyond 37 feet, with Evynn Shelton part of a trio of discus competitors surpassing 110 feet for Lincoln Southwest, which had Jocelyn Oltman and Tatum Terwilliger both clear 5-3 in the high jump. Niwot was able to tie for third place in the pole vault, avoiding a sweep after Hailey Watermeier and Malisa Savice placed first and second for Lincoln Southwest, which received additional victories in the 100-meter dash and 100 hurdles from senior Jaida Rowe as well as a triumph in the 200 from freshman Nonic Oelling. Madison Shults secured wins in the 400 and 800, with North Carolina signee Eva Klingbeil capturing the 1,600 and 3,200 for Niwot, which had Kathryn Carroll double in the long jump and triple jump, in addition to Kimora Northrup prevailing in the 300 hurdles. Niwot was also knocked off in the second round in 2019 by Chandler High of Arizona.
Lake Oswego OR 85, Lone Peak UT 51
A balanced effort by 6A state champion Lake Oswego, which scored in every event, resulted in the first Oregon girls program earning a spot in the elite eight since the inaugural tournament in 2016, with Summit knocking off Issaquah from Washington and Carson High in California before suffering a four-point setback in the quarterfinals to DeSoto of Texas. In addition to winning both relays, Lake Oswego relied on Casey Moran to win the shot put and lead a discus sweep, in addition to benefiting from Lone Peak not fielding any competitors in the triple jump. Julia Sieber triumphed in the high jump, Josie Donelson was victorious in the 400 and Quinn Greene prevailed in the 100 hurdles for Lake Oswego, which relied on another spectacular sprint double from sophomore Mia Brahe-Pedersen. In a showdown of two of the top distance runners in the country, Oklahoma State commit Kate Peters, a junior, won the 3,200 against BYU signee Taylor Rohatinsky of Lone Peak, who earned the victories in the 800 and 1,600. Both athletes competed in December at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships in San Diego, in addition to racing at the Arcadia Invitational in April, with Rohatinsky participating in the mile and Peters focusing on the 3,200. Harmonie Ragin captured the long jump, Sabrina Fairbanks took top honors in the pole vault and Megan Eaton helped Lone Peak by winning the 300 hurdles and taking third in the 100 hurdles.
EAST REGIONAL
Miami Northwestern FL 93, West De Pere WI 43
Another dominant performance from Florida 3A state champion Miami Northwestern resulted in a sixth consecutive appearance in the quarterfinals, adding to one of the most impressive resumes in tournament history. Aside from not fielding any athletes in the pole vault, Miami Northwestern scored in every remaining competition, including winning both relays and sweeping seven additional events. Freshman Kate Schmoll showed signs of a promising future for West De Pere, winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters, but the Wisconsin Division 1 winner managed only a pair of second-place finishes and one third-place performance on the track aside from her trifecta. Rachel Breu won the shot put and Madeline Zirbel prevailed in the high jump for West De Pere, which had Eliza Aitken claim top honors in the pole vault. Jayda Bushay and Aaliyah Butler led strong sprint performances for Miami Northwestern, with fellow senior Paris Baker securing victories in both the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. Sophomore Shakynah Tresvant doubled in the long jump and triple jump, in addition to Shanell Hester leading a discus sweep, along with Jaiya Burchell and Me’Kayla Rothmiller all throwing beyond 124 feet.
Bullis School MD 85, Gahanna Lincoln OH 47
For the first time since 2017, Maryland private school program Bullis advanced to the elite eight, where a familiar opponent awaits in Florida 3A winner Miami Northwestern. It will mark the third time in tournament history the teams will square off, with Miami Northwestern eliminating Bullis in the second round in both 2018 and 2019. Bullis edged Shenendehowa Central of New York by a two-point margin to qualify in 2017, before losing to Western Branch from Virginia in the regional semifinals. Although Bullis was swept in the 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to not fielding any entries in the pole vault against Lincoln, it was still a convincing victory behind 10 individual wins and a pair of relay triumphs. Senior Alyssa Shope triumphed in the 1,600 and 3,200 for Lincoln, which had Camden Bentley edge Myla Greene in a matchup of two of the country’s top junior competitors in the 100-meter hurdles. Greene prevailed in the 300 hurdles, with Payton Payne, Mirai Bernard, Sage Hinton and Lauren Leath also producing track victories for Bullis. Trinity Franklin, a Michigan commit, doubled in the discus and shot put, and Bullis secured additional wins from Mikayla McFarland in the high jump, Reagan Schwartz in the long jump and Morgan Bridges in the triple jump. Abby Schedgle of Lincoln was the only pole vault participant for either program.
Niceville FL 85, Hoover AL 51
The quest for both Hoover teams to reach the quarterfinals was halted by Florida 4A champion Niceville, which continued to make an impressive first impression in its tournament debut. Hoover, the Alabama 7A winner, managed to secure victories in both relays, along with sweeping the 400 and high jump, but its only other triumph came from McKenzie Blackledge in the 800. Daisy Luna, Gabrielle Washington and Blackledge took the top three spots in the 400, with Hoover having Langley Jung, Nyel Settles and Layla Wilson all clearing at least 5-2 in the high jump. But Niceville countered with Skye Tolbert winning the 100-meter dash, 200 and 100 hurdles, along with fellow junior Mikayla Williams capturing the long jump and triple jump, in addition to Auburn signee Megan Hague showcasing her strength by earning victories in the discus and shot put. Lilly Chouinard, a Kennesaw State commit, was supported by Aleena Ponto and Tolbert in sweeping the pole vault for Niceville, which received a 300 hurdles triumph from junior Jasmine Dereje. Niceville joined Miami Northwestern and St. Thomas Aquinas among Florida girls programs to reach the quarterfinals in tournament history.
Union Catholic NJ 82.5, Padua Academy DE 53.5
Sophomore Peyton Hollis swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for New Jersey Non-Public A winner Union Catholic, which advanced to the regional semifinals for the fifth time in six overall tournament appearances, only suffering a second-round setback in 2018 to Marietta High from Georgia. Union Catholic, which suffered quarterfinal losses to St. Thomas Aquinas in both 2019 and last year, will square off against another Florida program in 4A state champion Niceville in its elite eight showdown. Hollis, who didn’t contest the 400 as junior teammate Maameyaa Nyinah prevailed for Union Catholic, also contributed to a 4x400 victory to complete a sweep of both relay events. Jada Mia Puryear, a Columbia commit, doubled in the discus and shot put, Asydiah Pray-Brown emerged victorious in the 400 hurdles, Alexandra Bonn triumphed in the triple jump and freshman Taylor Cox added to her second-place finishes in the 100-meter dash and 200 by winning the 100 hurdles for Union Catholic. Sophomore Juliana Balon edged Cox in their 100 and 200 showdowns, in addition to securing a win in the long jump for Padua Academy, with Libby Neiburg and Cassidy Becker sharing top honors with 5-foot clearances in the high jump and freshman Elce Walsh prevailing in the pole vault. It marked the first time Padua Academy reached the second round following an opening-round setback in 2018 to Bullis School from Maryland.
WEST REGIONAL
Flower Mound TX 87, Helena MT 49
Despite Montana Class AA state champion Helena building a six-point advantage from their performances in the six field event competitions, Texas 6A winner Flower Mound produced one of the most impressive track showcases of this year’s event, combining for 63 points across the eight individual races and two relays to continue its run to the regional final in its tournament debut. DeSoto, one of the most successful 6A programs in Texas history, reached four consecutive national semifinals from 2016-19, before losing to eventual champion Buchanan in the elite eight last year. Helena, which became the first Montana girls program to reach the quarterfinals, had sophomore Logan Todorovich prevail in the long jump and triple jump, in addition to Montana State commit Sydney Mattfeldt winning the discus and shot put. But Northern Arizona signee Odessa Zentz secured the only track victories in the 200 and 400 for Helena, as Eva Vreeland swept both hurdling events and Dayana Felicien triumphed in the 100-meter dash for Flower Mound. The quartet of Oklahoma State signee Natalie Cook, Samantha Humphries, Nicole Humphries and Alexandra Fox combined to take the top three spots in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, with Amanda Quinn, Maddison Goodin and Mikaela Honsinger adding another sweep in the pole vault for Flower Mound. Riley Ward won the high jump and teammate Grace Bettencourt tied Helena freshman Madilyn Todorovich for second place, but even with the sweeps in the long jump and triple jump by the Montana champions, the deficits on the track were too much to overcome against Flower Mound.
Lake Oswego OR 68.5, Lincoln Southwest NE 67.5
One inch in the high jump was not only enough for Oregon 6A state champion Lake Oswego to salvage a third-place finish in order to avoid being swept in the event, but also the margin necessary to secure a razor-thin victory over Nebraska Class A winner Lincoln Southwest in a thrilling quarterfinal showdown. Tatum Terwilliger and Jocelyn Oltman both cleared 5-3 for Lincoln Southwest, which needed Regan Lambe to achieve the same height in order to secure the sweep. But Lambe produced a 5-2 clearance, the same height managed by Julia Sieber, helping Lake Oswego split the final point for third place in half and holding on for the win, despite being outscored by a 17-point margin in the six field events. Had Lincoln Southwest swept the high jump, resulting in the teams battling to a 68-68 tie, the primary tournament tiebreaker used since the inaugural event in 2016 has been the 4x800 relay. Lincoln Southwest held an advantage of more than 30 seconds in the 4x800 this year, which would have resulted in the Nebraska champions advancing instead of Lake Oswego. Dakota Webb-Hawkins swept the long jump and triple jump, with Casey Moran capturing the discus for Lake Oswego, but Lincoln Southwest built its advantage in the field events behind Courtney Holsteen, Maddie Rink and Kailey Randall all surpassing 37 feet to take the top three spots in the shot put, along with Hailey Watermeier winning the pole vault. Jaida Rowe swept both hurdling events and Utah commit Brianna Rinn won the 800 for Lincoln Southwest, but sophomore Mia Brahe-Pedersen rose to the occasion again for Lake Oswego by dominating the 100 and 200, in addition to contributing to a pair of relay victories, which also included 400 winner Josie Donelson. Kate Peters, an Oklahoma State commit, triumphed in the 1,600 and 3,200 against Rinn.
EAST REGIONAL
Bullis School MD 62, Miami Northwestern FL 61
One of the most dramatic matchups in tournament history not only required Maryland private school powerhouse Bullis to sweep the 4x100 and 4x400 relays against Florida 3A state champion Miami Northwestern, but also overcome an unfamiliar deficit on the track by excelling in several field events to advance to the regional final for the first time in four overall appearances. The victory was even sweeter for Bullis, which endured second-round setbacks to Miami Northwestern in both 2018 and 2019 after being eliminated in the elite eight in 2017 by Western Branch High from Virginia. Miami Northwestern had edged Union Catholic by a 69-66 margin in the 2017 quarterfinals, which was the closest score in any girls regional semifinal matchup in event history before this year. With neither program contesting the pole vault, Bullis needed to double up on Miami Northwestern in the five remaining field events in order to overcome a 14-point deficit on the track. Trinity Franklin, a Michigan signee, did her part by sweeping the discus and shot put, with Mikayla McFarland, Morgan Bridges and Tatum Lynn continuing to be unsung heroes for Bullis by taking the top three spots in the high jump, all producing clearances of at least 5 feet. Junior Reagan Schwartz came through with an important long jump victory for Bullis against Miami Northwestern sophomore Shakynah Tresvant, who prevailed in the triple jump. Bullis also benefited from freshman Payton Payne running 11.72 in the 100-meter dash, in order to score against a Miami Northwestern lineup led by seniors Jayda Bushay and Aaliyah Butler, who dominated the 200 and 400. Myla Greene delivered two significant wins in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles against Miami Northwestern standout Paris Baker, with fellow junior Lauren Leath adding an important 800 victory for Bullis, which endured the Florida champions sweeping the 1,600 and having sophomore Shalyah Tresvant as the only competitor participating in the 3,200.
Union Catholic NJ 79, Niceville FL 57
Following setbacks to Florida powers St. Thomas Aquinas and Miami Northwestern in its four previous elite eight appearances, New Jersey Non-Public A winner Union Catholic relied on a 36-point advantage in the track events against 4A state champion Niceville to finally break through and reach its first national semifinal. Union Catholic was knocked off by past Florida 4A winner St. Thomas Aquinas in the quarterfinals in 2019 and again last year, which followed losses to 3A champion Miami Northwestern in its first two trips to the regional semifinals in 2016 and 2017. Union Catholic scored in all but one event, with Niceville sweeping the pole vault behind the talented trio of Kennesaw State commit Lilly Chouinard, Skye Tolbert and Aleena Ponto. In a spectacular shot put showdown involving three 40-foot competitors, Auburn signee Megan Hague and Troy-bound Onelia West of Niceville held off discus winner Jada Mia Puryear, a Columbia commit, with Mikayla Williams also winning the long jump for Niceville. Alexandra Bonn triumphed in the triple jump for Union Catholic, which also received victories in the 400 hurdles and high jump from Asydiah Pray-Brown. Tolbert took the top spot in the 100 hurdles, along with the 100-meter dash and 200 for Niceville, but Union Catholic swept both relays and relied on the versatility of sophomore Peyton Hollis, who secured wins in the 400, 1,600 and 3,200, along with contributing to the victorious 4x400, with Maameyaa Nyinah, Kaleigh Gunsiorowski and Pray-Brown still producing the three fastest 800 performances to help the storied New Jersey program earn a matchup in the regional final against Bullis School from Maryland in a battle of two of the most decorated schools when it comes to relay titles at New Balance Nationals during the past decade.
WEST REGIONAL
Flower Mound TX 89, Lake Oswego OR 47
Following a dramatic one-point victory over Lincoln Southwest of Nebraska in the regional semifinals, Oregon 6A state champion Lake Oswego couldn’t continue its momentum and ran into a formidable Flower Mound lineup, clicking on all cylinders in the national semifinals. Flower Mound joins former Texas 6A champion DeSoto, the 2019 tournament winner, in representing its state in the dual-meet final. One of the most anticipated matchups of in the entire tournament involved Lake Oswego junior Kate Peters competing in the distance events against Flower Mound senior Natalie Cook in a clash of Oklahoma State commits. Not only did Cook prevail in the 1,600 and 3,200, but sophomore Samantha Humphries also led a sweep in the 800 that included her sister Nicole Humphries and Cook, contributing to a 54-28 advantage in the 10 track events for Flower Mound. Lake Oswego was most effective in the sprints and the 4x100 relay, led by Oregon state record holder Mia Brahe-Pedersen in the 100 and 200, along with fellow sophomore Josie Donelson in the 400. But even with Brahe-Pedersen and Donelson on the 4x400 lineup, Flower Mound was still able to prevail by a 3:50.07 to 3:50.64 margin, in addition to Eva Vreeland leading a sweep in the 100 hurdles, as well as she and Emma Mclaughlin finishing first and second in the 300 hurdles. Although Lake Oswego received victories from senior Dakota Webb-Hawkins in the long jump and triple jump, in addition to Casey Moran winning the discus, Flower Mound still boasted a 35-19 advantage in the six field events on the strength of placing first and second in the high jump, pole vault and shot put. Riley Ward and Grace Bettencourt took the top two spots in the high jump, Amanda Quinn and Maddison Goodin edged Katelyn Howard in the pole vault, with Halee Jackson and Lauren Drew finishing ahead of Moran in the shot put. Flower Mound has the potential to make it a Texas two-step in the final, with Humble Summer Creek making its first appearance in the boys dual-meet championship against three-time finalist Hoover of Alabama.
EAST REGIONAL
Bullis School MD 78, Union Catholic NJ 58
After several memorable relay matchups in recent years at New Balance Nationals and Penn Relays, two of the most prominent programs in the country squared off for the first time in tournament history, with Maryland private school power Bullis winning 10 events to advance to the national championship. Bullis will face another first-time finalist in Flower Mound High from Texas, and will be sharpened by the experiences of a thrilling one-point quarterfinal victory against Florida 3A champion Miami Northwestern and its impressive triumph against New Jersey Non-Public A winner Union Catholic. Although both programs have built their national reputations on the track, one of the most eagerly anticipated matchups came in the discus throw, with Columbia commit Jada Mia Puryear of Union Catholic edging Michigan signee Trinity Franklin of Bullis by a 155-7 (47.42m) to 147-11.5 (45.09m) margin. Franklin earned the shot put victory by a 49-5 (15.06m) to 40-9.50 (12.43m) margin, helping Bullis secure a 30-24 advantage in the six field events, despite not contesting the pole vault. Mikayla McFarland, Morgan Bridges and Tatum Lynn took the top three spots in the high jump, with Reagan Schwartz and Bridges securing first and second place in the long jump for Bullis. In addition to the nine points amassed in the pole vault, led by Daniela Peralta, Union Catholic also had Alexandra Bonn hold off Bridges to triumph in the triple jump. Bullis prevailed by a 48-34 margin on the track, with Union Catholic accumulating 27 of its points from sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, including victories from Peyton Hollis and Abby Granrath. Although Hollis ran 55.81 in the 400, she could only manage a third-place finish behind Sage Hinton (54.50) and Mirai Bernard (54.76) for Bullis, which swept the 100 and 200, along with capturing both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Payton Payne, Jade Ofotan and Bernard all produced sub-12 performances in the 100, with Sydney Sutton, Bernard and Hinton taking the top three spots in the 200. Myla Greene, a junior, added victories for Bullis in the 100 hurdles against Taylor Cox, as well as the 400 hurdles against Asydiah Pray-Brown.
DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
Bullis School MD 74, Flower Mound TX 62
In a matchup showcasing two programs with contrasting strengths, Bullis School relied on a pair of exceptional relay performances to pull away from a formidable Flower Mound lineup to become the first Maryland school in either gender to capture the championship.
Bullis’ victory also denied Texas from becoming the first state to sweep titles in both genders in the same year. Humble Summer Creek captured the boys crown, becoming the first Texas school since Conroe The Woodlands in 2017 to secure the boys championship and the first overall from the state since the DeSoto girls prevailed in the 2019 tournament.
The teams combined to sweep eight of the 14 individual events, with Bullis taking the top three spots in the 200 and 400 meters, along with the long jump and triple jump, and Flower Mound dominating the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to being uncontested in the pole vault.
The schools each had an event where they finished first and second, with Flower Mound achieving the feat in the high jump and Bullis in the 100 hurdles. Bullis added victories in the discus, shot put and 300 hurdles, and Flower Mound prevailed in the 100-meter dash, with the opposing team placing second and third in all four events.
Although Bullis held a 29-25 advantage overall in the six field events, despite Flower Mound earning nine points for being unopposed in the pole vault, it was the performances in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays that ultimately produced the final margin.
Bullis never trailed during the entire competition, with Flower Mound pulling within one point following a sweep of the 1,600. But Bullis needed the 10 points earned from running 45.96 and 3:40.73 in June at New Balance Nationals to secure a 45-37 overall advantage in the track events, contributing significantly to the final margin of victory.
Dayana Felicien achieved one of the most significant wins for Flower Mound in the 100 with her wind-aided 11.69 effort from the Texas 6A regional meet, prevailing against Bullis sprinters Payton Payne (11.72) and Jade Ofotan (11.86). Mirai Bernard, an 11.81 performer, didn’t factor into the scoring for Bullis, since she was entered instead for the 200, 400 and both relays.
But the rest of the track events offered little drama, with Bullis comfortably sweeping the 200 behind Sydney Sutton, Sage Hinton and Bernard all running under 25 seconds, and taking the top three spots in the 400, with Hinton and Bernard both producing sub-55 performances and Sutton clocking 56.82.
Flower Mound easily swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 behind Samantha Humphries, Nicole Humphries, Alexandra Fox and Oklahoma State signee Natalie Cook. Bullis didn’t field an entry in the 3,200.
Junior Myla Greene rose to the occasion to double in the 100 hurdles (13.57) and 300 hurdles (41.70) for Bullis, winning important matchups against Flower Mound senior Eva Vreeland.
Trinity Franklin, a Michigan signee, triumphed in the discus and shot put for Bullis with performances of 147-11.50 (45.09m) and 49-5 (15.06m), with her victories supporting sweeps in the long jump and triple jump.
Reagan Schwartz, Morgan Bridges and Kennedy Flynn all had long jump marks of 17-11 (5.46m) or better, with Schwartz winning at 18-10 (5.74m). Brianna Maxwell joined Bridges and Schwartz in producing efforts of 34-5.50 (10.50m) or stronger in the triple jump, including Bridges securing victory at 38-4.25 (11.69m).
Riley Ward cleared 5-10 (1.77m) and Grace Bettencourt provided support with a 5-6 (1.67m) performance against a trio of 5-foot Bullis competitors in the high jump for Flower Mound, which also showcased Maddison Goodin, Amanda Quinn and Mikaela Honsinger all achieving clearances of at least 11 feet (3.35m) in the uncontested pole vault.
Fourth Annual DyeStat Dual Meet Championship Tournament
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
It's that time of year again to dig through the database and find the best hypothetical high school dual meet teams in the country.
Building upon the past three years, we are rolling out a make-believe tournament, crunching the numbers with our database at Athletic.net, and scoring the matchups. Last year we revealed winning teams from Hoover AL (boys) and Chandler AZ (girls).
Here are the ground rules.
- Each team that is listed in the tournament is a state champion. (In the case of California, because of its huge population, you have to be a state champion or a section champion).
- Performances used for the tournament are from the spring season and include marks all the way through New Balance Nationals and USATF Juniors.
- Scoring is 5-3-1 for the top three placewinners in all events that both schools participate in, along with 5-0 for the relays.
- A particular athlete can only "participate" in four events.
- There are 32 teams in the bracket; 16 from West of the Mississippi River, 16 from the East.
- The boys bracket is scored by Mike Newman of Athletic.net; the girls bracket is scored by Erik Boal of DyeStat.
2019 First-Round Matchups
Girls West
Valor Christian CO vs Lone Peak UT
DeSoto TX vs Edmond Memorial OK
Lee’s Summit West MO vs Fargo Davies ND
Girls East
Union Catholic NJ vs Warwick PA
Homewood-Flossmoor IL vs Lakota East OH
St. Thomas Aquinas FL vs James Clemens AL
Western Branch VA vs North Central IN
Muskego WI vs Bullis School MD
Miami Northwestern FL vs Oak Park MI
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 - FIRST-ROUND SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jul 1st, 11:15pm
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the first-round meets:
WEST REGIONAL
Valor Christian CO 98, Lone Peak UT 38
Lone Peak accumulated 32 points on the track, including a victory in the 100-meter dash from senior Maddy Eaton, who also contributed to a win in the 4x100 relay. But the Knights managed only six points in the six field events, as Valor Christian picked up victories from Lizzie Waters, Sadie McMullen, Jane Powers and Hailey Rice, along with wins in the shot put and high jump from Anna Hall. The Eagles swept the 100-meter hurdles, high jump and triple jump, along with winning the 4x400, one of three relays where Valor Christian set all-time state records this season.
Centennial NV 81, Calabasas CA 55
Despite the prowess of Calabasas in the sprints, hurdles and relays, which gave the Coyotes a two-point edge on the track, Centennial demonstrated its depth in the six field events to score 41 points and pull away. De’Anna Nowling, Bella Witt and Kyla Robinson-Hubbard are among the country’s most explosive trios for Calabasas, but the Coyotes were shut out in all three distance events. Centennial also swept the high jump, pole vault and discus throw and received valuable points from Ashley Moore, Josephine Ruggieri, Kennedy Brace and Quincy Bonds.
Tahoma WA 79, South Eugene OR 57
The clash of Northwest powers also featured a contrast in strengths on the track, with Tahoma relying on Aliya Wilson, Adaji Osaro-Igwe and Alaina Brady in the sprints, hurdles and relays. But Madison Elmore led South Eugene to a sweep of the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 meters, helping the Axe accumulate 27 valuable points. Although South Eugene edged Tahoma by a two-point margin in the high jump, pole vault, shot put and discus throw, the Bears produced an impressive sweep in both the long jump and triple jump, relying on the combined efforts of Alisha Wilson, Bryana Rogers, Laena Tieng and Brady to prevail.
DeSoto TX 99.66, Edmond Memorial OK 27.33
One of the most impressive programs in tournament history, DeSoto demonstrated its depth from the outset, winning all but two events. Edmond Memorial received victories from seniors Addie O’Connor in the 800 meters and Anna Mitchell in the 3,200, but the Bulldogs managed only six more points on the track and only 11.33 points in the field. DeSoto swept the 100-meter hurdles, 200, 400 and triple jump, along with winning both relays. Rachel Anderson, Rebecca Anderson, Chloe Shaw and Mia Abrahamshowcased the versatility on DeSoto’s roster, with senior Brianna Washington demonstrating her strength in the throws.
Chandler AZ 87.5, Rosemount MN 48.5
The two-time national dual-meet champions extended their winning streak to 11 in a row, sweeping the 100, 200 and 400 meters, in addition to winning both relays, along with Morgan Foster capturing the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Freshman Ava Cinnamocame through with strong performances in both hurdling events for Rosemount, which also received victories from Tierra Doss in the shot put, Lauren Preiner in the high jump, Alexys Berger in the pole vault and Arianna Passeri in the long jump. Freshmen Trinity Henderson and Jocelyn Johnson excelled in the sprints and relays for Chandler, which received valuable points from Kimarah Holt in the jumps and Ciera Jackson in the throws.
Bozeman MT 87, Eagle ID 49
Bozeman won all but two events on the track and secured sweeps in the 300-meter hurdles and the pole vault, leading to an impressive performance in its opener. Sophomores Kendall Cofer and Sarah Carillo excelled in the jumps and throws for Eagle, which also received wins in the 3,200 meters from junior Ashley LaJocies as well as the 4x100 relay. Senior Delaney Bahn won four events and junior Terra Trom was part of three victories for Bozeman.
Fargo Davies ND 74, Lee’s Summit West MO 62
One of the surprise teams from last year’s tournament, Fargo Davies overcame the loss of both relays by sweeping the 100 and 200 meters, 100-meter hurdles and discus throw to advance for the second year in a row. Juniors Sally Korgho, AJ Eberhardt, Michaela Hjelseth, Emily Jahner and Kennedy Ohlhauser, along with sophomore Ellen Donat and eighth-grader Cece Deebom shined again for Davies. Seniors Jessica Haney, Maddie Harris and Ginger Murnieks, along with junior Madison Hulsey kept Lee’s Summit West within striking distance throughout.
Buchanan CA 93.5, Lancaster TX 42.5
Following the first state championship in program history, Buchanan relied on Meagen Lowe and Corie Smith to sweep the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters, in addition to showcasing its depth in the field events by also sweeping the triple jump, pole vault, shot put and discus throw. Buchanan relied on senior leadership all season, with Haley Abirached, Haley Barham, Maren Butler, Shelby Daniele and Aleeza Hassan all joining Lowe in producing victories. Lancaster won both relays and swept the 400 meters, led by junior Nala Stefanos, in addition to triumphs in the 100 hurdles from senior Kiara Smith and the long jump from junior Aysia Ward.
EAST REGIONAL
Buford GA 79, Panther Creek NC 57
Despite the exceptional efforts of junior Morgan Smalls in the 100-meter dash and all three jumps, along with senior Shannon Sefton winning the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, Panther Creek wasn’t able to match the depth of Buford, which swept the 200 meters, captured both relays and placed first and second in six additional events. The combined efforts of Phoenix Armstead, Kimberly Harris, Trinity Price, Alexa Rossum and Trinity Rossum helped Buford accumulate 59 points on the track. Seniors Imani Claudand Ebony Grant also provided valuable points in the throwing events for the Wolves.
Union Catholic NJ 103, Warwick PA 33
Annually one of the most well-rounded programs in the country, this year is no exception for Union Catholic, which won both relays, in addition to sweeping the 100-meter hurdles, 800, long jump, pole vault and shot put. Warwick received victories in the 200 meters from senior Leah Graybill, the 300-meter hurdles from sophomore Emily Skidmore and the 3,200 from senior Kate Dickow, but Union Catholic won all the remaining events. The Vikings amassed 47 points in field-event competition, highlighted by victories from Khamil Evans, Jada Mia Puryear, Alexandra Kwasnik, Hope Handlin, A’Liyah Thomas and Felicia Quainoo.
Homewood-Flossmoor IL 81, Lakota East OH 55
The efforts of Serena Clark in the 100 and 200 meters, along with Kelsi Harris and Danielle Horter in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters helped the Thunderhawks put the pressure on Homewood-Flossmoor, but the Vikings responded with 42 points in the field events, along with timely efforts from Kaylah McCall, Jasmyn Hunter and Ayah Mustafa in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles to pull away. Senior Lindsey Kluesener won the pole vault for Lakota East, but Homewood-Flossmoor was victorious in the remaining field events, led by seniors Madison Myrick and Trinity Daniels.
St. Thomas Aquinas FL 98, James Clemens AL 38
Ashlee Osaji was impressive for James Clemens with victories in the 400, long jump and triple jump, along with a second-place finish in the 200. But the rest of the Jets’ lineup only managed 20 points against a deep and powerful St. Thomas Aquinas lineup, which demonstrated throughout the year that it is not only capable of being the best team in its own state, but possibly the country. The sprint trio of Zahria Allers, Jermecia Brown and Zatoria Thompson dominated the 100 for the Raiders, who also relied on Emelia Chatfield, Alexis Glasco and Eddiyah Frye to sweep both hurdles events and contribute to a pair of relay victories.
Campbell GA 89, Hillcrest SC 38
In one of the strongest years for Georgia programs in recent memory, Campbell demonstrated it had the right combination of speed on the track and depth in the field events to emerge as one of the most balanced teams in the country. The Spartans swept both hurdles, won two exceptionally fast relay races against the South Carolina record-holders, and also the discus, to overwhelm Hillcrest, which managed wins only from sophomore Camille Egbula in the 800 and 1,600 meters, along with sophomore Kieran Martin in the long jump. Zionn Rice, Ashton Lindley and Raina Perry sparked the hurdles sweep and contributed to the relay success for Campbell, which had Otieno Jamila and Lailah Malone excel in the throws.
Western Branch VA 64, North Central IN 62
Last year’s national runner-up, Western Branch escaped a potential opening-round loss for the first time in tournament history by sweeping the high jump and taking the top two spots in the 100-meter hurdles, 800 meters and triple jump to overcome being swept in the 3,200 and losing both relays against a formidable North Central lineup. Freshman Ramiah Elliott demonstrated how bright her future can be, with senior Alyssa-Simone Robinson and junior Skylynn Blue-Williams adding valuable points in the sprints for North Central, which also received important contributions in the hurdles from junior Chanler Robinson. Imani Gaston, Ltamra Weeks, Nylah Wiggins, Adriana Shockley and sisters Shadajah Ballard and Na’Taja Ballard helped Western Branch rally for the victory.
Bullis School MD 85, Muskego WI 51
The teams split the six field events, scoring 27 points apiece, but Bullis reminded the rest of the country why it boasts one of the strongest collections of sprint, hurdle and relay talent nationally. Muskego scored its remaining 24 points by sweeping the 1,600 and 3,200, along with taking first and third place in the 800, led by Kate Sperka, Kate Jochims, Brittany Helm, Rachel Helm and Ani Oxborough. But Bullis prevailed in both relays, along with sweeping the 100, 200, 400 and both hurdles events. The long jump and high jump were also significant for the Bulldogs, who relied on Lauren Harris, Aniella Delafosse, Sierra Leonard, Azariah Reid and Alexis Emery to contribute 17 points.
Miami Northwestern FL 90, Oak Park MI 36
The inaugural girls national dual-meet champion in 2016, Miami Northwestern has continued to remain one of the country’s elite programs, despite overcoming significant losses to graduation. The approach has continued to remain the same for the Bulls, focusing on strength in numbers, allowing them to sweep the 100-meter dash and triple jump, along with taking the top two spots in five additional events. Juniors Jayla Jones and Aasia Laurencin, along with freshman Chloe Vines, produced the only individual victories for Oak Park, which also won the 4x400 relay. Alyssa Richard remained a significant presence in the throws for Miami Northwestern, which also received impressive efforts in the horizontal jumps from seniors Dascha Robinson and Christon Kingcade.
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 - SECOND-ROUND SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jul 3rd, 11:21am
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of second-round meets:
WEST REGIONAL
Valor Christian CO 90, Centennial NV 46
For the second year in a row, Valor Christian got past Centennial, sweeping the 800 meters and taking the top two spots in four additional events to return to the quarterfinals. Quincy Bonds won the 100-meter dash and contributed to another victory in the 4x100 relay for the Bulldogs, who received a win by Ashley Moore in the triple jump. Keely Jones, Reese Dragovich and Taylor Whitfield showcased the middle-distance depth for the Eagles, who received another stellar four-event showcase from one of the country’s most versatile talents in Anna Hall, as well as victories in the 200 and 400 from sophomore Camille Peisner. Valor Christian doubled up on Centennial in the six field events, also receiving wins from Jane Powers, Lizzie Waters and Sadie McMullen.
DeSoto TX 76, Tahoma WA 60
DeSoto advanced to its fourth consecutive quarterfinal, but had to overcome being swept in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, along with the pole vault and triple jump in order to prevail against the Bears, who reached the second round for the second year in a row. Freshman Faith Martinez doubled in the 1,600 and 3,200 for Tahoma, which received victories from Alaina Brady, Laena Tieng and Bryana Rogers. DeSoto accumulated 57 points on the track, including a pair of victories from Rosaline Effiong, who also contributed to a national high school record in the 4x100 relay and one of the country’s elite 4x400 quartets. The Fighting Eagles also got a clutch victory in the long jump by Mia Abraham over Tahoma’s Alisha Wilson, with Ja’Era Griffin holding off Aliya Wilson in the 100-meter dash for another key DeSoto win.
Chandler AZ 93, Bozeman MT 43
The most successful team in tournament history continued to build its legacy with another quarterfinal berth, as Chandler improved to 16-1 all-time during the event’s four-year existence, including 12 consecutive victories. Bozeman swept the high jump and pole vault, the latter led by senior Mara Lynch, with senior Delaney Bahn sparking the high jump sweep, in addition to capturing the long jump. The Wolves showcased one of the great throwing corps in the nation, with Ciera Jackson, Makayla Hunter and Gracie Bonenberger combining for 17 points in the shot put and discus throw. Chandler also swept the triple jump, in addition to amassing 63 points on the track, including three individual victories from Morgan Foster and wins from Trinity Henderson, Kelise Davis, Adora Adams and Erykah Garrett.
Buchanan CA 96, Fargo Davies ND 40
After advancing to the quarterfinals last year, Fargo Davies ran into a powerful Bears lineup, which swept the pole vault, triple jump and discus throw, along with finishing first and second in three other events and winning both relays. Sally Korgho swept both hurdles for the Fighting Hawks, who also received wins from Ryleigh Wacha in the 400 meters, Ellen Donat in the long jump and Kaia Schneider in the high jump. Shelby Daniele doubled in the 100 and 200, along with contributing to the 4x100 for Buchanan, which received three distance victories from Meagen Lowe, along with wins from Haley Abirached, Haley Barham, Maren Butler and McKenna Chaney to become the third California girls team to reach the quarterfinals in tournament history, joining Great Oak in 2016 and Santa Margarita in 2017.
EAST REGIONAL
Union Catholic NJ 83, Buford GA 53
Despite having its bid for a third straight quarterfinal appearance halted last year, Union Catholic bounced back with one of its most impressive victories to return to the elite eight, sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to doubling up on the Wolves in the six field events. Buford was exceptional in the sprints, taking the top two spots in the 100, 200 and 400 behind Phoenix Armstead, Alexa Rossum and Trinity Price, in addition to Imani Claud securing the shot put and Ebony Grant capturing the discus throw. Leena Morant, Jerika Luefrano, Morgan Williams and Abby Granath came through with significant efforts in the distance events for the Vikings, who also received victories in the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump from Felicia Quainoo, along with Avery Jordan in the 300-meter hurdles, A’Liyah Thomas in the long jump, Hope Handlin in the pole vault and Alexandra Kwasnik in the high jump.
St. Thomas Aquinas FL 103, Homewood-Flossmoor IL 33
The Raiders returned to the quarterfinals, winning all but three events, marking the second year in a row that a pair of Florida programs reached the elite eight. Homewood-Flossmoor received victories from junior Ashani Denton in the 400 meters, senior Trinity Daniels in the triple jump and sophomore Katy Boykins in the shot put, but managed only nine points on the track, compared to 73 for St. Thomas Aquinas. Jaziah Ochoa and Kerrigan McGreevy showcased the Raiders’ versatility by combining to win the three distance events, with Zahria Allers, Rondajai Washington, Jermecia Brown, Zatoria Thompson and Emelia Chatfield excelling in the sprints, hurdles and relays for St. Thomas Aquinas, which added a victory in the long jump from Eddiyah Frye.
Campbell GA 72, Western Branch VA 55
One of the most decorated programs in tournament history, advancing to last year’s final and reaching at least the round of eight the past three years, Western Branch couldn’t overcome being swept in the 3,200 meters and enduring rare losses in both relays against first-time quarterfinalist Campbell. Sophomore Mekenze Kelly came through with significant victories in the 200 and 400 meters for the Spartans, who also received triumphs in the 800 meters from junior Makylah Jones as well as the 300-meter hurdles and long jump from junior Ashton Lindley. Jada Alston won the triple jump, Camille Trotman prevailed in the high jump and Lailah Malone earned the shot put victory for Campbell, which held a three-point advantage in the field events. Sisters Shadajah Ballard and Na’Taja Ballard, along with Adriana Shockley, combined to sweep the 100-meter hurdles, with Christina Skinner leading a sweep in the 1,600 meters for Western Branch.
Miami Northwestern FL 73, Bullis School MD 53
Two of the most evenly matched programs in the country in terms of track prowess were separated by seven points across those 10 races, but Miami Northwestern demonstrated again why it remains one of the elite national programs with a 29-16 advantage in field events that wound up playing a significant role in getting past the Bulldogs. Although Bullis took the top two spots in the long jump with Lauryn Harris and Aniella Delafosse, Miami Northwestern had senior Alyssa Richard secure the shot put and discus throw, along with senior Dascha Robinson capturing the triple jump and junior Stephanie Jobe emerging victorious in the high jump. Jacoria Burton, Lamaria Washington and Christon Kingcade swept the 100-meter dash for Miami Northwestern, with Bullis countering by sweeping the 400 with Shaniya Hall, Leah Phillips and Sierra Leonard. Phillips also came through with wins in the 200 meters, 300 hurdles and as part of the 4x400 relay for Bullis, with Harris capturing the 100 hurdles, but Miami Northwestern had senior Nina Burgos double in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, in addition to sophomore Le’nai Hunter taking the 800.
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 - REGIONAL SEMIFINALS SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jul 4th, 11:01pm
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the girls regional semifinals (national quarterfinals):
WEST REGIONAL
DeSoto TX 71, Valor Christian CO 65
Just like in last year’s quarterfinals, DeSoto was pushed to the limits by Valor Christian, but even the best 4x400-meter relay in Colorado state history wasn’t enough to get past another sub-3:40 effort from Texas’ UIL 6A state champions with the meet on the line. Valor Christian, which suffered a 72-62 setback last year, held a 10-point edge in the field events in the rematch, including an unopposed sweep in the pole vault. But it wasn’t enough to maintain the advantage, as DeSoto outscored Valor Christian in the eight individual track races and swept both relays, including a national high school record in the 4x100. Although Valor Christian countered DeSoto’s sweep in the 100-meter dash from Ja’Era Griffin, Mia Abraham and Destiny O’Neal by taking the top three spots in the 3,200 with Taylor Whitfield, Keely Jones and Ashley Jones, and the teams were even in the 200, 400, 800 and 1,600, a big momentum shift came in the two hurdles events. DeSoto had Jayla Hollis and Jalaysi’ya Smith finish in front of Anna Hallin the 100-meter hurdles, along with managing to place second and third behind Hall in the 300 hurdles. DeSoto received a big boost again from Brianna Washington in the shot put and discus throw, in addition to Rebecca Anderson emerging victorious in the triple jump. Sadie McMullen won the long jump and Hall prevailed in the high jump, but they weren’t enough to prevent DeSoto from advancing to a fourth consecutive semifinal.
Buchanan CA 81.5, Chandler AZ 54.5
For the first time since an 88-47 loss to Miami Northwestern FL in the inaugural championship showdown in 2016, Chandler endured defeat, bringing an end to the most impressive stretch by any program – boys or girls – in tournament history. Chandler had won 16 of its previous 17 tournament matchups, including 12 in a row since the finals setback three years ago, earning a measure of revenge against Miami Northwestern in 2017 and knocking off Western Branch VA last year to become the only two-time champion, regardless of gender. After Chandler and DeSoto TX squared off the past three years in the regional final, Buchanan became the first California girls program to reach the national semifinals. Although Chandler swept the 400 meters, Buchanan countered with an unopposed sweep in the pole vault, contributing to a 19-point advantage in the field events. Buchanan won the long jump with Helen Chu, the triple jump with Haley Abirached, the high jump with Hannah Butler and the shot put with Maren Butler. Only a narrow victory in the discus by Chandler’s Ciera Jackson prevented the Bears from winning every field event. Shelby Daniele also came through big for Buchanan in the 100 and 200, along with Aleeza Hassan and Alexa Dandridge taking first and second in the 300 hurdles after Adora Adams won the 100 hurdles for Chandler. Although Morgan Foster won the 800 meters for the Wolves, perhaps the most significant points came for Buchanan in the 1,600 and 3,200, with Meagen Lowe and Corie Smith taking the top two spots in the longer race along with placing first and third in the former.
WEST REGIONAL FINAL
DeSoto TX 73.5, Buchanan CA 62.5
Perhaps the most talented girls program in the country never to reach a final in the previous three years of the event’s existence, DeSoto didn’t have an opportunity to knock off nemesis Chandler AZ – winner of their past three matchups in the regional finals, including two by less than 10 points – but it didn’t matter to the Fighting Eagles, who joined the boys squad from The Woodlands in 2017 as the only Texas teams to advance to the tournament championship. Although California state champion and first-time semifinalist Buchanan swept the 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters and triple jump, along with earning an unopposed sweep in the pole vault, DeSoto showcased its strengths by sweeping both hurdling events, in addition to the 400 meters, as well as winning both relays with a national high school record 44.24 in the 4x100 and another sub-3:40 effort in the 4x400. Even though Buchanan outscored DeSoto by 17 points in the field events, the Fighting Eagles earned significant wins from Brianna Washington in the shot put and discus throw, along with Mia Abraham in the long jump. The Bears got victories from Haley Abirached in the triple jump and Hannah Butler in the high jump, along with the aforementioned unopposed sweep in the pole vault. But despite Meagen Lowe sweeping the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters, contributing to Buchanan scoring 23 points in the three distance events along with the support of Corie Smith, Kaylee Elliott and Rachel Culver, the Bears only managed four additional points from Shelby Daniele in the 100 and 200 meters, with DeSoto’s sprint, hurdle and relay depth too much to overcome. Rosaline Effiongwon the 200 and 400, with Ja’Era Griffin taking the 100 for the Fighting Eagles, who swept the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles relying on the combined efforts of Jayla Hollis, Jalaysi’ya Smith, Lauren Perry, Taylor Armstrong and Heavan Kennedy.
EAST REGIONAL FINAL
St. Thomas Aquinas FL 76, Miami Northwestern FL 60
Miami Northwestern had not only ruled Florida, but established itself as one of the most dominant teams in the country since the event’s inception, winning the inaugural girls title in 2016 and advancing to the championship again in 2017, before falling to Western Branch VA in last year’s regional final. But 4A state winner St. Thomas Aquinas finally upstaged the 3A dynasty of Miami Northwestern to advance to the championship after reaching the quarterfinals last year. Although the Bulls demonstrated again why they boast one of the strongest collections of field-event athletes in the nation by outscoring St. Thomas Aquinas by a 10-point margin, the Raiders responded by sweeping both relays on their way to accumulating 54 points on the track. Alyssa Richard, Summer Mosley and Chaniya Dawson combined to sweep the shot put and discus throw for Miami Northwestern, which also achieved an unopposed sweep in the triple jump. But St. Thomas Aquinas earned an unopposed sweep in the pole vault, in addition to Zatoria Thompson and Hannah Lowenstein taking the top two spots in the high jump and Eddiyah Fryewinning the long jump. St. Thomas Aquinas held a 19-17 edge from the combined results of the 100, 200, 400 and 800, with Miami Northwestern’s Jacoria Burton and Lamaria Washington taking the top two spots in the 100, only to be countered by St. Thomas Aquinas’ Zaharia Allers and Rondajai Washington in the 200. Washington added a victory in the 400 for the Raiders, with Le’nai Hunter securing the 800 for Miami Northwestern. But St. Thomas Aquinas received important victories in the 1,600 and 3,200 from senior Kerrigan McGreevy against Miami Northwestern senior Nina Burgos, along with a crucial double in the 100 and 300 hurdles from junior Emelia Chatfield, who prevailed over Bulls’ junior Markalah Hart to outscore Miami Northwestern in those four events by a combined 14 points, which wound up being the almost the entire final overall margin.
DESOTO TX WINS DYESTAT 2019 GIRLS NATIONAL DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP
Published by
DyeStat.com Jul 7th, 11:57am
Following fourth straight UIL 6A title and eighth state crown in 13 years, DeSoto not only earns the right to call itself one of the all-time greats in Texas, but one of the elite female lineups in prep track and field history
Third Annual DyeStat Dual Meet Championship Tournament
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
Ever wondered which high school team is the deepest for dual meets in the entire country? Well, we did.
For the past two years, we rolled out a hypothetical tournament, crunched the numbers with our database at Athletic.net, scored the matchups and came out with two champions: Last year, it was the Chandler AZ girls and The Woodlands TX boys.
Here are the ground rules.
- Each team that is listed in the tournament is a state champion. (In the case of California, because of its huge population, you have to be a state champion or a section champion).
- Performances used for the tournament are from the spring season and include marks all the way through New Balance Nationals and USATF Juniors.
- Scoring is 5-3-1 for the top three placewinners in all events that both schools participate in, along with 5-0 for the relays.
- A particular athlete can only "participate" in four events.
- There are 32 teams in the bracket; 16 from West of the Mississippi River, 16 from the East.
- The boys bracket is scored by Mike Newman of Athletic.net; the girls bracket is scored by Erik Boal of DyeStat.
2018 First-Round Matchups
Girls West
Mountain View ID vs Sentinel MT
Great Oak CA vs Fargo Davies ND
Santa Margarita CA vs Minnetonka MN
Centennial NV vs Valor Christian CO
Lee’s Summit West MO vs Mansfield Lake Ridge TX
DeSoto TX vs Edmond Memorial OK
Girls East
Western Branch VA vs Whitehaven TN
Naperville North IL vs Lincoln OH
St. Thomas Aquinas FL vs Hamilton Southeastern IN
Marietta GA vs Panther Creek NC
Union Catholic NJ vs Rush-Henrietta NY
Miami Northwestern FL vs Waukesha West WI
https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=537682
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 - FIRST-ROUND SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jun 26th 2018, 9:02am
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the first-round meets:
WEST REGIONAL
Chandler AZ 113, Newton KS 22
The defending dual-meet champion Wolves might have lost significant scorers Anaya Bailey, Tiana Poirier-Shelton and LaMeyah Charlton to graduation, in addition to Jayde Charlton transferring to Division 2 state champion North Canyon, but the Arizona Division 1 winners still entered the tournament as a legitimate threat to reach a third consecutive final thanks to versatile talent Jai Gruenwald, outstanding distance depth and a strong corps of throwers, led by senior Samantha Ponds. Newton scored 13 of its points in the sprints behind junior Kalli Anderson and senior Savannah Simmons.
Tahoma WA 74, Jesuit OR 62
For the past two years, the Northwest battle for bragging rights had gone in Oregon’s favor, with Summit defeating Issaquah in 2016 and Tahoma last year. But Washington got over the hump this year, with Tahoma relying on junior sprinter Aliya Wilson and the strength of juniors Bryana Rogers and Alisha Wilson in the jumps to prevail in a back-and-forth matchup. Junior Makenna Schumacher sparked a strong distance effort for Jesuit, which also received valuable points in the throws from junior Jordyn Turner.
Mountain View ID 80, Sentinel MT 56
The all-around strength on the track for Mountain View was too much for Sentinel to overcome in the field events. Sophomore Lexy Halladay sparked an impressive distance effort for the Mavericks, who received valuable contributions from senior Makenna Schuler and juniors Lizza Wallace and Melanie Marquis. Sentinel boasts one of the most impressive groups of senior throwers in the country with Madi Arneson, Emily Malone and Aaliyah Woods, in addition to talented sophomore hurdler/jumper Lauren Heggen, but they weren’t enough to overcome 64 track points from Mountain View.
Fargo Davies ND 80.2, Great Oak CA 55.1
Great Oak returned to the tournament field after reaching the 2016 quarterfinals, but it was a brief appearance for the Wolfpack. Fargo Davies is the first North Dakota girls team to make the field and the Eagles soared in their debut by countering Great Oak’s distance depth with impressive sprints, hurdles, relays and throws. Fatima Cortes, Tori Gaitan, Arianna Griffiths and Sandra Pflughoft led the way in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for the Wolfpack, but Davies relied on senior twins Rose Gaye and Roseline Gaye in the sprints and relays, along with improved sophomores Michaela Hjelseth, A.J. Eberhardt and Sally Korgho to accumulate valuable points in the throws and hurdles.
Minnetonka MN 78, Santa Margarita CA 58
Santa Margarita reached last year’s quarterfinals, but the Eagles’ loss, along with Great Oak’s setback, meant for the first time a California girls team failed to win at least one first-round matchup. Minnetonka also became the first Minnesota girls team to advance, benefiting from 40 points in the field events, including sweeps in the long jump and triple jump, relying on juniors Annika Muller and Faith Robinson, in addition to senior Olivia O’Brien. Santa Margarita tried to maximize the versatility of Nikki Merritt, Gwyn George and Tessa Green, but the Eagles also couldn’t overcome the presence of senior throwers Sydney Handt and Zoe Hardwick for the Skippers.
Valor Christian CO 85, Las Vegas Centennial NV 51
Centennial made its third straight appearance, but couldn’t advance for the second year in a row against a Valor Christian team featuring the best all-around athlete in the country in national high school heptathlon record holder Anna Hall. The teams were evenly matched in the sprints and jumps, but Valor Christian’s edge came in the hurdles and distance events, along with a crucial sweep in the discus. Centennial has one of the country’s most promising sophomore classes with Quincy Bonds, Kennedy Brace, Kendall Hawkins and Ashley Moore, but Valor Christian also possesses a bright future with freshman Taylor Whitfield, sophomore Jane Powers, and juniors Keely Jones, Joy Gerow, Destiny Grimes, Lizzie Waters and Hall.
Mansfield Lake Ridge TX 75.1, Lee’s Summit West MO 60.2
This was the year for Mansfield Lake Ridge to take center stage instead of McKinney North at the Texas UIL 5A Championships, with senior sprinters Kelly Rowe, Asia Giles and Ariel Ford, senior thrower Faith Ette and freshman hurdler Maniah Williams providing the necessary support for the country’s best horizontal jumper in junior Jasmine Moore. Lee’s Summit West had won its first-round matchup the past two years, but despite the contributions of seniors Jana Shawver and Makayla Kelby, along with junior Jessica Haney, the Titans couldn’t advance for a third year in a row after losing both relays and being swept in the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles.
DeSoto TX 95, Edmond Memorial OK 31
Will this finally be the year that DeSoto breaks through and reaches the championship? After losing to Chandler AZ in the regional final the past two years, the Fighting Eagles have another strong group ready to challenge for national supremacy. Edmond Memorial made its second straight appearance, but the Bulldogs didn’t have an answer for DeSoto’s depth, especially in the track events. Aside from Alysheia Joseph prevailing in the 100, Edmond Memorial managed only two additional points on the track, plus victories in the discus from junior Erin Talbott and high jump from sophomore Katelyn Levings. Jada Laye, Ja’Era Griffin, Deandria Hart, Bryannia Murphy and Cierra Wash lead one of the elite sprint corps in the nation for DeSoto.
EAST REGIONAL
Western Branch VA 96, Whitehaven TN 36
The Bruins sent coach Claude Toukene out in style with a 6A state title followed by a dominant performance at New Balance Nationals, making them a serious contender to challenge perennial Florida powers Miami Northwestern and St. Thomas Aquinas to reach the national championship. Western Branch won every event on the track in its first-round matchup, with Whitehaven only managing victories in the shot put with junior Michaela Brown and high jump with senior Ladasia Walton, along with an unopposed five points in the pole vault. Some of the most underrated contributors for Western Branch are junior Shardonnay Nichols in the middle distance and hurdle events, along with jumpers Jessica Tucker and Ltamra Weeks.
Hoover AL 95, Clinton MS 41
Following first-round losses in 2016 and 2017 against two-time national finalist Miami Northwestern FL, Hoover finally secured an opening-round win, relying on impressive performances in the hurdles, distance and jumping events to overcome a significant deficit in the sprints. Jayda Eckford, Trinity Williams and Olivia Womack helped contribute 27 points on the track for Clinton, but the Arrows managed only 12 points in the field events. Michelle Nkoudou and Chakiya Plummer were significant factors in the hurdles for Hoover, with Genesis Jones accounting for valuable points in the jumps.
Lincoln OH 78, Naperville North IL 58
A pair of programs making their first tournament appearances, resulted in an impressive sprint, middle-distance and relays showcase by Lincoln to establish a significant advantage that Naperville North couldn’t overcome. Amariah Thomas and Alexis Thigpen did their part for the Golden Lions in the sprints and relays, with juniors Madison Martinez and Shynae Deas providing a formidable duo in the 800. Freshman Faith Hunter was also a significant factor for Lincoln by winning the high jump. Naperville North received exceptional distance efforts from Sarah Schmitt and Alex Morris, in addition to junior Halle Bieber winning both hurdles races, along with a discus and shot put sweep from senior Sarah Wastek, but those performances weren’t enough to rally the Huskies.
St. Thomas Aquinas FL 65, Hamilton Southeastern IN 62
The most exciting first-round matchup witnessed Hamilton Southeastern make its first appearance representing Indiana and nearly stun Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas in a matchup that came down to the 4x400 relay. The Raiders benefited from sweeping the hurdles events and winning both relays to combat Hamilton Southeastern’s dominance of the distance races and producing an edge in the field events. Sophomores Zatoria Thompson and Jermecia Brown were stellar in the sprints for St. Thomas Aquinas, but it was senior Imani Christian, freshman Eddiyah Frye and sophomores Nikia Smith and Emelia Chatfield who delivered the hurdles sweep for the Raiders. Junior Lulu Black, sophomore Ellie Pedersen and junior Maddie Mirro kept the Royals within reach in the distance events, but even the efforts of Tierra Sydnor in the long jump and Valerie Obear in the discus throw weren’t enough for Hamilton Southeastern.
Marietta 85, Panther Creek NC 51
Marietta becomes the third Georgia school in as many years to prevail in a first-round matchup, winning every event on the track to overcome Panther Creek’s prowess in the field events. The meet highlighted two of the most versatile athletes in the country in Marietta’s Sterling Lester and Panther Creek’s Morgan Smalls. But the supporting cast of the Blue Devils wound up being the difference, with juniors Ani Henderson and Ellie Hall excelling in the distance events and freshmen Zoe Adams and McKenzie Waller rising to the occasion in the sprints. Even Smalls delivering a sweep of the jumps and Susanna Truitt winning the pole vault couldn’t propel the Catamounts to victory.
Union Catholic NJ 88.5, Rush-Henrietta 47.5
Despite the graduation of Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic still won its opening-round matchup for the third straight year and did so by relying on strength in the hurdles, plus valuable points in the high jump, pole vault and triple jump to offset the exceptional efforts of Rush-Henrietta’s Lanae-Tava Thomas. Amaya Chadwick, Felicia Quainoo and Brianna Ewing swept the 100 hurdles for the Vikings, who received significant field points from Alexandra Kwasnik, Tyler Scott and Asiah Cooper. Seniors Lindsay Johnson and Katey Ringo helped Rush-Henrietta win both throwing competitions, but even Thomas securing victories in three individual events and contributing to a relay triumph couldn’t lift the Royal Comets.
Bullis MD 83, Padua Academy DE 53
Bullis is back following a quarterfinal run last year and boasts an even better version, featuring an elite combination of sprinters, hurdlers and relays capable of competing with any team in the country. Padua is the first Delaware girls team to make the field, relying on senior Lydia Olivere and junior Elizabeth Bader in the distance events, along with Chioma Njoku and Ursula Dzik in the throwing competitions. But Bullis’ depth in the 100, 200, 400, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and two relays outscored the Pandas in those seven events alone, with the Bulldogs benefiting from the veteran presence of Masai Russell, Sierra Leonard, Cierra Pyles, Ashley Seymour, Lauryn Harris, Leah Phillips and Kasey Ebb to handle whatever challenges that were placed in front of them.
Miami Northwestern FL 106, Waukesha West WI 30
On a mission to reclaim a championship after a narrow setback in last year’s final to Chandler AZ, Miami Northwestern might not be as deep this season following the graduation of Twanisha Terry, De’Andreah Young, Kaylah Clark and Taranique Alexander, but the Bulls still feature Ulani Toussaint, Ayoola Gbolade, Markalah Hart, Chanel Dawson, Alyssa Richard and Dascha Robinson, more than enough firepower to cruise past Waukesha West, the first Wisconsin girls team to make the tournament field. The Wolverines remained competitive in the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200 thanks to the efforts of seniors Maddie Frey and Becca Langer, along with junior Allyssa Reeves, but only managed their remaining points in the high jump and pole vault.
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 - SECOND-ROUND SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jun 28th 2018, 11:42am
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the second-round meets:
WEST REGIONAL
Chandler AZ 90, Tahoma WA 46
Aliya Wilson secured wins in the 100 and 200 meters, in addition to anchoring the Bears’ 4x100 relay to victory, but Chandler dominated the rest of the competition, relying on seniors Jai Gruenwald, Diamond Black, Samantha Ponds, Haley Wolf, Raven Jordan and Anna Foreman to produce another impressive triumph. The Wolves outscored Tahoma with just their performances on the track, but also showcased depth by sweeping the shot put and discus, along with taking two of the top three spots in the long jump and triple jump. Tahoma’s Laena Tieng and Bryana Rogers split the high jump points with Chandler’s Kimarah Holt, as all three athletes had 5-2 clearances.
Fargo Davies ND 76, Mountain View ID 60
Davies doubled up Mountain View in the field events and it carried the Eagles to another impressive victory over a distance-based program after defeating Great Oak CA in the opening round. Although the Mavericks had senior Tori Sloan win the high jump and long jump, as well as sophomore Ashlyn Cormier prevail in the discus, Mountain View couldn’t overcome Davies sweeping the shot put and triple jump. Lexy Halladay and Makenna Schuler accumulated important distance points again for the Mavericks, who also won both relays, but senior twins Rose Gaye and Roseline Gaye were instrumental in Davies establishing a significant advantage in the sprints. The Eagles also stepped up with a timely sweep in the 100 hurdles, the only one recorded by either team on the track.
Valor Christian CO 95.5, Minnetonka MN 40.5
Valor Christian accumulated 61 points on the track, including sweeps in the 400 and both hurdles events, to become the first Colorado girls team to advance to the quarterfinals in tournament history after Fort Collins and Grandview both suffered second-round losses the past two years. Faith Robinson won the 100, Elizabeth Halbmeier prevailed in the 800 and Annika Muller secured a triple jump victory for Minnetonka, but Anna Hall earned wins in the 200, 300 hurdles, high jump and long jump for Valor Christian to counter those points for the Skippers. Joy Gerow, Jane Powers and Caroline Reinkensmeyer swept the discus for the Eagles, who also received significant points from freshmen Taylor Whitfield, Camille Peisner and Reese Dragovich.
DeSoto TX 82, Mansfield Lake Ridge TX 50
In case anyone wondered what the Texas UIL state championship meet would look like if there was only one overall crown at stake instead of titles in six classifications, three-time 6A winner DeSoto reaffirmed its dominance with a convincing performance against first-time 5A champ Mansfield Lake Ridge. DeSoto produced sweeps in the 400, 800, 1,600 and both hurdles events, in addition to winning both relays, which was enough points to earn the victory against Mansfield Lake Ridge, despite being outscored in every field event. Jasmine Moore prevailed in both horizontal jumps and Faith Ette won the throwing events for the Eagles, who also received victories in the 100 and 200 from Kelly Rowe. Bryannia Murphy, Jalese Moore, Rachel Anderson, Ishmia Black, Antoinette Bradley and Lauren Perry all earned wins for DeSoto, which accumulated 68 track points.
EAST REGIONAL
Western Branch VA 89, Hoover AL 47
Perhaps the most impressive example of Western Branch’s depth was showcased when Hoover, one of the storied hurdling programs in the country, was swept in the 100 hurdles and managed only one point in the 300 hurdles. Jazmine Tilmon, Shadajah Ballard and Adriana Shockley – members of the quartet that set the national record in the 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay – led the way for the Bruins, who accumulated 59 track points. Deja Washington prevailed in the shot put and Genesis Jones won the high jump for Hoover, which also received strong performances in the 1,600 and 3,200 from Sydney Steely, Emma Langley and Ava Weems. But Jessica Tucker, Ltamra Weeks and Imani Gaston helped Western Branch secure valuable points in the long jump and triple jump, with Zoe Shenton, Eryn Byrd and Joellen Driscol combining to sweep the discus for the Bruins.
St. Thomas Aquinas FL 72, Lincoln OH 55
A contrast in styles resulted in St. Thomas Aquinas’ strength in the hurdles and sprints being able to offset Lincoln’s depth in the distance races after the teams were evenly matched in the field events. Neither team contested the pole vault. Sophomores Zatoria Thompson and Jermecia Brown sparked St. Thomas Aquinas in the 100, 200 and 400, with Eddiyah Frye, Imani Christian, Emelia Chatfield and Nikia Smith lifting the Raiders by combining to sweep the two hurdles races. Madison Martinez, Claire Steigerwald and Shynae Deas helped the Golden Lions accumulate 26 points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, but despite splitting the relays, Lincoln only managed additional victories from Lacey Stringer in the shot put and Bronte Johnson in the discus. Thompson stepped up with another win the high jump, as did Frye in the long jump for the Raiders.
Marietta GA 71, Union Catholic NJ 65
Sterling Lester proved every bit of her worth and versatility by winning four individual events – 100 hurdles, 200, long jump and high jump – to help Marietta prevail in a thrilling matchup. The absence of Lester on the Blue Devils’ relays allowed Union Catholic to win both races, but Marietta’s two-point edge in the field events was instrumental in the final margin after holding a 43-39 advantage on the track. Josie Konigsmark won the pole vault, Karena Grigenas prevailed in the discus throw and freshman O’Niece Roberts earned a win in the shot put for Marietta to support Lester’s success in the high jump and long jump. Depth allowed Union Catholic to keep pace throughout, with the Vikings only receiving wins from Khamil Evans in the 400 and Tyler Scott in the triple jump. But juniors Ellie Hall and Ani Henderson came through with timely victories in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 for Marietta to prevent Jerika Luefrano and Leena Morant from playing spoiler for Union Catholic.
Miami Northwestern FL 69, Bullis MD 58
A heavyweight matchup showcasing some of the elite sprinters and hurdlers in the country wound up being decided by Miami Northwestern’s strength in the field events, especially the throwing competitions. Chanel Dawson, Alyssa Richard and Chaniya Dawson give Miami Northwestern the most impressive throwing corps in the country, which helped offset the outstanding performances of Bullis jumpers Aniella Delafosse, Sierra Leonard and Cierra Pyles. The teams both accumulated 41 track points, including a split of the relays, with Miami Northwestern earning the only sweep in the 3,200. Markalah Hart earned the most significant win for Miami Northwestern in the 100 hurdles, with her 13.74 effort holding off three additional sub-14 performances from Bullis. Masai Russell doubled in the 300 hurdles and 200 for the Bulldogs, with Nina Burgos winning the 1,600 and 3,200 for Miami Northwestern.
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 - REGIONAL SEMIFINALS SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jun 29th 2018, 1:54pm
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the girls regional semifinals (national quarterfinals):
WEST REGIONAL
Chandler AZ 103, Fargo Davies ND 33
Chandler amassed the most points by any girls team in a quarterfinal victory in tournament history, winning both relays, sweeping three events and taking both first and second in five others to end the memorable run of Fargo Davies in the debut for the North Dakota Division A state champions. The Eagles swept the high jump with Kaia Schneider, Elise Rue and Jenna Bergantine all clearing at least 5-3, in addition to Rose Gaye producing a victory in the 100, but that was the extent of Davies’ success against the defending champions. Chandler received three wins from Jai Gruenwald, along with two each from Haley Wolf and Samantha Ponds, plus additional victories from Zaire Chest, Anna Foreman, Morgan Foster, Raven Jordan and Diamond Black. The Wolves accumulated 64 track points, only exceeded by their 65 in a first-round victory against Kansas 5A champion Newton, to reach a third consecutive regional final.
DeSoto TX 72, Valor Christian CO 62
For the third year in a row, DeSoto will face Chandler AZ in the West Regional final after overcoming an exceptional individual effort by Valor Christian junior Anna Hall to keep their aspirations of reaching a national championship alive. Valor Christian held a 10-point advantage in the field events, with Hall prevailing in the high jump and long jump to go along with her victories in the 300 hurdles and 200. But DeSoto won both relays, in addition to sweeping the 100, 400 and 100 hurdles, which was too much for Valor Christian to overcome in the first quarterfinal appearance by a Colorado girls team. Ja’Era Griffin, Deandria Hart and Jada Laye swept the 100, with Bryannia Murphy, Cierra Wash and Jalese Moore taking the top three spots in the 400 for DeSoto. With Hall winning the 200 instead of contesting the 100 hurdles, it allowed DeSoto to secure another sweep, led by Antoinette Bradley, Jayla Hollis and Jalaysiya Smith. Valor Christian battled valiantly to earn a combined 21 points in the distance events, led by Taylor Whitfield and Keely Jones, but even with that success, DeSoto still held a 20-point overall advantage in the track events to earn the win.
EAST REGIONAL
Western Branch VA 89, St. Thomas Aquinas FL 47
Western Branch returned to the East Regional final to earn a rematch with Florida 3A champion Miami Northwestern after a convincing victory over state 4A winner St. Thomas Aquinas, which only managed track victories in the 300 hurdles and 100. Sophomore Zatoria Thompson prevailed in the 100 and led a sweep in the high jump, but despite a victory from Imani Christianin the 300 hurdles against a talented group of challengers and St. Thomas Aquinas scoring nine points as a result of the Bruins not contesting the pole vault, there was little else the Raiders could do to slow Western Branch’s momentum. Chernell White, Portia Gainey, Eryn Byrd, Zoe Shenton and Joellen Driscol combined to sweep the shot put and discus throw for the Bruins, with Ltamra Weeks, Imani Gaston and Raven Goodman taking the top three spots in the triple jump. Western Branch, which also won both relays, relied on the usual strong contributions of Na’Taja Ballard, Adriana Shockley, Jazmine Tilmon, Shardonnay Nichols and Sara Belamarich to accumulate 56 track points.
Miami Northwestern FL 79, Marietta GA 57
Sterling Lester did her best for Marietta to counter the strengths of some of Miami Northwestern’s best athletes, but her performances weren’t enough to prevent the Bulls from reaching a third consecutive East Regional final. Lester earned a big victory in the 100 hurdles, in addition to winning the 200, 400 and long jump, but despite Ellie Hall doubling in the 1,600 and 3,200, along with Ani Henderson winning the 800, the Blue Devils didn’t win another head-to-head event, earning nine unopposed points when Miami Northwestern didn’t contest the pole vault. The Bulls prevailed in both relays, with Ulani Toussaint securing a victory in the 100, Markalah Hart taking the 300 hurdles and Gabrielle Grant earning a valuable win in the high jump. Dascha Robinson, Jada Holton and Stephanie Jobe produced a significant sweep in the triple jump, with the reliable trio of Chanel Dawson, Alyssa Richard and Chaniay Dawson contributing a combined 15 points in the shot put and discus throw to help Miami Northwestern double up on Marietta in the field events.
DYESTAT NATIONAL GIRLS DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 - REGIONAL FINALS SUMMARIES
Published by
DyeStat.com Jul 2nd 2018, 4:03pm
By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor
Here are summaries of the regional finals (national Final Four). It will come down to Chandler AZ and Western Branch VA for the overall title.
Regional semifinals BOYS | GIRLS
WEST REGIONAL FINAL
Chandler AZ 70, DeSoto TX 62
Just like it did in the inaugural tournament in 2016, Chandler relied on the strength of its field events to rally for a dramatic victory against the Fighting Eagles to advance to the national championship for the third consecutive year. DeSoto was primed to interrupt Chandler’s pursuit of back-to-back titles, putting more pressure on the Wolves than ever before with 53 track points, the most scored by either team in their three meetings. But Chandler, which had accumulated 31 and 39 points in the field events in the past two showdowns, also rose to the occasion by winning all six competitions and outscoring the Fighting Eagles by a 41-9 margin, including a sweep in the triple jump from Diamond Black, Jai Gruenwald and Teryah Payne. Victories by Morgan Foster in the 800 and Gruenwald in the 300 hurdles, combined with sweeps in the 1,600 and 3,200 that featured strong performances from Haley Wolf, Mihajla Milovanovic and Becca Taylor, helped Chandler regroup after DeSoto won the 4x100 relay and dominated the 100, 200, 400 and 100 hurdles. Ja’Era Griffin, Jada Laye, Bryannia Murphy and Antoinette Bradley all contributed victories for the Fighting Eagles, who also won the 4x400 to account for the final margin. Senior Samantha Ponds produced a significant sweep in the discus (146-11) and shot put (43-8.25) – especially with DeSoto receiving big efforts of 139-3 and 42-0 from junior Brianna Washington – to help Chandler take first and third in both throwing events, with Kimarah Holt prevailing in the high jump and Gruenwald adding a victory in the long jump for the Wolves, who also benefited from five unopposed points in the pole vault to outlast DeSoto again following a one-point triumph two years ago and an 83-52 win last season.
EAST REGIONAL FINAL
Western Branch VA 70, Miami Northwestern FL 57
There will be a new opposition for Chandler AZ in the national championship after Western Branch gained a measure of revenge for last year’s 19-point setback to Miami Northwestern in the regional final. The Bruins produced a memorable final meet for veteran coach Claude Toukene at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in North Carolina and now they’re looking to do the same with a first appearance in the virtual final. After being outscored on the track by a two-point margin in last year’s matchup, Western Branch demonstrated the depth that took the program to another level this season by accumulating 54 points in the 10 events, a total that could have been even higher, had it not been for a narrow loss in the 4x400 relay. Miami Northwestern looked to mount a comeback behind its talented trio of throwers – Chanel Dawson, Alyssa Richard and Chaniya Dawson – but even their combined 17 points in the shot put and discus couldn’t propel Miami Northwestern to a rubber match with Chandler after splitting the past two championships. The Bulls prevailed in the high jump and triple jump, highlighted by a 40-foot effort from Dascha Robinson, but Jessica Tucker and Ltamra Weeks came through again for Western Branch by taking the top two spots in the long jump. Freshman Na’Taja Ballard secured big victories in the 200 and 400 for the Bruins, who also benefited from junior Shadajah Ballard winning the 100, Jazmine Tilmon taking the 100 hurdles and Adriana Shockley prevailing in the 300 hurdles to offset the performances of Miami Northwestern’s Ayoola Gbolade in the 800, along with Nina Burgos in the 1,600 and 3,200.
CHANDLER AZ WINS DYESTAT 2018 GIRLS NATIONAL DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP