Who Will Take The Sprinting Reigns in Class AA?


Girls

100m/200m

Minnesota was able to witness one of the most successful all around Track athletes in state history, Anna Keefer, perform last season, but as she has graduated, there will be a new face on top of the podium in the 100/200 meter events. In the 100, J'Ianna Cager from North St. Paul will be the favorite, as she finished 2nd in Class AA last year. With only one senior other than Keefer graduating from the state finals last year, there will be a big group of athletes that can contend with Cager for the state title. These include Cloquet's Kendra Kelley (3rd in AA '17), Orono's Lauren Hansen (4th in AA '17) and Minneapolis Washburn's Charlotte DeVaughn (5th in AA '17) A sleeper to keep an eye out for will be Waconia's Danielle Pioske. With a PR of 12.18, she isn't too far behind Cager, but unfortunately had an off day at the state meet last year, which kept her from making finals. Also, Cager's teammate Shaliciah Jones was able to show off some solid times after the season USATF/AAU meets, running a time of 12.19 at an AAU Region qualifier. If Jones can perform at a level like that, she will be right up there with the contenders for the sprints this season. A few other athletes that could make an impact in the 100 next year are Eagan's Jailyn Robinson, Coon Rapids' Brielle Clarke, an St. Cloud Tech's super-jumper Jodi Lipp, all of whom have run the 100 in 12.32 or better.

For the 200 meter dash, the state is losing a little more experience, as only 4 returners from last season's state final will return. The top returner will be Kelley (3rd in AA '17) so she's shown to be a solid all around sprinter who can contend for both titles. To go along with North's Cager and Jones is Jebeh Cooke, who took 5th in the 200 last season. This trio will look to be all over the podium this season, as they took home two state titles last year as a relay team in the 4 x 100, and 4 x 200 along with Alexis Pratt (setting a state record in this event). Coming in 7th and also returning is Century's Kinga Mozes, who was a finalist in the 100 too. Continue to look out for Lauren Hansen also in the 200, as she came up just short in qualifying for this event last season, taking 3rd in Section 6AA. Of course, one Lauren who will be trying to return to State is Champlin Park's Lauren Samuel, who just missed qualifying for State finals with the 10th best prelim time.


400m

Last year in the 400, there were two freshmen in the top 6 of the finals, with the other 4 being seniors. Of course, this means those freshmen, Cretin's Sydney Jackson and Moorhead's Claire Howell, could have set themselves up for a big showdown in 2018. These runners have very similar PR's of 57.51 and 57.53, respectively. Prior Lake's Kristyn Arends, the future Badger, actually ran a time close to both of those times (57.68) at the USATF Region 8 Championships, which will put her in solid position going into the season to potentially contend with Jackson and Howell. Rocori's Brynn Sauer made the podium last season and certainly will look to do that again this year and improve upon her 8th place finish. Another notable athlete will include Natalie Jacobwith of Eden Prairie, who has a PR of 58.03, but had an off day at State last season, where she ran 60.18. Should she falter again, Section 6AA will have at least two more girls in Southwest's Alison Rosengren and Washington's Janice Cole who will be eager to snatch up her spot. Also don't count out Fridley's Cece Lewis, who took 6th in the 400 in 2016 (58.03) but just missed it by one spot at Sections last season, still running 58.23. And finally, there is Ella Larson of Lakeville South and her PR of 58.44, who began running 400 meters last year after previously making her name as a distance runner, finishing a hard-luck third in her section.


Hurdles

Minnesota hase been eqperiencing something of a hurdle revolution in recent years, and that revolution is destined to continue on into 2018. Rosemount's Shae Buchman destroyed the 100 hurdles field last season, running 14.08, and will return this season to try and do so again, maybe even potentially aim for the state record (she already own's Minnesota's 2nd-best time ever behind Karina Joiner's 13.94) Irondale's Julia Hayes is another dominant returning hurdler, taking 2nd last season in the 100s, but she is just a step behind Buchman in 14.39. The only other hurdler who has times close to Buchman or Hayes is Eagan's Natalie Windels, who is solid at the 100 hurdles with her PR of 14.43, but definitely better at the 300 hurdles. Other returners from the state finals last season include White Bear Lake's Erika Townley and Farmington's Myiah Scott, while Alexandria's Kaye Paschka almost certainly plans to get out of State prelims this fall after failing to do so last year despite her PR of 14.77. Also hoping to return to State are Wayzata's Lauren Bourland (PR of 14.96) and Edina's Evelyn Adams (PR of 15.06) out of Section 6AA. Prior Lake's Taynian Walgrave (who also owns a PR of 14.96) hopes to avoid another hard luck third place finish in 2018. Same with Heather Ryan of Maple Grove, who has qualified in 2016 but barely missed the qualifying standard last year with her time of 15.11 at Sections. And finally, watch out for Apple Valley junior Mykel Parham.

In the 300 hurdles, the previously mentioned Natalie Windels took the win last season in convincing fashion, and there won't be a returner that was within 1 second of her last season. The next closest will be Erika Townley, but Windels has definitely proven to be the clear standout favorite, and ought to be making a run at history in 2018. Forest Lake's Chloe Foster took 4th last season and will be returning, with Elk River's Angel Fredin close behind her, and close behind them in last year's finals race was Paschka. One athlete that did not qualify for State, however (finishing a hard-luck third at Sections) was Fergus Fall's Sabrina Fronning, who actually took third in the event at the Hamline Elite Meet last year, so it would be wise to watch her. Townley's teammate Yajaira Lansiquot also did not manage to qualify for State last year, but has a great chance in 2018 if she can improve her time of 45.56 just a bit. But one athlete who cannot be counted out is Irondale's Julia Hayes, who only achieved a time of 45.36 last year, but owns a PR of 43.43 which is one of Minnesota's all-time best in the 300 hurdles. Perhaps the senior could recapure that magic once again and give future Gopher teammate Windels a run for her money.