The second weekend of December is here, and with that, the second indoor meet is upon us! Clinton High School showed up and showed out last weekend with multiple Top-10 All-time performances and an indoor state record, and it looks like they are coming back for another outing at the 2021 Holiday Invitational this Saturday, December 11. We've got everything to talk about from the 60m to the Shot Put, so let's go ahead and dive right into our star-studded field of Mississippi athletes competing this weekend.
The 60m
Starting off in the 60, both from Clinton High, Tacherria Lawson, and Omari Hampton. Lawson, the sophomore, obviously made some huge gains in the off-season as she just went 7.80 in the 60m dash last weekend at the 2021 Magic City Invitational. According to my calculations, that equated to a low 12 second 100m, which is about half a second faster than Lawson's PR. With that being said, Lawson is already in PR shape in early December, as is most of Clinton High School it seems, and that is scary.
Moving over to Hampton, he just went 7.09 as a freshman at the same meet as Lawson last weekend! Keep in mind, we are still in December!! 7.09 is a very good season opener, especially at such a young age, and we can't forget about his 52.08 last year either. With young talents like Hampton and Aiden Knox, Clinton's sprint squad is in good hands for the future.
The 400m
Next up in the sprints is the longer sprint race, AKA the 400m dash. Slated to run in this event is Hampton, along with Frank Bradley-Reed, and middle distance stars Miguel Bankston and Hannah Jackson. Jackson, who is seemingly an 800m runner, just had a huge season opener last weekend in the 400m with a 60.92 performance, which is an overall PR for the Clinton High junior. That is some serious wheels for an 800m runner, and I am very excited to see what she puts down in an 800m this season. While I can't say I don't wish she was running an 800m this weekend, it will be exciting to see what Jackson does with the momentum she created last weekend as she vies for a Top-10 finish. Jackson will be joined by her teammate Akierah Walker as the #2 seed from Mississippi. Walker and Jackson are also in the 4x200m, and Jackson is the #8 verified seed overall.
Hannah Jackson (red singlet) in the 2021 MHSAA 6A State Championships 800m.
In the boy's 400m, we have Bankston, Hampton, and the #1 seed from Mississippi, Frank Bradley-Reed. Bradley-Reed, like Jackson, is also the #8 verified seed overall in the open 400m and is also slated to run the 60m. Bradley Reed is an interesting case because all we have on the MileSplit database for him before this indoor season is the 2018 and 2021 cross country season - Nothing else. It seems that Bradley-Reed has found his niche with the 400 though, as sub-52 indoors is a very decent time - Especially with the fact that he is literally coming off of cross country season and probably doesn't have all that much 400m training under his legs. Perhaps Clinton High School can get 3 under 52 seconds this weekend with the trio that they have spiking up this weekend.
The 800m
Perhaps the event with some of the most interesting and exciting entries is the high school boys 800m, as we have some talented athletes making their indoor debut in this event this weekend! First off, we have 1:58 man Miguel Bankston who is clearly in shape for the 800m right now as he just debuted 1:59.33 last weekend for a runner-up finish. This would have been one of his fastest times last year in the outdoor circuit, and that's not counting the fact that he also hit an overall PR in the 400m in the same meet. This is just another testament to how well Clinton has been doing so early into the season.
Another exciting entry in the high school boy's 800m at the Holiday Invitational, making his indoor debut, is Curt Carman of Tishomingo County High School! Carman, who has gone 1:59.1 in the half-mile, had an incredible cross country season which included his first-ever sub 17 5k (16:49), as well as a 4th place finish at the 2021 MHSAA 4A Cross Country State Championships. Carman only took 1 loss in the 800m all year, which was to Christian Balcer at the 2021 Mississippi Meet of Champions. I personally know that Carman has been itching to get back to his main event, so we will definitely have to keep an eye out for what he drops.
Yet another indoor debut, and is also slated to run in the 1600m, is Clinton High School transfer junior Christian Parks. Parks is also coming off of a solid cross country season in which he broke 17 on numerous occasions, his fastest being a 16:41 at the 2021 Ole Brook Invitational. Parks ran 4:42 in the 1600m to close off his outdoor season in Spring.
Finally, the last 800m entry that we will have to keep our eye on is Tupelo's Robert Hooper. With Hooper's newfound 5k stamina (16:48 in his first-ever season) with his 53.1 400m speed, I am thinking Hooper could excel very well into the 800m. While it may take a minute for Hooper to 'learn' the 800m, by the time outdoor championship season comes, Hooper very well could have found his new event.
With Vestavia Hill's Alex Leath (1:51 800m PR) leading the charge, the 800m this weekend will surely be a quick one, and it looks like all of our Mississippi runners are in some shape to run some PR's this weekend!
The 3200m
The main highlight heading into the girl's field is the freshman phenom from Tupelo High, Brookelyn Morgan. Morgan, the 2021 MHSAA 6A 3200m State Champion, had an outstanding opener last weekend at the Magic City Invitational. That opener included a 1600m/3200m double in which she won the 3200m in an indoor PR of 11:51, then came back in the 1600m with a 5:32, which is an overall PR. She is clearly in some really good shape right now, and the 3200m is looking to be pretty competitive this weekend with 9 other girls who have broken 12, which will be great for Morgan to pull her along to a fast time.
Brookelyn Morgan winning the 2021 MHSAA 6A State Title in the 3200m
60mH
The last running event to be previewed is the only hurdle event on the track, and that event is led by Clinton High's Corshunna Hughes. Hughes is the #6 seed overall going into this weekend thanks to her 9.83 PR from last weekend. According to my calculations, 9.83 lines up right about with her 110mH of 15.78 when she won the 2021 MHSAA 6A North State Title, which is great that she is already coming into the season in that kind of shape. Her seed time should make the fast heat, so it will be great for Hughes to have some fast competition and push her to potentially another PR.
The Triple Jump
Highlighting most of the jumps this weekend, including her main event which is the triple jump, is Aniya Madkin of Clinton High School. Madkin had an incredible indoor debut last weekend in all 3 jumps, which she won the Triple jump in the 2nd farthest jump in her career of 34-7.5, as well as tying her PR in the High Jump and a Top 3 finish in the Long Jump. She is again entered in all 3 jumps this weekend at the Holiday Invitational and is leading the charge in the Triple Jump, which is her specialty event. Madkin definitely has a lot of momentum heading into this weekend, and it should be a good one for her to keep the ball rolling.
The High Jump
The athlete on watch in the High Jump this weekend is Clinton High School's newest jumper, Maxiumus Littleton! As far as our database goes, Littleton's first-ever performance was last weekend at the Magic City Invitational, which resulted in a 6-2 High Jump. This is a Clinton High School School Record, and #4 All-time in Mississippi Indoor High School Boys History. Littleton also recorded a 20-5.75 in the Long Jump and 35-4.25 in the Triple Jump. The fact this is potentially Littleton's first-ever track outing is downright scary, and it will be very exciting to see what kind of improvements Littleton makes as his season progresses.
Meagan Womack competing in the Discus at the 2021 MHSAA 6A North State Championships
The Shot Put
Last but certainly not least, our new Mississippi High School Indoor State Record Holder in the Girl's Shot Put, Meagan Womack of Clinton High School! As you can see, Womack just had an incredible outing at her season opener last weekend, which resulted in a 35-3.75 Shot Put. This would have been one of her best throws in her outdoor season for her - The same outdoor season that resulted in a Silver Medal at the 2021 MHSAA 6A State Championships and a win at the Mississippi Meet of Champions. I don't know what Womack and the rest of Clinton High School have been doing in the offseason, but whatever it is, it is surely been working!