Field Athletes to Watch at the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic
Loaded field: High School Boys Triple Jump
The most stacked field event in High School Boys competition and 2022 Fleet Track Classic is looking to be the Triple Jump, where we have Pearl's Jerry Johnson and Hazlehurt's Sentario Willis leading the field at knocking at the door of 45 feet.
Willis, an MHSAA 3A Triple Jump State Qualifier, just recently jumped his mark of 44-10 at the 2022 Brookhaven Speed Trials on March 3, taking the win in the process. That is a great meet to be coming off of, and could provide enough momentum to take down Johnson, arguably one of the best horizontal jumpers in the state.
However, Johnson, the Pearl veteran, has jumped 44 feet four times in his career. He is the 2021 MSHAA 6A State Champion in the Long Jump and MHSAA 6A Runner-up in the Triple Jump. He is still opening up this season with farther marks than last season and could find his groove at the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic.
Along with these two, Triple Jump specialist Marcus Thompson, Johnson's teammate also reigning from Pearl, and 43-2.5 Triple Jumper and MHSAA 5A State Meet Qualifier in the Triple Jump Thomasavion Simmons out of Canton will also be in the High School Boys Triple Jump, making this a loaded field.
In ideal conditions, we could see our first 45-footer of the season in the High School Boys Triple Jump at the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic.
Interesting matchup: Julie Segroves and Katelyn Hulsey, High School Girls Pole Vault
One of the most anticipated matchups of the entire weekend is the two best Mississippi High School Girls Pole Vaulters going to head-to-head at the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic. Those two pole vaulters are none other Julie Segroves of D'Iberville, and Katelyn Hulsey of host school Northwest Rankin.
Northwest Rankin's Katelyn Hulsey
Currently, Hulsey leads the state with her 12-2 PR from the 2022 Northwest Rankin Field and Distance Invitational. Hulsey's mark also sits at #20 nationally.
Segroves, the 2021 MHSAA 6A Pole Vault State Champion, is a mere three inches behind Hulsey with her 11-9 mark from the 2022 Hurricane Meet, but has vaulted 12-7 in her career. Segroves also sits at #45 in the High School Girls National Pole Vault Rankings.
Both vaulters are undefeated for the 2022 outdoor season.
Definitely be on the lookout for the 2021 MHSAA 6A Pole Vault Rematch, as well as a preview of the podium at this year's state meet as these new vaulters try to reach new heights at the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic on Friday.
Loaded field: High School Girls Discus
Yet another loaded field event that the 2022 Fleet Feet Track Classic will have to offer is the High School Girls Discus, where we have three entries that have thrown over 105 feet.
Headlining the field in that event is the 2021 MHSAA 6A South State Champion Taylor Savage. Savage opened up her 2022 outdoor campaign with a win at the 2022 Brookhaven Speed Trials, and is thrown 118-2 in her career. As a matter of fact, that mark won her the 2021 MHSAA 6A South State Title, qualifying her to the MHSAA 6A State Championships.
However, D'Iberville's Aryn Eady has been on a roll this season, as she has not lost a track meet yet through five competitions, and has the best mark out of this field from this outdoor season with a 112-7.
Both Savage and Eady are undefeated this season, and Eady has never beaten Savage in her career.
Another notable entry in this field, a potential hopeful to book her ticket to the 2022 MHSAA 6A State Championships, is Pearl's Anila Thomas. Thomas recently threw a PR of 108-9 at the 2022 Southern Miss High School Invite, placing 2nd to Eady by a mere four inches.
This competition will give us a good look on the throws in MHSAA 6A South State, as this is potentially a preview of the 2022 MHSAA 6A South State Meet. All in all, the fans can expect a good one out of these ladies in the High School Girls Discus at the 2022 Fleet Feet Classic.
Thrower to Watch: Dreyunta Lenoir
Last but not least, a thrower that will have to keep our eyes on, reigning from D'Iberville, Dreyunta Lenoir.
Lenoir is the only thrower in the field to have thrown 150+ feet in the Discus and 50+ feet in the Shot Put. He currently leads the entire state in the Discus and is ranked third in the Shot Put. Lenoir also leads class MHSAA 6A in both throwing events.
Lenoir will be closely shadowed by Pearl's Connor Mozee, as the two have had somewhat of a back-and-forth rivalry this outdoor season.
