LAST WEEK: Tylertown High School's Jamarcus Garrett
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This week's edition of 'Future Stars' spotlights Ella Rankin of Hartfield Academy!
Rankin is a talented eighth-grade distance runner who has placed in the top three in all of her races in the 2022 outdoor season. Rankin's best event is the 3200m. She set a PR of 11:43.83 to become the MAIS 6A state champion in the event this year. She finished the season ranked second in the state overall in the event, and she is the fastest eighth-grader in the 3200m this season.
RELATED: Mississippi High School Girls 3200m Rankings
Rankin also performed well in the 1600m this season. She finished second in the event at the 2022 MAIS 6A Track and Field state meet. Her PR of 5:30.16, set at the 2022 MRA Brick City Invitational on April 14, ranks her as the second fastest eighth-grader in the event this season.
RELATED: Mississippi 8th-grade Girls 1600m Rankings
Rankin is a cross country star as well. In the 2021 cross country season, she won the 2021 MAIS Overall XC Meet in the 6A division. Her 5k PR of 19:01.34, set at the 2021 Watson High School Meet on Oct. 16, ranked her fourth overall in the state for that season. Her time was the fastest eighth-grade mark by over a minute.
Rankin had also won the 2020 MAIS Overall XC Meet in her seventh-grade season, winning the 4A race with a season-best time of 19:58.89. In the 2021 outdoor season, she placed second in the 3200m at the 2020 MAIS 4A state meet with a season-best time of 12:04.09.
Already a star in her own right, Rankin has had a number of stellar performances throughout her middle school career. We look forward to seeing what she continues to achieve moving into high school!
