DISTANCE
The 2023 Oxford Relays posed a collision of talent from all across north Mississippi.
In a field containing Mississippi's best Cross Country runners such as Sidney Stegall, Gabe McElwain, Jaheim Bridges, Taylor Brown, and Andrew Brown, the 3200m was poised for a toe to toe battle to the line.
And that is just how it played out.
The race ended with five athletes under 9:50. All five of those marks are now among the top seven overall times in the state this season.
Stegall, the Mississippi Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year, picked up where he left off on the grass, and debuted to a Mississippi No. 2 mark in the 3200m with a 9:32.6.
However, there was still plenty of action that went down behind him. Taylor Brown finished runner-up with a 9:37.7, narrowly ahead of Bridges in a 9:38.4, placing them as the Mississippi No. 4 and No. 5 in the event. Finishing in fourth just behind the Tupelo duo was McElwain in an eight-second lifetime best of 9:39.4.
Perhaps the most surprising performance of the race, however, came from Tupelo's middle school sensation, Andrew Brown. As just an eighth grader, he finished in a stunning time of 9:44.7.
*Andrew Brown, Tupelo High School
This performance is not only a Mississippi No. 7 mark in the 3200m, but also demolished the eighth-grade state record, a title previously held by his older brother Taylor. On top of that, this currently places Andrew Brown as the U.S. No. 2 in the 3200m for the class of 2027.
This race serves as a great precursor for the races to come as the season progresses, and these athletes eye a state title.
In the 1600m, Bailey Kosko charged to the surprise win, running a huge thirteen personal record of 4:29.4. We also have to mention Lukas Dykes, also had a great day, running 4:30.0 to take runner-up.
Stegall also made a statement in the 800m, doubling back to run a Mississippi No. 1 mark of 1:58.7.
The distance events at the 2023 Southern Miss High School Invitational did not disappoint. Perhaps the most impressive performance came from the savvy sophomore from Pearl High School, Jaquavion Bryant.
*JaQuavion Bryant, Pearl High School, at the Pearl Track & Fiel Season Opener
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To open his day, Bryant raced the 1600m. This field carried the likes of Gavin Wheat, the Mississippi No. 1 going into the race, as well as other MHSAA 6A standouts such Bennett Ferguson, Christian Parks, and the Pearl squad of Brendan Clark, Karol Gonzalez, among others.
Stopping the clock in 4:27.1, Bryant bested Wheat, simultaneously taking the win and the Mississippi No. 1 position.
RANKINGS: Mississippi High School Boys 1600m List
Wheat, finishing runner-up, ran 4:31.8, followed by Ferguson in 4:37.2.
More impressively, Bryant followed his mile with an 800m, taking the victory in 1:59.20, a Mississippi No. 2 mark. His teammate Tanner Moore finished in 2:01.4, followed by Clinton's Christian Parks in a big lifetime best of 2:01:8.
Fellow Pirate Farren Oberto ran a time of 10:02.0, taking the comfortable victory on a windy day in the 3200m, making it a Pearl sweep in the distance events.
Despite Kaitlyn Burge and Sophie Santucci being on different ends of the state, the push for the 1600m state lead was a close one.
*Kaitlyn Burge, Hernando High School
Starting with Burge, she competed in the Southern Miss High School Invitational. Taking the race out incredibly quickly, she maintained her early push to lead the race from start to finish. Finishing in a time of 5:20.1, she won the race by eight seconds over Katherine Neal, taking the Mississippi No. 1 1600m spot in the process. Finishing in third was Burge's teammate Riley Jackson.
On the other side of the state in the Oxford Relays, Sophie Santucci had a similar outcome in her 1600m. She ran an outdoor personal best of 5:20.4 securing a ten-second win, and a new Mississippi No. 2 in the 1600m, narrowly behind Burge.
Competition and performances continue to rise in the other distance disciplines as well.
In the 3200m, Brookelyn Morgan of Tupelo High School continued her stretch of consistent performances. Running 11:33.1 in the 3200m, Morgan is now the Mississippi No. 1 athlete in the event, clipping Ocean Spring's Ashton Rainey by just a couple of seconds.
RANKINGS: Mississippi High School Girls 3200m List
In Hattiesburg, the girls 800m was a tight affair. Olivia Smith , doubling back from the 1600m, crossed the line in a new state-leading time of 2:26.0. She narrowly edged out Burge, denying the Hernando junior her second win of the day, who still managed to run an impressive 2:26.8, a new Mississippi No. 2 in the event.
RANKINGS: Mississippi High School Girls 800m List
Other notable performances include Riley Jackson's 800m-1600m double at the Southern Miss Invite, Maine Lund's triple at the South Panola Invitational, Tavon Davis's double win season opener at the St. Andrew's Invitational, Gavin Brown's 4:33 1600m at the Oxford Relays, and the plethora of fast 800m performances at the Southern Miss Invitational.