The Mississippi high school track and field season is well underway, and last week's action did not disappoint. From impressive sprints to dominant distance runs, athletes from all over the state showed up and showed out on the track. Here's a recap of the Mid Week action, brought to you by MileSplit Mississippi.
One standout performer was Tyler Arrington, the junior from Wingfield High School. At the Maverick Quad Meet hosted by Germantown High School, Arrington blazed through the 100m and 200m, clocking in at 10.77 and 22.56, respectively. These times were both lifetime bests for the talented sprinter and currently rank him No. 2 in the state for the 100m and No. 1 in the class MHSAA 4A rankings.
Arrington's impressive performances have quickly established him as a title favorite in both the 100m and 200m in his respective classification. With the MHSAA 4A Track and Field Championships quickly approaching, he could potentially secure his first-ever state titles of his career.
But Arrington wasn't the only athlete making noise in the sprinting events. At that same meet, Germantown's own Ashlyn Robinson ran a lifetime best of 12.24 in the 100m, as well as 25.69 in the 200m, earning her top five rankings in Mississippi in those respective events.
Right behind Robinson in the 100m was Adria Burrell of Warren Central, securing a 1st-Team All-MileSplit Mississippi mark of 12.32 seconds. This is a major improvement from Burrell, and could find herself at the 2023 MHSAA 6A Track and Field Championships come Spring.
In the hurdles, Meridian's Daniel Hill led the way with a lifetime best of 15.09 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, good enough to win the East Mississippi showdown on his home track. Hill also won the 300-meter hurdles, stopping the clock in 42.37 seconds, securing his sixth win of the 2023 season.
We also have to give a big shoutout to fellow Wildcat, Tyneice Burkes, as she put down a time of 48.60 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles to win at the same meet. A lifetime best, Burkes now ranks ninth in Mississippi in the event.
It was a quite week in the distance events... However, its was rumored that Jackson Prep's Olivia Smith put down a 5:25, 2:25 double whilst racing unattached at the Triangle Meet. Smith holds the current Mississippi No. 1 in the 800m, and she could have more fast marks up her sleeve in the near future.
We saw a major mark in the jumps from Biggersville's JaThan Hatch. The junior jumped a new Mississippi No. 1 mark of 24-0 feet in the Long Jump, which also slots him at No. 7 in the nation.
With marks like Hatch's these Mississippi athletes are proving that Mississippi has some of the best track and field talent in the country.
Last, but certainly not least, the throwers that headlined the week was none other than MSAIS super stars Gates Welch of Canton Academy, and Brayden Warner of East Rankin Academy.
Welch threw a lifetime best in the shot of 34-9, good enough to win the Canton Academy Early Bird Invitational. With that throw, the Canton Academy sophomore is now No. 1 in the MSAIS, as well as No. 7 in Mississippi.
Meanwhile, East Rankin's Brayden Warner (pictured above) has continually proven himself of being one of the best Discus throwers in the state of Mississippi, as well as the top of the MSAIS. Warner continued his undefeated streak at the Canton Academy Early Bird Invitational, launching the Discus a distance of 138-8, his third 1st-Team MileSplit Mississippi mark of the season.
Stay tuned for more updates and results from MileSplit Mississippi as the season progresses. All in all, the future looks bright for these talented athletes!