In another edition of Talk of the Town Tuesdays, Mississippi track and field did not disappoint. Get the scoop on everything that went down across the state this week!
Bailey Kosko Opens up the Season with 800/1600 Dominance
Even though he had a rough cross-country postseason, Bailey Kosko of Oxford High School has not let anything get to his head. At the South Panola Invitational, he crushed the 1600m and 800m races, winning both with marks of 4:27 and 1:58, respectively. In both races he was leagues ahead of his competition, meaning he ran both of these races without any competition to push the pace.
He now leads the state in each of these events and earned himself solid personal bests in both as well. Kosko's speed on the grass has evidently converted to the track and he is going to be a strong contender for both the 800m and 1600m races at the MHSAA 7A State Championships. If he is already pushing out times like this at his first race, who knows what marks he could hit later in the season and with some solid competition.
Fairley and Eady Pave the Way in Discus Rankings
At the Pirate Relays, both boys and girls discus were on fire. Sean Fairley of Christian Collegiate Academy threw a new state lead of 169-3, re-breaking his sophomore class record and pushing closer to his all-time personal best. He currently sits in fifth place in the Mississippi record books and at this rate, we could see him rocket even further up.
On the girls side, Aryn Eady of D'Iberville High School continues to lead both the discus and shot put rankings in Mississippi. She pushed her state lead even further up with a new personal best of 144-6.5. Just like Fairley, she now sits with the fifth-best throw of all time in Mississippi.
Many people may not understand just how dominant these two athletes currently are in the state. Fairley leads the discus by over 10 feet and has not lost once in the discus this year. For Eady, she leads the state by almost 30 feet and has also not lost in either the shot put or discus this year. Even though it is only early March, both Fairley and Eady are setting a serious precedent for the discus event.
Alex Lee Makes Waves in Girls Distance
Although she has always been hanging just behind the top in the state, Alex Lee of Madison Central High School had not yet beaten many of the big names for girls distance in Mississippi. However, that has all changed after her phenomenal performances at the St. Andrews Invitational.
In the 1600m, Lee laid down the hammer in the second half of the race and finished with a winning time of 5:13. Not only did she beat some of the best runners in the state during this race, but she also beat her old personal best by seven seconds. On top of all of this, she now holds the fastest time in the state. Behind Lee, both Lilly Overby and Katherine Neal broke the 5:20 mark as well.
In the 3200m race, Lee once again ran the race of her life and won with a time of 11:51 for another state lead. This was a twenty-second personal best and only her second time ever running this race.
Even though Lee's performances stood out as the fastest times in the state, the performances of athletes like Kaitlyn Burge, Lilly Overby, Katherine Neal, and Kaedyn Wilson cannot be overshadowed. Burge ran a scorching 5:14 just a day before Lee's 5:13. Wilson was also right behind Lee in the 3200m, finishing with the second-fastest time in the state in 11:53.
Clinton Duo Hampton and Banks Claim 200m and 400m State Lead
The Clinton High School sprint squad has been on a rampage so far this season and they are showing no signs of stopping. At the St. Andrew's Invitational, Omari Hampton took the state lead for the 200m with his time of 21.83. A quick glance at the rankings will reveal that the second fastest time in the state belongs to none other than Howard Banks.
In the 400m, Bank's ran the smoothest 49.20 you may ever see in a high school race. Despite coasting nearly the entire last 100m, Bank's earned himself a new state lead by over a second. In an interview after the race, Banks said he's waiting for all eyes to be on him before he truly pushes it in the 400m.
This Clinton sprint crew has some serious talent and is not afraid of the competition. Keep an eye on them as these times keep firing up and more athletes around the state fight for the top spot in the Milesplit rankings.