New State Leaders Emerge in Mississippi's Distance Races
It was a busy week for Mississippi's distance runners, with the Master Craft Builders Relays serving as the epicenter of the action. We saw new state leaders in nearly every distance event - so let's dive into the highlights.
Starting in the 800m, Simpson Academy's Lilly Overby improved on her own state-leading time and broke the 2:15 barrier. She dominated a competitive field and set a new all-time personal best in the process. On the boys' side, Andrew Williams from Saint Patrick's clocked a 2:00.25, moving him to MS #2 and keeping his undefeated season alive. The coast continues to dominate this event - with the exception of Braxton Rea from Madison Central, the top five times in the state all come from coastal schools.
In the 1600m, the Master Craft Builders Relays delivered big, producing the top three times in the state this season. Andrew Brown of Tupelo took over the state lead with a blazing 4:17.13, followed by Bailey Kosko of Oxford High School in 4:21.08 and Taylor Brown of Tupelo in 4:23.29. Before this week, no one in Mississippi had gone under 4:25 - now we have three sub-4:25s as we head into April.
The girls' 3200m also saw a major shake-up. Addison Rainey finally debuted in the event after a strong season in the shorter distances and ran an impressive 11:25.35 at the Angelo Harris Invitational to take the state lead. Right behind her, Jewel Baker from East Rankin and Layla Warren from Simpson Academy dropped major PRs at the Master Craft Builders Relays. Jewel now ranks second in the state with her 11:27.90, and Layla sits third with 11:30.70. Jewel also made national headlines - she's now the second-fastest 7th grader in the nation and officially the fastest 7th grader in Mississippi history in the 3200m.
Mississippi's Hurdlers Make a Mark on the National Scene
Mississippi's hurdlers just keep getting better, and last weekend at the Arrow Invitational, we saw another round of jaw-dropping performances.
Markeith Thompson stole the show again, starting off with a 13.97 in the 110mH, his first time under 14 seconds. That run places him MS #7 all-time and U.S. #20. But he wasn't done yet - in the 300mH, he crushed his previous PR with a stunning 36.97, making him MS #2 all-time and U.S. #5 in that event. He's now firmly cemented as one of the top hurdlers in the country. Also, before any of the hurdle events, Markeith competed in the triple jump, stepped away from the finals to compete in the 110mH, then immediately came back and finished his finals with a 43'5.75". After this, he competed in the long jump before going on to run one of the top 300mH times in the country.
WATCH: Markeith Thompson 300mH - U.S. #5 and MS #2 All-Time
WATCH: Markeith Thompson 110mH - U.S. #20 and MS #7 All-Time
For our girls, Charve Gibson from Jefferson County led the way with her new state lead in the 100mH. After a slow start to the season for the hurdles, everything clicked at the Arrow Invitational. Along with her state lead, she came away with an all-time personal best of 14.65. When you combine her hurdle skills and her jumping abilities, Charve becomes one of the most dominant athletes in the state. Not many athletes can lead the state in two events while also holding top-ranked times in several other events.
WATCH: Charve Gibson 110mH
Men's Jumpers Solidify Their Positions as National Contenders
Like we've said all season: Mississippi jumps are must-watch events in 2025 - and last week didn't disappoint.
In the triple jump, Schyler Chambers from Jackson Academy delivered again with a massive 48'7.25", adding five inches to his previous best and solidifying his spot as U.S. #5 in FAT/Wind Legal jumps. There's no more questioning his consistency - now, we're just waiting to see how much farther he can go.
Right behind him was Skylan Hunter from Ocean Springs, who continues to show steady improvement. He jumped a new personal best of 47'3" at the Angelo Harris Invitational, now ranked MS #2 and U.S. #39.
Over in the long jump, Demetrius Tate from Pascagoula High School made a huge leap - literally and figuratively. At the same meet, he launched himself to a 24'2" mark, a nearly two-foot PR that catapults him to MS #2 and U.S. #16.
And in the high jump, Elijah Morey stayed hot. At the Biloxi Gulf Coast Classic, he cleared 6'10" for the second time this season, maintaining his state lead. Since opening his season at 6'2", he's gone on a tear - and a 7-foot jump is starting to feel inevitable.
Mississippi's Top Female Jumpers Shine at Arrow
The elite performances didn't stop with the boys.
Charve Gibson threw down a monster jump at the Arrow Invitational with a 40'3.5" in the triple jump, putting a massive gap between her and the rest of the state and placing her U.S. #8. She also hit a season-best 18'5.5" in the long jump, giving her one of the top marks in Mississippi.
In the high jump, Annie Toler from Madison-Ridgeland Academy became the first Mississippi girl to clear 5'6" this year, taking over the state lead and putting herself firmly in the conversation as the state's best female jumper in 2025.
Throwers on the Move with New State Leads
The throwers got in on the action too, with several standout performances.
In the girls' shot put, Macy Hale from Riverfield Academy continues to lead the state after throwing 39'9", inching ever closer to the 40-foot barrier. Over in the discus, Skyler Phillips of Pillow Academy took over the state lead with a big mark of 131'10", extending her lead at the top of the rankings.
On the boys' side, Sean Fairley from West Harrison High School continued his dominant campaign with another 179' throw in the discus, proving that his big performances earlier in the season were no fluke. He remains one of the most consistent throwers in the Southeast this season.