Girls: Young stars have chance to shine

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Championship caliber fields are preparing for a three-day meet/party at The Armory for New Balance Nationals Indoor and many of the best high school track athletes in the U.S. are on the start lists. 

Last year, the girls competition was spectacular. By the time it was through there were five new high school records across the spectrum of events -- shot put (Raven Saunders), pole vault (Desiree Freier), 60 hurdles (Dior Hall), 5,000 meters (Tessa Barrett) and shuttle hurdles relay (Hoover AL). Addition star power came from Elise Cranny, Alexa Efraimson, Keturah Orji and Olivia Baker. 

It would be a stretch to predict that this year's girls championships could match that one but there will be a lot of young talent in the building. Can sophomores Sydney McLaughlin NJ, Lauren Rain Williams CA or Kamryn McIntosh NY steal the spotlight from seniors Anna Rohrer IN, Kate Hall ME, Teahna Daniels FL and Brenessa Thompson NY?

They might. 

What is the most likely national record to fall? 

Keep an eye on the girls shuttle hurdles relay, where Western Branch VA will try to reclaim the record that it lost last year to Hoover (31.35 seconds).

Western Branch just went 1-2-6-9-10 in the girls 55 hurdles at the Virginia Class 6A meet on Turesday and have a big one-two punch with Milan Parks and Oluwole Funlayo. That race comes Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Here is a closer look at every championship event for girls:

60 Meters: Co-national leaders Brenessa Thompson, from nearby Medgar Evers of Brooklyn and Teahna Daniels from First Academy in Orlando, Fla. were both participants at the IAAF World Junior Championships last year. 

Their experience here could be a factor, but it only takes one false step, or one slow start, to derail a championship in this event. Californians Lauren Rain Williams and Zaria Francis, Kate Hall of Maine, Jayla Kirkland from Alabama, Chanel Brisset of Pennsylvania and Sydnei Murphy from North Carolina are all strong contenders.

200 Meters: Lauren Rain Williams was electrifying in her 23.39 circuit of the track in Boise, Idaho earlier this year to break the national sophomore class record. This could be a breakout weekend for Williams, who transferred to Oaks Christian CA and has instantly made that school at CIF team title contender this spring. Maiya Dendy DE, Zola Golden NY and Quashira McIntosh RI and Kianna Gray KY should be vying a spot in the final section as well.

400 Meters: One of the best moments of the indoor season at The Armory came when Kamryn McIntosh of Suffern broke the national record in the 600 meters. Unfortunately, NB/NSAF doesn't contest the traditional indoor events (300-600-1000) and instead opts for the outdoor distances. So McIntosh had a choice to make and is entered in the 400. McIntosh is US#24 in the 300, US#1 in the 600 and US#7 in the 1000, and she hasn't run an open 400 all season. But she is someone worth paying attention to here. 

Lauryn Ghee VA, Brooklyn Broadwater PA, Amanda Crawford NY and Arianne Strunkey NY, and Anna Jefferson MI are all contenders in what could be a wide open event.

800 Meters: Eight of the top 10 ranked runners in the country make this a loaded field that is also very young. National leader Ersula Farrow of Michigan is a senior, but right behind her are sophomore Sammy Watson NY, freshman Gabrielle Wilkinson PA and junior Sarah Walker PA. Seniors Kaley Ciluffo IA and Catherine Pagano NJ, who has been working out in the Armory most days this week, are both savvy competitors who could win this as well. 

Mile: No one has really been able to touch Ryen Frazier in this distance so the senior from Raleigh NC deserves to be tagged the favorite with her 4:41.56 from the end of January, which is nine seconds faster than anyone else in the country this season. If she's in that kind of shape she'll be tough to beat here. 

However, the runners ranked 2-6 are also here. Pagano, the Millrose Games mile champion, Marissa Sheva PA, Olivia Sargent PA, Paige Duca NY, Danae Rivers CT, Malia Ellington NC and Eliza Rego RI have all run faster than 4:54 this winter.

2-Mile: Like her older sister, Wesley, who found amazing success at New Balance Nationals, Ryen Frazier is entered in three events. And this one should fit right into her wheelhouse. She has run 10:12 for 3200 meters last November (outdoors). 

Three-time New England champion Hannah DeBalsi is targeting this one as well after tripping up and falling at The Armory last year. Audrey Belf MI, Sarah Kettel MI (US#1 3200 with 10:28.82), Madeleine Davison PA (US#1 3000 with 9:47.93), Bella Burda NY and Julia Heymach TX, last year's emerging elite 2-mile champion, all make this a very deep field. Canadian Aurelie Dube-Lavoie also has strong credentials and could be in the mix to win this.

5,000 Meters: Could the national record in this event fall for the fifth year in a row?

Two-time Foot Locker champion Anna Rohrer IN is entered here and she may be looking to do something big -- like challenge Tessa Barrett's one-year-old indoor high school record. Rohrer, who will attend Notre Dame in the fall, is already the New Balance Outdoors champion (16:16.97). Barrett ran 16:11.85 here last year, breaking Wesley Frazier's 2013 record of 16:18.01. Frazier, turn, broke Erin Finn's 2012 record of 16:19.69. And Finn broke Waverly Neer's 2011 record of 16:35.15.

DeBalsi is another top contender for this title. Frazier, Burda, Kettel, Libby Davidson and Stephanie Jenks IA all have strong credentials as well. Jenks, a triathlete, hasn't raced since cross country season. 

60 Meter Hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin ran to No. 5 all-time less than two weeks ago at Eastern States with 7.66 in the 55 hurdles. The talented sophomore is putting chips into this event, plus two relays with her Union Catholic teammates. 

There is a contingent of talented North Carolina hurdlers in this event as well -- US#2 (55m) Ebony Williams, US#3 (55m) Gabriele Cunningham, US#4 (55m) Anna Cockrell and US#6 (55m) Ariel Davis. Milan Parks and Oluwole Funlayo of Western Branch VA and a pair from Pennsylvania -- Ciara Leonard and Sierra Brabham-Lawrence -- are also in the mix.

Relays: The distance crew at La Salle Academy in Rhode Island is riding high with both genders and the school may be in position to sweep boys and girls titles in the 4xMile ... The 4x200 is the signature event at The Armory and five of the six teams from last year's finals -- Parkland NC, Cheltenham PA, Union Catholic NJ, Western Branch VA and Medgar Evers NY -- will try take the title that New Rochelle NY won last year. Medgar Evers, with Brenessa Thompson leading the way, is US#1. ... Benjamin Cardozo NY set a high bar early in the season in the 4x400 when it ran 3:43.81 but that lineup was torn apart by ineligibility and illness. But the A group is back together for a run at the title. Western Branch VA, Motor City (Oak Park MI), Paul Robeson NY and Union Catholic NJ have all run faster than 3:48. ... Mamaroneck NY and Bronxville NY are 1-2 nationally in the 4x800 but expect these rankings to be reshuffled this weekend. Western Branch VA, Lincoln-Sudbury MA, Motor City (Oak Park MI), Benjamin Cardozo NY and Leesville NC should be big factors as well. 

In Friday's DMR, Suffern NY comes in as the national leader with a lineup that includes two sophomores (including Kamryn McIntosh) and a seventh grader. Haddonfield NJ, with Briana Gess on anchor, is US#3. Ursuline, US#6, has Anna Flynn on the anchor. ... Comets TC (Rush-Henrietta NY) comes in as the national leader and with Sammy Watson on the anchor could be tough to beat. But there are other strong anchors here as well, including Danae Rivers of Wilbur Cross CT, Jazmine Fray of Kellenberg NY, Sarah Walker of Germantown Friends PA and Kamryn McIntosh of Suffern. ... The shuttle hurdles relay is a spot where the national record is in jeopardy because of Western Branch's depth. But don't sleep on Union Catholic NJ, which could be the team that pushes them.

High Jump: Cyre Virgo of Blandon PA is the highest placing returner after taking second in 2014. Nicole Greene from Florida is the lone six-foot jumper in the country indoors this year and has a three-inch lead on the rest of the field this season. 

Pole Vault: With record holder Lexi Weeks of Arkansas turning her attention outdoors, the competition for the national title feels wide open. Eight of the 13 girls who have cleared 13 feet this season are in the competition. Mackenzie Shell from Michigan leads the qualifiers at 13-6.

Long Jump: Kate Hall from Maine comes in as the national indoor leader and No. 10 all-time with 20-6 but she doesn't have the best PR. That belongs to Courtney Corrin of California, who jumped 20-8.25 as a sophomore outdoors last spring. Kara Lyles of Virginia jumped US#2 19-11.25 on Tuesday. And Canadian Magali Roche has a PR just short of 20 feet.

Triple Jump: With the dominant Keturah Orji having moved on, this event could be very competitive. Junior Chinne Okoronkwo from Washington is the national leader with 41-4 but it may take more than that to win. Marie-Josee Ebwea-Bile from Benjamin Cardozo, who came from France, hasn't jumped to her full potential yet this season, and Sydnei Murphy from Apex NC should be a factor as well. 

Shot Put: Sophia Rivera from Brentwood MO is the only girl over 50 feet indoors this season and would seem a solid favorite to win this event. Of all the throwers in the competition, only Jessica Molina of Westwood NJ is within two feet of Rivera.

Weight Throw: Four of the five girls over 57 feet in this event are in the meet, including national leader Kaylee Antill of Ohio (60-2.25). Sabrina Gaitan GA, Kaymryn Brinson GA and Alva Hicks RI could all take a run at the national title.