Girls Sprints & Hurdles
There were no multiple winners among these events at the 2018 SJS Masters, which were characterized as much for the athletes missing as for the young talent that did compete. Sheldon teammates Imani Dupree and Thalia Reid both did not race, despite being favorites in the 100/200 and 400, respectively. There is no question these two will be hungry to claim their spots atop the section that were denied last spring! In Reid's absence, Ceonna Pipion (Vista Del Lago, above) stepped up to claim the crown in the 400, and she will NOT be easily removed from the throne in what could easily be the best individual duel in the section this spring. The SJS is very deep in 400 runners this year, with 4 more returners who broke 57 in the mix. Pipion should also be the primary challenger for Dupree in the 200, while Zharia Dixon (Merrill West) is the defending section champ in the 100 and has the credentials to repeat. Athletes like Jailah Brice-Moore (Bear Creek), Gabrielle Spencer (Franklin), and Paige Sefried (Lodi) may find themselves in tight battles to take the final qualifying spots for the state meet in the three sprint races.
Cyvanna Bowen (Edison) won the 100 Hurdles at last May's section finals and she is a solid favorite to repeat, although Angelena Williams (Golden Valley) is within striking range. The 300 Hurdles could be hotly contested, with top returner Shimona Draper (Oak Ridge) entering the season holding a narrow advantage over teammate Kathryn Bingham and three more strong contenders. Sefried is a bit of a wild card here, as doubling in the 400 and 300H is very demanding; might she choose one or the other to focus on? Grace Bliss (Colfax) and India Collins (Monterey Trail) both broke 45 last spring, and both could be poised to make a step forward as juniors.