Weekend Recap

This past weekend we saw a lot of quality competition throughout the country. There were plenty of new number 1 marks and some disappointments. This past weekend was the final weekend of January and February is now here. This is where things start to get interesting, we start separating the pretenders and the contenders. Let’s take a look back at the biggest stories from this past weekend.

(Garrett Scantling-Georgia)

(SHAYLA SANDERS-FLORIDA)

WOMEN

Due to the sheer volume of performances I decided to have the best 5 stories from each sex to show a little more balance and acknowledge a lot of quality performances.

5. Claudia Garcia Jou (Akron)- Garcia Jou is one the many talented jumpers at Akron and is the latest star to step into the spotlight. She garnered the top mark in the NCAA with a high jump mark of 6-2. Garcia takes the mid-season lead with plenty of opportunities to improve upon her number 1 mark.

4. Raven Saunders (Ole Miss)- Saunders continues to impress with her marks in the women’s shot put. This past weekend she continued to be the only thrower over 60 feet winning the Vanderbilt Invitational with a throw of 62’3.25. Saunders is in good position to win the NCAA title and carry some positive momentum into the outdoor season.

3. Kaela Edwards (Oklahoma State)- Edwards is already the top ranked 800 runner in the country. This past weekend she proved her middle distance dominance by winning the mile at the Razorback Invitational against a quality field. Her winning time of 4:32.14 moves her into the number 1 position in the country. With number 1 rankings in both events this late in the game it is quite possible that Edwards may attempt the middle distance double.

2. Kendall Williams (Georgia)- Williams is the defending indoor champion in the women’s pentathlon. She has had to watch Akela Jones still the spotlight and almost break her NCAA record and claim number 1 marks in almost 3 events. Williams used the Razorback Invitational as an excellent opportunity to test her skill. Williams didn’t disappoint. She was close to breaking her own record but fell short in the women’s 800. Her point total was 4,558, which is still over 100 points less than her NCAA record and NCAA leader Akela Jones. Both athletes have certainly lived up to the hype so far this season and will make for great competition at the Indoor Championships.

1. Kyra Jefferson and Shayla Sanders (Florida)- Head Coach Mike Holloway has done an excellent job of developing the female sprinters of the University of Florida. Florida always possessed a decent group of sprinters but none at the level of this group. Both Jefferson and Sanders garnered number 1 times this past weekend against solid competition. Jefferson the defending Indoor Champion at 200 meters blasted off with a time of 22.72 in her first 200 of the year. Her indoor personal best which was set last season was a time of 22.63. She is making a case for the chance to possibly improve upon her time from last season.

Sanders did not win the NCAA title last indoor season and had a shaky outdoor season. It is clear that Sanders has put in the work to be better. She lined up against the NCAA number 1 and pre-season favorite to win the NCAA title in Jasmine Todd of Oregon. Sanders defeated Todd running a NCAA leading time of 7.17 which also happens to be a school record. Florida is really flexing their muscle and showing the prowess as a sprint program having both the top ranked sprinters in the 60 and 200 on their squad.

(Justyn Knight-Syracuse)

MEN

5. Jarrion Lawson (Arkansas)- Lawson now a senior has had to watch Florida superstar Marquis Dendy dominate the headlines and the event in the men’s long jump since he arrived. Lawson a talented jumper in his own right has been itching at the opportunity to be the big man on campus. Go against Florida’s latest jumping prodigy in Keandre Bates and plenty of high level competition, Lawson used the Razorback Invitational to remind everyone why he is the preseason favorite. Lawson reached a mark of 26’9.75. Lawson nearly hit 27 feet early in the indoor season. His mark cemented his number 1 status and is a great performance during the middle of season.

4. Michael Cherry (LSU)- Cherry is a transfer from Florida State and has been waiting in the wings for an opportunity to be the top guy in the men’s 400. With Arman Hall and Najee Glass of Florida dominating the headlines Cherry decided to remind everyone of who he was. Cherry hit the nation’s number mark with a time of 45.78 and is the only 400 runner under 46 seconds. Cherry also ran a leg on LSU’S top ranked 4x400 relay. Cherry has made some early noise and has quite a distance between him and number 2.

3. John Teeters (Oklahoma State)- Teeters again is proving to be a high level sprinter. Teeter had a solid start against a quality field to win the 60 meter dash at the Razorback Invite with a NCAA leading time of 6.54. The time is great but still not his best. Teeters has been undefeated so far this indoor season and has already proven to be the man to beat. Teeters will have great competition come championship time with Houston’s Cameron Burrell and defending Champion Ronnie Baker of  TCU.

2. Garrett Scantling (Georgia)- Georgia is a field event powerhouse. They continue to churn out not just champions in their field events but world class champions. The men’s decathlon and it’s indoor brother the heptathlon have been events were Georgia has not only dominated but in bulk with multiple athletes. Scantling has been a fixture of the program since 2013 earning SEC Indoor Titles and All-American honors. Being on a team with three to four All-America athletes in your event has got to make for a pretty competitive practice. However now is Scantling’s time and he proved that this weekend with his score of 6,020 points in the men’s heptathlon. His teammate Maicel Uibo who won the decathlon last outdoor season was his main competition but did not have enough to defeat his teammate. The mark proves that Scantling is the man to beat and Uibo has some catching up to do.

1. Justyn Knight (Syracuse)- It is rare the a freshman steals the headlines or scores a mark that is number 1 in the country. However again for the second time this season a freshman stole the headlines. Knight a talented freshman at Syracuse ran a great race at the John Thomas Terrier Invitational in Boston. His time of 3:56.87 ranks him number 1 in the country. What’s even more impressive is that this was supposed to be the weekend of Edward Cheserek. Although Cheserek ran a great race he still did not garner the top time. Knight a Canadian track star is making a statement that he will be hard to defeat in the men’s mile come championship time.

TEAM NOTE: I must say that I am a bit shocked at the performance this past weekend by Florida. Although they are ranked number 1 in the country there is clearly some leadership missing. Florida is loaded with talent and unfortunately not all of it has shown up. To have so many guys get disqualified in the 200 meter dash and under perform in the 400 meter dash is alarming. Next weekend is the Virginia Tech Invite and if things aren’t at least headed in the right direction I would say it would be cause for concern at the number 1 ranked Gators. If there is anyone who can motivate his team and move them in the right direction it’s Coach Holloway. I expect for the Gators to improve next weekend.