Sprints
The Big Names
Heading into the 2019 indoor season, it appears to be a two horse race in the 60 dash between Zarik Brown and LaCarr Trent. Brown gets a slight edge on Trent, but it is anyone's bet on which one of the two will finish out the season on top.
Brown enters the season with a 6.91 personal best and took fifth at last year's state meet. That is a mere .02 seconds ahead of Trent, but he also returns as the second fastest 200 runner, once again ahead of Trent. His 21.94 got him sixth at the indoor state meet, but he'll be one of the frontrunners to bring home the win this March.
Outdoor, Brown was prolific in the 100, 200, and 400, running 10.73, 21.31, and 49.19. Even though he couldn't turn either of those times into state meet hardware, Brown still enters this winter as arguably the top sprinter in the state. He has already broken 7 seconds three times in the 60 dash this winter, run 22.64 in the 200, and an indoor personal best of 50.75 in the 400.
LaCarr Trent - Gahanna Lincoln
Gahanna Lincoln's prolific sprints crew is led by senior LaCarr Trent. He enters this indoor season with the second fastest 60 dash and third fastest 200 dash marks in Division 1. His 6.93 is a mere .02 seconds behind Zarik Brown and helped him grab second at the indoor state meet. They are the only two sub-7 seconds in the state.
Trent's 22.31 200 best earned him eighth at the state meet, as well, and on the outdoor track he was able to propel beyond that mark eight more times so he should be primed to join the currently exclusive sub-22 club this winter. His wind-aided 21.40 stands as his best outdoor mark, but he did run a wind legal 21.52. Though he hasn't opened his indoor campaign just yet, we will be waiting (im)patiently to see what he has in store.
While Brown and Trent sit well ahead of the field in the 60, but Christian Ford could be the one to challenge for the upset.
Ford returns as the fourth fastest 60 dash runner at 7.02 (.01 behind Euclid's Brandon Wright), but he is the top 200 runner among returners. He ran his 21.89 best in the emerging elite prelims at New Balance Nationals Indoor before finishing second in finals. This came after his third place finish at the state meet behind two seniors and ahead of two others.
Outdoor, Ford ran 10.96 and 21.61, finishing fifth at the outdoor state meet. The 200 may be his event this March, but watch out for the Lima Shawnee senior in the 60, too.
Justin Harris is the top returner in Ohio in the 60 hurdles, only athlete under 8 seconds in the event, and tied for seventh among returners in the entire country. Needless to say, this could be a big senior year for Mr. Harris.
One of the most prolific hurdles in the entire country, Harris is heading into the season as the favorite in the hurdles after finish second in 2018. His 7.97 personal best is significantly ahead of the next closest returner, Tyler Hannah (Lakewood), and his 8.11 mark. After dropping a quarter second year over year in the 60s, he dropped nearly a half second in the 110 hurdles outdoor, running a personal best of 14.08. He took sixth at state in 14.31.
Watch for Harris to not only enter the season as the favorite for the state title, but a contender for an all-American placing as well.
Malachi McGill - Hilliard Darby
Hilliard Darby junior Malachi McGill could absolutely be included in the distance section of this preview based on his 800 prowess, but seeing as he is the second fastest returner in the 400 and ninth fastest in the 200, he deserves a nod among the big names in the sprints.
McGill is among the most prolific 800 runners in the country with his 1:52.80 mark from his state champion freshman campaign, but he hasn't seen that same success indoor just yet. He did focus on the 200 and 400 last winter, though, running both at the state meet, but coming up short of the top 10 in both. McGill is now one of the frontrunners to bring home gold in the 400 and is already on the bubble for a top 8 finish in the 200. Watch for this long sprinter to take the state by storm this winter.
The Up-and-Comers
Tyrese Bandy - Austintown Fitch
Austintown Fitch's Tyrese Bandy finished his 2018 indoor campaign as the top freshman in the 200 and 400 and tied for third in the 60. His 7.33/23.09/52.05 line makes him arguably the top sophomore sprinter in the state. He improved upon that in the outdoor season, running 11.27/22.14/51.21 in the 100/200/400, focusing mostly on the 200. That 22.14 stands out and could make him a serious contender in the indoor event.
Lorenzo Styles, Jr. - Pickerington Central
Pickerington Central's Lorenzo Styles Jr. returns as the top sophomore in the 60 dash with his 7.18 personal best. On the outdoor track, Styles proved this was no fluke when he rolled an 11.05 personal best in the 100, third among freshmen last spring. He also went 23.25 indoor and could be ready to make some noise in the short sprints this winter.
Bedford's Ethan Smith closed out his freshman campaign at the AAU Junior Olympics with a 15.01 personal best in the 110 hurdles to take third in the 15-16 division. This was tops among freshmen last spring/summer. In the winter, he also finished the indoor season as the top freshman hurdler, going 8.80 in the 60 hurdles. He has already dropped significantly, hitting 8.64 at the first Tiffin meet three weeks ago, and could be very competitive in 2019 in the hurdles.
Event to Watch
60 Dash
The 60 dash is event to watch not just because it is stacked with talent, but because the race at the top is so intriguing.
Brown vs Trent is the headlining matchup in Division 1 with both boys entering only .02 seconds off each other. Brown's 6.91 and Trent's 6.93 separate them from the rest of the pack, but Brandon Wright in 7.01, Christian Ford in 7.02, and five others under 7.09, plus three more boys at 7.10, will make this the event to watch in the Division 1 sprints.