This is the 3rd part of my preview for the Tech track season. The order will be: 1) Sprints (100, 200, 400); 2) Throws; 3) Distance (Steeple, 5K, 10K); 4) Middle Distance (800, 1500); 5) Jumps/Vault/Multis; 6) Hurdles.
Today we look at what is possibly the single biggest area of strength of the whole Red Raider team - the jumps (LJ, TJ, HJ), pole vault and the multis (the decathlon for the men and the heptathlon for the women). Tech is loaded in these events, both men and women and this year's team will be even stronger than last year's bunch!
ONLY 8 DAYS UNTIL THE FIRST INDOOR MEET!
MEN - the men's team loses no one from 2017 season and picks up an All-American redshirt AND some quality newcomers. The only downside is that Tech signed the most dynamic jumping prospect in the country -- Jakobe Ford, from Spokane, WA -- but, he did not qualify academically and he will jump for South Plains this year. That at least keeps him geographically close for the future.
RETURNING CONFERENCE SCORERS:
REDSHIRT: In 2016, Brandon Bray was an All-American in the pole vault, after getting 5th at the Big 12 meet and getting 4th at the U.S. Jr Championships. He broke a rib in a freak accident (when you are falling from 18-19 feet in the air, a bad landing can actual break a bone and did just that) and ended up having to redshirt outdoors. He did, however, vault unattached in a couple of meets outdoors and vaulted 17-8, so I think he is ready to go after another All-American season vaulting alongside Drew McMichael.
NEWCOMERS - Tech picks up a staggering number of newcomers who could contribute
WOMEN - the women did lose Viershanie Latham, who scored 7 points at conference in the LJ and TJ (All-American in the TJ), Reece Timmons (7th in the PV), plus, Blake Wood, who was 11th in PV last year, but had scored at conference in the past. However, the additions are stunning and this will be an area of huge potential point-scoring.
RETURNING SCORERS
REDSHIRTS: Brianna Johnson was the 2-time 6A state champ for Klein Oak in 2016 and was ranked #8 in the U.S. in the event that year. Dynamic jumper who could replace the points lost with Viershanie Latham's graduation.
NEWCOMERS - not the sheer numbers added like the men, but the quality of the additions is very, very high:
Today we look at what is possibly the single biggest area of strength of the whole Red Raider team - the jumps (LJ, TJ, HJ), pole vault and the multis (the decathlon for the men and the heptathlon for the women). Tech is loaded in these events, both men and women and this year's team will be even stronger than last year's bunch!
ONLY 8 DAYS UNTIL THE FIRST INDOOR MEET!
MEN - the men's team loses no one from 2017 season and picks up an All-American redshirt AND some quality newcomers. The only downside is that Tech signed the most dynamic jumping prospect in the country -- Jakobe Ford, from Spokane, WA -- but, he did not qualify academically and he will jump for South Plains this year. That at least keeps him geographically close for the future.
RETURNING CONFERENCE SCORERS:
- Trey Culver - returns for his senior season as the 2-time defending indoor high jump champ and the defending Big 12 HJ champ and runnerup at the national meet outdoors. Trey placed 8th at the U.S. National meet last year against the pros. One of the leaders of this team and a great kid all-around, plus he is the older brother of Red Raider BB phenom Jarrett Culver.
- Charles Brown - he rolled his plant foot high jumping and finished 6th in the HJ at the outdoor meet and only scored 3 points and did not get to jump in the LJ or TJ. That after he scored 18 points at the indoor conference meet, was only the 2nd person in history to qualify for indoor nationals in all three jumping events, won the TX Relays LJ, and won the Michael Johnson Invitational TJ. He could well score 20-25 points at conference -- his injury last year pretty much killed any chance that Tech had to contend for the conference title outdoors. If he is 100%, Tech will be in the hunt for the team championship.
- Drew McMichael - a transfer last year, he was 2nd in the Big 12 PV outdoors and was the first Red Raider to vault over 18 feet in a while
- Justin Hall - as a freshman, he only placed 5th in the LJ at conference, plus missing scoring in the TJ (11th place) and the HJ (13th place), but his freshman stats were eerily similar to Charles Brown's as a freshman. Justin is capable of being a BIG contributor in 2018.
- Erin Lopez -- in his first full year training as a decathlete, this former jumper placed 4th in the decathlon and he will only get better in the event.
- Hunter Carlton - was injured at outdoor conference and did not score, but he got 7th at indoor conference after a transfer from Tarleton and could be a contributor in 2018
REDSHIRT: In 2016, Brandon Bray was an All-American in the pole vault, after getting 5th at the Big 12 meet and getting 4th at the U.S. Jr Championships. He broke a rib in a freak accident (when you are falling from 18-19 feet in the air, a bad landing can actual break a bone and did just that) and ended up having to redshirt outdoors. He did, however, vault unattached in a couple of meets outdoors and vaulted 17-8, so I think he is ready to go after another All-American season vaulting alongside Drew McMichael.
NEWCOMERS - Tech picks up a staggering number of newcomers who could contribute
- Odaine Lewis - when Jakobe Ford did not qualify, Tech rebounded nicely by picking up Odaine, the 2-time JC national indoor champ in the triple jump for Iowa Central. Potential for big points in the TJ and LJ
- Clark Griffith - transfer from Mississippi State, Clark placed at state in 2016 for the Taylor HS Ducks, but his real strength may be the decathlon - he won the Great Southwest (a major HS all-star track meet) Decathlon in 2016.
- Dalton Rigdon - the Tech football player is also an accomplished long jumper - he won the 4A LJ for Perryton and was ranked #6 in the whole U.S. in that jump
- Jake Benninghof - the AR Gatorade field athlete of the year after winning the Arkansas 7A HJ and LJ - he was also ranked #36 in the U.S. in the HJ
- Hunter Wigington - the runnerup in the 4A pole vault for Midland Greenwood, he ended up ranked #21 in the U.S. in the vault for high school athletes
- Billy Blanton - qualified for the 5A state meet in the vault for Amarillo Caprock. Unfortunately, he no-heighted, but there is definitely some potential
- Carter Zook - won the 3A 300H and 4th in the 100H at state for Sonora, but where he could potentially contribute is as a decathlete
- Yancey Otto - at the 2A state meet for Lindsay, TX, Yancey got third in the 200 and 400, plus 4th in the LJ. He will train at Tech as a decathlete. His older brother, Trinity, was a All-American at TAMU in the decathlon with HS stats almost identical to Yancey's
- Kameron Washington - 9th in the 5A LJ for Porter
WOMEN - the women did lose Viershanie Latham, who scored 7 points at conference in the LJ and TJ (All-American in the TJ), Reece Timmons (7th in the PV), plus, Blake Wood, who was 11th in PV last year, but had scored at conference in the past. However, the additions are stunning and this will be an area of huge potential point-scoring.
RETURNING SCORERS
- Kaylee Hinton returns in the heptathlon after winning the Big 12 hep and scoring at nationals and she will only get better
- Zarreia Willis got 2nd in the HJ and is a former conference champs and 2-time All-American in the jump
- Cyre Virgo placed 8th in the Big 12 HJ and is still overcoming a serious injury at the end of her HS career
- Rose Njoku got 7th in the heptathlon as a freshman and is also capable of placing in the open high jump
- Zuliat Alli - I included her as a returning scorer after she only got 10th in the LJ at conference, BUT she later qualified for nationals in the long jump and is capable of competing for big points in both jumps
REDSHIRTS: Brianna Johnson was the 2-time 6A state champ for Klein Oak in 2016 and was ranked #8 in the U.S. in the event that year. Dynamic jumper who could replace the points lost with Viershanie Latham's graduation.
NEWCOMERS - not the sheer numbers added like the men, but the quality of the additions is very, very high:
- G'Auna Edwards - at the 6A state meet jumping for Spring HS, she was 2nd in the LJ (#30 in the U.S.) and 6th in the HJ (#12 in the U.S.), but it is as a multi-athlete that she shines. She was ranked in the top-3 heptathlon prospects in the U.S. AND, she is talented enough in the jumps to compete in the open HJ or LJ as well.
- Kaylor Harris, the freshman from Mesquite Horn, has already been reviewed in the sprint preview, but she is also an accomplished jumper. She got 2nd in the 6A LJ in 2016 (#10 in the U.S. that year). She is the only kid I have ever seen who was ranked in the top 10 in the nation in the 100, LJ, AND the 100H in her HS career!
- Chloe Wall - a freshman from Farmersville and the 3A state vault champ - also ranked #29 in the U.S. - will really help Tech in the vault
- Chelsey Cole - freshman from Allen - 5th in the 6A TJ and ranked #26 in the U.S. She has never been as strong in the LJ, but Coach Thomas has a way of helping his proteges improve in all jumps
- Faith Roberson, the freshman from Wall, was 5th in the 3A Pole vault (#66 in the U.S.), but is also an accomplished hurdler (will show up in the hurdle preview as well). She will be trying to compete in the vault, 400H and trying to break into the 4x400 rotation. I have seen this kid in HS for years and she just might be able to do all of it.
