Look for Denajah Morris of Valley Vista to light up the track again this weekend. Arizona Milesplit Photo.
As the Tolleson Invitational celebrates its return to the West Valley in 2015 it promises to bring one of the seasons more impressive sprint fields. The race to see in the girls sprints appears to be the 100 where where two freshmen have the fastest times. Denajah Morris of Valley Vista won the Buckeye Lions meet in 12.54, while Jae'Nisa Heckstall of Westview already has a Gaucho Relays title and a 12.58 PR to her credit. Millennium's China Simmons (12.86) rarely gets beaten and won't allow the rookies to win without a fight.
Speaking of the hurdle specialist Simmons (14.97), the 100H should be hers to dominate as she has done all year. The field she faces however, is far from weak. Copper's Tamia Robinson (15.70), Coconino's Makenna Bryce (15.72), Chavez's Pedra Hicks (15.74), and Tolleson's Ohemaa Barnes (15.90) have all run under 16 seconds in the past.
Morris also has the quickest seed time in the 200, having run 25.82 to complete the double at Buckeye. Expect Heckstall and La Joya's Princess White (26.55) to give her a run for her money.
It is very possible freshmen will take all the sprints as Valley Vista's Dorian Nesby has run 60.36 in the 400 and will certainly be pushing to go under one minute. Providing that push could be Westview's Amanda Flores, a 60 second runner last year, though this will be her first foray into the event this year.
In the 300H Expect China Simmons to put on another show, much like when she ran the 44.43 that earned her a spot on the podium at Chandler Rotary. Pedra Hicks (47.03) appears to be the most likely challenger in that event.