Boys Top-16 Bios: Armstrong's #1 Seed Seems Solid


These are our next four bios on the final 16 boys who made it past round 1. Voting has already begun, so don't forget to cast your vote before the June 12th deadline.

Hit Your Mark Bracket

#1 Seed Trae Armstrong vs. #4 Seed Isaiah Oliver

Trae Armstrong

Trae Armstrong has the #1 200M, #2 100M, and #4 400M times in AZ high school history. Trae graduated in 2012 from Deer Valley High School and had countless first places throughout his four years as a Skyhawk. Amazingly Trae improved by over a full-second in his 100M and over two seconds in his 200M from his frosh to senior year (11.37 to 10.34; 22.78 to 20.74).

Trae's senior year he took 1st place in the 100M at Division 1 State, Chandler Rotary, Husky Invite, and Rattler Booster Invite. He also was invited to the Adidas Grand Prix 100M, where he placed 6th overall against national competition. In the 200M, Trae only lost one final all season (Tolleson Invitational) and solidified his name as the top 200M in Arizona history running 20.74 in the State finals. Each time Trae competed in the 400M he got faster. Winning in all three meets he ran the 400, with his best being at State where he ran 46.84.

Trae's junior year was pretty special as well. Winning the 400, 200, and 100 in the Division 1 AIA State Championships, as well as taking gold in the 100M at the Great Southwest Classic with his all-time best time of 10.34w. 

Trae winning the 100M at Chandler Rotary in 2012.

Isaiah Oliver

Brophy Prep has had many top boys come out of its institution for track and field over the years and Isaiah Oliver would be somewhere at the top of that list. Isaiah holds the #3 AZ all-time 300H time, #8 400M time, and the #11 110H time. He graduated in 2015 and was basically good to great in every event he attempted. He was definitely a multi-event athlete in the making while at Brophy. He could high jump 5-10, run a 22.08 200M, long jump 23-2, and could even run under a 4:40 1500M time (4:37.88) - that's good range!

At State his senior year he won both the 110H and 300H and only lost in those events one time outside of Arizona (2nd at Hohokam in 300H). He took 4th and 2nd at Arcadia in the 110H and 300H, respectively. He also won the 400M at the Meet of Champions that same year in 48.30.

Isaiah's improvements over 4 years were quite impressive: Long jump - 17-8 to 23-2; Decathlon - 5731 to 6824; 100M - 11.39 to 10.7; 110H - 16.28 to 14.03; 300H - 41.80 to 36.53.

Isaiah winning the Elite division of the 300H at the Great Southwest Classic in 2015

#2 Seed Elijah Mason vs. #3 Seed Billy Orman

Elijah Mason

Elijah Mason is one of the top throwers to come out of Arizona. He has the #2 and #3 all-time best throws in the discus (212-11) and shot put (63-1.5) in Arizona. He graduated from the track and field powerhouse of Desert Vista in 2017.

His senior year he never placed less than third in any meet in either the shot put or discus. In fact, Elijah, in the discus never got less than 2nd. He won the Division 1 State Championships and took 2nd at the Great Southwest Classic, Arcadia, and Chandler Rotary. He also won State that year in the shot put and took 3rd at Rotary and the Great Southwest Classic. Moreover, he even sneaked in a 2nd place showing in the hammer at the Great Southwest Classic as well. 

His indoor senior season he took 1st in the Simplot Games and 2nd at the University of Washington High School Invitational in the shot put.

Mason's junior season was a strong one as well. He won State for the second time in the discus (Elijah won discus at State in all but his freshman year) and took third in the shot put. 

Since Elijah's sophomore year there weren't many times that he did not place in the top three in either of these two events in the meets he competed in.

Elijah Mason interview on 3TV in 2017.

Billy Orman

Like Elijah in the throws, Billy Orman is one of the top distance runners to ever come out of Arizona. He is #2 in the both the 1600M and 3200M distances (4:05.29 and 8:48.63). Billy Graduated in 2011 for Tuba City and made a great impact both regionally and nationally while a high school runner.

Billy won every 1600M race he had his senior year, including Meet of Champions were he set his PR of 4:05.29. He took first in both the 1600 and 3200 at State in 2011 and also won Rotary in both those events as well. He took 5th at Arcadia in the 8:55.79, which was his first time under 9 minutes in his career. He also got invited to the prestigious adidas Grand Prix boys' mile, where he took 14th overall in 4:11.68 (another PR for Billy).

Junior year, Billy was stronger in the 3200 (even though he did win State in the 1600 as well). He took first in every meet, but Arcadia (2nd). He won meets like Golden West Invitational, Chandler Rotary, State, and Meet of Champions.

Billy destroying the field at Div. 3 State in 3200 in 2011.