By Kimberly and Coach Todd
2011 Arizona Girls 400 Preview:
Jade Dean (Chandler, 2012) is the first of our returning 400 runners. Jade finished 5th in a talented 400 final at last year’s 5A I State meet with a time of 58.08. Her personal best of 57.75 in this event came during the 5A Fiesta Regional Championships.
Kendra Knittel (Rincon, 2013) once again lands in the top returners, this time in the 400. She finished third in the 5A II State meet running her personal best of 56.64.
Abbey Barbera (Ironwood, 2012) was the runner up last year at the 5A II State Meet where she ran her personal best of 56.60. She went on to represent Arizona at the Great Southwest Classic where she finished in eighth place with a time of 58.44.
Michelle Kreutzburg (Desert Mountain, 2011) runs a wide range of distances from the 100 to 5000. She lands in the number two spot in the 400 with a personal best of 56.55 which she rand during the 5A II State Meet where she finished in first.
Alexis Roberts (Chandler, 2013) last year she was the runner-up in this event at the 5A I State Meet where she ran 56.06. She is the top returner this year with her personal best last year of 55.76 at the 5A Fiesta Regional Championships.
With 4 of the top 5 returners under running under 57.0 last year don’t be surprised to see more than on person run 56.0 or better this year. Other athletes to watch include: Jasmine Pratt (Estrella Foothills ,2012), Sydnee Freeman (Desert Vista, 2012), Bianca Burrell (Desert Edge, 2011), Alyssa Thompson (Salpointe, 2013), Dominique Jackson (Chandler, 2013), and at least one freshman who has already run under the minute mark this year.
Editors Note: Bianca Lewis (Sr., Xavier) was injured last year but returns this year with great enthusiasm. As a sophomore Bianca ran a 56.47 in the 400 and a 2:15.14 in the 800. Look for Bianca to challenge in both events.
2011 Arizona boys 400 Preview:
Jay Bowser (Rincon, 2011) was the runner up in this event last year at the 5A II State Meet with a time of 49.56. His personal best in the event came during the 5A II Regional meet in 2009 (48.09).
Nathan Bolivar (Apollo, 2011) the returning 4A I Champion ran 49.46 at the Greenway Invitational last year.
Valencia Gray (Westwood, 2011), yes we have mentioned him multiple times already BUT he is also a top returner in the 400. The number three returner in this event ran a personal best of 49.40 in this event at last year’s 5A East Valley Regional Championships.
Ronnie Sanchez (Perry, 2011) is our number two returner in the 400. He was the 5A II Champion last year with a personal best time of 48.88 during the State Meet.
Dylan Hambright (Arcadia, 2011 Pictured left) finds himself in the number one spot. Dylan capped off last season with a 48.51 at the Great Southwest Classic, just off his personal best of 48.36 which he ran at The Meet of Champions.
Others to watch include Patrick Glover (Mesa Mountain View, 2012), Giovanni Pascascio (Valley Vista, 2012), Oscar Thompson (Rincon, 2011), and Darius Watkins (Deer Valley, 2011)
By Kimberly and Coach Todd