Meet Program
Girls Preview
High Jump
The girl’s competition has a loaded field with Kell Senior Kendell Williams leading the pack. She cleared 6 feet last year and is the defending invitational and AAAA State Champion. She has had a busy indoor season where she cleared 5-11.25 on the way to a National Pentathlon record this past weekend. Others that will give her some great competition are:
Bailey Weiland- Marist Junior: Recent Athlete of the Week at Ga.Mile Split with a jump of 5-8. Finished 3rd in the Invitational last year.
Jaelyn Rice- Wheeler Junior; Multi-event competitor with a high jump PR of 5-6.5. Finished second at AAU Nationals this summer. Recently, finished second at the indoor UK High School Invitational with a jump of 5-6.
Savannah Smith-Lambert Sophomore: 5-6 jumper who finished 2nd at GHSA AAAA State last year.
Four Jumpers who have cleared 5-4 and all medaled at their respective state meets last year: Hannah Billups- Eagle’s Landing Senior, Camille Fahrnbauer- Creekview Sophomore, Allison Guebert- Etowah Senior, and Desaa Legros- Allatoona Senior.
Long Jump
This year’s long jump event at the Coaches Invitational has at least 15 young ladies with 16 foot mark or better. Leading the way will be Kendall Williams of Kell HS. Kendall’s entry mark of 20-8½ jump is one of the best in the country. Her competition will come from Ahlan Rosier of Lakeside Evan, Jakayla Hand of Opelika HS, Shanel Burr of North Cobb HS, and Kyra Atkins of J.L. Mann HS. All of these ladies have posted a jump of 17-6½ feet or better. Also, the following young ladies will be vying for a top 8 eight finish are: Ashley Williams of Auburn HS, Bola Hambolu of Collins Hill HS, Krizma Goodson of Forest Park HS, and Hannah Billups of Eagle’s Landing HS.
Shot-put and Discus
This year's group of female athletes is one of the most competitive in years. There are many throwers pushing the 38 foot mark in shot put and the 115 mark in discus which is very impressive. These ladies should put on an amazing show Friday and Saturday and will give spectators a chance to see some of the top female throwers in the nation. This year's group is headed by Norcross's Casidy Callahan, Marist's Kamryn Brinson, Pope's Andrea Vahoua, and Kell's Erin McKinney.
Triple Jump
The triple jump should be an exciting and very competitive event this year. There are six young ladies who have posted a jump of 36 feet or better, while another eight more come in with a 34 foot jump or better. Leading the way in this year’s competition is DoVon Johnson of Kennesaw Mountain HS. Ms. DoVon comes in with having jumped over 38 feet. DoVon’s challengers will be Jakayla Hand of Opelika HS, Camille Frank and Ashley Williams both from Auburn HS, and Dessaa Legros of Allatoona HS. All of these ladies have recorded jumps of 37 feet or better. The remaining young ladies will also be vying for a top eight finish: Kathleen Flagg of Chattahoochee HS, Brooke Nelson of J.L. Mann HS, Bria Matthews of Forest Park HS, Alexa Rushworth of St. Pius X, and Athena Carpenter of Pope HS. All of these ladies have jumped at least 34½ feet or better.
PV
The top performances turned in this year have all cleared 11’ in the pole-vault. Anna Dunn, Creekview, currently has the 2nd best vault in 2013 in Georgia, Elise Moffatt, Allatoona, currently has the best vault of 2013 in Georgia, Ashton Matson, Alexander and Jordan Sheeley, Kennesaw Mountain should all be impressive as they reach for the sky on the main stage at Griffin Stadium.
100 hurdles
Kendell Williams, Kell, Owns the State 100 hurdle record and was the 2011 and 2012 Coaches Invitational Champion /2012Meet MVP. There are 4 other ladies have also shown quality sub 15 performances: Shanel Burr, North Cobb, AAAAA State Runner-up, Natisha Dixon, Wheeler, who currently has the fast time in Georgia and DoVon Johnson, Kennesaw Mountain. With the quality weather some great times should be expected.
100
Simon Glenn, Brookwood, boosts the best seed time of the meet and the 4th best time in Georgia this year yet she could face a quality group of athletes in Tee’Asiah Vance, JL Mann, who has the fastest time in South Carolina in 2013, Remel Williams, Alexander and Maya Marshall, Sprayberry,
3200
Fast times are bound to happen this year with an incredible field of distance girls. Leading the pack is Stephanie Kurgatt of McClay School who just signed with Georgetown. Stephanie comes in with a PR of 10:39 and a 1600 PR of 4:40. Last year at Coaches Invitational she won the 1600 in a time of 4:49. She is the current 1A Florida State Champion in the 1600 and 800. Annie Kelly of Milton with a PR of 10:53 will be giving Kurgatt a run. Annie just signed a letter of intent to run collegiately at the University of Mississippi. She also placed 2nd at the GHSA AAAAAA State XC Championships last fall. On their heels will be Rachel Thorne, Alpharetta with a PR of 10:54. Katherine Yost, NORC who will be Annie’s teammate at Mississippi has a PR of 10:58. Katherine placed 3rd at the GHSA AAAAA State XC Championships in 2012. We can’t forget another powerhouse, Grace Tinkey. She is back and in full force on the track in 2013. She has a PR of 11:00 and just committed to run at Air Force. Grace is a 2X Footlocker National Finalist and 2010 & 2011 Gatorade XC Runner of the Year. She is also a State Champ in the 1600 and 3200. This lead pack is going to be pushed by several other top runners: Mackenzie Nail of Whitewater, Morgan Ilse of Marist – 2012 GHSA State AAAA XC Championsip, Alex Cameron, Dunwoody, State XC Champion of AAAAA and Emma Garner of Opelika – all of whom have PR’s of low 11’s for the 3200.
Distance Relays
There is nothing like the annual Friday night 4X16 for great completion at Georgia Tech.
Marist, AAAA 2012 State XC Champions, Walton, 2012 State AAAAAA XC Runner-up and Brookwood 2012 XC 3rd should all contend while Milton will be in the mix as they have run the fastest 4X16 in Georgia this season. Don’t count out JL Mann as they have run some fast 4 X8 times year and could contend.
Sprint Relays
Hopefully some of the Georgia teams such as North Springs or Collins Hill can be in the mix with the teams of Auburn, JL Mann and Opelika in the sprint relays. JL Mann boasts the best time in South Carolina while Auburn, currently ranked 1st in Alabama and Opelika will force all the spring relays to be at their best.
Boys Preview
High Jump
The boy’s competition is led by multi-event jumper Quin Nalls of Auburn High School who has cleared 6-6 in the past. Junaid Olusesi, a Whitewater Senior, that has cleared 6-5, and Dre’Von Jones, a Harrison Junior, who finished 4th in the Invitational last year.
Long Jump
The 2013 Coaches Invitational is back with yet another lineup of outstanding long jumpers, with multiple athletes having jumped 22 feet or further. Leading the way with a personal best of 24’8 ½” is Cameron Luper of Auburn High School. Cameron is the returning champion from the 2012 Coaches Invitational. Cameron also has two indoor state champion finishes in Alabama, in 2012 and 2013, as well as an outdoor state championship in 2012. Most recently Cameron is coming off of a 2nd place finish at the New Balance Indoor Nationals.
The #2 seed in the field is Luper’s teammate from Auburn H. S., Quintin Nalls, with a best mark of 23’5”. Nalls was at the Coaches Invitational in 2012 and placed 3rd.
We are also pleased to have North Cobb’s Steven Cole with us this year who has already hit 22’2 twice this year.
There are many more very talented jumpers that will be rounding out the field and we are looking forward to seeing what these young men can do at a great venue with some outstanding weather.
Throws
This year should be as competitive as always. There are some incredible athletes who will be facing off in both the shot and discus. There will be many potential state champions competing against each other and should be a great show. This year's field of athletes is led by Eagle Landing's Shawayne Lawrence and Gino Fabrezio, Parkview's John Patterson, Marist's Kenneth Brinson, St. Pius X's Daniel Haugh, and Harrison's Joey Connors.
Triple Jump:
This year’s Coaches Invitational is stacked with an outstanding triple jump field with many jumpers over 43 feet. Leading the way in the triple jump is Quin Nalls from Auburn high school, who is also competing in long jump. Nalls has a best jump of an amazing 47’ ½”. Nalls finished 5th in the state last year in Alabama, as well as a 3rd place finish at the 2012 Mobile Challenge of Champions. Nalls also joined us last year, here at the Coaches Invitational, and is looking to one-up his 2nd place finish in 2012.
The next best mark to Nalls is an impressive 46’5” which allowed OLA’s Joseph Spann to finish 4th in the GHSA State Meet in 2012. Spann was also here on this track in 2012 at the Coaches Invitational as a 110 High Hurdler.
We are also proud to have Pope’s very own Braxton Phipps who owns a personal best of 43’ 9 ½”, and has multiple jumps over 43’. Phipps is also returning to the Coaches Invitational from a solid showing here in 2012.
We also have joining us from Peachtree Ridge, Iajah Hughes with a best of 43’6 and Walton’s T’Qwan Robinson at 43’ 5 ½”. Both of these jumpers have multiple jumps over 43’.
The rest of the field is packed very tightly which should make for some great competition. Many of the jumpers have gone 42’ and 43’ in near freezing weather this season. With the temperature looking like it could be the warmest of the season, all of these athletes are looking for PR’s and it could be anyone’s day.
Pole-vault
Tray Oats, Allatoona submits the top performance year of 16’1” and was the Georgia AAA State Champion for 2012 Other quality performances include: Tyler Craig, Pickens County, is currently ranked 2nd in Georgia and finished 3rd at the State meet last year in AAAAA, Taylor Wood, Kennesaw Mountain, 2012 State 4th in AAAAA and Hunter Arnold of Allatoona who finished 4th in AAA at State.
100
The fastest man on the track will come from a group of that have all gone sub 11.0. Brandon Thompson, Chestatee, Cameron Luper, Auburn, who just competed at The New Balance Indoor Nationals last weekend, Joe Horn, Peachtree Ridge, 2nd best 100 in Georgia for 2013, and Jamal McDaniel, Chapel Hill, has the 4th best 100 in Georgia for 2013, will all vie for the top spot.
100 hurdles
Jordan Jackson, Kell, Terrell Singleton, Kennesaw Mountain, has run the 2nd best time in Georgia in 2013 and Justin Pizzaro, Peachtree Ridge, have all run under 15. With some other quality performance turned in this season by Ryan Nimely, Grayson and Alex Arnold, Auburn who is coming off a 3rd place finish in the Alabama State Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles..
3200
This should be one of the fastest 3200 races this season! The 2013 Coaches Invitational 3200 will have 5 guys under the 9:30 barrier and an additional handful under 10:00. Leading the way will be Kenan Farmer, Walton who has a PR of 9:19. Kenan was the AAAAAA State runner-up in 2012 in this event. Austin Sprague, St Pius who won the 2012 AAAA State XC Championships will be challenging for the gold. His 7th place 9:11 performance at the 2013 New Balance Indoor 2 mile shows he is ready for the outdoor season. Another standout to watch is Brad Hort from McIntosh. He just signed to run at UGA and was a 2012 Footlocker National Finalist. Brad is the reigning AAAAA State XC Champion. He boasts a 3200 PR of 9:24. Brad’s teammate, Sid Speir will be joining the pack coming in with a 1600 PR of 4:35. Coming from the powerhouse distance school Marist are two guys to keep an eye on - Daniel Navarro and Michael Thurston. Michael and Daniel took 1st and 2nd at the 2012 AAA State XC Championships to lead Marist to another state title. Nathan Riech, Milton will be another top contender as he is coming off a stellar 2nd place AAAAA State XC Championship finish.
Distance Relays
This annual event always brings out the best in all the distance teams in the State!!!!! This year will be no exception and will feature some outstanding teams that will produce numerous outstanding performances!!! Competing will be the 2012 Cross Country State Champions from AAA, St Pius, AAAA Marist, AAAAA McIntosh and AAAAAA Mill Creek. Other elite performers will include the teams from Alexander, AAAA 2012 State XC Runner-up, Woodward AAA 2012 State Runner-up, and always tough Norcross, Milton, who currently has the fastest 4X800 in Georgia, Peachtree Ridge and Walton.
Sprint relays
With the quality weather that is expected at the Coaches Invitational we may very well see some outstanding performances in the sprints. Sprayberry, Ola and Auburn, ranked 5th in Alabama in the 4X100, have all produced top quality times in the past and look to light it up on a lightening fast track!!!!
Meet Program