2024 State Meet Preview Class 2A

Order Of Events

Team Prediction

Boys

1st Hooker

2nd Fairview

3rd Wynnewood

Why: Hooker is the defending champs with a history of getting it done when it matters most. They have the #1 4x4 and 4x8. Strong contingent of athletes across the board with 19 possible scoring opportunities. Nobody has a chance to score more. Fairview is my number two, again on the backs of strong relays but with a more sprint heavy team. Sprints have less margin for error and in the chaos of state you need reliability. 

Girls

Boys

100m

In the boys 100m the seeds are slightly deceiving. Caden Knighten is your favorite in the 100m he has a seasons best of 10.51 and no one else has run below 10.87 this season. In the 100m a lot can happen in such a short window but I trust Knighten to get it done here and score a big 10 points for Wynnewood. Keep an eye out for Felix Teal to still come across for second. He seems to be putting it together perfectly with a seasons best at the regional meet for the Tigers of Laverne.

200m

Unlike the 100m the 200m could go to one of the following two guys. First Easton Hamar of Fairview High he is the top seed and fastest time in 2A on the year. I also like that he's the #2 400m man and that strength could pay off in the last few meters to decide the title. Next best odds go to James Beasley he is only .07 seconds behind Hamar in seasons best but he has better 100m speed and if he can get a jump on Hamar at the start maybe he can build an insurmountable lead that could yield him a gold metal. 

400m

In the boys 400m you have 3 guys sub 51 seconds all running their best marks at the regional meet. I'd bet on Walker Chandler as he has .5 a second on the field and is only in individual events whereas the other two will have relay legs to attend to during the meet. I won't count out Easton Hamar or Jayden Perkins to steal the top of the podium if the race falls into their hands.

800m

I want to be the homer and choose my boys from Mooreland to get it done and go 1-2 in this event. However we cannot forget about Brayden Cowan of Watonga. He has run 2:00.89 and has proven his ability to get it done in championship races. Reece Hensley is a phenomenal talent but is not as consistent of a performer as Cowan but if anyone could pull a fast one on Cowan in the closing meters its Hensley. I think Cowan is a lock to win the 3200m the day before but could come in a bit fatigued if he has to race the 3200m at full tilt. Hensley will only have the 4x800m the day before and although Mooreland has 2 stud legs their other 2 may not be able to keep them in strong contention causing the Bearcats to come up short. Hensley may be energized by the team coming up short. Give me Hensley at the tape but this won't be the last we hear of Cowan for the 2024 meet *Foreshadowing*

1600m

Again some deceiving seeding in this event. Although Reece Hensley is the top seed and I do believe in his ability to place highly, Koulter Drake of Warner has the fastest PB by 13seconds. Assuming he goes for it I could see him blowing the field open and only one man in this field has the ability to go with that pace. Give me Brayden Cowan to weather the storm and pull off the upset with both men running in the low 4:30s possibly under. 

3200m

I believe this is a three horse race. First Koulter Drake who has the fastest seed time and the best 1600m chops in the field. Second, Bly Frieouf of Tonkawa who has the fastest seasons best of 10:13. Third, Brayden Cowan who is the XC state champ and is a 2 flat 800m man. Cowans combo of strength over the 5k on grass and speed over the 2 lap distance makes him my pick to win the 3200m. I also believe the time will be in the 10flat or slightly below neighborhood.

110mh

Two man show down in this one first Bryce Collins of stroud who has a 15.61 seed time but Logan Tacker has a quicker seasons best of 15.25. I could see this coming to a lean or with one of the two falling in the heat of battle if they try and match the others race plan and end up blowing their normal rhythm apart.

300mh

Top 4 seeds all ran within a half second of each other at the regional meet this could be anyone's race. Give me Gunnar Holder to get it done as he has run 41.98 during the regular season comes in as top seed. A dark horse to watch out for is Sawyer Davidson who comes in with only the 5th best seed but has the second best seasons best of 42.3.

Shotput

Over 5.5ft farther in the shotput is a gap that seems almost too good to be true. Mason Valliere is about as sure of a lock as anyone at the 2a state meet. His seasons best prior to regionals was only 51-9 which would still give him an 8 inch advantage over Hayden Chaffey but if Valliere doesn't have as good of day as he did at regionals and Chaffey pops off a big one we could see an upset. Although the chances are low, I like rooting for chaos.

Discus

The discus also has Mason Valliere as a big favorite. He has almost 5 feet on second and assuming clean sheets for all I don't see the gap closing but in the windy state of Oklahoma. Chaos may ensue and if Valliere has a throwers nightmare and fouls his attempts look for Dominic Grein and Hayden Chaffey to play cleanup.

Long Jump

Jarren Cargil had himself a day at his regional meet setting an almost 2 foot personal record of 21-10.25 and if he can summon that again he'll surely take a state title home. If he jumps closer to his previous best it could be any mans competition with a slew of guys all in that 20 to 21 foot range. 

High Jump

The boys high jump will almost certainly come down to who can maintain a cleaner sheet. I won't even dare pick a winner because genuinely 13 of the 21 entered could win. If any of the athletes or coaches are reading this I wish you the best of luck. Luck may be the deciding factor.

Pole Vault

Andrew Clovis had the best mark in 2a heading into Monday (13-4), No one else had jumped over 12-0. Three man managed to PR by a 1.5ft plus. Could Clovis's consistency lead to a title or will some new found confidence catapult a Logan Tacker or Carter Mccain to a state title?

4x100m

Clean handoffs are the key to a successful 4x100m and if Hooker replicates their race from regionals they will get a cool 20 piece of points to add to their title defense. This is Wynnewoods only chance at double points and they have the one man in 2a who could possibly catalyze an upset. If they can give the baton to Caden Knighten with even a slight chance 10.52 speed may yield an upset!

4x200m

Another 2 team battle in the 4x200m sure to be a close match-up. Both Liberty and Hooker have two entered in the open 2 but Hooker has 2 guys in the top half of the qualifiers where Liberty's 2 are a bit further back. I still think it'll be close and I would almost bet that the winning time will take less than 90sec. 

4x400m

Give me Hooker to cap a title run. 

4x800m

Hooker is the xc champs but Laverne kept it close at the regional meet. Mooreland is a big dark horse here and although they lost by 9 seconds at the regional. They have the strongest two man combo with Jackson Crotts and Reece Hensley both have 2:02 or better PB's. Their lead off man is a 400m qualifier in Quintin Whisennand who if he can just ride the other teams coat tails he can set the Bearcats up for their first 4x800m title in 5yrs. 

Girls

100m

Give me Peyton Davis (Stroud) she has .3 on the field and although that may not sound big its a visible gap in the 100m. She also has a great history of getting it done when it counts. If Ashtyn Warford can summon her personal best she can make it interesting but I don't love seeing that she only managed a 13.38 qualifier. Volatility isn't what I like to see in the 100m.

200m

Double the distance double the gap, I get this isn't interesting but it is honest. Give me Peyton Davis (Stroud)

400m

Analisee Gonzalez (Hooker) *check the bottom* is the only girl sub 60 and with almost a full second on Walters own Kayla Meason. I'd place my bet on the Bulldog of Hooker to take home 400m glory but if for some reason she falters the only one I'd pick to clean it up would be Meason and her 800m strength.

800m

Kamryn Baggs rules 2A distance running on the girls side. I think she could pull off a 3 peat and on her second leg of the journey she'll have a tough challenge from Hallie Kinion of Gore who has a breakout season setting PRs in multiple events from 400m-3200m making her a contender in her final year. I still believe Braggs pulls it out but it won't be easy.

1600m

Give me Kamryn Baggs to conquer the 2a 1600m in her only season in the division. As good defending champ as Miley Holt is I still don't see her closing that gap unless Baggs is too cooked from a tough 800 early in the day. If that is the case a Holt summons last years form it'll be a heck of a battle for the final individual title of the meet.

3200m

Miley Holt has improved her stregth over 3200m but I believe this race will look similar to the cross country state meet with your podium being Kamryn Baggs 1st, Daigan Miller 2nd, and Holt coming up for 3rd but in a close battle between the trio. 

100mh

A wild story line in this event is the notable absence of Madison Easley (Pawhuska) who has led the 2A division this year at 14.39 almost a 1.5 sec gap over Strouds Ace Peyton Davis. With Easley not qualifying give me Peyton Davis making a strong case for meet MVP. 

300mh

With a 2 second advantage on the field I don't see Quincie Chunestudy losing... as long as she clears all 10 hurdles smoothly she should be able to easily secure the title. 

Shotput

Unlike the men's side the women's side is wide open. The title was vacated by Mincos Julie Hoeher which she only narrowly secured over Okemahs Raven Deere who only has the 8th best seed. Matti Tucker of Pawnee and Annika Pittman of Wynnewood both enter as the top seed. However Tucker has thrown 38 feet this season the best of any athlete in the field by 2 feet.

Discus

Savannah Coblentz dominated in the regional qualifying with her best of 120-06 and I foresee her maintaining her hot streak and bringing home a state title.

Long Jump

Only an inch and a quarter seperate the top 2 seeds in this event. Jaycie Nichols is the top returner but was only 5th last year in 16-04. Dani Kowalik of Empire has made some major improvements over the last year as she was only 11th last year but has managed to surpass the rest of the returning ladies. I'm going to say the Cinderella run will continue and Kowalik will leave Western Heights a champion.

High Jump

Avery Lawhorn qualified comfortably with a mark 5in below her best. She is the only one to jump above 5-06 heading in. Although interestingly Sophia Calistro (Savanna) and Bryanna Vanciel (Savanna) allegedly jumped 5-10 at their conference meet despite never jumping above 5-0 before. I question the validity of the marks because jumps like that don't happen in the high jump.

Pole Vault

Kylee Bell (Cresent) the only 2a girl to clear the 10-0 failed to qualify leaving the door open for the likes of Jazzmine Pinto or Cassidy Parsons to slip in for the win. Both  qualified at 9-0 but pinto has cleared 9-0 multiple times this outdoor season and with that consistency she's my pick to win.

4x100m

Again clean handoff are the big key in the 4x100m less than a second seperate the top 4 and one bad hand off could spell disaster. Give me Hooker though as they bested Merritt at regionals by over half a second.

4x200m

Hooker has 2 second advantage on the field and I don't see that closing unless Stroud didn't run Peyton Davis (Stroud) at regionals and she'll be on the track at state. I get one athlete doesn't win a relay but she is good enough to cut into the gap.

4x400m

Hooker. That was easy.

4x800m

This will be a battle but I'll keep it short. Hooker has a winning pedigree and it would be an upset if Okemah pulled off the W.