Top 400 Runners

1/2/2012

By Coach Cash

Shauntis Lewis              12         Snider

            Should be the odds-on favorite to win the State Championship. He will be even better if Snider chooses not to stack the 4x800. That is unlikely to happen, but he should win even after running a smooth 1:53 split on the relay.

Joe Troop                     11         Chesterton

            Extremely gutsy runner. I think he could also be effective at 200 meters as well.  

Alvin Best                     12         Portage

            Probably going to be a decathlete in college, the multi talented Best came on strong late in the season. If he can improve his first 150 meters, look out.

Jeron Brown                  12         Lawrence Central

            In my opinion, he is the best overall athlete in the state. I'm not even sure if this is the race that he'll run. Similar to Lewis, there is a chance that he could run the 4x800 as well.

Zach Woods                 10         Carmel

            Amazing strength displayed during his amazing freshman season. He will definitely have training partners to help him along.

Stephen Wallace           11         Westfield

            He faded a bit towards the end of last season, but he has great talent. Hopefully he hit the weight room in the offseason.

Davon Wilson               12         Pike

            Great build for a 400 runner, but I had always thought he would make his mark as an 800 runner (He ran 2:04 to win the Freshman County Meet)

Thomas Capers             10         Riley

            I think he will have a breakout year. An amazing talent. His legs makes him seem taller than he actually is. Graceful stride.

Ray Bush                      11         Northwest

            Extremely raw and strong runner, Bush was only hampered by a lack of maturity early on. As he started to mature, his times became more consistent. Should also be a force in the 200.

Corey Conway               12         North Central

            Transferred from Oak Park (Chicago) last year, and flew under the radar for most of the season. Tall and strong, but not explosive out of the blocks.

Bill Holland                   12         Carmel

            Very tall and lanky, this could be his year to shine after waiting behind Courtland Etgen. He an Woods gives Carmel a dangerous 1-2 punch.

Carrington Murray          11         Warren Central

            Had to fight for his varsity spot all season long, and finally came through in sectionals. Has a huge upside.

Michael Clifton              12         Kokomo

            He also had to run the 4x100 last year, so we never got a fair assesment on his 400. I don't see Kokomo loading up that relay this year, so expect big things out of him.

Matt Riley                     11         Western

            Always flirted with breaking the 50 second barrier, but never actually did it. I think he smashes it this year. Big year for Riley.

Wyatt Jones                  11         Warsaw

            I'm going to take a lot of heat for this one, and I totally unsterstand why. He was 7th in his conference meet, and was beat by other underclassmen. I am banking on the fact that his best race was not a fluke, and will lead to more consistency this year.

Zach Sneiderwine                      11         Crown Point

            Comes from a soccer family, but has embraced his speed and the benefits of track and field. Also a member of the football team.

Michael Passmore         11         Mooresville

            I will refrain from making a stupid pun with his name. He's built like a football player, but actually runs cross country in the fall. Mooresville will always develop at least one "State Meet Quality"  sprinter per year.

Lucas Bertolet               11         Greenwood

            Oddly enough his season will be decided by David Dalton's ability to run a great 4x8 split. If that relay doesn't have a realistic shot, expect Lucas to be fresh for the 400.

Matt Dorris                    11         Pioneer

            At about 6'3 and very lanky, the three sport star puts maximum effort into track and field. This should be a breakout year for him if he can find some quality competition.

Malik Davis                   10         Ritter

            Ritter is actually enjoying a bit of a renaissance thanks, in part, to guys like Davis. He has a good group to train with, and will face stiff competition throughout the season