Tremendous Depth Once Again - Boys 200m
PA State Rankings: 200m
The State Favorites: Daiyaan Hawkins (Haverford School); Savion Hebron (Neshaminy); Julian Klenner (Westtown School)
Top Medal Contenders: Shawn Brown (Central Dauphin East); Tyler Byrd (Bishop McDevitt); Kai Cummings (Germantown Friends); Tymir Jackson (Overbrook); Jerome Jessup (Red Lion); Eric Kirk (Coatesville); Austin Montgomery (Norristown); Brendan O'Malley (Baldwin); Donovan Sanders (Girard College); Calvin Wetzel (Riverside)
Dark Horses: Azeez Adedokun (Perkiomen Valley); Michael Cannon Jr. (Central Bucks South); Akeem Fields (Norristown); Gbarwho Flahn (Upper Darby); James Koliyah (Harry S Truman); Drew Roman (East Pennsboro)
Sizing It Up: Austin Kratz set the track ablaze last season, breaking the state record and winning the national title. We won't see any 21.01 times this season most likely, but there have been plenty of very impressive performances that have highlighted the first part of the indoor season.
Hawkins, Hebron, and Klenner are the sub-22 trio a month out from the state meet. Hawkins has seen great improvement this winter and is, for now, the one to beat after his 21.84 winning effort earlier this season. Hebron was second and Klenner was third in that same Marine Corps Holiday Classic race. A lot has changed and a lot can still change between then and the state meet, though.
Byrd, however, is the lone returning state medalist, and has only raced flat tracks this season. He could make a run for the top spot. Cummings and Montgomery are definite contenders that could challenge the favorites. O'Malley has been dominating the 200 in the TSTCA in what has been a huge breakthrough winter for him; he can't be slept on.