Most Wide Open Event In The State? - Boys 400m
PA State Rankings: 400m
The State Favorites: Andersen Dimon (Pennridge); Salim Epps (Saint Joseph's Prep); Savion Hebron (Neshaminy); Kai Cummings (Germantown Friends); Julian Klenner (Westtown School); Donovan Sanders (Girard College)
Top Medal Contenders: Jerome Jessup (Red Lion); Malachi Langley (Chester); Timmy Odunjo (Penn Wood); Payton Stanziani (Boyertown); Calvin Wetzel (Riverside)
Dark Horses: Tre'Sean Bouie (Neumann Goretti); Gbarwho Flahn (Upper Darby); Dan Whaley (Haverford School); Jack Wisner (Carlisle);
Sizing It Up: Like the 60 meters, the 400 is very wide open right now. Hebron and Dimon are the lone sub-49 boys for now with both posting impressive early season performances. Both are really coming into themselves as runners this winter, and could be locked in a great battle for the state title.
They will be challenged, though. Cummings surprised some last year and is the top state meet returner (he was fourth), but is yet to run a 400 this winter. Epps (sixth at states last year) is coming along nicely after a strong sophomore season last year, learning from indoor state champ and teammate Miles Green. Klenner will be one to watch in the event, especially once he gets on a banked track. Sanders is following up his breakout spring/summer with a solid winter and he's a definite factor here. Jessup has some good sleeper potential here.
It gets murkier after the favorites, and I think we'll see some dark horses become legitimate medal contenders and possibly medal contenders become title factors. There's a lot to be ironed out in this event, probably more so than any other sprint event mentioned.