What Would Have Been: Boys 400m
AA
In a very close race last year at the state meet, Neumann Goretti's Tre'Sean Bouie narrowly beat out Girard College's Donovan Sanders with Bouie going 47.98 for the win to Sanders' 48.04. Sanders has been on a mission since that defeat. Recently signed to Penn State, Sanders 48.36 during the indoor season and seemed primed to grab his first outdoor state title this spring after placing a close second to AAA's Salim Epps at indoor states.
With a PR over a second better than the next AA competitor, Sanders would be the heavy favorite to win the 400 here. Central Columbia's Zander Bradley and Derry Area's Justin Huss. Bradley went 49.12 to place third, while Huss ran 49.53.
Bradley's Central Columbia teammate Dylan Devlin and Beaver Falls' Quadir Thomas were among those that just missed the final last year that would have had a shot this season.
AAA
Last year, Salim Epps of Saint Joseph's Prep pulled out the best race of his career to that point and dropped a very quick 47.48 to capture the state title in the 400 meters. Now the Oklahoma recruit would be on the hunt for his second straight outdoor title and third overall individual state title, counting his indoor 400 win from the winter.
It's hard to see if anyone could give him a challenge, as he's was nearly a second ahead of the next closest returner from last year's final. Epps would be a big favorite entering the state meet.
Hatboro-Horsham's Caleb Ryu would look run him down. As a sophomore, he ran a quick 48.38 to place third in a season that really saw him breakout as a strong sprint threat. He was fourth at indoor states in the 400. Another talented breakthrough from last year was Cumberland Valley's James Jaisingh, who went 48.64 to take second in District 3 before placing fourth at the state meet. Both Ryu and Jaisingh are coming off good indoor campaigns.
Harrisburg's Jajuan Oliver (seventh) and Parkland's Mustapha Salau (eighth) are two others that made the medal stand last spring. Both were set to be more junior class threats in the field quarter mile field. Mechanicsburg's Joseph Bruno and Indiana's Kendall Branan are other sub-49 400 meter runners from last season, but both focused on other events at the state meet last year.