Many of the top athletes from the Triangle and beyond will compete in a meet that is traditionally one of the strongest in the state.
Even back in my own running days, too may years ago for me to admit, the Apex Relays were one of the highlights of the regular season. The meet has a deep tradition in the Raleigh area, and often draws top teams from around the state, as well. With only three individual rces on the track (100 Dash, 110/100 Hurdles, and 1600), as opposed to 7 relays, this is a team-oriented event that can provide a break from the normal event schedule before the start of the postseason. This is one of the few meets that allows teams to run a 4x1600, and it is run first thing in the morning to take advantage of cool temperatures. One interesting question: why do the girls run the 800 Sprint Medley (100-100-200-400) while the boys run the 1600 Sprint Medley (200-200-400-800)? That's just one of the quirks that makes this meet unique. Don't forget to watch the field events, as you will find some of the best athletes in the state aren't always on the track.
(Includes program with meet records)
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Events to Watch
Girls 1600 Run
The girls 1600 is loaded with talent, and the meet record (4:56.26) is in almost certain danger. Wesley Frazier (Ravenscroft) leads the field, having gone 4:53.8 earlier this spring. Ashley Brubaker (Reagan) has also broken the 5-minute mark, while Eliza Dekker (Durham Academy) and Malia Ellington (Community School of Davidson) are prime candidates to go sub-5 in this race. The talent doesn't stop there, either, with Erica Amatori (Green Hope), Mattie Blue (Broughton), and many other strong runners.
Boys 1600 Run
Craig Engels (Reagan) leads the field and is also a candidate to break the meet record (4:11.43). Engels will be challenged by long-time friendly rival Thomas Graham (Cary Academy), as well as this year's breakout star and current state leader in this event, Richard Miller (Millbrook). Josh Copus (Mount Tabor) has also been under 4:20 this season, and you can expect a few more athletes to challenge that mark today.
Boys 100 Dash
Stud freshman Bryce Love (Wake Forest-Rolesville) might have the top seed, but he won't get away with an easy win here. There are three sprinters in the field with 10.5 hand-times that want to prove themselves against FAT: Kofie Yeboah (Ravenscroft), Darrell Sheppard (Cary), and Khairee Lewis (Sanderson). That should make for a really exciting finish, and don't be surprised if Brian Davis (Fuquay-Varina) or Joseph Horton (Knightdale) sneak up for a medal.
Boys 1600 Sprint Medley
Both Cary and Knightdale have the right balance to run the 1600 Sprint Medley, especially the 800 anchor that can bring the race home. With Bakri Abushouk returning from injury, this could be a very interesting finish. Teams can overcome a lack of sprint depth in this race with a great 400/800 combo on the last two legs, so watch out for Fuquay-Varina with Brian Davis and Clay Jones. Millbrook's Richard Miller could make things interesting on the anchor, if his teammates can keep him in the race.
Boys 4x100
Three teams have legitimate time in the 42-second range, and the top three have already battled it out once. Knightdale edged Wake Forest-Rolesville in the Wake County Championships, with Cary not far behind, and round 2 is this afternoon. All it takes is a bit of a bobble or one runner getting a late start on the exchange, and this could be a very close race.
Girls 4x800
The Green Hope girls would be dominant favorites in this race if they were to load up, but with Penn Relays on Thursday it is my understanding that they will not enter their best squad in this race. That makes this a much more interesting event up front, as it brings strong teams like Millbrook (anchored by Sammy George) and Cardinal Gibbons back into the mix. West Johnston has three girls that have been running very well lately, while Wakefield has two sub-2:20 legs to close with. This one is definitely up for grabs, and don't forget that Green Hope can run under 9:40 without stacking all of their best girls on the team.
Boys 4x800
Knightdale and Cary will renew their battle from the Wake County Championships, which Knightdale won. However, Cary's Bakri Abushouk sat out that race, and if he is healthy the pendulum could swing toward the Imps. Don't be surprised if Science and Math gets into the mix, as well, making this an interesting three-team battle up front.
Girls Pole Vault
With three vaulter who have cleared 11' 6", this will be fun to watch. Kristen Lee (Wakefield) is the odds-on favorite to win if she is on her game, but Rayna Yvars (Green Hope) and Audrey Diener (Apex) will be right there with her. With good conditions, there could be three jumpers over 12 feet today.
Boys Pole Vault
Although the meet record is not in danger, this is a very tightly-bunched field and it will be highly competitive at the upper heights. Ian West (Fike), the leading freshman vaulter in the nation according to the MileSplit database, has the #1 seed, but Harrison Booth (Broughton) cleared 14' 9" on Wednesday. Patrick Quinn (Sanderson) makes it a close three-man battle for the gold.
Girls Triple Jump
Not only will this be a great individual battle, but there will be an intense team dynamic, as well. There are six girls entered at 36 feet or better, led by Crystan McLemore of Millbrook. Jordan will pit Kelsey Perry and Amber Flowers against Wakefield's Tyra Lea and Cydni Ford in the battle for the points.
Girls Individuals/Relay Teams to Watch
Alexis Perry (Jordan) should be a household name already, but if you haven't had a chance to watch her compete, get out there today. She is the odds-on favorite to bring home three individual wins (100 Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump), and has a legitimate chance to take down the meet records in all three events. The Green Hope girls 4x100 relay will be making a strong run at their own meet record (21:55.61), and the Broughton girls have a chance to break the old record, too. Carrboro's girls have loaded up their Distance Medley relay and have the talent to post a big time in that event, but watch out for Ravenscroft; you always have a strong DMR if you have good legs at the 1200 and 1600, and the Frazier sisters qualify. Wakefield's girls have the perfect range of sprinters for the 800 Sprint Medley, and they could be gunning for their own meet record (1:44.87). Of course, Wakefield has very strong traditional sprint relays, and the only thing that might stand between them and four relay wins would be the 4x400, where they haven't signed up their top squad (although that could change on meet day). Ariah Graham (Wakefield) did not compete in the long jump at the Arcadia Invitational a few weekends ago, but if she is in the event she always has a chance to win it. Alyssa Dunn (Enloe) is one of only two girls in the state over 130' in the discus this year, but she will have her hands full with freshman Mookie Chavis (Bunn) in the shot put.
Boys Individuals/Relay Teams to Watch
Chapel Hill's boys are stacked into the 4x1600 relay and would need to average 4:26 to break the meet record (17:47.0), and they could pull Broughton along with them. Enloe has the strongest 4x200 team in the field, and they also will have the advantage of being much more rested when the event rolls around. The Knightdale boys have by far the best 4x400 team in the state when fresh, but could fatigue slow them down enough to where a legit contender like Beddingfield could get close? Two of the best all-around athletes you will ever find will square off in the high jump: Josh King (Fike) and Jonathan Addison (Enloe) are both seeded at 6' 8" in the high jump, although Addison cleared 6' 10" indoors. Addison is also the heavy favorite in the long jump. For his part, King leads the triple jump list, where he will get a big push from 4A indoor state champ Jaylon Holt (Southeast Raleigh). Jon Beyle (East Chapel Hill) is the favorite in both the shot put and the discus.