Usually, this article focuses on one athlete, but there were so many outstanding performances this week from Arkansas freshmen that we went with some of the best in the state who had No. 1 rankings this week.
Arkansas Freshmen Boys Rankings Leaders
Jasen Johnson-Lockhart (Fayetteville High School)
Won the 400 meters at the NWA Junior High Meet with a time of 51.68. It's the fastest 400 time by an Arkansas freshman this year. It was Johnson-Lockhart's fifth consecutive victory and fifth consecutive personal record for the Fayetteville Bulldog.
Jeremiah Chavis (Bentonville)
The freshman hurdler from Bentonville had a great meet at the NWA Junior High Meet with personal records in both the 110 meter hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles. The 300 meter hurdle time of is the fastest by a freshman in the state of Arkansas this year. Like Johnson-Lockhart, Chavis has won every junior high meet he has entered and has set a personal record in each meet.
Sheppard Vandyke (Bentonville)
Another Bentonville Tiger freshman with a big day at the NWA Junior High Meet. Vandyke was hitting on all cylinders on the pole vault runway. He had a massive personal record of 13-1--improving a foot over his previous personal best.
Peyton Gilmore (Bentonville West)
174-4? By a freshman? Incredible! Gilmore, a Bentoville West Wolverine, has the best thrower of any freshman in the nation! And there is another Arkansasn in the top 10--Jeffery Burns from Marked Tree High School. That should make for a fun three years as Arkansas track and field fans get to watch these young men grow into super stars.
While the NWA Junior High Meet seemed to be the meet of the week for several of Arkansas' best freshmen boys, on the girls side it was the McDonald's Relays at Ft. Smith Southside High School.
Arkansas Freshmen Girls Rankings Leaders
Raquel Brown (LR Central)
Even though it was wind-aided it was still a 12.54 by a freshman. That's salty. And it's the fastest time by any freshman girl in Arkansas this year. Brown finished fourth--just off the podium at the competitive McDonald's Relays, but she will find herself making many trips to the podium over the next three years.
Flannery O'Daniel (Bentonville)
Not only did Flannery O'Daniel break 5:00 in the 1600m--becoming the first freshman in Arkansas history to accomplish the feat. She came back after the effort and ran the state's fastest time of any freshman in the 800 meters finishing with a 2:19.94. Both time are personal records for O'Daniel.
Nationally, O'Daniel is ranked No. 18 in the nation for freshman girls.
Anna Schmitz (Ft. Smith Southside)
Schmitz finished just off the podium at the McDonald's Relays in front of her hometown crowd, but she still ran a great race in the 300 meter hurdles. She finished with a 46.49. That is the best time in Arkansas this year. Earlier in the week, Schmitz had a personal record in the 100 meter hurdles running a 15.38 at the NWA JH Meet. The time in the 100 meter hurdles ranks No. 6 all-time for Arkansas freshmen in the event.
Layla Patton (Gravette)
Patton continues to figure things out in the discus. At the McDonald's Relays Patton threw the discus 109-4. That's a personal record and the best throw by an Arkansas freshmen this year. She also had a personal record in the shot put. Her throw of 33-1 is tied for No. 15 in the state among Arkansas freshmen.