Top Tennessee Athletes Aim For Indoor State Titles

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Alayah Dozier, a senior from Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences, is the top qualifier in three sprint events heading into this weekend’s Tennessee State High School Indoor Championships.

Dozier, who recently committed to the University of Alabama-Birmingham, will have her choice of the 60 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. She has already demonstrated her versatility at the indoor state meet by winning the 400 in 2018 and taking the 60 meters last year.

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Dozier has run 7.69 seconds in the 60, 24.79 in the 200 and 57.93 in the 400.

The Brentwood Academy girls, ranked US#1 in the 4x800 relay with their victory Feb. 8 at the 113th NYRR Millrose Games, will try to defend their title in the distance medley relay. Last year, they won the DMR at the indoor state meet by 30 seconds, in 12:03.35.

Brentwood’s Beth Donnelly and Sofia Rutherford also went 1-3 in the mile last year.

Ellie Bachmann of Hardin Valley Academy, an Alabama signee, is the returning champion in the girls 800.

Landri Wilcox from Cookeville is the returning champion in the 2-mile.

Zoe Vlk from Wilson Central, the New Balance Nationals Outdoor champion in the shot put, will aim to win that event and defend her title in the weight throw.

On the boys side, Brevin Sims from Arts and Sciences (Chattanooga) owns the US#1 time of 7.81 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles and will try to win the state indoor title for the third straight year. He should also be a factorr in the 60 dash.

Farragut has the US#8 time in the 4x400 relay at 3:22.11, from last weekend’s University of Kentucky High School Invitational.

Jett Kinder of Brentwood, a multi athlete who has committed to the University of Oregon, should make an impact throughout the meet. Last year he entered four events and won the pole vault and was fourth in the long jump and shot put.

Henry County’s Silas Winders, who won the 2-mile last year, may be looking to double or simply focus on the mile. He ran a state-leading time of 4:21.69 for fourth place in the mile at the Music City High School Indoor Invitational.

Sterling Melancon of Wilson Central is the top qualifier in the 60 meters and 200 meters.

Tristan Boatman of Jefferson County has thrown over 60 feet in the weight throw and is looking to move up from a third-place finish last year.

Samuel Cleek of Dobyns-Bennett has cleared 6-8 this winter in the high jump and can improve upon his runner-up finish in 2019.