Advertisement

TSSAA track and field: 10 Nashville area boys, girls athletes to watch in 2024

tyler palmateer, nashville tennessean
·4 min read

The 2024 TSSAA track and field season is underway.

The TSSAA track and field state championships will be here before long. Here are 10 Nashville area boys and girls athletes to watch this season.

10 Nashville area track and field boys athletes to watch

Hudson Allain, Brentwood, Sr.: The Harvard signee won the 2023 Class AAA 400 title, finishing in 47.19 seconds.

Charlie Becker, Father Ryan, Sr.: The Indiana football signee is the defending Division II-AA state champion in the 110 (14.51) and 300 hurdles (38.89).

Griffin Frankfather, Franklin Road Academy, Sr.: Frankfather won the Division II-A decathlon championship convincingly last year with 6,209 points. He was also the 300 hurdles champion (39.57), runner-up in the pole vault (13-feet) and third in the triple-jump (41-3½)

Cooper Griffin, Columbia Academy, Sr.: Cooper won the Division II-A high jump championship, clearing a Midstate-best 6-8.

Donovan Higgins, Pearl-Cohn, Jr.: In his first year of track, Higgins won Class A state championships in the decathlon (5,645 points), triple jump (44-7½) and was runner-up in the long jump (21-9½). He also helped Pearl-Cohn win the 4x100 relay. He has football offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Indiana, among others.

Ryan Jones, Father Ryan, Jr.: He won the Division II-AA 400 championship with a time of 48.25 in 2023 and has a personal best of 47.85 in the event. He’s also expected to contend in the 100 and 200.

Canon Kinder, Brentwood, Jr.: Kinder is the top returning Class AAA pole vaulter after finishing state runner-up with a height of 15-6 last year. He’s also the top returning decathlete after finishing runner-up with 6,534 points.

Luke Thompson, Brentwood Academy, Sr.: The Duke track signee won the 1,600 in 2021 and was runner-up in both the 1,600 and 3200 in 2023. He’s also running the 800 this year.

Jack Perry, Montgomery Bell Academy, Sr.: The Belmont signee won the 2023 Division II-AA pole vault title, clearing 14-6. He will also contend for the DII-AA decathlon after finishing fifth in 2023.

Miles Ramer, Ravenwood, Sr.: The Tennessee signee won the 1,600 in 2023 with a time of (4:15.70) and was runner-up in the 800 (1:53.47). He also won Class AAA cross country state titles in 2021 and 2023.

More: TSSAA baseball: 7-RBI, 2-home run game among Nashville area boys athlete of week candidates

More: How Abby Faith Cheeseman won 4 inconceivable track titles to lead Webb to TSSAA championship

10 Nashville area TSSAA track and field girls athletes to watch

Reese Beaty, York Institute, Jr.: The Class 2A Miss Basketball finalist won both Class A throwing championships last season. She won the shot put title for the second straight season, throwing 39-4½, and won the discus with a throw of 116-5.

Abby Faith Cheeseman, Webb School - Bell Buckle, Jr.: Cheeseman swept the Division II-A distance championships last season, winning the 800 (2:18.5), 1,600 (10:29.92) and 3,200 (10:29.92). She also helped Webb win the 4x400 relay to clinch the team title. She has won back-to-back 1,600 titles and won the 3,200 in 2021.

Aziaah Chute, East Nashville, Jr.: She won the Class A triple jump (37-2¼), was third in the 100 hurdles (16.00) and is the top returning pentathlete after finishing runner-up with 2,593 points last year.

Meiah Moss, Upperman, Jr.: Moss won the Class AA high jump state championship last year, clearing 5-2. She was second in the long jump at 17-1.

Halli Olivo, CPA, So.: She’s the reigning 300 hurdles (44.50) champion in Division II-AA and could contend in the pentathlon after finishing fourth last season.

Claire Stegall, Nolensville, Jr.: Stegall won the 1,600 title for the second time by breaking her own Class AAA state meet record, with a time of 4:41.40.

Erianna Thomas, Pearl-Cohn, Sr.: She’s the defending Class A 300 hurdles champion, finishing with a time of 46.58 last season. She also helped the Lady Firebirds also win the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. She’s competing in the 4x100, 4x200 and pentathlon this year.

Aaliyah Varnado, M.L. King, So.: Varnado won the 100 (11.95) and 200 (25.45) state titles as a freshman, helping MLK win the Class AA team championship.

Kymora Lee Williams, Overton, Jr.: Williams is the defending Class AAA 100 champion, finishing with a time of 11.58 last season. She’s competing in the 100, 200 and 400 this season.

Sophie Yount, Brentwood, Jr.: Yount was second in the 200 in 24.10, second in the 400 in 56.99, won the long jump in 18-11¼ and won the pentathlon with 3,561 points, helping Brentwood finish second as a team in Class AAA.

Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA track and field: Top Nashville area boys, girls athletes to watch