Texas A&M High School Classic Recap: Briyanna Desrosiers leads day 1 explosion
Ahh, the first day in College Station on the campus of Texas A&M University was first met with delightful climes that reached 70 degrees. The heat continued long into the evening as the action inside the McFerrin Athletic Center entertained the fandom.
The marquee matchup between star sprinters Brittny Ellis (Jr., Gurnee Warren) and Alexis Hyshaw (Sr., Frankfort Lincoln-Way East) never transpired. Ellis didn’t make the trip due to conflicts with school work. Hyshaw ran but didn’t advance to the final in her 200m preliminary (26.08).
Briyanna Desrosiers (Sr., Chicago North Lawndale Prep) has been bubbling under the surface since she ran for tiny CICS-Longwood on the Southside of Chicago two years ago. She competed in the 1A 100 and 200 state final and placed seventh and fourth respectively. However, it was the transformation last summer during the club season that Desrosiers started to step out and shine. Desrosiers busted out with a 24.79 clocking ahead of transferring to NLCP at the start of this school year.
Desrosiers is having an excellent indoor season that is still in its infancy stage. She had run a state best 57.53 several weeks ago in Ft. Wayne, In at a small indoor meet. It was then that her coach Zontavious Johnson said that he thought she was capable of dipping into the 56-second range. Well, Desrosiers did that and more with a crowd rocking meet record 55.50- US#1/IL#1 time in front of her dream school and hopefully future fans. Desrosiers returned several hours later to qualify in the 200 with a 24.83 to win heat #49. “I never thought in a million years I would run this fast in front of my dream school. I can’t believe it. Now I want to go faster,” said the jubilant Desrosiers.
On the boys side, North Lawndale kept the momentum going with the senior duo Imani Payton and Terry McGee. Payton ran a personal best 50.30. He advanced to Saturday’s final. McGee clocked 51.11 as well 22.67.
Day 1 meet results
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An unusually cold and harsh Illinois winter will do very little to stop a sizzling weekend that is expected to keep the faithful warm. The 51st Annual Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association will kick things off this Saturday (1/11/14) at Oak Park-River Forest High School. The massive event consistently attracts over 1000 coaches. This year will be no exception.
Clinic Information
It seems as though the state of Texas has built a pipeline to seduce and pluck talent out of the land of Lincoln. This is not a bad thing when you consider that Texas A&M has become the best combined collegiate program. The Aggies have been downright dominant in recent years and the Texas A&M High School Classic has been a striking force in showcasing their university and athletic facilities.
Once again Illinois has sent a respectable contingent to College Station to compete in the two-day affair that features some of the best talent in southwestern part of the country. So it will be a great opportunity for Prairie State athletes.
Illinois cast:
Girls-
Alexis Hyshaw (Sr., Lincoln-Way East/Illinois Elite TC)- 60m, 200m
Kayla Hylton (Sr., Lincoln-Way North/Illinois Elite TC)- 60m
Meghan Marias (Sr., Lincoln-Way East/Illinois Elite TC)- 60m, 200m
Brittany Thomas (Sr., Bloom Twp/Illinois Elite TC)- 60m
Jazmyne Tabb (Sr., Plainfield North/Aurora Flyers TC)- 60m, 200m
Khristian Jones (Jr., Plainfield North/Track My Speed TC)- 200m, 400m
Asia Brown (So., Lincoln-Way East/Illinois Elite TC)- 200m, LJ
Edquinette West (Sr., Chicago N. Lawndale Prep)- 200m, 400m, LJ
Sydney Barrera (Sr., Lincoln-Way East/Illinois Elite TC)- 200m, 400m
Kyla Jimmar (So., Richards/Illinois Elite TC)- 200m, 60HH, LJ
Briyanna Desrosiers (Sr., Chicago N. Lawndale Prep)- 200m, 400m
Patrice Jones (Sr., Hononegah/Illinois Elite TC)- 400m, LJ
Khydeshia Bouie (Jr., Chicago N. Lawndale Prep TC)- 400m
Emma Griffiths (Jr., New Lenox Providence Catholic/Illinois Elite TC)- 400m
Maya Neal (Jr., Naperville Neuqua Valley)- 60HH, LJ
Janile Rogers (Sr., Minooka/Aurora Flyers)- LJ
Danielle Lamb (Sr., Chicago Lawndale Prep)- 60m/200m
-quick outlook: Certainly Lincoln-Way East will be the team to watch here- especially without one of their top guns Alexis Pierre-Antoine. The sophomore standout is sitting this one recovering from an hamstring injury. Senior star Alexis Hyshaw will make her debut in the team's lead sprint role. Hyshaw should make the 60 and 200 final and padding her resume for college recruiters. Chicago North Lawndale Prep has a star in the making of their own. Senior Briyanna Desrosiers has quietly taken the state lead with sweet marks in the 200 and 400. Desrosiers blazed out to 25.15 and 57.53 marks- both are currently US#8/IL#1. Her coach Zontavious Johnson feels that she could dip into the 55-second range this weekend. "Briyanna actually should have ran 56-something at the Ft. Wayne Express meet but she eased up on the backstretch when no one threathened her.
Boys-
Terry McGee (Sr., Chicago N. Lawndale Prep)- 60m/200m/400m
Imani Payton (Sr., Chicago N. Lawndale Prep)- 60HH/400m/LJ
Luis Vasquez (Providence Catholic/Illinois Elite TC)- LJ
-quick outlook: The boys side of things is light but potent. N. North Lawndale Prep seniors Terry McGee and Imani Payton are one of the state's top duo's over the past several years. Both speedsters have clocked low 52's for the 400; Payton has rocked 21-11.5- good for #1 in Illinois.