Kudos to the Brooks, Evanston, and N. Lawndale coaches for allowing the regular season match up of the ages recently
Match up- A pairing or combining; a direct contest or confrontation between two athletes.
In the summer of 2013, I was on a countdown to the World Championships of track and field. I couldn't wait until the 100m final, in which it was basically the USA vs. Jamaica. The all universe line-up was supposed to feature Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Justin Gatlin, and Mike Rodgers all healthy and in one race. But it didn't happen as injuries and off the track issues took over.
It would have featured one of the greatest 100m matchups of all time… gone. I also wanted to see the young lady collegians like English Gardner (U of Oregon) and Octavius Freeman (Central Florida U) match up with Carmelita Jeter and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. I love match ups on every level of sport from boxing to basketball. I'm ol' skool so there's only one way to think. If you are the best, hyped up as, or claim to be the best, then line it up and let's see.
This past weekend I was in Indianapolis at the Midwest Prep Invitational. I was on a personal countdown from the time the Arcadia meet ended the weekend before to see probably the best head to head match ups until state. Ebony McClendon (Brooks College Prep), Briyahna Desrosiers (Sr., N. Lawndale Prep), Parker English (Evanston), and Brittney Thomas (Chicago Heights Bloom) all in one race. There would be none of this Class 2A or 3A garbage- just who is the best. All week long I sent texts to T. Jones to call out all the so-called greats of Illinois to come to Indy and run in the 100m and 200m. In fact, the last 5-8 years I've begged him to put together whatever event was hot that indoor season and have an invitational race regardless of class at the Top Times meet. Can you imagine the 60m final of 2012 with Aaliyah Brown (Lincoln-Way East), Morolake Akinosun (Waubonsie Valley), Cessily Jones (Plainfield North), Charday Crawford (Springfield Southeast), McClendon, Lake Kwaza (Sycamore), Savannah Carson (Neuqua Valley), Alexis Hyshaw (Lincoln-Way East), and Kim Azie (Bolingbrook)? Really!?
Track and field fans would have driven far and near to see it and that's why I drove to Nap. Don't forget that Lynna Irby (Indianapolis Pike) was also invited to the MW Prep Invite sprint match up. Lynna is a freshman and national champion in club track. Maybe there was a visit from The Voice (last week's blog The Voice) that spoke to someone in her camp and she attended another meet. Remember, even coaches get visits from The Voice. When we walked into the stadium the talk was let's just get to the 100/200m final and go home. It was obvious a lot of people came to see the match ups.
Match ups can be one on one or amongst a field of athletes. They bring excitement to the fans because the best will meet the best. Match ups can have hunters who have worked all season, and get their chance against the hunted. They also can be a season long collision course such as in my blog (The Championship 4x100m relay 1992) where it was MacArthur vs. Proviso West.
Briyahna Desrosiers (far left) was the hunted in her New Balance Indoor National 200m prelim back in March
Match ups force athletes to perform at a higher level than usual, because a field of athletes they are facing can do what they can. The match up this past weekend led Ebony McClendon to a meet record and IL #1 in the 100m. In turn, it led Briyahna to a huge PR in the 100m and an amazing, most would say upset, in the 200m with a state best defeating other top Illinois sprinters in the final. Match ups even bring along The Voice and its sidekick nerves to the meet to wreck havoc on the minds of athletes.
Match ups can have a reverse effect as well. There are some athletes who don't perform well in big meet match ups because of the pressure involved and the atmosphere the match up creates. As the finals for both the 100/200m in Naptown approached, excitement grew. You just knew you were going to witness something you hadn't seen all season and something you wouldn't even see at state, because all the girls aren't in the same class. The game faces they had as they warmed up let you know this wasn't a regular race. The match up had me hyped to run. When the gun went off you could see the competitors put everything on the line from start to finish, and the results were outstanding.
There will be match ups throughout the season in every event as the season progresses through conference, sectionals and state. The ultimate match ups will be at state where we will find out who is the best in each event in Illinois. I Can't Wait!!