
Pioneer's Drake Johnson takes a big lead in the 300-meter hurdles during a regional meet at Saline. The win gave him the best qualifying time in the event for Saturday's Division 1 state finals at East Kentwood High School.
Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com
Five Washtenaw County students are top seeds at the MHSAA Division 1 track and field championships, which will be held Saturday at East Kentwood High School.
For three of them, being the top seed in a single event wasn't good enough.
Based on their performances at a regional tournament, Huron's Cindy Ofili, Pioneer's Drake Johnson and Ypsilanti's Austin Sanders are among the favorites to win multiple state titles.
Ofili has the best qualifying time in the 100 dash (11.6 seconds), 100 hurdles (13.3) and 300 hurdles (44.6).
Johnson, the two-time defending 110-meter state champion, has the best qualifying time in that event (13.9 seconds) and in the 300 hurdles (38.3).
Sanders has the best times entering the 100 (10.3) and 200 (21.5) dashes.
Two other Washtenaw County athletes -- Saline's Steve Bastien (long jump) and Huron's Maya Long (400) -- also have top qualifying times.
(Related story: One year after her father's suicide and shooting of her mother, Maya Long seeks refuge on the track)
In total, 93 individuals and 29 relay teams from Washtenaw County qualified for the Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 state meets, including 41 girls that will be competing in the D1 meet.
Here's a look at all local qualifiers, and their seed based on regional performances:
More after the jump…