MA Outdoor T&F Preview: Girls' Sprint Events


Whenever you talk about the girls' sprint events in Massachusetts, at least the last two years, you have to begin with Brooke-Lynn Williams. Williams has been one of the state's most celebrated speedsters with a plethora of top-level performance during her outstanding high school career.

Now, the Norton senior will be concluding her final season as a high-schooler this spring, and you have to believe that she'll go out with a bang. 

Williams finished off her indoor campaign by winning her second straight state and New England crowns in the 55-meter dash and making it to the semifinals of the 60m dash at the New Balance Nationals a few weeks ago. The gifted sprinter primarily focused on the short sprint this past winter and also lent her foot speed on her school's 4x200m squad. On the outdoor surface, Williams does double duty individually, competing in both the 100m and 200m races where she has a chance to earn two gold medals in her specialties. Her best chance to come out on top is the 100m dash where she is the defending champion. She has a best of 11.89 seconds, which she did to capture her individual title at the All State Meet. That time is a nearly three-tenths of a second faster than her next rival, Waltham's India Johnson (12.24). In a race like the 100m, that's a big gap. Ashland's Alyssa Zee could also contend up front. She had a best of 12.30. Milton's Abigail Jean-Bapt, a sixth-place finisher in the 55m at the All State Meet and New England's, is also a worthy candidate for a podium placement. She was the Eastern Div. 3 champion and was eighth overall at States last year.

Zee appears to be the runner that will be the biggest threat to Williams in her quest for two crowns. It was Zee that prevented Williams from accomplishing the feat in 2016 when she upset the Norton runner at the All State Meet with a PB of 24.46. Williams clocked a state best of 24.24 at the New Balance Nationals a few weeks later. Could it come down to another close battle between the two sprinters, the only returnees to break 25 seconds? It could happen. But you can't forget Natick's Rachelle Parker, too. She was fourth at last year's state meet as a sophomore and ran a best of 25.23 in the preliminaries of that meet. Among other strong returnees in the longer sprint are West Roxbury's Jahphi Gilliard (25.34) and Oakmont's Alyssa Madden (25.44), the state and New England 300m winner this past indoor season who was fifth last year. Minnechaug sophomore Kyla Hill is also an individual to keep an eye on. She was sixth at the All State Meet as a ninth-grader in 2016 where she ran 25.46.