SPRINT EVENTS
60m
(Trials, Saturday at 5:55 p.m.; Semis, Sunday at 11:30 a.m.; Finals, Sunday at 2:55 p.m.)
After winning the 55-meter dash at the Division I Championships, Davonte Burnett was noticeably missing from the All State Finals and the New England Championships. The Needham star is entered in the short sprint at NBNI and, if healthy, has a chance to make it to the podium. Burnett clocked an all-time best of 6.34 for 55m to win the Coaches Invitational, which currently ties for No. 3 in the country. This event will also feature Milton's Smith Charles, who claimed his second straight 55m crown at All States and was eighth in the finals at NBNI last year. Charles suffered a minor hamstring injury while competing in the long jump at the New England's and indicated that he is undecided on whether or not he will answer the gun this weekend. Dejury Amado of New Bedford Vocational and Oakmont Regional's John Caouette are also scheduled to compete.
200m
(Trials, Saturday at 4:45 p.m.; Finals, Sunday at 3:03 p.m.)
Burnett is also the leading MA sprinter in this race, and event he just missed a podium placement at last spring's New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet where he was seventh overall. The Needham sprinter was consistently under 22 seconds for 200m last year with a PR of 21.01 at the AAU District Qualifiers on June 11. This indoor season, he recorded a state best and nation No. 10 of 34.16 for 300m. The field is loaded with talent, including defending champion Tyrese Cooper (Miami Norland, FL), who won last year's meet at 21.05 and has bests of 45.23 for 400m and 20.46 for the outdoor 200m. Other Bay Staters entered in this race are Mike Blake of Hudson, Mange Camara of Watertown, Shrewsbury's Joseph O'Brien, Wachusett's Manny Peri-Okonny and Caouette.
400m
(Prelims, Saturday at 3:55 p.m.; Finals, Sunday at 2:21 p.m.)
Belmont's Calvin Perkins is the lone MA entry in this event. After winning the 600m at the All State Meet, two weeks ago, Perkins did not compete at the New England's this past weekend to prepare for NBNI. The Belmont star ran a nearly two-second best at the states with his 1:19.97 effort, proving that he may be peaking at just the right time to excel at nationals. His PR for 400m is 48.65, which he did to place second at the outdoor state meet last June. The race features eight of the top 10 runners in the two-lapper this season, including Cooper, the returning titlist who ran 46.55 at last year's meet. Judging by previous years, Perkins will need to run in the 48-second range to have a chance at advancing to the finals.