Championship Preview | Hoover Indoor Track: Hoover track teams gear up for state meet
The Hoover High girls indoor track team, led by a quartet of individual state champions, is looking for a three-peat state championship this year, while Hoover’s boys are trying to rebound after a runner-up performance a year ago.
The athletes have been busy with a series of preparatory meets in December and January and are looking forward to the state championship at the Birmingham Crossplex on Feb. 5-6.
Here are some athletes to watch:
Girls
► Brittley Humphrey, senior: 10-time individual state champion may be the best hurdler in Alabama history. She represented the United States and placed second in the 100-meter hurdles at last summer’s International Association of Athletics Federation’s World Youth Championships.
► Presley Weems, senior: Samford commit was the 7A indoor 800-meter champion in 2015.
► Sydney Steely, sophomore: Decorated underclassman won the 7A indoor 400-meter state title last season.
► Caitlyn Little, junior: Talented sprinter clinched titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter races at the 7A outdoor state meet last spring.
Boys
► Tommy McDonough, junior: Distance star finished second in the 3,200-meter race at the 2015 7A outdoor state meet.
► P.J. Hall: Dual-sport athlete on the gridiron and track who placed in the triple jump at last spring’s state meet.
► Jacob Doak, junior: Pole vaulter tallied a third-place finish at the indoor state meet last season.
Top newcomers
► Amellia Rumore, freshman: Earned all-state honors at November’s Class 7A state cross country meet with a 13th-place finish.
► Noah Williams, sophomore: Started off his sophomore campaign by placing second in the triple jump and winning the 60-meter hurdles at the Magic City Invitational on Dec. 5.
Coach’s take
► Head Coach Devon Hind: “If we are to win the state, our girls need to simply remain healthy. We are the heavy favorite to repeat as champions, but James Clemens [High School] has a very strong team this year as well.
“On the boys side, we have to really improve in all areas, and we need to score in every event. We are not a team of stars, but we are filled with very good, quality athletes. Our boys will have a big challenge this year to win. I am expecting Auburn to be the heavy favorite during indoor track.”