Fields Announced for Wingfoot Miles

ATLANTA - May 21, 2019 -- Georgia's best high school milers will line-up for the annual Wingfoot Mile Tuesday night. Atlanta Track Club released the invited fields for the races which will be included in the Club's All Comers Track & Field Meet at Emory University. The high school, freshman and middle school races draw from across the state and feature more than a dozen state champions and the area's rising middle distance stars.

High School Girls

Byrnne Sumner of Woodstock leads the field with a 4:53.4 personal best. Sumner recorded the time when she won the 7A state championship earlier this month. At last week's Meet of Champions, Sumner ran a new personal best of 2:07.7 in the 800m. The Villanova bound senior was also recently named to Atlanta Track Club's Powerade All-Metro Team in both the 800m and the 1600m.

Sumner won Meet of Champions by more than two seconds, but she'll have stiff competition from the two runners she defeated at the state meet: Marietta's Ellie Hall (4:56.0) and South Forsyth's Madelynne Cadeua (4:58.0). Hall, another All-Metro honoree, is coming off a commanding performance in the 3200m at the Meet of Champions where she clocked a new best time of 10:35.7. Cadeau is coming off an off-weekend and should be well-rested when she steps on the line.

Other contenders to watch include Reagan Mahoney (5:00.5) of Atlanta International School and the class 1A Private runner-up in the 1600m and 3200m as well as Katherine Vuckovic (5:03.2) from the Westminster Schools. Jackie Addy of Holy Innocents' Episcopal School who placed 3rd at the Wingfoot Mile in 2018 was a late scratch.

High School Boys

The High School Boys race is lead by Myles Collins of Archer High School. Collins ran the fastest 1600m time in Georgia for 2019 when he won the Meet of Champions race in 4:13.6. He will have two 4:15 boys chasing him around the Emory track. Devan Crow (4:15.1) of North Hall was second to Collins at the Meet of Champions and is the 4A State Champion in the 1600. Graham Blanks (4:15.7) of Athens Academy brings the strength of a 1A Private state champion in the 3200m as well as in cross country.

Other contenders to watch include the only out-of-state entry, Maryland's Beck Wittstadt who comes to Atlanta with a 4:16.2 personal best as well as Justin Wachtel (4:16.4) of Mary Persons and Kyle Harkabus (4:16.4) of East Coweta who was named to the 2019 Powerade All-Metro Team. Harkabus was 3rd at the Wingfoot Mile in 2018.

Freshman Boys

With a 4:34.4 personal best, Christian Gonzalez of Decatur High School is the top seed in the Freshman Boys race. Gonzales was the top freshman in the 1600m at the 5A state meet.

Freshman Girls

With a personal best of 5:14.0, Luna McCauley of Paideia School is by far the fastest competitor in the Freshman Girls race. Her seed time is 20 seconds faster than the next seeded runner. McCauley was 4th in the 800m at the 1A Private state meet. She won the Middle School Girls race at the Wingfoot Mile in 2018.

Middle School Girls

Heidi Heppner, a home-schooled athlete, leads a talented group of middle school girls. Heppner's personal best time of 5:29.0 puts her in a good position to win this year's race following 2018's third place finish. Her sister Clara who took second last year comes into the race with a personal best of 5:32.0.

Middle School Boys

Steve McCartney of McConnell Middle School leads the charge in the Middle School Boys race. With a personal best of 4:37.8. But, he will face tough competition from the two runners who beat him at the Middle School State Championship meet last month: Jared Fortenberry (4:38.8) of Marietta and William Carlton (4:40.40) of Refroe.