Jays track has been full of up-and-comers this season, from the sophomore class all the way up to the seniors.
The Jefferson City boys track and field team will have five sophomores competing in the Class 5 championships, which is today and Saturday at Adkins Stadium.
Two of the Jays have been helping each other in the throwing circles - Devin Roberson and Corey Suttle.
Both have done well in discus and shot put but neither qualified for both. Roberson will concentrate on discus while Suttle is throwing shot put.
Roberson's personal record is 184 feet, four inches, nearly 20 feet further than his throw of 166-5 at sectionals last week. He's still seeded first by more than seven feet.
"He was very business like," Jefferson City coach Melvin Myers said of Roberson practicing this past week. "He's pretty hungry. He knows what's at stake."
The discus will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Suttle may not be in the same position as Roberson as far as going for a state championship, but could walk away with an all-state medal.
"He's a competitive guy," Myers said. "I've been really excited watching him this year because him and (Roberson), they just work and they have fun with it."
Suttle is seeded 11th with a throw of 50 feet. He'll throw at 1 p.m. today.
Jackson Schwartz is another Jay hoping to be in contention for a first-place finish. He's seeded fifth in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. He'll also join sophomores Thomas Nield and Ben Krause, and fellow senior Brendan Bena in the 4x800-meter relay.
"You can throw Jackson in with anyone in the state and I expect he'll compete and have a chance," Myers said. "I think it's wide open."
The 4x800 team is seeded eighth and is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The Jays will also have sophomore Maleek Jackson in the 100-meter dash preliminaries at noon today, Bena in the 800-meter run at 3:40 p.m. today and Chuck Cooper in the triple jump at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Jackson accomplished one of his goals last week at sectionals, running a sub-11 second 100.
"We've been working on getting his start right," Myers said. "He hasn't really had a really good start yet. If we get that start right, and it's looked pretty good these past couple days, then I expect him to go faster."
The Lady Jays will have five individuals and two relays in action today and Saturday.
The two highest seeded events for the Lady Jays are the shot put with Jessica Rhoads and the 4x100 with Naomi Kerkula, Caitlin Anderson, Jaquelyn Walker and Niya Slaughter.
Rhoads is seeded seventh with a throw of 39-10. She'll throw at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
"Really excited about her," Myers said. " She can throw farther than that, so I think if she has one of her better days she can easily come home with a second or a first place."
The 4x100 is seeded seventh and will run at about 1:30 p.m. today in the prelims.
The 4x200 relay, which is seeded 12th, will run at about 12:10 p.m. today in the prelims.
Walker is expected to run in both relays after battling an injury this season. She just missed qualifying for the 300-meter hurdles with a fifth-place finish at sectionals.
"She was hurt all season," Myers said. "She kept trying. We never ran her in the 100-meter hurdles, but now she's feeling pretty good."
Brianna Holley will compete in the 100 hurdles prelims at 11:10 a.m. today.
Kerkula and Slaughter will also run in the 100 after taking third and fourth, respectively, at sectionals. The prelims are scheduled for 11:50 a.m. today.
Anderson will compete in the 200 prelims at about 3:55 p.m. today. She's seeded 10th in the event.
"I don't think she knew what to expect since she hadn't ran since middle school," Myers said. " She really came on since districts."