Jabari Bennett (Junior, James H. Blake)
Bennett burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2015 at Gonzaga High School (DC) when he won the shot put at the WCAC Championship. Halfway through the 2016 indoor season Bennett transferred to James H. Blake High School where he steadily improved his throwing performances as a sophomore. He won the indoor 3A title in the shot put, then placed third in the Emerging Elite division at New Balance Indoor Nationals.
After capturing another 3A shot put state championship last spring Bennett recorded a personal best of 56'10.75 at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, good for the tenth-best by a Maryland athlete in MileSplit's database dating back to 2000. Bennett will get another chance at a state title this indoor season, and possibly try and become just the third boy in MileSplit's database to surpass 60 feet in the event indoors.