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The 55 meter dash at the annual Southern Maryland Indoor Track Classic is unique in that it features an extra round of semi-finals between the prelims and finals. For the 16 boys and girls who advance to the finals, it is their third attempt at the 55 meter dash of the day. At this year's meet, a star-studded field did not disappoint on the boys side.
Bullis senior Ashton Allen, who had finished second in both the prelims and semis, dropped a state-leading time of 6.35 in the finals to pick up the win. It would be the fastest time any Maryland runner clocked this season and tied for the 13th-fastest in the United States. Meanwhile, Paint Branch senior Alonzo McBryde, who had run the fastest times in the prelims and semis, finished second with a personal best of his own (6.39).
If you look at the end-of-season rankings you will find one runner wedged in between Allen and McBryde on the Maryland leaderboard, and he happened to be in the race, too. Huntingtown's Anthony Smith ran 6.52 in the finals, good for fourth place. It wasn't until the 3A state meet that Smith nailed the event, dropping a 3A state meet record of 6.36 in the finals (one of his two record-setting performances on the day). At the SMAC Classic, Paint Branch's Jaeden Burke ran 6.50 to finish third. He ultimately ran a 6.42 personal best - tied for sixth in the state - and finished third at the 4A state championships.
With four of the top six fastest boys in the state on one stage, this was certainly one of the best races of this past indoor season!