Photo: Maxx Bradley
- - -
At this point, we're well aware of the talent circulating throughout the state's high school ranks, but these 10 middle schoolers are already making a name for themselves before their freshman year.
While there is a ton of talent throughout Kansas' middle schools, these eight are some of the best of the best, and have been spectacular so far this spring.
Check out eight of Kansas' top middle school athletes this season!
Top Performers:
The top sprint marks among all Kansas middle school girls belong to Brown this season, who posted a 12.34 in the 100m and a 25.42 in the 200m at the Clark Middle School Invitational.
Bentley Garcia (Maize Middle School, 2030):
A 51.51 in the 400m at the Valley Center Middle School Quad, an 11.39 in the 100m at the same meet, plus a 2:12.98 in the 800m at the Maize South Middle Maverick Quad make Garcia one of the more complete sprint performers in the Kansas middle school ranks this season.
Lex Hubin (West Franklin Middle School, 2030):
No Kansas middle school girl has thrown farther this season. Hubin sits atop the shot put at 42-7.50, a mark she notched at the Osage City Junior High Invite, and the discus at 119-0 from the Lyndon MS Invitational.
Gabriel Kubek (Iola Middle School, 2030):
Kubek leads all Kansas middle school boys in the high jump, clearing 6-6.50 at the Iola Quad, the top mark in that event among all boys in the Kansas middle school ranks this season. According to the MileSplit database, Kubek is the only Kansas middle schooler to ever clear 6-5 or better, and would be tied for the 10th best mark in the state this spring if he were in high school.
Kamry Michaelis (Lakin Middle School, 2030):
At the Wichita County JH Invitational, Michaelis posted a 34-8 in the triple jump and cleared 5-4 in the high jump, while also logging a 16.94 in the 100mH and a 30.95 in the 200mH across the season to form a very well-rounded skillset on the track.
Brogan Dirks (Scott City Middle School, 2030):
Dirks cleared 13-3 in the pole vault at the Holcomb HS/MS Invite, the top mark in that event among all Kansas middle school boys this season. The eighth-grader is now the top middle school pole vaulter in state history, and is one of less than 120 boys in U.S. history to clear that height before high school.
Madison Goode (Scott City Middle School, 2030):
An 11-9 in the pole vault at the Oakley MS Invite headlines a versatile profile for Goode, who has also cleared 5-1 in the high jump and posted a 27.58 in the 200m this season. For the last nine years, Smoky Valley legend and current Pittsburg State national champion, Belle Peters, was the only Kansas middle schooler to ever clear 11-0. Now, Goode joins her as the second Kansan, and is just 2.75 inches away from besting her state record.
Drake Wire (Chanute Middle School, 2030):
Wire's 10:30.01 in the 3200m at the Parsons Middle School Invitational leads all Kansas middle school boys this season, and he has backed it with a 4:55.75 in the 1600m at the Independence MS Invitational and a 2:13.38 in the 800m at the Terry Lower Invitational.
Photo: Maxx Bradley
- - -