This weekend showcased the speed of several BYU Class of 2022 football commits, as the Utah State Track and Field Championships took place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the BYU track in Provo. Meanwhile, the CIF Central Coast Section finals and CIF Sac-Qoaquin Section Masters Finals were held in California.
Future Cougs did… um… o.k.
Actually, five different class of 2022 commits ran the 100-meter dash in 10.65 or faster on Saturday. That’s not a typo—there are eight future Cougs who can run a sub-11 100-meter with FIVE that have gone 10.65 or faster. That’s some insane speed!
To put that in perspective, no previous recruiting class at BYU has ever had more than one recruit that was sub 10.7, and only a few classes have had multiple sub 11 recruits. This is a truly the fastest BYU recruiting class of all-time.
The Utah Track and Field Championships
Corner Canyon three-peated as the 6A state champions, largely thanks to the efforts of 4-star BYU football recruit Cody Hagen who placed first in the 200-meter dash (10 points), first in the 4x100m relay (10 points), first in the 4x200m relay (10 points), and third in the 100-meter dash (6 points). His 36 points were nearly one third of Corner Canyons total points.
Hagen broke his own 6A state record in the 200-meters, becoming just the second Utahn to ever run a sub-21 second time (the other is Dominique McKenzie, who ran a 20.73 last year). Hagen is now the 6A state record holder in each of the four events he competed in this week (the 100-meter, 200-meter, 4x100m relay, and 4x200m relay).
Really proud to have ran a 21.97 in the 200m today at State! Also congrats to my teammate @_codyhagen_ for setting a new state record in the same race! pic.twitter.com/2BEtRLePj0
— Aiden McDonald (@AidenMcDonald23) May 22, 2022
In the 6A 100-meter finals, Parker Kingston pulled off a surprise victory over Hagen. Kingston ran a 10.533 finishing less than a 1/100th of a second ahead of no. 2, Smith Snowden, who is a BYU recruiting target in the Class of 2023. Right behind them was Hagen in third at 10.62, a tenth of a second behind his record-breaking time from last year.
State Champ 100m? 10.53@drakepcook1 @BYUfootball @CriddleBenjamin @desnewssports @MilesplitUtah @sltrib @standardexsport @kslsports @byu_insider pic.twitter.com/6lmVYIfIHw
— Parker Kingston (@ParkerKingston) May 22, 2022
In the 4A finals, Marcus McKenzie ran despite a torn hamstring to put some points on the board for his team. He didn’t eclipse his 4A state record but managed a 10.67 (three tenths faster than no. 2) to take home the title. He was a favorite to win the 200-meter, 400-meter, and long jump but did not compete in those events due to his injury.
Here is McKenzies race in 4A. pic.twitter.com/ztBnvUdOUz
— Jared Hokanson (@agentjaredhok) May 21, 2022
The 2022 Speederboard
The following are the Top 10 speedsters coming to BYU in 2022. Note that rank ordering is not an exact science but rankings come from a combination of 100- and 200-meter times with more weight given to the 100-meters. Forty-yard dash times are unofficial were not factored into the rankings.
- Nathaniel Gillis (DB, Steele Canyon HS, California) matched his personal best last week at the CIFSDS Division 1 Prelims when he raced to an 11.19 in the 100-meter dash. Gillis’s 100-meter is no. 14 all-time at Steele Canyon, while his 200 (22.55) is no. 8, his 400-meter relay split is no. 9 (54.1), and he can jump an impressive 19-7.25 in the long jump.
- Korbyn Green (CB, Owasso HS, Oklahoma) improved on his 2021 times in the 100- and 200-meters with reported times at 10.69 and 22.1. Athletic.net list him as no. 5 all-time at Owasso in the 100-meter dash (11.02), no. 8 in the 200-meter (22.94), and show that he owns the school records as part of the 4×100-meter relay team (42.07).
- Charles Ebunoha (DB/WR, Marana HS, Arizona) placed a greater focus on his jumping this track season and it paid off. He placed no. 4 in long jump last week at the AIA D2 State Track and Field Championship with a jump of 22-3. His triple jump of 43-7.75 placed no. 2 at the Southern Arizona Championships. Ebunoha is no. 2 all-time at Marana in the 100-meter (11.08), long jump, high jump (6-0), no. 3 in the 4×100-meter relay (44.08), no. 4 in the triple jump (44-0.5), and no. 5 in the 200-meter (22.89).
- Cannon DeVries (WR/FS, Weber HS, Utah) had a fantastic senior season where he improved upon his times and set school records in the 100-meter (10.89), and the 200-meter (22.24). He is also is no. 3 all-time as a member of the 4x100m relay (43.13), no. 7 in the long jump (21-0.25), and no. 8 in the 400m (51.52) and as a member of the 4×400-meter relay team (3:27.84).
- Zion Allen (CB, Manteca HS, California) placed first in the 100- and 200-meter races at the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Finals yesterday with times of 10.73 and 21.83. Allen owns the Manteca high school records in the 100m (10.65), the 200m (21.70), and the 4x100m relay (43.22). He is also no. 8 all-time as a member of the 4x400m relay (3:31:30).
- Dominique McKenzie (WR, Pine View HS, Utah) was ranked as high as no. 1 or 2 last season as he and his brother Marcus were neck-and-neck with Cody Hagen atop the Speederboard. But Dom graduated high school early and left on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to Atlanta, Georgia. His times from last year keep him on the top half of the Speederboard, with a 100-meter of 10.60, a 200-meter at 20.96, and a 400-meter at 48.45.
- Parker Kingston (ATH, Roy HS, Utah) had quite the weekend as he claimed the 6A title in the 100-meter, besting Smith Snowden by two thousandths of a second at 10.533. Kingston took second in the 200-meter in a personal best 21.33 and also finished sixth as a member of the 4×200-meter relay team. He owns the Roy high school records in the 100m (10.53), 200m (21.33), the 4x100m relay (42.20), the 4x200m relay (1:29.30). He is also no. 5 all-time in the long jump (20-8.75).
- Marcus McKenzie (DB, Pine View, Utah) took home the 4A title in the 100-meter in a courageous race this weekend. He ran on a torn hamstring injured two weeks prior at the BYU Invitational. Determined to grit it out for his team, he competed despite the pain and came away the victor. McKenzie is the Utah 4A record holder in the 100-meter (10.54) and as a member of the 4×200-meter relay team (1:26.80). He also holds the Utah indoor records in the 60-meter (6.77) and 200-meters (21.22). He is also no. 3 all-time in Utah for the 200-meter (21.10). McKenzie holds the Pine View school records in the 100-meter (10.54), the long jump (22-7), and as a member of the 4×200-meter and 4×400-meter relay teams (1:26.8, 3:25.96). He is no. 2 all-time at Pine View in the 200-meter (21.28), and no. 3 in the 400-meter (49.13).
- Evan Johnson (DB, Stevenson, California) claimed the 100-meter and 200-meter titles in the CIF CCS Finals this weekend. He ran times of 10.54 in the 100-meter and 21.49 in the 200-meter. Johnson owns the Stevenson high school records in the 100-meter (10.41), the 200-meter (21.49), and is no. 6 all-time in the 4x100m relay (45.14) and no. 4 all-time in the high jump (6-0). Of all the BYU commits he has the fastest 100-meter time, reaching 10.50 three different times and recording a wind-aided (2.4) 10.41 at the PCAL Mission Division Finals in April.
- Cody Hagen was arguably the fastest prep runner in Utah in 2021—a year where he and the McKenzie brothers set several new state records. But to start the 2022 track season Hagen had double hernia surgery and it was doubtful he would be able to improve upon his earlier times. He proved the doubters wrong this weekend as he overcame the odds to win the 200-meter race in a record tying 20.97 (which was a new 6A record), got two more titles as a member of the Corner Canyon 4×100- and 4×200-meter relay teams (41.65, 1:27.29), and he finished third in the 100-meter (10.62). Hagen owns the Utah 6A records and Corner Canyon high school records in the 100m (10.52), the 200m (20.97), and as a member of the 4x100m relay (40.68), the 4x200m relay (1:26.98). He is also no. 6 all-time in the 400m (50.00).
Hagen also owns the top spot in the Cougar Speederboard.
The BYU Football Class of 2022 Speederboard
| No. | Name | SCHOOL (ST) | 40YD* | 100M | 200M | 400M |
| 1 | Cody Hagen | Corner Canyon (UT) | 4.34 | 10.52 (’21) | 20.97 (’22) | 50.00 (’22) |
| 2 | Evan Johnson | Stevenson (CA) | 4.51 | 10.50 (’22) | 21.49 (’22) | |
| 3 | Marcus McKenzie | Pine View (UT) | 4.4 | 10.54 (’22) | 21.28 (’22) | 49.13 (’21) |
| 4 | Parker Kingston | Roy (UT) | 4.4 | 10.54 (’22) | 21.36 (’22) | 57.82 (’22) |
| 5 | Dominique McKenzie | Pine View (UT) | 4.4 | 10.60 (’21) | 20.73 (’21) | 48.45 (’21) |
| 6 | Zion Allen | Manteca (CA) | 10.65 (’22) | 21.70 (’22) | ||
| 7 | Korbyn Green | Owasso (OK) | 4.41 | 10.69 (’22) | 21.70 (’22) | |
| 8 | Cannon DeVries | Weber (UT) | 4.49 | 10.89 (’22) | 22.24 (’22) | 51.52 (’21) |
| 9 | Charles Ebunoha | Marana (AZ) | 11.08 (’22) | 22.89 (’21) | 56.77 (’22) | |
| 10 | Nathaniel Gillis | Steele Canyon (CA) | 11.19 (’22) | 22.55 (’22) | 54.10 (’21) |
*40-yard times are unofficial
Current Utah record holders (UHSAA.org)
- 100m 6A Cody Hagen (10.52), 4A Marcus McKenzie (10.54)
- 200m 4A Dominique McKenzie (20.96), 6A Cody Hagen (20.97)
- 4x100m relay 6A Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (40.68)
- 4x200m relay 4A Pine View – Dom McKenzie, Marcus McKenzie (1:26.80), 6A Corner Canyon – Hagen (1:26.98)
- Shot Put 6A Blake Freeland (179-5.5)
- Long Jump 4A Puka Nacua (23’10.25”)
Utah Top 10 Times All-Classifications (UHSAA.org)
100-meter dash
2 – Cody Hagen (10.52) 6A record
4 – Marcus McKenzie (10.54) 4A record
5 – Rod Wilkerson (10.53) BYU alumn, 1997
7 – Dominique McKenzie (10.6)
8 – Cody Hagen (10.61)
200-meter dash
1 – Dominique McKenzie (20.96), 4A record
2 – Cody Hagen (20.96), 6A record
3 – Marcus McKenzie (21.10)
6 – Rod Wilkerson (21.20)
8 – Dominique McKenzie (21.33)
10 – Marcus McKenzie (21.35)
4×100-meter Relay
1 – Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (40.68), 6A record
2 – Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (41.25)
3 – Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (41.44)
5 – Orem – Rod Wilkerson (41.64), 5A record
4×200-meter relay
1 – Pine View – Marcus & Dominique McKenzie (1:26.80), 4A record
2 – Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (1:26.98), 6A record
3 – Corner Canyon – Cody Hagen (1:28.07)
6 – Roy – Parker Kingston (1:29.30)
8 – Roy – Parker Kingston (1:29.76)
Shot Put. 5 – Blake Freeland 64-6, 6A record
High Jump. 1 – Adam Timo (Hines), 7-2, 4A record
Javelin. 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10 Austin Kafentzis 217-9.5, 5A record
Long Jump. 2 – Puka Nacua 23-10.25, 4A record; 9. Golden Richards, 23-6.25
