A.J. WatsonTrack and field

Kubasaki, Okinawa

Last week: Dominated the short sprints in the first Okinawa Activities Council meet of the season, winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes Saturday at Camp Foster.

Watson, a sophomore, was timed in 11.08 seconds in the 100, just 0.48 seconds short of the 22-year-old Pacific record. His 22.68 showing in the 200 is 1.28 seconds shy of the region record, which has stood since 1977.

Dragons coach Charles Burns praised Watson for doing “a complete turnaround” from last season, which he spent most of on the sidelines due to academic ineligibility. “He’s focused better, and it’s showing up out here on the track,” Burns said. “It makes you wonder what he’s going to look like” in the OAC district finals, the Kanto invitational and the first Far East meet later this spring.

Te’Asia SnowdenTrack and fieldZama American, Japan

Last week: Began where American School In Japan’s Gwen Thornton left off, sweeping the hurdles events in the Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools’ first meet of the season, the Zama American High School Invitational.

Snowden, a junior, was timed in 17.69 seconds in the 100 hurdles, then ran the 300 hurdles in 51.02 seconds on the six-lane track at Zama American High School. Her coach, Mitch Moellendick, believes Snowden can drop a second off her 100 and two off her 300 “once she gets her form down.”

“Te’Asia has a quiet demeanor but is an athlete who comes to practice ready to push herself to the limits,” Moellendick said of Snowden, in just her second year of running hurdles.

Selected by Stars and Stripes staff

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