3. New Jersey
Best athlete: World Youth 400 hurdles champ Sydney McLaughlin is US #1 in the 400 and running on her team's 4x400.
Best matchups: New Jersey may be the most underrated state in the union, and they can add excellence in the high school shot put to the list of reasons why. In the boys shot, US #4 Jordan West faces off with US #7 Luke Grodeska; in the girls, US #1 Alyssa Wilson will have to fend off US #2 Nickolette Dunbar, #5 Jessica Molina, and #10 Fidele Jules.
This is a pretty good girls distance state, too: The girls 1600 features US #2 Ciara Roche, while the 3200 will be a battle between US #7 Briana Gess, #9 Julia Guerra, and US #3 two miler Lily Aldridge.