Mountain Pointe sprinter Jayden Davis born to run, breaks Arizona track record

Jayden Davis didn't have to look far for his track inspiration.

His mother Trevaia Williams-Davis is in the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame as a five-time All-American sprinter. His dad Terrill Davis set a Baylor record in the 800 meters in the early 1990s. His brother Isaac was the guy he always chased and is now running for the University of Arizona's track and field team.

Now, it's no longer Isaac Davis' little brother to those who have been following Jayden on the Phoenix Mountain Pointe High School track during his senior season. Not after Saturday, when he broke the Arizona high school record in the 400 meters at 46.45 seconds at the Arcadia Invitational in California. The previous week, he set a personal record at 46.6.

Davis was inspired after watching Gilbert Williams Field senior Saira Prince set the state record at Arcadia in the 100-meter hurdles. She later set another state record in the 300-meter hurdles. And, in the same hour, Mesa Red Mountain junior Tyler Mathew set the state record in the 800.

Boom, boom, boom, boom. Four Arizona high school records fall in the greatest single hour in Arizona high school track and field history.

"Seeing all those Arizona athletes being able to do that, I definitely felt that time, that race at Arcadia was that moment to set the state record," Davis said. "Going into it, I was like, 'This is the time to do it.' "

Davis said he wants to be known as one of the greatest sprinters to come through Arizona.

"The Olympics is the end goal," he said. "Finding little things to motivate me during the season."

Davis said he started running when he was about 6, but didn't take it seriously until eighth grade and his freshman year.

But his freshman year, spent at Queen Creek Casteel, was cut short after two meets because of the pandemic in spring 2020. He only had two meets to spend with his big brother, who was a senior. Isaac is now competing in the 400 and on relays at Arizona in Tucson.

They were both coached not just by their mom, who is now the head girls' track and field coach at Mountain Pointe. But by Brian Whitacre, who is now the head Mountain Pointe boys track coach.

Whitacre was The Arizona Republic's 2021 Track and Field Boys Coach of the Year, after leading Casteel to the Division II state championship. Whitacre came over to also be the offensive coordinator on the football team.

Davis, who is 6-foot-4, 175 pounds, played wide receiver for the Pride, but he'll be pursuing his track passion at Arizona State on a scholarship, after recently signing his college letter of intent.

"Being able to watch (my brother run) growing up, I was like, 'I can do that,' " Jayden said. "I can do that better. He's given me tons of advice. He's always there."

Whitacre said when Jayden transferred to Mountain Pointe after his sophomore year, he was always known as Isaac's little brother. Now he's established his own identity, and everybody is looking up to him.

"He's got some great genes," Whitacre said of Jayden. "And that stride. You can see that coming down. That's how he got the nickname, 'The Bear.' He's actually accelerating (down the stretch in the 400)."

As much as Jayden is blessed with his genetics and God-given abilities, there is a work ethic he possesses that Whitacre says he has not seen from anybody else.

"He's just self-motivated," Whitacre said. "He's high character. He's deserving of everything he gets. I know what he's meant to our program. The kids see him working and it steps up everyone's game. Our practices are like track meets.

"You have to not let them run together, because they're running 100% every time."

More: Four Arizona HS track records fall during magical Saturday at Arcadia Invitational

Davis is the anchor on Mountain Pointe's 4x400 relay team that set a school record at Arcadia last weekend at 3 minutes, 18.45 seconds that finished in second place. Izaac Patterson, Matthew Braun and Jhaylin Palmer also were on that relay. They're all football players. It was the first time they ran that relay together this year.

Davis runs the second leg of the Pride's 4x100 relay, which also among the best in the state this season.

This could be Mountain Pointe's year to win the boys' Division II state championship with four athletes going to state in both the 100 and 200 meters. Mountain Pointe dropped down from Division I this year.

"I keep telling these guys, you can do something special if you keep on it," Whitacre said. "They've done it now. And it's time for us to do something here that hasn't been done since 2002."

'Just run': How Williams Field's Saira Prince's dream day on track came together

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mountain Pointe sprinter Jayden Davis born to run, breaks track record