Saturday, Feb. 23 marked the beginning of the Lady Mavs’ track season, as both JV and varsity girls’ teams took home second place at the Chap Relays. They sprinted onward to capture first place on the following Saturday at the Smithson Valley Invitational.
Top athletes at the Chap Relays include Judy Emeodi, first in the 4000m dash at 57.3 seconds; Amelia McElhinney, first in the 1600m dash at 5:10; and Sydney Howells, first in the 200m dash in 26.5 seconds. Receiving second place: Danielle Urban, pole vault in 9 feet; Howells, Emeodi, Silvana Verri and Gracen Odendahl 4×100; Verri, Diamond Caro, Darian Austin and Emeodi, 4×200; Caro, Austin, Howells, and Odendahl, 4×400. McElhinney, Thea Dombkowski, Zoe Punske and Caro won the Distance Medley Relay
Out of 15 teams at the Chap relays, Lady Mavs placed second overall and didn’t stop there.
“Really good coaches, our workouts, hard work, determination and having fun has gotten me here,” Emeodi said. “I feel really good because when we set goals and make them, that hard work is paid off.”
At the Smithson Valley Invitational meet, the Lady Mavs as a whole placed first. Top individual results include second place for Odendahl in the 400m dash and the triple jump. Howells won first place in the 100m dash and the 4x200m dash relay. Aleisha Miller placed first at the 4x100m relay, and the 4x200m relay. JV runner Jamera Prater took second overall, as did Kelly Sjoerdsma.
“The 400 is my favorite because I have been doing it since fourth grade,” Odendahl said. “I just love running.”
While both JV and varsity teams are racing to the top, not all of the ladies on the team are in it for the competition.
“Doing the best of your ability is more important (than placing first),” JV track member Darian Younce said. “I like the team as a whole, and Coach (Chris) Cotten makes it exciting.”
