HHS indoor track team competes at state meet

Brenna Cowardin, Print Editor-in-Chief

As the indoor track and field season wound down, 20 HHS athletes found themselves competing at the state meet. Quite a few of those athletes were first-time state qualified runners and jumpers.

Senior Morgan Heckman went to states as a member of the four by 400 meter relay team and the four by 800 alternate.

“I was very excited [to compete at the state meet],” Heckman said. “It was cool to go as a part of a team and see the difference in our times from the beginning of the season until now.”

Heckman enjoyed the meet for the most part, but the experience was more about the team than her less-than-70-second race.

“[My favorite parts were] the fun conversations I’ve gotten to have with so many people,” Heckman said. Sophomore Sarah Penrod also enjoyed hanging out with the team, but she also got the chance to get to know athletes she didn’t know as well before.

“[I was most excited to] spend time with people on the team,” Perod said. “My favorite part was playing cards with the distance girls… I didn’t know them too well, so I didn’t know if it was going to work out, but it was so much fun.”

Penrod was the alternate for the four by 200 meter relay team.

“[My favorite racing moment] was watching watching girls four by two compete. I’m their alternate, so I wanted them to do really, really well,” Penrod said.

Freshman Sydney Harper came to states as the leadoff leg of the four by 200.

“I was most excited for my four by two race [because] it’s my last race of indoor track,” Harper said. As the leadoff, Harper likes to support for her teammates are they finish the relay.

“When I’m done, I [like] watching everyone, cheering them on,” Harper said. Although Harper did cross country in middle school, her distance running days are over.

“[I realized the race was going well] when I passed the girl I really wanted to pass,” Harper said.

Junior Paul Weiss competed at the state meet for the first time this indoor season as well as the leadoff leg of the four by 800 meter relay team and the anchor of the four by 400.

“[I was most excited for] the four by eight. It’s my favorite event. I get to run with the guys.”

However, the people on the trip made the experience worthwhile for Weiss.

“[My favorite part was] hanging out with people,” Weiss said. “Diego and I had a face off. We played five games of FIFA, and the last game went into a penalty shootout, and he barely beat me.”

Sophomore Molly Campillo came as an alternate for the four by 800 meter relay, and enjoyed watching the high caliber athletes compete.

“My favorite parts are being with everyone, hanging out and watching crazy fast people,” Campillo said. She notes the state meet does have differences from a meets throughout the season.

“[The difference between states and any other meet is that] you know everyone works really hard to get here, and it’s really intense because of that,” Campillo said.

The results are as follows.

20 total members of the HHS Indoor team qualified for states.

Girl’s 4×8 relay finished ninth.

Girl’s 4×2 relay finished ninth.

Girl’s 4×4 beat their personal best by three seconds.

Mikaila Williams broke the indoor track school record for triple jump with a jump measuring 33.10.25, placing thirteenth.

Juniors Faith Runnells and Rosanni Lake competed in the triple jump.

Junior Abrham Amine beat his personal best in the 2 mile.