Advertisement

The Lady Pioneer sophomore was at her best Saturday by winning individual events in record fashion and aiding in another meet record on the 1600 meter relay team at the Hatchet Invitational in Bad Axe.

O'Connor, who helped Cros-Lex finish second in the team standings to Harbor Beach, broke her own school record in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:18.06, over 12 seconds in front of the second place finisher. A little later, she snapped the meet record in the 800, going 2:19.5 (and just off the C-L record of 2:17). After that, the long-striding Lady Pioneer anchored the 1600 relay team that went 4:12.62 to put up a new Hatchet Invitational mark. Brittany Yelinek, Erin Lamb and Kristina Elkins joined O'Connor on that squad. If that's not enough, O'Connor, Amanda Kalso, Michaela Maze and Audrey Drozer joined forces to run a third place time of 10:18.39 in the 3200 relay, a season-best time for Cros-Lex.

The Hatchet Invitational was only the second multi-team meet O'Connor had participated in this season. The other was at the Capac Relays where there were no individual events.

"Leah had the flu and couldn't run at Harbor Beach," mentioned Lisa Shaw, C-L coach. "But, she's been running well and had great times in the last two weeks."

O'Connor had a very good debut in track last year and was sixth in the State in the 800.

"The difference for her this year is her conditioning from cross (country last fall). Now she can run multiple events well."

Shaw also had athletes place in eight other events at Bad Axe as Cros-Lex finished with 79 points, a distant second to a strong Harbor Beach team that totaled 128.5.

Yelinek turned in a career-best 1:02.55 to finish second to Elkton-Pigeon-Bayport's Chelsea Dubey. The C-L sophomore also placed in the long jump and high jump.

Shaw is starting to put together her relay tams, especially in the 1600 and 3200, just in time for the biggest meets of the season, including this Friday's Division 2 Regional at Algonac.

Lamb, a senior sprinter and high jumper, will vacate her spot in the 100 meter dash to give Shaw a very talented 1600 relay unit. Drozer, a freshman, has turned her 800 times up several notches lately and deepens the 3200 relay squad.

"Our 1600 is our optional one. They've all run it before but we don't always have enough sprinters for some meet... but we're gearing for all the big meets coming up."

Shaw said that winning a Regional title Friday might be a little out of her team's reach, but added, "We have a couple of athletes that can score big, but we're really just trying to get the most people out thet we can (for State)."

Marlette was also on hand at Bad Axe, but was without some athletes because of the school prom. The Lady Raiders finished with 59 points. Their best showings came in the weight events. Amara Wilson (93-1) and Catherine Distelrath were second and fourth in the discus. Distelrath (30-7), Wilson and Tiffany Gomes went two, three, eight in the shot put.

The Lady Raiders will compete in the Division 3 Regional at Bad Axe on Saturday.