DISTRICT TRACK & amp; FIELD South Range freshman shrugs off pain for title

The Warren Kennedy boys and girls dominated the Div. III team competition.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CORTLAND -- Andra Sanders felt the pain and heard the breathing behind her. She knew there was one option remaining: Finish the race.
The South Range runner, only a freshman, won the 1600 meters Saturday in the Division III district track and field meet at Lakeview High.
Sanders qualified for her first regional meet, next week at Navarre Fairless, but it wasn't easy.
With pain shooting through her shins and Crestview's Caitlin Wiley on her heels down the stretch, Sanders made one last push to win the title in 5 minutes, 44.6 seconds.
"It wasn't a good day," said Sanders, moments after collapsing while walking off the track and being helped to her feet by coaches. "I had a rough start; I went out too quick. But I felt that girl coming up behind me so I tried to stick with it."
Sanders missed two weeks of the season while battling shin splints and only returned one week ago as she prepared for districts.
"Some days aren't so bad, but I came back today really sore," Sanders said. "I was worried about that, but I knew I had to keep my mind off it."
Being a freshman hasn't affected Sanders. She feels "normal, like we're all the same age" during races and has enjoyed her time on the track.
"This is cool because there's so many different teams and girls," Sanders said of the district meet. "I don't know what to expect. Half of these girls I haven't even raced against before."
Now Sanders has, and she can consider herself a champion.
Warren Kennedy soars
An athlete's eyes are telling. Because of this, Warren Kennedy coach Tim McNeil knows there's a difference with members of his girls team.
"Two years ago, we were talking about puppy-dog eyes," McNeil said. "I haven't seen the puppy-dog eyes at all this year. We're starting to have confidence."
That could be an understatement. The Kennedy girls dominated the team competition with 130 1/2 points, winning Saturday's meet convincingly. Maplewood was second with 69.
"The girls have gotten better and better the last three years," McNeil said. "They still don't know how good they can be."
The Eagles swept the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays and got district titles from Lauren Chaves (100, 200), Chelsey Morganstern (400) and Michelle Rossio (discus).
"We've come so close as a team," said Rossio, a Michigan State recruit who also won the shot put Thursday. "Everybody pushes one another. If somebody does well, the whole team does well."
Continuing the tradition
The Kennedy girls had company Saturday. The school's boys team soared to first place with 96 points. McDonald was runner-up with 85.
"Tony Buttar started the tradition a long time ago, and we've built on what he did," McNeil said. "We've become a total team."
The Eagles got district titles from Shane Golden (100, 200), Ben Nolan (400) and Keith Black (long jump). Their efforts helped stem the team's disappointment from the disqualification of its 4x400 relay because of, what McNeil called, a "trite" clothing rule.
"I wanted to run well, get a good start and show what I was made of," said Golden, a junior running in his first year of track. "There was a lot of pressure, especially following [state-qualifying sprinter] Josh Cayson from last year. I just wanted to come out and show that I can do it, too."
Noteworthy
There were other impressive performances Saturday. LaBrae's Laura Kreft swept the 100 and 300 hurdles and won the long jump, while Springfield's Nick Panezich completed a sweep of the throwing events, winning the discus Thursday and shot put Saturday.
"I'm so tired right now," said Panezich, a sophomore who threw the shot put 54-5 1/4 and is seeking a return trip to the state meet. "I've been putting it all out there on the line, giving it everything I've got."
richesson@vindy.com