By John Raffel
Karrigan Smith has already experienced memorable moments in her high school running career at St. Johns, and the senior is ready for even more such moments in track and field this spring.
Last fall, Smith finisheed the Division 2 cross country race in 18:13.5 to take first place.
At last spring’s Division 2 state track and field finals, she won the 1,600-meter run in 4:51.53 for a new state record. She was seventh in the 800-meter dash in 2:18.89.
She’s out to end her high school career on a similar high note. She’ll be going for another 1,600-meter title and likes her chances for back-to-back success. “I think there’s been improvement all the way around,” she said. “I look forward to seeing what I can do this year.”
Smith is looking forward to the challenges that defending her state title will present.
She could not choose whether a 1,600-meter state title or a cross county state championship was more enjoyable. “I think both races have their own mindset,” Smith said, noting that in cross country, she’s with her entire team at racetime.
She indicated that a strength of hers has been pacing herself, knowing how the race is going and how to react to the circumstances. She indicated she continues to work on improving all aspects of her race.
Her plans right now are to race in the 3,200-meter and the 800-meter runs, also. “I enjoy running the 800,” she said.
The disappointment at not winning the 2013 state cross country final, which she finished in third place in 18:04.0, seemed to stimulate Smith for the 2014 track challenges. “What stands out for me is last spring, my state championship in the 1,600 meters,” she said when she won the cross country championship in 2014. “Ever since then, I wanted to reach out for that moment and rekindle that fire every single day in the off-season to go after that state championship again.”
Smith is preparing for a running career at Michigan State University. She decided last November to run there, after also considering the University of Michigan.
Regardless of her season, Smith is going to miss St. Johns athletics. “There’s a lot of it I’ll miss,” she said. “Especially the support of my teammates. I’ve had some good competition.”
One of her coaches throughout the school years, Bob Sackrider, has been impressed with Smith. “I feel this year she has taken the greatest stride forward in her four years of high school running,” he said.