By BUTCH HARMON
For a year, St. Johns junior Karrigan Smith had been preparing for the day when she would compete for a state championship, and when the time arrived, she not only won the title but did it in a big way.
Competing in the 1600-meter run, Smith turned in a new Division 2 state-record time of 4:51.53 to win her first state title and the first state track title won by a St. Johns girl in program history.
“It was a surreal feeling,” she said. “My coaches and I have been talking about this for the last year. One of my goals was to win a state championship.”
To win this year’s title, Smith had to defeat a familiar rival, Megan O’Neil of Chippewa Hills, the winner of last year’s 1600-meter title. Smith used a strong finishing kick to edge O’Neil by over two seconds.
“Megan O’Neil and I were in the lead the whole time,” Smith said. “My goal was to work off her pace. It came down to the last 150 meters, and I was really glad I pulled through.”
Setting a new record and winning a first state title for St. Johns made it even more special. “Winning the first title in school history made it extra special,” Smith said. “I didn’t even know that I set the state record. The new record was an extra bonus on a great day.”
Smith had a busy day at the finals, as she also placed seventh in the 800-meter run and was part of the 1600-meter relay team.
With a state title under her belt, Smith is turning her attention to her final cross country season this fall. Last year, she finished third at the state cross country finals. “I’m coming off a break and gearing up for cross country season now,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to my final year of cross country. I finished third last year and looking to have hopefully a real good performance at state this year.”
Smith is also excited about her team’s outlook. “We’re looking real strong,” she said. “We’ve been meeting as a team every Sunday. We are always looking for new runners in the program. I think we not only have better numbers, but the quality of people also. I think we have a real good chance at conference and making a run at state this year.”