Hailey Johnson entered in another chapter to the story of Lake Creek track and field.
In front one of the best high school track scenes you’ll find in early March at Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium on Saturday, Johnson proved once again she is one of the best distance runners in the state.
Johnson took the gold medal in the 800-meter run and established a new school record in the 1,600-meter run as she and a handful of other elite Lions participated in the elite Bluebonnet Invitational over the past two days.
The senior Oklahoma State recruit won the 800 in 2:09.95, beating out Sophia Bendet (2:12.72) of Class 3A Randolph and Daniela Shelfo (2:12.08) of 6A Northside Taft in San Antonio.
The 800 is Johnson’s specialty of sorts. She is a three-time state qualifier in the two-lap race and finished with a bronze in last year’s UIL Class 5A state meet.
Johnson also had an extraordinary Friday evening in College Station as she broke the school record and joined the sub-5 minute club in the process in the 1,600.
With her seventh place finish, Johnson came across the line in 4:56.68, best among the Class 5A runners. Johnson finished the race of 75 competitors 12 seconds shy of gold-medal winning Bendet.
Back to the 800 race on Saturday, Johnson was joined at the finish line by two teammates. Addie Micklos had a strong race with a ninth place finish in 2:17.38. Frankie Knox came across nearly eight seconds later in 44th place with a time of 2:25 even.
Lake Creek also saw two other program records fall on Friday.
In the 4X200 relay, Ashylnn England, Jade Oravainen, Maggie Ogorchock and Sydney Spikerman broke their short-lived school mark from a week ago. The quartet flew around the track in 1:40.22 for an 18th place finish overall, but were first among the competing 5A programs in the event.
Last week in the College Station Relays, the four turned in a time of 1:40.30. That record beat an earlier mark of 1:43.21 at the Cypress Ranch Mustang Relays in February.
Lucy DeWolf also set a new high mark in the pole vault. The senior cleared 11-8 to break her own previous record and came in 15th place overall.
Lake Creek had a couple runners that fell short of finals.
Spikerman finished 45th in the 100 preliminaries with a time of 12.33. Her time was out of 71 competitors.
In the 300 hurdles preliminaries, Regan Krahn was 63rd with a time of 49.87.
Lake Creek is scheduled for the Porter Spartan Relays this coming Wednesday.
Lake Creek senior Hailey Johnson. (Chris Zorzi/SportCast Media)
