Central's Madisyn Baillie is running down her goals
Apr. 12—CHEYENNE — Madisyn Baillie can't quite remember where she finished in high jump at last year's Class 4A state meet. She just knows it wasn't what she wanted.
"It was really cold and miserable that day, and I think I got fourth ... or maybe it was fifth," the Cheyenne Central senior said. "All I know is I didn't jump my best, and I didn't get first. That's what I really wanted to do last year, and what I'm trying to do this year."
For the record, Baillie cleared 5 feet to finish fifth, and every athlete who finished ahead of her graduated last spring. She reset her own Central record by clearing 5-5 1/2 last season.
Baillie is well on her way to making last season's disappointment a distant memory. She cleared 5-3 to win high jump at Friday's Okie Blanchard Invitational. She also won the 300-meter hurdles in 45.28 seconds and took second in the 100 hurdles (15.53 seconds).
Those efforts earned Baillie Prep Athlete of the Week honors from WyoSports' Cheyenne staff.
Baillie has already cleared 5-4 in a meet this spring, and had little trouble getting over 5-3 at Friday's meet. She had the option of attempting 5-4 after every other competitor had bowed out, but decided to have the bar raised to 5-6 and take a shot at the school record.
"She was very close to getting it," Indians high jump coach Fred Pillivant said. "She is a fraction of an inch away and probably would have gotten 5-4 or 5-5 easily, but she went right for the school record. That 5-3 mark doesn't really show where she's at right now.
"Form-wise, she's right where she needs to be. Last year, when she came out of basketball season, we were focused on getting her stronger. Now, she's fairly strong, and it's about developing track strength and more core strength."
From a competition standpoint, the track season hasn't been as hampered by snow as softball and soccer have been. They've had to cancel some practices and move others indoors. Additionally, cold temperatures make it difficult for explosive athletes to get — and stay — warmed up at meets.
That's why Baillie and her coaches are taking a measured view of her early season results.
"There are some things we need to piece together in the 100 hurdles, but that's always a struggle when you have snow days and can't get on the track as much as you'd like," first-year Central hurdles coach Heidi Pfoor said. "We're in a really good spot in both (hurdles events), especially for how early we are in the season.
"She's putting down really fast times for this time of year, and only wants to get better. She's one of the most coachable kids we have and is never satisfied with where she's at. She always wants to get better."
Pfoor knows what she's talking about. She set Central's records in the 100 hurdles (14.36 seconds) and 300 hurdles (43.61) during her senior year. Pfoor was a state champion in the 100 hurdles and runner-up in the 300 hurdles before competing at the University of Wyoming.
She would love nothing more than to coach the athlete who wipes her name off Central's records board.
"I'm telling her I want to see her name up there instead of mine by the end of this season," Pfoor said.
Baillie has already signed to continue her career at NCAA Division I Southern Utah. She has benchmarks she wants to reach before she heads to college, and she knows technique and rhythm will get her there.
"In the 300s, I've already set a personal-best, and I've done a good job of thinking, 'Attack, attack, attack, because it's only 45 seconds,'" Baillie said. "I still need to be faster, especially in the 100s. My (Southern Utah) coaches have told me they'd like to see me (sub-15 seconds) by the end of this season so I can get into the 13s in college.
"Touch downs are really important if you want to go faster, and I'm working to improve that."
Others recognized for their efforts include:
n Hadyn Fleming, boys track and field, Central: The junior won shot put at the Okie Blanchard Invitational with a heave of 51 feet, 4 inches. He also placed second in discus with a toss of 137 feet.
n Cody Hape, boys track and field, Burns: The senior won the 400-meter dash (49.90 seconds) and placed second in the 200 (22.99) at the Okie Blanchard Invitational.
n Taylor Hollibaugh, Taylor Morgan and Lilly Vallejo, softball, Cheyenne East: Hollibaugh went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI to help the Thunderbirds sweep visiting Wheatland on Friday.
Morgan also went 3-for-4 with five runs scored during the doubleheader.
Vallejo was 3-of-4 with a double, a triple and two RBI. She also struck out nine hitters and gave up just three hits and one run during four innings in the pitcher's circle.
n Dom Kaszas, boys track, East: The senior won the 100-meter dash at the Okie Blanchard Invitational in 11.11 seconds. He also joined Jude Guevara, Garet Schlabs and Marik Cummings on the 4x100 relay team that set a school record of 42.24 seconds.
n Taliah Morris, girls track and field, East: The junior won the 100-meter dash (12.77 seconds) and long jump (19 feet, 7 1/2 inches) at the Okie Blanchard Invitational. She also joined Bradie Schlabs, Sydni Sawyer and Kendra Upton on the winning 4x400-meter relay (4 minutes, 9.02 seconds).
n Karson Tempel, girls track and field, Central: The sophomore won triple jump with a school record distance of 38 feet, 3 inches. The previous record of 37-11 was set by Brittany Woodard in 2003. Tempel also placed fifth in the 200-meter dash (27.93), sixth in long jump (16-5 1/2 ) and ninth in high jump (4-7).
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke.
