East girls 4x800 relay eyes repeat state title
Mar. 3—CHEYENNE — Mikaila Trujillo missed all but two indoor track and field meets Cheyenne East competed in last winter due an injury to the tibialis anterior in her right leg.
She did everything she could to return for the final qualifying meet and the state championships. Trujillo thought the Thunderbirds had a good shot of winning the 4x800-meter relay, and wanted to do everything she could to help her friends accomplish that feat.
She did.
Trujillo joined Kendra Upton, Ynes Ronnau and Emma Smith as part of the quartet that claimed the state title in 9 minutes, 55.52 seconds. The time was more than 12 seconds faster than East's previous best.
Three-quarters of that team have returned, making the T-Birds the favorites to repeat in the girls 4x800 as the Wyoming state indoor track and field meet starts today in Gillette. They only bolstered their resume by winning the Simplot Games in 10:04.35 last month in Pocatello, Idaho. Simplot features a banked, wooden track and is the biggest high school indoor meet in the western United States.
"We all ran the most perfect legs we ever have," said Smith, who runs the second leg. "We were all pretty nervous. (Trujillo) was probably the least nervous because she had run there before.
"It was just a really exciting race and environment. I was able to pass two girls to get the lead, and I was so happy when I finished the race."
Junior Sydni Sawyer rounded out the team after Upton opted to focus on sprints this season. Sawyer missed all but the first three meets last winter because she tore a calf muscle. Inserting Sawyer into the lineup was a seamless transition.
"We all work hard, have good chemistry and build up each other's confidence," said Sawyer, who runs the third leg. "There has to be chemistry on your relay team, even in a longer race like this. We all have a really strong bond."
The quartet all runs similar times in the 800. The girls describe each other as good friends, who enjoy each other's company away from school and track.
Ronnau runs the lead leg of the relay, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
"You have to be very aggressive at the beginning because everyone is bunched up and throwing elbows," she said. "I like to be aggressive. We're trying to get out to the lead and get positioning.
"You're not really thinking about your time on that leg, but you have to be aware of where you are compared to the rest of the pack."
Ronnau puts East in good spots, Smith said.
"She puts us somewhere near the front where we're not the target, but we're also not really far behind," Smith said. "That really calms us down and gives us a lot of confidence. She gives me a chance to sit up front and chase people down."
Trujillo ran the lead leg as a freshman and sophomore, and said Ronnau is perfect for that role.
"She likes to be in races, and there are a lot of people on the starting line," Trujillo said. "That leaves her a lot of people to try and keep up with, which is perfect for her running style. I like to chase or be chased, which is part of the reason I'm good in the anchor leg."
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke.
