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Girls Track: Carmel Catholic’s Paul places in three events at State
Carmel's Megan Paul drives to the finish line in the 100 meters in Saturday's Class 2A state meet in Charleston. | Joel Lerner~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 2, 2012 9:53AM
The tag line to the hit Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” reminds the listener that, “If you try sometimes … you might get what you need.”
That certainly summed up Carmel Catholic girls track star Megan Paul’s final meet as a Corsair — the IHSA Class 2A state meet, held at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Stadium, in Charleston, Friday and Saturday. The University of Arkansas recruit wanted a first-place trophy in either the 100-meter dash, the 200 or the 400. She didn’t get it, finishing second in the 400 (school-record 55.21), third in the 200 (school-record 25.05) and fourth in the 100 (12.05).
“I told her, ‘If someone runs well and still beats you, what can you do?’ ” said Carmel coach Jim Halford. “I’m certainly not disappointed. She ran well.”
After winning heats in both the 200 and 400 on Friday, a day later Paul was locked in a duel with Springfield Southeast’s Charday Crawford in the 200, and Lindbloom’s Shamier Little in the 400. After finishing the 400 in 55.73 during sectionals the previous week, Paul knew she would have to shave more time to beat Little. Her sectional time of 25.14 in the 200 would also have to be trimmed.
“I told her, before she went (to State), ‘If you are running 55 alone, can you run faster if you push?’ ” Halford recalled. “Did I think she could run close to that? Yes.”
Which she did, only to be topped in the 200 by champion Crawford (24.14) and runner-up Little (24.48) — and then bested only by the victorious Little in the 400, in a state-record 54.19.
Paul’s performance capped a prolific career.
“She’s the best track athlete we’ve ever had. She has a lot to be proud of,” Halford said. “Sometimes you don’t get everything you want.”
Recap: Paul wasn’t the only all-stater for the Corsairs. Shannon Baucus ended her career with a seventh-place finish in high jump (5-2).
Her leap, combined with Paul’s three medals, helped the Corsairs finish eighth overall (23.5 points).
“In one of our early meets, she didn’t clear 4-10,” Halford said regarding Baucus. “That’s the solid thing about her. Nothing bothered her. To do your good work at the end of the year is awfully nice.”
Other Carmel performers at State were Sarah Myss in the 800 — and Paige Gauthier, Brigitte Lyman, Karoline Yacono and Paul in the 400 relay.
Carmel boys
Carmel (51) finished fourth in the Class 2A Richmond-Burton Sectional on Friday, in the process qualifying for the state meet in five events.
The 1600 relay team of Christian Horcher, Jack Schoen, Jordan Yancey and JP Blaida set a personal record (3:25.62), good for fourth place.
Horcher made the State cut in the 400 (50.7), also a personal record. Brian Kadowaki made it in both pole vault (13-9) and the 110 hurdles (15.3), both good for second place.
Brendan Zawaski made the State cut with the long jump of his life, leaping 20-10 to finish in second place.
“That was big,” Halford said. “A real thrill.”
On the schedule: Carmel competes in the state meet, at Eastern Illinois, in Charleston, beginning Thursday.
