Emily Sorrell is finally back, and healthy, and no one is more excited about that than Sorrell herself.
The start of her senior athletic campaign couldn’t have gotten off to a more difficult start for the all-state distance runner.
A sprained ankle in summer basketball was followed by a bout of anemia, likely caused by overtraining, and all of that was capped with Sorrell catching the flu… the week of state cross country.
This was all compounded by the stress that goes along with the recruiting process.
All that adversity led to Sorrell finishing 90th in Class 3, this after three consecutive all-state finishes entering her senior year, including a seventh place finish as a junior.
“Senior year has been rough,” said Sorrell. “My dream was always to be a four-time all-stater and I wasn’t able to accomplish that, but I was happy that I was able to finish the season and able to qualify for state.
It put a fire in me. This winter I played basketball, but I was still able to run more than I ever had so I didn’t have to worry about overtraining when the season ended. It also got me really excited because my confidence was really low after cross; I hadn’t run that badly in my entire life. I have that fire now and I really want to come back and compete again.”
Sorrell showed just how hot that fire is on Thursday night, taking first in the 1600M (5:18.40) and fifth in the 3200M of a loaded field at Girls Night Out.
PHOTOS: GIRLS NIGHT OUT — CLICK HERE
The 1600M was one of the day’s best races with Sorrell edging West Plains’ Theresa Harto in the final 100 meters to steal the win.
“It feels good to come out and run well,” said Sorrell. “I’ve felt better the last few meets and I finally feel strong and feel like I’m in a rhythm again since the Carthage meet. I hadn’t felt comfortable running in a long time so it feels nice to be back to normal.”
After anchoring East Newton’s 4x800M Class 3 state championship relay, helping to guide the Lady Patriots to a third place finish as a team, Sorrell is eager to get back to Jefferson City and improve upon her seven career all-state finishes.
“I just want to keep building and run PRs at state,” said Sorrell. “Winning a state championship would be great, especially after finishing second last year, but I just want to get back and be able to run faster times.”
CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS OF THE MEET
Okorie impressive in three gold medal finishes
Seven all-state finishes in her career have done nothing but make Waynesville senior Ariel Okorie hungry. And on Thursday, the Kansas State signee ate.
Okorie won the 100M hurdles, 300M hurdles and long jump in the most dominant performance of the prestigious Girls Night Out. Her 100M hurdle time (14.5) and long jump (19’3.5”) are the best marks in Missouri so far this season.
“It shows improvement and that’s what I like seeing the most,” said Okorie. “Sometimes I’m frustrated following a meet because I know I can do better, but seeing these meets this early in the season show that I’m still improving and building and that’s what I need to do moving forward.”
But it’s her past that is guiding her desire to move forward.
PHOTOS: GIRLS NIGHT OUT — CLICK HERE
Okorie, a two-time Aldo Sebben Award winner as the best female track athlete in the Ozarks, came up short of her state championship goals last year, finishing third in the 100M hurdles and second in the long jump, losing to Rock Bridge’s Ojurere Shonekan by three quarters of an inch.
This season is all about finishing that goal.
“It’s all about getting back to state and winning state this year, especially after last year and how it ended in the long jump,” said Okorie. “After losing by less than an inch and coming back during the summer and jumping 19’ and knowing that I was capable of doing that makes this year about redemption for me.”
Workman wins… again
There isn’t a more accomplished athlete in the Ozarks than Claire Workman and her resume through her junior year is the stuff legends are made of.
She’s the two-time defending Class 1 state champion in cross country, the two-time defending Class 1 state champion in the 800M, 1600M and 3200M and oh, by the way, she also anchored New Covenant Academy’s 4x800M relay last spring, guiding the program to the Class 1 team state championship.
While few athletes in the O-Zone era are walking around with a larger target than Workman, she feels the pressure, but continues to take it all in stride.
PHOTOS: GIRLS NIGHT OUT — CLICK HERE
“I think I feel it more this year in the past because of the pressure I put on myself and the expectations I have,” said Workman. “I’m no longer just a freshman or sophomore so it’s not just a whatever attitude, it’s a little bit harder now, but I feel like I’m handling it well.”
The junior standout continued her dominance on Thursday, making the most of a “light” day by winning the 800M and anchoring New Covenant’s runner-up finish in the 4x800M.
In typical Claire Workman fashion, she was able to outkick Blue Springs’ Payton Minnis in the final 200 meters; something that has become her specialty.
“It’s time to forget all of the pain you have right now because you have 200 meters and all you can see is the finish line,” said Workman. “You don’t see the next lap and there’s no starter giving you a number because that’s it. You just have to finish.”
It was a slightly lighter day of work for Workman with just the two 800M races, which will be a good thing as the standout junior prepares for next week’s KU Relays, one of the biggest meets in the Midwest. There she will not only see elite competition, but also have a chance to qualify for the Festival of Miles in St. Louis.
Even still, Workman prefers the heavier running days.
“I kind of like running them all in one day; it is kind of satisfying,” said Workman. “In shorter events you finish and feel like you gave it your all and then five minutes later you have some more energy that you wish you could have used. When you have all of it in one day you have quick turn arounds and use every little bit of energy.”
Teed continues to build towards a state title
Not many had quite the heartbreak that Kim Teed had last year at state.
The Carthage senior had the best jump through preliminaries and the finals, until Webster’s Carolyn Ross pulled out a 37’5” jump in her final attempt of the day to steal Teed’s state championship.
She hasn’t forgotten…
Teed went 36’9” on a windy afternoon to win the triple jump, just one inch off the jump that earned her second place last year.
“Jumping well in meets like this is huge because this is as close to the kind of atmosphere and competition that you’ll see at state,” said Teed. “If you can do well here then you’re that much more prepared for state.”
Teed also tied for seventh in the long jump on Thursday.
PHOTOS: GIRLS NIGHT OUT — CLICK HERE
After back-to-back all-state finishes in the triple jump, the Missouri Southern signee continues down the road of building and improvement, hoping that it all ends with her at the top of the podium in Jefferson City.
“Senior year you want to push yourself as hard as possible and you want to keep improving and getting better,” said Teed. “After getting second last year I’m hoping to win a state championship this year.”
