Green: 'We want to prove we can win outside of the 4x400. We have some business left to take care of.'
DeKALB – Kyra Ozier laid inches away from the finish line for nearly 20 minutes after finishing the final race of the Class 3A DeKalb girls track and field regional Thursday.
She grimaced in pain, favoring her right leg, which she had injured during the last half of her leg of the 4x400-meter relay. When she recieved the baton from Katherine Olsen, the Barbs were on pace to break a school record and finish around 3:50, but Ozier cramped up during the final 200 meters and her team took fourth at 4:05.12. DeKalb came 0.6 seconds short of qualifying for state.
Belvidere North took first in 4:01.46. Knowing his team was on pace to beat that time by at least 10 seconds left DeKalb girls track and field coach Tywon Green speechless.
"Man," Green said. "That one hurt."
Sierra Long, Miciah Kirkwood, Olsen and Ozier had dominated the 4x400 all-season long. Numerous occassions, DeKalb swept the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relays.
But for the 4x400 group, it didn't happen during sectionals when it mattered most.
"We were on pace to do great things," Green said. "We still accomplished a lot of our goals, but to not make it in the 4x400 hurts. Due to unforeseen injuries, things happen."
DeKalb's 4x400 finish overshadowed several good performances by the Barbs, who qualified six athletes in seven different events for this weekend's state final meet at Eastern Illinois University.
The Barbs set new personal records in each track event they participated in besides the 4x400. The 4x100 relay team of Kmaris Kirkwood, Ozier, Long and Brimonet Buggs zoomed to a first place finish of 47.28 – the second best time in the state this season, according to Green. Buggs dominated the 100-meter dash clocking in at 11.87 seconds.
Katherine Olsen won the 3,200 in 10:56.08 and qualified in the 1,600 at 5:05.59. Buggs and Ozier finished in first and second place in the 200 with times of 24.66 and 25.42, respectively, while Long won the 400 in 57.29.
DeKalb's 4x200 team of Kmaris Kirkwood, Ozier, Miciah Kirkwood and Buggs grabbed a top finish of 1:40.31.
Ozier wasn't the only Barb to battle injuries at the sectional. Sydney Dumas was expected by Green to place in the 100-meter dash, however, Dumas was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury.
Despite the injuries, Green is optimistic regarding DeKalb's chances at state this Friday and Saturday.
"We did what we wanted to do – we peaked at the right time," Green said. "But because of unforeseen injuries, we're going to dial back a little bit now. We want to prove we can win outside of the 4x400. We have some business left to take care of."
"We have to take care of these bodies and make them all fresh. ... We have to get healthy now."