HOLLAND, Ohio — Racing into high school as a freshman is nerve-wracking for many student-athletes. Yet in Holland, one girl has flipped that notion en route to one of the best careers in northwest Ohio.
During the Northern Lakes League Championship meet last week, Springfield High School junior Maira Scott accomplished the unthinkable: a three-peat sweep of sprints.
"I trusted the process," Scott said. "Honestly, it just gives me confidence because we can all have good days and off days, but coming into the season I knew what I'm capable of."
According to head coach Michael Campbell, the Blue Devil speedster is the first runner in NLL history to win the 100, 200 and 400-meter races for three consecutive seasons.
Scott also broke meet records for all three races as well. Her times of 11.78 seconds in the 100-meter race and 23.82 seconds in the 200-meter race knocked off the previous marks held since 2007. A quick 55.36 seconds during the 400-meter run set a new league standard that had been chased since 2008.
"One of my biggest goals this year was breaking into [23 seconds]," Scott said. "My mom and I had always talked about it and it was a really good moment. We honestly started crying and she hugged me. It was amazing."
Her performance alone would highlight any season. Yet, what Scott accomplished during league championships ended up weighing a little more than gold given how her junior year started.
"During indoor [winter season], I fractured my hip so I was actually out three months," Scott said. "I had been resting in and out throughout the season. I hadn't really run that much."
Two outdoor meets were all she had competed in prior to dominating the NLL. Now, the focus shifts toward a return to states where she finished runner-up in the 200-meter race last year and eighth in the 100-meter race.
"It can be a lot, collectively. But my training, coaches and family support me," Scott said. "Knowing all the hard work I put in will get me through all my races."
On Friday night at the Northwest Ohio Division I District Championships, Scott continued her history making run with two more record breaking performances. An 11.69 second sprint in the 100 meter dash surpassed a mark that had been held since 1987, while 23.49 seconds in the 200 meter dash broke the 2007 record.
Maira Scott is WTOL 11's Athlete of the Week presented by Dave's Running.