|
O’Connor
senior has hold on 800
by
Jason Stone
DVUSD
– While most Sandra Day O’Connor seniors were sorting out
caps and gowns, Spencer Morgan was sweating. As most O’Connor
seniors were running errands, Morgan was running around
a sizzling track.
Morgan
isn’t like most high school graduates these days. He favors
classic rock to rap, he likes to go shirtless, and, oh yeah,
he’s a state track champion.
It’s
that last part that kept Morgan from getting ready early
for last week’s O’Connor graduation ceremonies. With two
big out‑of‑state meets coming up over the next
couple of weeks, Morgan was busy training a couple of hours
before the ceremony.
After
two 600‑meter training runs, Morgan quickly showered,
dressed and made the 30‑ to 45‑minute trip to
the Maricopa County Community Events Center.
“I
already shaved this morning, so it shouldn’t take too long,”
Morgan said about his dress schedule after practice. “But
I never thought I’d be doing this on graduation day.”
The
fact he’s still training is actually a good thing. That
means Morgan, the top 800‑meter racer in the state,
is still competing. The 18‑year‑old, who works
on the side at Home Depot, turned in the best time in Arizona
out of all levels at the 5A state meet at Arizona State
University two weeks ago.
He
competed in last week’s Meet of Champions at Chandler High
School and will travel to New Mexico for the Great Southwest
Meet next week and Sacramento, Calif., in two weeks for
the Golden West meet. All of the meets attract some of the
best talent in the nation, giving Morgan a chance to measure
himself against some of the nation’s best.
“He’s
just made unbelievable progress,” O’Connor track coach Brian
Dempsey said about Morgan’s improvement since returning
to track his sophomore year. “And not just on the track,
but off the track, too. He’s got a great make‑up.”
Dempsey
said Morgan’s physical and mental strength have been crucial
for his excellence in a demanding event like the 800. It
requires the mental stamina of long‑distance races
like the mile or two‑mile and the speed of a sprinter.
“He’s
a really strong kid,” Dempsey said. “That’s one of the toughest
events to run.”
|
