After last year’s Portage Sectional, Elijah Gauldin — then a junior at Portage — thought he was out of a job in the 400-meter relay.
“I was up recording it and they were flying,” Gauldin said. “Then I heard (from the PA announcer), ‘If you thought that was fast, it was, because they just tied the school record.’ I thought I’d just lost my spot.”
Gauldin was nursing a hip flexor injury while the rest of his 400 relay teammates were equaling records. But Gauldin was back the following week, helping that relay team ultimately finish runner-up at the state meet.
Now a senior, it’s not just about the relays for Gauldin anymore.
“He’s been on that relay for two years,” Portage coach Nick Haas said. “But he hasn’t really shined as an individual. Now the time’s come for him to emerge as an individual guy, not just a relay guy.”
While Gauldin is entering his third season on Portage’s 400 relay team, it’s his first season handling the individual sprint events after Jeremiah Ratliff graduated.
“I always tried to stay with (Ratliff) as long as I could,” Gauldin said. “Now that I’m that guy, they’re trying to stay with me. I never had that before.”
Right after football season ended in the fall, Gauldin shifted his focus to track.
“There were no coaches or anyone else,” he said. “I was on the track, running my 60s. It’s opened my eyes a little bit to what I have to do this season. I know I have to be the captain of the team and run fast at every meet.”
Gauldin’s career-best in the 100 is 11.05, set earlier this season. While he’s been working on his times in the 200, Gauldin said it’s still not his strongest event.
“When I’m running the 200, I’m cool until right there,” Gauldin said, pointing to a spot about 100 meters from the finish line. “Then I just don’t have it in me. I’m a 100-meter sprinter. I get right to the point.”
With just a few weeks left before Gauldin’s final high school postseason, he said his focus is on finishing races.
“The last 10 meters of my 100,” he said. “Finishing strong. It’s more of a mental thing.”
Underclassmen guiding Crown Point: Bulldogs coach Keith Iddings said his team has been getting key performances from its younger athletes, and that was evident at Tuesday’s dual meet with Portage. Sophomore Matt Hanlon won the 400 in 50.6, sophomore Gabriel Garcia won the 110 hurdles in 15.81 and freshman Ben Zirkle won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 2 inches
Offseason sparking Wheeler’s Lee: Wheeler senior Jesiah Lee has found another gear this season, emerging as one of the best sprinters in the area. Coach Luis Guillen said this success started last fall.
“He really put in the work getting stronger in the offseason,” Guillen said. “That’s kept him injury-free this season.”
The added strength has Lee’s times in the 100 under 11 seconds and he’s stayed away from the nagging hamstring injury that ailed him early last season.
Dave Melton is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.
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With last week’s rankings in parentheses.
1. Michigan City (1)
2. Chesterton (2)
3. Portage (3)
4. Merrillville (4)
5. Munster (5)
Athlete of the Week: Merrillville senior Kejuan Thomas was crucial in the Pirates’ sweep of Valparaiso and Michigan City on Tuesday, winning the 100 meters (11.8 seconds) and 200 (23.62) while helping the 400 relay also take first (44.72).