Student-Athlete of the Week: All-American Shuttle Hurdle Team

CICERO (WSYR) — “This is the best group of young ladies that I’ve ever had in 35 years,” said Coach Andre Dowdell.

Each of them students at C-NS: Morgan Hayes, Anna Eells, Aaliyah McDonald, and Jaydin Mackey, took second place in the shuttle hurdle relay at Nationals competing with DF3 Track Club. Taking second out of 36 teams with a combined time of 33.36 seconds, they were just shy of first by .4 seconds.

“It’s amazing. I never expected it. We were hoping for top five, just getting on the podium and looking up at the scoreboard and seeing while we got second. It was just crazy,” said Eells.

“So, when we went into it, we were trying to at least place like top four. So when we got second, it was really crazy, and we were all really excited,” said Mackey.

“All these crazy thoughts went through my head. I thought I had like a great leg, but I don’t know, there’s just so many things going through my head, and I just couldn’t believe it that we got second,” said McDonald.

This accomplishment did not come easily. Although they reached the podium last year, this year, they aimed higher.

“We checked even from as soon as we finished our race last year we knew exactly all the times we had to be the people, the teams and we definitely looked for that and we knew we had a great chance going into it and if we all ran our race that we know we can race and got PRs, we knew we were going to be successful,” said Hayes.

And for their coach, seeing them hungry to win is everything.

“When they get there and see all the other kids from all over the country, and the talent that’s around them and to not be intimidated by it, but to just go after it. Know what you’re capable of doing, and just do that, and then let the chips fall where they may. That’s the exciting part to get them excited about track and field, to show them everything that track and field provides for them,” said Coach Dowdell.

Congratulations, girls! You are the Byrne Dairy and Deli NewsChannel 9 Student-Athletes of the Week.

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