WICHITA – At the Class 1A Valley Heights regional, Scandia-Pike Valley junior distance runner Caden Callaway felt pain in his Achilles during the 800-meter run. In the regional’s final event, the 1,600 relay, Callaway nearly dropped to the ground after he ran his split. He couldn’t even walk Sunday and spent Tuesday through Thursday seeing a specialist in Kansas City.
On Thursday, Callaway was in tears when he was unsure he could compete at the state track meet last Friday and Saturday at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium. Callaway had run 9 minutes, 9.52 seconds in the 3,200 run, best in Kansas, and ranked second with a 4:18 in the 1,600. When Callaway stepped on the track Friday for the 3,200, it marked his first time running since the previous weekend.
“I have been just trying to recover and ice, and still came with the attitude to break nine minutes,” he said.
Callaway’s teammate on the girls’ side, senior Casey Freed, helped Pike Valley win a team championship two years ago. Then, she missed all of last year because of a knee injury. But Callaway, Freed, and Casey’s twin, Courtney Freed, each delivered terrific showings at the state meet. The girls finished second with 54 points, eight behind Valley Heights.
"We have really good workout coaches, and track is definitely our known sport,” Courtney Freed said.
Callaway, leaning toward Wichita State for college, ran a 4:32 first 1,600 in the 3,200, around pace for nine minutes. Without any competition, Callaway slowed in the second half of the race. But, helped by longtime state track announcer Don Steffens and the big Cessna Stadium crowd, Callaway still ran a 9:25.97 to break the 1A state mark of 9:27.26 set by Centralia’s Lukas Koch last year. Callaway was runner-up as a sophomore and third as a freshman in the 3,200; Koch won both races.
“I just looked around and saw everybody around here, and I was like, 'You know what, I have the crowd behind me and everything, so let's just go for it,'” Callaway said. “It helped me a lot.”
Callaway and Koch, now at Kansas State University, are good friends. Callaway joked with Koch before state and told him to keep a brochure with Koch’s name as the record-holder.
"I had a really, really high chance of breaking the state record,” Callaway said. “…To be honest, it was a lot closer than I thought it would be."
The Freed sisters completed their track careers in historic fashion. Casey Freed, who will run track at Fort Hays State University, took third in the 100 (12.97) and won the 200 (26.57), her favorite event.
“Considering that I didn't get to (run) last year being out with my ACL injury, i;t means a lot to be able to get back and do what I love to do,” Casey Freed said. “That race is my race, so I am glad that I got to finish the way that I wanted to.”
Courtney Freed, headed to Cloud County for basketball and track, won the 400 (57.30) and the 800 (2:22.15). The Freed sisters finished second in the 400 relay (51.03) and won the 1,600 relay (4:11.41). Freshman Charlee Ward and senior Brooke Jensen ran on the 1,600 relay, and freshman Rileigh Gardner and Jensen were on the 400 relay with the Freeds.
Courtney Freed posted a 57.1 personal best at regionals and ran nearly the same time at state. Casey Freed said the sisters’ “refuse to lose” policy helps make them fast. Last year, Courtney also ran the sprints at state because of Casey’s injury. She took second in the 100, 400 and 800 and third in the 200 as Pike Valley finished fifth.
“It's a lot better to actually run against somebody who is actually pushing you to do better rather than coast to the finish,” Casey Freed said.
In 2012, the Freed sisters and Jensen won the 400 relay in 51.54. The Freeds also won the 1,600 relay (4:10.51). Casey won the 200 (26.45) and finished second in the 100 (12.47). Freed was pleased she could come back to virtually the same times she had as a sophomore.
As freshmen, Pike Valley took third when the Freeds won the two short relays. Casey Freed was fourth in the 100 and third in the 200, while Courtney Freed finished third in the 400.
"I think it was just the fact that I have never had an injury before, “ Freed said. “I don't depend on other people, so it was tough for me to have to depend on other people to get things, and help me do something when I am just so independent.”
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Listen to Callaway's comments after breaking the 3200m record (courtesy of Chet Kuplen, Kansas-Sports.com)
http://kansas-sports.com/ks/news/?id=2901&t=pike-valleys-callaway-sets-1a-3200-state-record-
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