One of the most exciting young runners in the area got started because she was bored.
Shepard sophomore Makynzee Harris was a three-time winner as the Astros pulled off a rare feat, winning all 18 events in the District 218 meet April 21 at Richards.
Harris won the 100 meters in 12.46 seconds; joined Savannah Towers, Salina Towers and Nadeea Pritchard in winning the 4×100 relay with a :49.86; and joined Savannah Conrad, Pritchard and Destiny Molinet in winning the 4×200 relay in 1:48.75.
“It was great to see everyone win,” Harris said. “We go through a lot of hard practices and I prayed to God to help me to push myself and keep going.”
Harris is also a cheerleader who wasn’t interested in trying out for track at Prairie Junior High.
“I didn’t want to, but I was bored and I tried out,” she said. “They said I had potential and I just kept going with it ever since.”
Astros coach Scot Rybarczyk is sold on her abilities, especially after the team’s perfect performance in the district meet.
“She is coming on very, very strong,” he said of Harris. “She just came to perform that day. She’s running great.”
Other multi-individual winners for the Astros were Salina Towers (200, 400), Rajae Stevenson (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump and long jump) and Janiyah Rowlett (shot put and discus).
The Astros have won the meet for all 16 years of its existence, but this is the first time they won all 18 events.
“I thought we had a shot at doing it,” Rybarczyk said. “Everything had to go right, and it did.
“We have a really good group this year.”
SXU in nationals
St. Xavier’s men’s volleyball team is in the middle of pool play in the 12-team men’s national championship tournament.
SXU (28-3) drew the third seed and was scheduled to face 11th-seeded Bethel (Ind.), on April 28 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Cougars are slated to face sixth-seeded Mount Mercy (Iowa) on April 30.
Four pool winners face off in the semifinals on May 1 with the championship May 2.
Meanwhile, Cougars graduate student Matt Pennala was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season.
Fire report
The Chicago Fire’s Hugo Cuypers scored in his sixth straight MLS game to help his team to a 5-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on April 25 at Soldier Field.
The Fire (5-2-2) hosts FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. May 2 at Soldier Field.
The Fire II took a 2-0 lead before Orlando City B rallied for a 2-2 tie on April 26 in MLS NEXT Pro action at SeatGeek Stadium. Orlando picked up a point by winning the penalty-kick shootout 4-2. Dean Boltz and Darris Hyte scored in regulation for Chicago (1-2-4).
The Fire will visit New York at 6 p.m. May 5 and host Crown Legacy at 3 p.m. on May 9.
Hounds pound Seawolves
The Chicago Hounds tied a franchise scoring record in a 59-22 Major League Rugby road win over the Seattle Seawolves on April 24 at Starfire Stadium.
Brock Webster had three tries for the Hounds (4-0), who host Old Glory at 5:30 p.m. May 3 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.