Strand leads Rebels to 2nd place
There are times when Ethan Strand gets to the final lap of a race and feels completely zapped of energy.
The Class 7A state track and field meet, held May 2-4 in Gulf Shores, was not one of those times.
Strand won three events to lead the Vestavia Hills High School boys to a runner-up team finish. The Rebels totaled 62.5 points and finished behind Hoover.
“I’m really proud of our boys,” said head coach Brett Huber, his eyes welling after the awards ceremony. “What they did this weekend — we don’t have many, if any, second-place finishes.”
Strand, a sophomore, made it possible. He won the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 18.63 seconds on the meet’s first day; won the 3,200 meters in 9:21.31 on the meet’s second day; and won the 800 meters in 1:54.52 on the meet’s final day.
He outsprinted the competition down the homestretch to win each race.
“This weekend I really got to show everybody what I can do,” he said.
Although Strand posted personal-best times in all three events, his performance in the 800 held a little extra gravity. He ran the event only a few times during the season and entered with minimal race experience to draw from.
It didn’t matter. He devised a plan that worked.
With his legs fatigued from his other events, he took the first lap easier than the front pack. Strand came through 400 meters well behind the leaders but moved up during the second lap.
He then made a mad dash toward the finish once he rounded the final curve. When he crossed the line, he smiled. Four seconds had fallen from his previous best.
Strand couldn’t identify how he pulled it off in the immediate aftermath, but he knew he felt satisfied.
“It’s been an awesome experience,” he said. “I ran some fast times, so I’m happy.”
Jackson Bryant, a senior, shared a similar sentiment after posting a strong performance of his own. Bryant cleared 6 feet, 6 inches to place second in the boys high jump. He missed a few attempts early in the competition but didn’t fade. He improved as the bar got higher.
“That’s the way I wanted to go out,” said Bryant, who will compete at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Katherine Ratliff also capped her high school career in stellar fashion. The senior placed third in the girls javelin with a toss of 130-8, a personal best by almost 10 feet.
“When it happened, I had my hands on my knees,” Ratliff said. “I was just staring at the tape. I was like, ‘No way. No way did this just happen.’”
At last year’s state meet, Ratliff tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus during the javelin competition. The injury required surgery and countless hours of rehab.
Ratliff said she experienced haunting flashbacks as she prepared to throw this year, but they didn’t rattle her.
Ratliff delivered on the state stage and reached the podium, completing a comeback that will propel her into life’s next chapter. She has been given an opportunity to join the track and field team at Auburn, which is something she’s desired since first grade.
“It’s an actual dream come true,” she said.