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69 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, April 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend April 1, 2004 North Medford�s Brittany Hodges, front, leads a talented crop of Tornado sprinters which include, from left to right, Mallory Calkins, Molly Brophy, Jessie Sutton, Shayli Minor, Jenna Siebenlist, Lisa Louie, Brittany Lawson, Justine Lawson, Sara Weeks an Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Leader of the pack Brittany Hodges and her speedy teammates make Tornado girls the SOC favorite By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Perhaps more than any track and field athlete in Medford history, Brittany Hodges has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of injury. In equal amounts. The North Medford High sprinter has sped to nine district titles and had a hand in two district records since first slipping on a Black Tornado uniform three years ago. But she’s also endured severe Achilles tendon, hip, ankle and hamstring injuries that have impeded her progress. The injury bug always seems to hit her late in the season, just as she’s preparing to compete on the biggest stage — the Class 4A state meet. Now a senior, Hodges would give almost anything to go through an entire season injury-free and win an individual state championship, one of the few accomplishments that hasn’t come her way. Advertisement Hodges is the key cog on a North Medford sprint machine that’s expected to carry the Tornado to a second straight district title. The Tornado opens its dual meet season today at 4 p.m. against Eagle Point at Bowerman Field. "I’ve had a lot of fun in track but at the same time it’s been frustrating because of all the injuries," says Hodges. "You put all that time and effort into something and then to keep getting hurt ... it’s just really frustrating." Hodges first took the Southern Oregon Conference by storm at the district meet in May of 2001, her freshman year. She blazed to a meet- record time of 56.33 seconds in the 400 meters, only to finish second to state champion Sara Schaaf of Klamath Union. Earlier in the meet, Hodges ran a leg on the Black Tornado’s 4 x 100 relay team that sizzled to a district record time of 48.46. But while warming up for the 400, Hodges pulled the Achilles tendon in her right foot. The injury affected her performance at the state meet the following week, although she managed to take fifth in the 400 and eighth in the 200. As a sophomore, Hodges suffered severe ankle sprains during the basketball season but stayed relatively healthy for track. She won three more district titles that year and fared well at the state meet when she took fourth in the 200 and 400 and ran legs on both relay squads that placed. Hodges thought she might also sneak through last season without a serious setback only to pull her right hamstring muscle during a preliminary heat of the 400 meters at the district meet. "It felt like someone grabbed the back of my leg and yanked on it as hard as they could," recalls Hodges. "I thought, ‘This is it for me.’" Hodges came back for the finals two days later, however, and won three more district titles. But she was far from 100 percent. She had hoped to challenge Benson Tech standout Brandi Probasco-Canda in the 400 at the state meet the following week, but was lucky to take fifth. She scratched out of the 200 and the 4 x 400 relay. Hodges, who carries a 3.93 grade point average and is being recruited by the University of Idaho, says her hamstring muscle remains tender. She ices it before and after each practice. "It’s just something I’m going to have to live with for awhile," she says. If Hodges can make it through the spring and win four more district titles, she’ll have 13, one more than the record 12 titles claimed by former Black Tornado standout Sandy Thomas between 1976 and 1979. Hodges would be even happier, though, with a state title. "After all I’ve been through, that would be very meaningful," she says. Equally meaningful for Mark Hodges, Brittany’s father and the Black Tornado head coach, would be for his team to win its third district title in the past five years. North Medford is the favorite, but cross-town rival South Medford, which has won four district titles since 1997 and has some quick girls of its own, and Klamath Union figure to be biting at the Tornado’s heals. Along with Brittany Hodges, other sprinters who figure prominently in North Medford’s plans include Molly Brophy, Lisa Louie, Jenna Siebenlist, Kelly Birdseye and Brittany Lawson. All six return as district placers, and coach Hodges believes two freshmen speedsters — Haley Godfrey and Justine Lawson — will quickly work their way into the lineup. "This is definitely the most depth we’ve ever had in our sprint corps," says coach Hodges, noting that he had three 4 x 400 relay teams clock 4:22 or faster in a recent meet. "The relays are going to be incredibly competitive." Siebenlist is also one of the SOC’s top hurdlers — she finished second in the 100-meter event at district last season — and long jumpers. North Medford’s other big point-getter is distance star Danielle Jordan, who set school records in the 1,500 (4:47.12) and 3,000 (10:08.9) last year and was the district champion and the state runner-up in the 3,000. If any team can challenge North Medford for district supremacy, it’s South Medford. The Panthers boast some impressive sprinters of their own in seniors Amber Stevens and Rhaini Sharrer, junior Kaylyn Knutson and freshmen Chelsia O’Neill and Sara Baldoni. Sharrer is a transfer from Phoenix, Ariz. Knutson was second at district in the 100 and 200 last season after winning both events as a freshman in 2002. She also won the long jump last season. Stevens was third in the 100 and sixth in the 200. The Panthers also return senior Stephanie Anderberg, who cleared 10-6 in the pole vault and advanced to the state meet last season; junior Katie Singler, who was the district runner-up in the javelin; junior April Bradshaw, who was the runner-up in the 800; and sophomores Jan Frodshom and Katrina Stevens, who both placed at district in the hurdle events. South Medford could also get good production from a talented but untested group in the shot put and discus. "We’ve got quality kids," says 13th-year South Medford coach Bill Rowan. "I think it’s going to come down to us and North again, with Klamath Union definitely in the picture." The Pelicans are paced by distance standout Katie Leary, who was third at the state meet in both the 1,500 and 3,000 last year. Last fall, Leary won the state cross country meet and in the process registered the second-fastest time ever. Other state meet veterans for Klamath Union include pole vaulter Jenna Faye and shot putter Stevie Denton. The darkhorse team is Grants Pass, which is fueled by defending district javelin champion Patina Taylor and 800-meter titlist Katelyn VanBrunt. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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