Reed gives 100 percent at State Meet

From the time he was a freshman, senior Nick Reed has given track 100 percent and last Friday at the state meet, track gave back to him.

Reed, who usually runs the 400m and 1600m relay, traveled to Austin with the 400m and 800m relay team of senior Seth Thomas, junior Josh Gloston and sophomores Trey Franks and James Haynes.

Reed, along with senior Cedric Dantzer, were the alternates who got to travel because of their “senior” status.

Haynes, who is the anchor leg for the 400m relay, has nursed a quad injury all season.

At state, the injury got the best of him during the first race.

After being evaluated by the meet trainer and WO-S trainer, David Shaw, Haynes was told he couldn’t run the next race.

Track coaches Freddie Strange and Kevin Goodwin put their heads together and came up with a plan, a plan that included Nick Reed, who had never competed in the 800m relay.

Reed led off the race and was the second of eight to hand off to Franks.

The rest is history as the relay team took second, going their fastest time of the season, 1.27.02.

“One minute, Nick was in the stands, drinking a coke and watching the race, and the next minute, he was running it,” Athletic Director Dan Hooks said.