Smith takes Lenawee County Field Athlete of the Year

BLISSFIELD – Annabelle Smith knew coming into this season her focus was going to shift slightly from field events to sprints.

But, that change did little to the course of her season.

Smith, the Blissfield senior, capped a great season and track and field career with the Royals by winning county and regional championships in the long jump and placing second at the state meet. That, coupled with her outstanding performance in the sprints, has earned her a final high school honor – Lenawee County Field Athlete of the Year.

“I’m a little disappointed with the long jump,” she said. “I didn’t improve all season. I was focused a little more on my sprints. And I improved a lot in the sprints, so that was good.”

It would have been difficult for Smith, or anyone, to improve on her long jump performance at the 2021 state meet. Smith leaped 18-feet-1-inches to win the Division 3 state championship.

“It wasn’t as disappointing as I thought it would be (not to repeat as state champion),” she said. “I still placed well. It was a good season.”

Finishing second in the 100 and third in the 200 were pleasant surprises.

She shaved more than two seconds off her 100 time from her junior year and about 1.5 seconds from her best time in the 200 in 2021. It was the first time she qualified for the state meet in either event.

“I was a little nervous in the 200 because my times weren’t coming down as much in that event as the 100,” she said. “It’s difficult to run the preliminaries and finals in the 100 and 200, plus go through the preliminaries and finals in the long jump. That’s running six times and jumping twice. It’s a lot to do physically.”

Smith took home a ton of medals this season. Her biggest day was at the county meet when she won the Lyndi Bailey Most Outstanding Female Athlete at the Lenawee County Track and Field Championships.

Smith was county and regional champion in the 100, 200 and long jump. The only time she entered and didn’t win the 100 and long jump was at the state meet. Her personal best in the 100 came in the state finals preliminary race, a 12.32. Her season best in the long jump – 17-4.25 – came at the LCAA meet May 24.

Her best time in the 200 was also at the state meet when she finished in 25.36 in the prelims.

The Michigan weather took its toll on her this year, she said.

“The first week it was perfect, in the low-70s and nice,” Smith said. “For most of the rest of the season it was cold and rainy. I think there was some rain at all of our events. It was difficult, but I think I was able to stay focused and still do my best.”

Blissfield’s coaching staff splits up its duties depending on the events. Dave Weston is the girls track coach and Calvin Sullins is the boys coach. But Smith was coached by both being both a sprinter and involved in field events.

“He’s a decathlete to so he knows every event,” she said. “Coaching and track are definitely his passion. He’s devoted to it. Coach Weston really knows the long distances. They were both very helpful.

“I’m grateful for all of the teammates and coaches I’ve had. You can only do so much physically. Mentally I think is where I’ve improved the most and my coaches had a lot to do with that.

“The season was a lot of fun,” she said.

Smith competed at the Midwest Meet of Champions at Indiana Wesleyan University the week after the state finals.

Smith jumped 17-4 in the long jump and ran a 11.8 split in her portion of the relay. The relay team finished second and Smith was third in the long jump.

“It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I went there and didn’t really know anyone except the Addison track coach was one of the coaches. I met a lot of people, though, and made some great connections. I didn’t jump what I wanted to, but it was still fun.”

Smith has signed to run track next season at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

“It’s about 2,000 miles away,” she said. “I’m excited for it. It’s going to be tough to move away from my family. I think all of my family lives within about 30 miles of me, but I’m looking forward to going there and competing.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Blissfield's Smith earns Lenawee County Field Athlete of the Year