Indy Star

 

Michael Pointer

Shelbi Burnett's cross country season ended in disappointing fashion.

The Center Grove High School senior runner said that made her even more determined to make her final prep track year special.

Burnett qualified for the cross country state meet her first three seasons with the Trojans but fell short last fall when Center Grove placed eighth, and she ran 18th at the Franklin Central Semistate. The top six teams and 15 individuals qualify for the state meet.

Burnett watched Center Grove classmate Sarah Higgens win the state title. She felt happy for her friend but admitted the hurt of the previous week's semistate hadn't faded much.

"To end it that way was kind of heartbreaking," she said. "I've thought a lot about it, and it's motivated me this track season."

Added Center Grove coach Wes Dodson: "We just said, 'There's not much you can do about it now. Let's just start focusing on what's next.' She's been working really hard over the winter."

That showed at Friday's Flashes Indy Showcase at Franklin Central, one of the state's top events for distance runners. Burnett placed third in the mile in 5 minutes, 07.3 seconds, best by an Indianapolis-area runner. Culver Academies' Waverly Neer won in 5:02.5.

"There's always room for improvement," Burnett said. "I see certain races where I think I should have gotten the girl at the end or run faster, but I'm very happy with the way training is going."

Dodson, who also coaches the track team's distance runners, agrees that last fall's stumble in cross county provided motivation.

"She doesn't want that to happen again," Dodson said. "She kind of uses that as fuel to the fire. She really comes to running with a chip on her shoulder when it comes to track."

Burnett and Dodson say her natural speed makes her better suited to shorter distances, such as the 800 meters and 1,600, than the 5-kilometer cross country distance.

"I've acknowledged I'm better at track," Burnett said.

Burnett has signed to run at Butler University, where she plans to major in biology with the goal of eventually attending medical school.

"The minute I met (Butler track coach Matt Roe and assistant Collette Huffman), I said, 'This is where I want to go,' " Burnett said. "The academics, coupled with the athletics, (are) really a perfect combo."