Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Maplewood junior Caleigh Richards crosses the finish line all alone, winning the Division III 3200m title with a time of 10:53.00.

COLUMBUS — Maplewood junior Caleigh Richards has made three trips to the biggest stage in the state and three times she has founds herself representing the Rockets atop the podium.

This time it was in the 3200 meters as she ran a blazing 10:53, finishing over a half minute better than second-place runner Rebecca Geiss of Heartland Christian and McDonald senior Megan Hipple.

Richards won the 1600 meters last June and placed fourth in the 3200 meters, which was the event she won her freshman season. With a slew of cross country accomplishments to her name, Richards is building quite the award case, but trying to enjoy the experience led to only running in the 3200 meter Saturday afternoon.

She knew she had a better chance at a title in the 3200 in such intense heat.

“It honestly felt really good, that was my goal, to just try and win that race,” said Richards. “Honestly, I’m just blessed to get to be here and have that opportunity. Also with my cross season that I had, I wanted to try and come back here and win something.

“I’ve been trying to enjoy things more, whereas sometimes I get so nervous and so caught up in the competition that I don’t enjoy it, so I’m just trying to enjoy giving God the glory and getting to run for him. I have a bunch of support and family backing me up and telling me that no matter what place I get, they’re proud of me. I’ve already achieved so much, so I wanted to go out and give the talent God has gifted me with and try and enjoy it.”

Maplewood has long boasted an impressive distance program, and Richards is only adding to that history as a junior. Early in the race, she fell behind but paced herself with temperatures above 90 to try and sweat out the competition.

Her planning worked, as she eventually began lapping the lower end of the pack and found herself all alone in front of the packed grandstands at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

“The heat, it’s hard to double, and there was great competition in the mile, Megan to Jaylee, both fantastic runners, so I knew it would be close anyway so I wanted to try and conserve myself and give it all I had,” said Richards. “I didn’t want to go out slow, but I went out kinda conservative and just kinda picked it up, felt good, and just tried to break away there.

“It’s really cool knowing that out of all these people, I’m just honestly so blessed to be here in this talented field and have running as a platform to glorify God, so I give him all the glory, not me.”

With one more season left, the realization of what Richards has accomplished hasn’t set in just yet.

“I know I’m going to look back on these days and wish I enjoyed it more, I really try to capture the moment, but I’m still so excited,” said Richards. “That was my goal for the day, I wanted to win really bad, whatever would have happened, I still would have been happy.”

EDITORS NOTE: Check back in throughout the week for additional features on Mahoning Valley athletes and their performances at the state track meet in Columbus.