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Fleharty signs with Fort Hays
4/23/2008
By NICK McQUEEN
nmcqueen@dailynews.net
The thought of going anywhere else never really crossed her mind.
Competing in track and field and Fort Hays State University both just seem to be in her blood.
So, it was no surprise that Hays High School senior Kristen Fleharty wanted to continue her running career as a member of the Tiger track and field program and compete in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
"I've kind of always known that I was going to go to Fort Hays and I've always loved track," Fleharty said. "I am so excited to be able to continue running on the next level, and I don't think I am quite ready to leave home yet."
The standout Hays High hurdler made her decision official Tuesday at the HHS cafeteria, signing her letter of intent with the Tigers.
"I am planning on running the hurdles, that's my thought anyway," she said. "I would also like to run the 4x1, but I think (Tiger track coach Dennis Weber) at least had the hurdles in mind."
For now, Fleharty will worry about getting through the rest of the Hays High season injury free, and hopes to better last year's fifth- and third-place finishes at state in the 100-meter hurdles and the 300 hurdles, respectively.
Earlier this season, Fleharty set a new Hays High record, running 14.81 seconds at the McPherson Invitational. The mark reached a personal goal as well for Fleharty, who also placed second in Class 5A in the 300 hurdles as a sophomore.
"At the beginning of the year, that was one of my goals that we had to turn into (Indian coach Rick Blosser)," Fleharty said. "I told myself if I didn't break 15 at that meet, I was going to be very upset. I knew the school mark and when I saw my time, I think I actually almost started crying.
"I had a perfect race, didn't hit any of the hurdles and none of my steps were off," she added.
Now that goal has been met. And college plans are out of the way. Fleharty can turn her efforts toward the Western Athletic Conference Championships, the Class 5A regional meet, and finally the Class 5A state meet in Wichita. She also runs a leg of the 400-meter relay and is a part-time member of the 1,600 relay team.
"I am really expecting us to win the WAC," Fleharty said. "The young girls are really stepping up and doing well at the varsity level. Our relays will do very well at WAC, regionals -- and state. All of us can at least medal at state."
The granddaughter of long-time Fort Hays biology instructor Gene Fleharty, Kristen was contacted by several junior colleges and other NCAA Division II programs, including MIAA members Pittsburg State and Emporia State.
"Now I don't have to have this in the back of my mind all the time,"¬ she said. "I've had my mind made up for a while now, so maybe now no one will pester me, now that they know where I am going."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
| SB | 5/01 | Emporia State | L 11-0 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 14-1 |
| BB | 4/30 | Kansas Wesleyan | W 12-2 |
