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After failing to advance any runners to last season's state meet, the Cincinnati Christian School track and field team could potentially advance several runners this season, coach Dan Bragg said.

One of those hopefuls is Amanda Roden, a freshman who'd never ran competitively — or even gone jogging — until last month.

"I just showed up at the first meet, and asked 'OK, what do I do now?,' " Roden said. "I didn't expect to do this well. ... It's like a cool new discovery, a sport that I never realized I could do."

She has set personal record times in the 800-meter run

(2:20) and the 400 (1:00.9).

"She does a funny thing with her right arm when she runs," Bragg said.

"People were asking what she's doing. And I tell them that they should do it, too, because it's sure worked for her."

Roden's times may get even faster; she recently bought her first pair of track spikes.

"Well, my sneakers had holes in them, and they were way too big," Roden said.

As expected, the Bragg brothers , Josiah (junior) and Isaiah (sophomore), are closing in on state-caliber times.

At last year's regionals, the brothers each fell just short of state qualification in the 3,200. This season, Bragg said he thinks they need to trim at least 10 seconds off their current 3,200 times —Josiah's top time is 10:02 and Isaiah's is 10:07 — to secure a state bid.

"They need to be in the

9:50 range, but it seems do-able at this point," Bragg said.

It's attainable because neither has entered their tapering period, which will likely begin this week and end right before districts.

"We've got nine days off before the league meet," Bragg said. "I'm glad for that, so that the team can rest up, and peak at district and regionals."

Another runner poised for a deep postseason run is sophomore sprinter Michelle Baab, whose top times in the 100 and 200 are 13.3 seconds and 27.8 seconds.

Bragg also hopes that junior hurdler Michelle Mead — a regional qualifier in the 300 hurdles last season — returns to true form after sitting out most of the season with a sprained ankle.

The Miami Valley Conference meet takes place May 15 and 16.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5128 or edawisha@coxohio.com.

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