“That kid has some toughness,” Reimer said of Deardorff. “She runs through injuries most people couldn’t walk through. She grinds it out. When God made her, He forgot to give her a brake pedal. Just gas all the time.”
Deardorff is running on high octane this season.
She recorded the fastest girls cross country time in the Greater Miami Conference when she ran 3.1 miles in 18:09.61 at the Hilliard Hot Summer Bash.
Reimer believes if Deardorff remains healthy she can run a sub-18 minute.
But instead of being concerned with personal times, the senior is hoping the team can advance to the state meet for the first time in her career.
“I have a lot of confidence we can do that,” she said this week after practice. “That would be really awesome.”
When Deardorff crosses the finish line, typically near the front, she stays around and encourages the rest of her teammates. Then they celebrate as a team.
“She leads by example,” her coach said. “She doesn’t get in their face. They just watch and see how hard she works. She’s a dream.”
Then he dropped this line: “I don’t know of a more likable superstar.”
Deardorff’s times have steadily improved throughout her high school career. She ran a 20:23.50 as a freshman at the GMC Championships after battling injuries for most of the season, an 18:41.42 at the Jim Murray Invitational as a sophomore and an 18:25.90 as a junior at the Southwest District Championships.
After being a second-team GMC member as a freshman, Deardorff has made the first-team the last two seasons.
She finished 20th at state as a sophomore and 22nd last season. Reimer believes she can place in the Top 10 this season.
Before she was a long distance runner, Deardorff competed in gymnastics.
Then in eighth grade, she tried cross country and she’s been running ever since.
“I love the feeling out there when you’re able to push yourself,” she said.
Watching your daughter run 3.1 miles through a hilly course instead of around a track creates obstacles for parents.
Her parents, Joe and Jan Deardorff, typically map out the course and determine the best places to watch their daughter and the other East runners.
Then be back in time for the finish.
“You have to be prepared to run,” Jan said. “It’s a parent participation sport.”
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The Journal-News will profile a local high school athlete on Sundays. If you have a suggestion, please forward the athlete’s name and high school to Rick McCrabb at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
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