From relays to individual events, Cascade Christian’s Schepker ready for postseason track

Morgan Schepker has made an adjustment on the track.

Things have been different for Cascade Christian’s standout junior sprinter — she is running alone this season after spending years as one of the girls in the Cougars’ strong relay teams.

“It’s kind of different than before because I was usually coming in here working out and stretching with my teammates,” Schepker said. “You get used to doing things together and being in sync with each other.”

But that’s gone now. Schepker is on the track alone these days.

“When you prepare for individual events, it’s a little different because it makes you rely on yourself,” she added.

Since the move, the results have been staggering as Schepker owns a top 10-placement in the Class 1A in the top three sprint events.

Schepker’s top placement is the 400-meter dash (fifth) with a time of 59.61 seconds. She ranked 10th in both the 100 (12.95) and the 200 (26.76).

“I felt she was the best runner who could make the transition to the individuals,” Cascade Christian coach Devin Snyder said. “She’s a hard worker who’s always refining herself — she’s always trying to improve her own personal best, not caring about what the (opposition is) doing.”

But it was the opposition that drove Schepker to reach this point in her career. It just wasn’t coming from other teams.

It was closer to home for the junior.

“My teammates last year really pushed me to be at my best all the time,” Schepker said. “We really care about the relays, so it was up to everyone to do their part.”

Cascade Christian’s relay teams placed in two out of three events at the 1A State Track and Field Championship at Eastern Washington University last year.

The girls 4x100 relay took second (49.48) and the 4x400 relay finished in fourth (4 minutes, 8.23 seconds). The 4x200 meter relay team had the chance at the top time during the prelims, but an error forced the team to default, eliminating the Cougars’ chance at placing in all three relay events.

“With some of those girls gone, I thought this year it would be a different challenge,” Schepker said.

In each of those races, Schepker was the key as the junior was the relay team’s anchor — the one who finished up the race like a bat out of hell.

Those days are over as the record-setting relay team has been disbanded.

Now is the time for Schepker, one that Cascade Christian’s junior sprinter won’t trip up when the starting pistol fires come postseason.

“My goal is place in the 100, 200 and the 400-meter, so I’m doing all I can to be ready,” Schepker said.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 12:38 PM with the headline "From relays to individual events, Cascade Christian’s Schepker ready for postseason track."