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Hernando Today

Ledington Lands At Brevard

TRACK AND FIELD

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Hernando High sprinter Ryane Ledington surges to the lead at the finish line of the 100-meter dash Thursday in the Kiwanis Invitational at Hernando High.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: March 29, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - Ryane Ledington felt right at home Thursday night. The Hernando High senior made the most of her final Kiwanis Invitational on her home track.

Ledington captured first place in both the 100 and 200 races at Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium.

"I wanted to win because I had a lot of people coming," Ledington said. "I didn't want to disappoint anybody and I didn't want to disappoint myself."

Next season, she won't have the luxury of running in front of the home fans. She recently signed on to attend and run at Brevard College in Brevard, N.C.

When she arrives, the 18-year-old daughter of Brooksville's Tim and Robin Ledington admits she'll be "on my own." But that doesn't change her feelings about the future.

"I'm excited about going out of state," Ledington said. "North Carolina is one of my favorite states. It's pretty religious and I like the small community there. It'll feel more like home.

"…It's what I really wanted, to be able to go to school and still pursue track. It's a way of getting out and involved and making friends."

Busy schedule

Getting involved isn't something Ledington struggles to accomplish, whether on the track or in school.

Academically she holds a 4.1 GPA, plus she serves as student government vice-president and historian of the school's National Honor Society.

She's also a member of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and Teen Hernando Leadership, and was a three-year varsity player at point guard for the girls basketball team until this season.

Thanks to that impressive resume, she received a full ride from Brevard. She already has a career path in mind (veterinarian) and will gear her major toward that. She also wants to minor in sports medicine.

"I love animals but I also want to do something with sports," Ledington said. "I love track and I hope to coach it when I graduate, on the side."

She paid visits to Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern and USF, while also looking at the University of Florida. But Brevard won out, offering a solid combination of educational and athletic opportunity.

"It's a small, tight-knit community," Ledington said. "It's really personal, one-on-one learning."

Track coaches at the Division II program have already told her she could run in bigger meets if she can get her times down.

She'll work on that, and said the school encourages its athletes to participate in another sport. She's considering either cross country or a return to basketball.

She decided against playing hoops this past season, wanting to focus more on track, considering that sport provided the chance to earn a scholarship.

Plus track, and specifically sprinting, is what truly gets her blood pumping.

"It's the adrenaline rush, the nerves," Ledington said. "When I've got to run two, three miles, yeah that's great, that's fun. But when it's time to sprint, I'm ready."

Her best event has become the 200, which she prefers because she "likes how you have a little bit longer to gain up speed. The 100 is a straight shoot."

She has made it to regionals in the 200 three times, coming in 14th, 11th and eighth respectively, though she has never advanced to any further.

She ran a 27.16 at regionals last year, with the fourth and final state qualifier running a 26.14. At Kiwanis on Thursday, she won with a 26.42.

"I started as a freshman, I've made it to regionals every time," Ledington said. "This year I'm looking to go to states."

BY THE NUMBERS: RYANE LEDINGTON AT REGIONALS
Year Event Time Place
2006 200 28.27 14th
2007 200 26.73 11th
2008 200 27.16 8th

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at 352-544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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