Sami Harris is out for the Track Season

Sami Harris (R) and Maggie Drazba - Lance McDaniel Photo

In case you haven’t heard the bad news yet, the 2012 track season will be without Charleston Catholic distance stand-out Sami Harris.
 
According to a recent article in the Charleston Daily Mail, Catholic’s Coach Scott Welch said, “Sami Harris can’t run this spring, because she has been bothered by an ailment. She should make a full recovery and be back for cross country.”
 
The Irish girls will have to deal with losing their junior distance runner. Harris had a break-out season in 2010 in which she placed 1st in the 3200 meter run during spring track and placed 2nd during fall cross country, both at the State Meet. At last year’s State Meet, Harris placed 4th in the high point standings with 24.50 points. Harris had two second place finishes and one third-place finish in the distance events, which helped lead her team to a second place finish in the overall team standings with 77 points.
What about Drazba versus Harris III? Now, of course, that matchup won’t happen!!!
 
This is a tough one for distance fans, because this is one of the most anticipated rivalries in all of West Virginia Track & Field.
 
The Match Up:
2009 West Virginia AA-A Girls State XC Championship:
Drazba - 1st place – 5K - 20:08.50; Harris – 5th place – 5K – 21:13.84
 
2010 West Virginia A Girls State Track Meet:
Drazba – 1st place – 800m – 2:24.39; Harris – 4th place- 800m – 2:28.57
Drazba – 1st place – 1600m - 5:17.86; Harris – 2nd place – 1600m – 5:20.69
Harris – 1st place – 3200m - 11:24.38; Drazba – 2nd place – 3200m – 11:56.86
 
2010 West Virginia AA-A Girls State XC Championship:
Harris – 2nd place – 5K – 19:01; Drazba – 3rd place – 5K – 19:44
 
2011 West Virginia A Girls State Track Meet:
Drazba – 1st place – 800m – 2:24.32 (Tied State Meet Record); Harris – 3rd place- 800m – 2:30.15
Drazba – 1st place – 1600m - 5:14.08 (State Meet Record); Harris – 2nd place – 1600m – 5:16.23
Note: Harris also beat the previous State Meet Record.
Drazba – 1st place – 3200m – 11:07.47 (State Meet Record); Harris – 2nd place – 3200m - 11:13.34
 Note: Harris also beat the previous State Meet Record.
 
2011 West Virginia AA-A Girls State XC Championship:
Drazba – 1st place – 5K – 18:25.4 (New Record); Harris – 2nd place – 5K – 19:11.9
Note:  Old record 18:29 by Letitia Propst in 2008
 
If there’s anything remotely encouraging about this, it’s that Harris will be back for her senior year of cross country and track. And so the rivalry begins again!!!
On behalf of WV Runners we would like to wish Sami Harris a speedy recovery!
 
Personal Bests:
800 Meter Run - 2:28.57
1600 Meter Run - 5:16.23
3200 Meter Run - 11:13.34
5000 Meter Run - 17:41.24