2013 OHSAA State Cross-Country Preview: Steward brings Indians back to State
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Hillsboro junior De-Andre Steward began running in middle school just to see what it was like. A few years later, that decision to start racing, and a lot of hard work along the way, has brought Steward to the peak of his sport, the 2013 Division II State Cross-Country Championships.
Steward, who is the first cross-county runner from HHS to qualify for state since 2011, will race against the best runners Division II has to offer on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2:15 p.m. at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron, with the junior having one last goal in mind to complete his season … to finish in the Top 50.
"Running against the best runners in Division II will be a good motivation factor to get a good time there," Steward told The Highland County Press. "My goal is to get my best time of the season, and I want to get Top 50 in the race.
"It's been a good season thus far, and I've met most of my goals … and the last goal I have is the Top 50 on Saturday."
[[In-content Ad]]Looking back at his beginnings in the sport, the current South Central Ohio League champion runner said once he began running during his middle school years, he found out he loved the sport.
"I decided I was going to run, and I ended up liking it," Steward said. "The first year I ran was in seventh grade. I wasn't very good, but then in eighth grade, I got really good and just started improving and got a lot faster."
This season, the junior compiled a career-high in Top 5 finishes, including his lone win in the SCOL championships at 16:47. At the Highland County Championships this season he was second, as he finished between two other runners who qualified for state in Division III.
"The Highland County meet was a big meet for me," Steward said. "I was trying to beat Blake Hildebrant (of Fairfield, and also a three-time state qualifier) because he beat me the previous years, so I was focusing on that.
"I ended staying kind of close to him, but I fell further behind him in the first part of the race. But about halfway through, I started gaining on him, and around the last couple hundred meters, I was able to pass him and I took off sprinting after that."
Steward spoke about how racing against Hildebrant made him a better runner.
"Racing Blake and other runners like him makes my pace a lot faster," he said "They push me and give me something to work toward. I want to keep up with him and other runners like him."
This past Saturday, once Steward crossed the finish line, he knew he had made the state meet, achieving yet another goal this season. He also looked back at how he's improved since his freshman season.
"I was pretty happy that I made it, and I was glad the hard work finally paid off," Steward said. "My freshman year, I got down to the 19s, and by the end of that season, I was down to the 18s. Then I dropped down to the 17s last year."
Steward used not making state last season as motivation to prepare for this season, increasing his overall preparation this summer for the cross-country season. The results speak for themselves.
"This year, I ran more over the summer than in previous years and ended up making it to state," Steward said. "I did some mile repeats, some distance running and mostly just tried to put in some mileage every week. I run 30 miles a week during the season, and in the offseason, I try to get more miles in."
Tracy Ramsey, one of the HHS varsity coaches (the other varsity coach is Lindsay Butler) spoke about the work ethic of De-Andre and what he brings to the team.
"He works really hard in practice, always gives it his best and does the best he can do," Ramsey said.
She also spoke about the joy she had when he crossed the finish line in 10th place at the Pickerington Regionals. Steward finished with a time of 17:00.72 at regionals. In the district race, his time was 17:22 for eighth place.
"It was absolutely exciting," she said. "When he was at the mile mark, he was in the 30s, and so the last two miles he booked it up to 10th, and that's pretty impressive.
"It was super exciting to know he had to finish 16th or better, and to last see him in the 30s and then to see him finish 10th was phenomenal."
Steward spoke about how without his teammates' help and motivation, he wouldn't be where he is today.
"Without my teammates pushing me in practice, including Zach Middleton especially (who is currently training with Steward in his state preparation), it has helped me push along. There have been former teammates who also have helped me in the offseason.
"It is good to have Zach here now because when I'm not motivated, I have him here to motivate me, and I have someone to work with."
Steward, who is the first cross-county runner from HHS to qualify for state since 2011, will race against the best runners Division II has to offer on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2:15 p.m. at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron, with the junior having one last goal in mind to complete his season … to finish in the Top 50.
"Running against the best runners in Division II will be a good motivation factor to get a good time there," Steward told The Highland County Press. "My goal is to get my best time of the season, and I want to get Top 50 in the race.
"It's been a good season thus far, and I've met most of my goals … and the last goal I have is the Top 50 on Saturday."
[[In-content Ad]]Looking back at his beginnings in the sport, the current South Central Ohio League champion runner said once he began running during his middle school years, he found out he loved the sport.
"I decided I was going to run, and I ended up liking it," Steward said. "The first year I ran was in seventh grade. I wasn't very good, but then in eighth grade, I got really good and just started improving and got a lot faster."
This season, the junior compiled a career-high in Top 5 finishes, including his lone win in the SCOL championships at 16:47. At the Highland County Championships this season he was second, as he finished between two other runners who qualified for state in Division III.
"The Highland County meet was a big meet for me," Steward said. "I was trying to beat Blake Hildebrant (of Fairfield, and also a three-time state qualifier) because he beat me the previous years, so I was focusing on that.
"I ended staying kind of close to him, but I fell further behind him in the first part of the race. But about halfway through, I started gaining on him, and around the last couple hundred meters, I was able to pass him and I took off sprinting after that."
Steward spoke about how racing against Hildebrant made him a better runner.
"Racing Blake and other runners like him makes my pace a lot faster," he said "They push me and give me something to work toward. I want to keep up with him and other runners like him."
This past Saturday, once Steward crossed the finish line, he knew he had made the state meet, achieving yet another goal this season. He also looked back at how he's improved since his freshman season.
"I was pretty happy that I made it, and I was glad the hard work finally paid off," Steward said. "My freshman year, I got down to the 19s, and by the end of that season, I was down to the 18s. Then I dropped down to the 17s last year."
Steward used not making state last season as motivation to prepare for this season, increasing his overall preparation this summer for the cross-country season. The results speak for themselves.
"This year, I ran more over the summer than in previous years and ended up making it to state," Steward said. "I did some mile repeats, some distance running and mostly just tried to put in some mileage every week. I run 30 miles a week during the season, and in the offseason, I try to get more miles in."
Tracy Ramsey, one of the HHS varsity coaches (the other varsity coach is Lindsay Butler) spoke about the work ethic of De-Andre and what he brings to the team.
"He works really hard in practice, always gives it his best and does the best he can do," Ramsey said.
She also spoke about the joy she had when he crossed the finish line in 10th place at the Pickerington Regionals. Steward finished with a time of 17:00.72 at regionals. In the district race, his time was 17:22 for eighth place.
"It was absolutely exciting," she said. "When he was at the mile mark, he was in the 30s, and so the last two miles he booked it up to 10th, and that's pretty impressive.
"It was super exciting to know he had to finish 16th or better, and to last see him in the 30s and then to see him finish 10th was phenomenal."
Steward spoke about how without his teammates' help and motivation, he wouldn't be where he is today.
"Without my teammates pushing me in practice, including Zach Middleton especially (who is currently training with Steward in his state preparation), it has helped me push along. There have been former teammates who also have helped me in the offseason.
"It is good to have Zach here now because when I'm not motivated, I have him here to motivate me, and I have someone to work with."