Whiteland runner Tori Jackson, front, led the pack while setting Johnson County meet records last month at 800 and 1,600 meters
Daily Journal file photo
The start of the postseason is nearing, which means Whiteland coach Brandon Bangel has decisions to make.
It’s here the versatility of Tori Jackson creates something of a predicament — albeit a positive one — regarding the Warriors’ lineup.
Jackson, a junior, holds school record times in the 800-, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. As a freshman, she clutched the baton as part of the 2021 Warriors’ 4×800 relay, which also owns the school standard.
Decisions, decisions.
“What we have to do is figure out what Tori does best for the tournament,” said Bangel, whose Warriors repeated as Mid-State Conference champion on Tuesday at Decatur Central. “When Tori was younger, it seemed she gravitated toward the 800.
“As she’s gotten older, she’s become equally as good at the mile.”
Jackson’s newest event, the 3,200, could be the odd one out.
She ran it for the first time at the nine-team Zionsville Invite on April 28, clocking a time of 11 minutes, 11.25 seconds to break the old Whiteland mark held by Danielle Muse. Her 11:31.45 at conference, produced in windy, dreary conditions, was good enough for first place as well.
“It was a cool experience to run something I hadn’t run,” Jackson said. “I would be open to running it again, and could definitely see running it a couple of times during my senior season.”
Jackson was runner-up to Plainfield senior Veronica Hargrave in both the 1,600 and 800 at the Mid-State meet; she broke Johnson County meet records in winning both of those races on her home track last month.
Given the order of events, and Jackson’s experience in them, the 4×800 followed by the 1,600 followed by the 800 seems to be the most likely scenario for her at the Franklin Sectional on May 16.
Jackson, who considers herself an 800 runner first, embraces what she must pour into the two-lap race both physically and mentally.
“Honestly, with it being so mentally draining, it’s about keeping your head up and pushing through the race,” she said. “I have always loved a challenge, and the 800 is so challenging and so strategic.”
In her first two varsity seasons, Jackson experienced both ends of the postseason emotional spectrum.
As a freshman, she made it to the state meet in the 800, finishing 13th in 2:18.17. The aforementioned 4×800 relay — which included the since-graduated trio of Katia Olmstead, Claire Overfelt and Lauren Fish — took 19th on the big stage in 9:48.57.
Jackson finished fourth in the 800 at last season’s Franklin Regional, just missing a return trip to state. Her time of 2:19.31 was faster than nine of the 800 runners who advanced to state out of the other seven regionals.
“My sophomore year, I got the flu around the time when I was preparing for the postseason,” Jackson said. “The regional came around, and I didn’t have the strength that I normally have. But it gave me motivation going into this track season.”
That drive was displayed in the fall when Jackson qualified for the girls state cross country finals, finishing 53rd at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute.
Not surprisingly, her name is next to Whiteland’s girls 5K record, a nice addition to the three — make that three and a quarter — that she owns in track.
