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O-R Athlete of the Week: Tamara Mathis, Canon-McMillan

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Name: Tamara Mathis

School: Canon-McMillan

Class: Senior

Sport: Track and field

Mathis’ week: The Big Macs’ outstanding sprinter had a remarkable performance in Saturday’s Washington-Greene County Coaches Track & Field Championships at Peters Township High School.

Mathis won all three sprints, and that helped her earn her the Track MVP trophy. She passed Trinity’s Faith Gandy over the final 15 meters of the 100-meter dash, crossing in 12.95, .03 of a second ahead of Gandy. Mathis had to repel another Trinity runner, Julia Chakos, to win the 200 dash in 26.75, just .17 seconds ahead of Chakos’ 26.92. In the 400-meter run, Mathis crossed in 59.26. Fort Cherry’s Mara Whalen was second in 1:00.42.

Finally, Mathis teamed with Trista Miller, Skylar Sobansky and Cerena McBride to break the meet record in the 400-meter relay with a time of 50.11. The old mark, set by Washington in 2014, was 50.24.

“Whenever we have workouts, coming out and working hard there makes it a lot easier in my races,” said Mathis. “I carry over what I do in practice.”

Mathis normally runs a leg of the 1,600 relay but was shifted to the 400 relay specifically to set the record at the county meet.

“She is such a tremendous athlete,” said Canon-McMillan coach Mark Galley. “She went to states in her sophomore year and is a part of the strong group of seniors at the school. She can do a lot of events.”

Mathis’ strongest event is the 400, where she holds the school record at 58.12. Her personal record in the 100 is 12.7 and 26.55 in the 200. She has the two relay events, so something will have to be cut for the postseason.

“We haven’t made any decisions yet,” said C-M coach Mike Koot. “It will probably be the 100. She’s a hard worker and good athletes run in her family. She is a good all-round athlete.”

Missing track: Mathis sat out track last season to concentrate on basketball. She accepted a scholarship to Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio, and the desire to run returned.

Mathis is a point guard and averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.3 steals to net her second consecutive first-team all-district selection in basketball.

“She approached us at the WPIAL meet (about coming back),” said Galley. “She is a well-rounded athlete, so quick and strong.”

And she has a love of running track.

“I picked basketball over track because I played basketball longer,” said Mathis. “As much as I love the 400, I am not doing track (in college). Track helps keep me in shape.”

Compiled by Joe Tuscano

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