Track recruit

[Marty]

UIL Track and Field Preview

Hodge is leaving his marks

By Jason Della Rosa

Herald Democrat

TOM BEAN — There are 16 records on the sign that displays the Tom Bean school track records.

There is not one mention of Jerrod Hodge. Yet.

The listings on the boys ledger have not been updated in almost six years but the senior has re-written the Tomcat record book with a career that will end at the University Interscholastic League state track meet this weekend in Austin.

Hodge, who now holds seven school marks, will compete in three individual events — the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes — a combination not seen very often.

“It’s very rare,” Tom Bean coach Brad Scribner said. “It takes a special kid to do it because the events are so close together.”

Hodge’s schedule Friday night isn’t an easy one. He will run the 100 first and get a break thanks to the 800 relay before competing in the 400.

After the 300 hurdles are run, Hodge returns to the track for the 200. Each break will probably be 15 minutes at the longest.

“I just warm-up for the 100 and keep going,” Hodge said. “Catch my breath between each one.”

The speedster competed at the state meet last year in just the 200, finishing fourth. But this time Hodge could be headed home with some hardware.

Based on the regional times, Hodge is the favorite in the 400 and is a serious threat to win the 100 as well.

“If I don’t win the 400 it’d be disappointing,” he said. “I know I can get first in the 100 if I get out of the blocks fast enough.”

His personal-best 400 time of 48.5 in the regional preliminaries was a full second faster than anyone he will face at state and was better than every runner in Class 4A or below at the regional meets, according to results at texastrack.com.

“I know my race and how to run it,” Hodge said. “I can’t worry about other people around me.”

In the other two races, the only other runner who has better times is Aubrey’s Colt Davis, who beat Hodge at the 2A Region II meet in Stephenville.

“He knows I’m going to try to beat him and I know he’s the guy I’ve got to beat,” Hodge said.

Hodge was just a tenth of a second behind Davis (21.50 to 21.60), who also went to state last year in the same event, in the 200 but has a wider gap to make up on him in the 100 (10.19 to 10.43) if a sweep is even possible.

But such a lofty goal is not the focus for Hodge.

This is a runner whose best event, the 400, wasn’t even on his radar screen as a junior.

“The coaches wanted me to do the mile relay and I did what they wanted,” Hodge said. “This year they said they’d let me run my single events.”

The result could end with a state title. Hodge, who started running track in seventh grade, has yet to be beaten in that particular race.

“Ever since I was young I wanted to run track and be in the Olympics,” he said.

Hodge, who also played football and baseball for Tom Bean, will continue to run in college, having narrowed his choices to Tarleton State and the University of North Texas.

[Marty]

Update on Hodge at state meet:

3rd in 100 meter dash: 10.77

1st in 400 meters: 48.22

[Coach]

Why did he scratch from the 200? That was a great race too, with Davis and Cumby right there finishing with the same time.

[Guest e-bone]

Hodge and Davis are a couple of blazing fast kids from small local schools. They a couple more examples of why it can't be said that top talent can't come from small schools. A friend of mine from high school(2A), won 3 straight state championships in the high jump and jumped 6'11" as a junior. I tried to get him to come to North Texas but Stephen F. Austin offered him a better scholarship. Kids who are that good, and as good as Hodge and Davis, are rare, especially when they are local. It would be nice to see NT go after kids like that.

[Marty]

Hodge scratched from the 200 due to dehydration.