'She loves to compete': State qualifier Myshock having breakout Inland Lakes track season

PELLSTON – Mary Myshock almost decided to quit track and field at one point.

But a certain event, something she’s competed in since sixth grade, motivated her to stick with it – hurdles.

Last week, Myshock, an Inland Lakes sophomore, had the breakthrough moment of her young high school career by qualifying for the state finals in the 100 hurdles with a fourth place time of 17.79, a personal best, during a MHSAA Division 4 regional meet in Pellston.

Upon hearing the news she had qualified, some tears were shed by Myshock, who did her part in helping lead the I-L girls to a second consecutive team regional crown .

“(Qualifying for states is) something I’ve worked for all year,” Myshock said. “It’s something I’m good at and it’s just amazing. I love hurdles, they’re my favorite.”

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To motivate herself, Myshock looked to someone as inspiration during the early stages of her high school career. For Myshock, that athlete was Larissa Huffman, the program’s all-time points leader who graduated in 2023 and is now running at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin.

“She pushed me at the same time to be fast and have that motivation,” Myshock said of Huffman. “She just told me not to get down on myself. Even if you don’t run your best time, just go, forget about it, it’s the past, look forward.”

After running just one event as a freshman, Myshock has become a versatile and critical young member of the Bulldogs this season, earning crucial points in hurdles and sprint relays.

“Last year’s seniors ran these events and went to states, and now we have that role of carrying on that legacy and trying to do better,” Myshock said.

If you’ve ever watched Myshock on the basketball court, she’s one of those players who epitomizes the entire team concept. Just ask Inland Lakes coach Sarah Furman, who’s been blown away by the tough-minded sophomore’s contributions on the track this spring.

“Mary has the ability to compete and ability to race that’s really difficult to coach because when the gun goes off, Mary goes all out, all the time,” Furman said. “That is what makes her so fierce. Hurdles are aggressive; you must be fearless, and that’s Mary to a tee. She’s aggressive, she’s fearless, she loves to compete, and she’s just a gamer.

“She’s extremely tough, she loves being on relays, and she just loves to race.”

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Myshock will have an opportunity to race on Division 4 track’s biggest stage in Hudsonville on Saturday, June 1, but what she also looks forward to is continuing to be a team-first athlete in the future.

“Every team sport feels like a team sport, but (track) feels more like a team sport because everyone’s working together to win,” Myshock said. “If we have somebody in the same event and we know they’re better, we can congratulate them if they beat us, and it’s just nice. It’s not having to feel wrong that you beat your teammate.”

Myshock and the Inland Lakes girls will seek a third consecutive Ski Valley Conference title when they head to Mancelona on Wednesday.

Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: 'She loves to compete': State qualifier Myshock having breakout Inland Lakes track season