Athlete of the Week: Pinckney's Jaelyn Ray swept 1,600, 3,200 at regionals

PINCKNEY — This is what Jaelyn Ray is capable of when she’s fully healthy for a season.

The Pinckney freshman became the first Livingston County girl to sweep the two longest races in regionals since Brighton’s Elizabeth Kinneer in 1999 and finished in the top three in a strong distance conference in three events.

Ray won the 1,600-meter run in 5 minutes, 22.76 seconds and the 3,200 in 11:40.82 in the Division 2 regional at Dearborn Divine Child.

In the SEC White meet, she took second in the 800 and 3,200 and third in the 1,600, providing critical points for the Pirates’ championship performance.

By staying healthy, Ray has avoided the ups and downs that marked her freshman season of cross country.

She made an incredible debut by running 19:09.5 in her first high school race, but missed most of September while dealing with health issues. When she returned, she didn’t come close to the time she ran in her first race, though she qualified for the state meet by placing fourth at regionals.

“I had a hip injury,” said Ray, the Livingston Daily’s Athlete of the Week. “Then after my cross country season, I found out I had iron issues. Oxygen wasn’t getting to my legs as much. I could definitely feel it. I wasn’t going to do indoors at first because I had basketball, but that really boosted my confidence. That was me ramping up into track season.

“I haven’t had an injury take me out of the season. I’m really grateful for that.”

Ray’s performance at Divine Child helped Pinckney rack up 151 points, the highest total by a county girls team in records going back 30 years. In a meet dominated by two teams, it was good for only second place behind Divine Child’s 173.5.

“A day or two before when our coach was making the lineups, he asked us, ‘Do you want to go for a regional title or do you want to go for as many people to states as possible?’” Ray said. “Everyone almost unanimously said. ‘Get as many to states as possible.’ It was really cool how we still almost won. We were definitely trying. The lineup we had didn’t have everyone in every event.”

Ray, for instance, didn’t run the 800 so she could be fresher for the 3,200.

Ray will probably run only the 3,200 in the state meet Saturday at Hamilton High School. She is ranked 21st in the 3,200 and 30th in the 1,600, though she dropped her 1,600 time to 5:09.41 Thursday from a 5:22.76 at regionals.

“It’s probably going to be hot and he wants to save me for one race,” Ray said. “I haven’t run the two mile as fast as I was indoor. If I run my indoor time at states, it would technically get me all-state. I’m trying to get in the low 11s.”

While the Pinckney team is a mix of athletes who are dedicated solely to track and field and others who double up in softball or soccer during the spring, the group has formed a close bond.

“All the girls are just so fun and kind and hard-working,” Ray said. “Win or lose, it’s the best team you could ask for. It’s really fun how we’re having a winning season like we’ve had. I’ve had a blast.”

Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Pinckney's Jaelyn Ray swept 1,600, 3,200 at regionals