Webbers Falls runner wants to make state to prove naysayers wrong

Webbers Falls Lady Warriors junior cross country runner Cheyanne Herrier just missed out in qualifying for the Class 2A State Meet last fall as a sophomore. She’s hoping to make the cut for this year’s state meet, which will be Oct. 28 at Edmond Santa Fe High School.

“I’m hoping I can go to state,” Herrier said. “I’m also hoping there are also other girls who will be going (to state). My friend from Gore Hallie Kinion made state her freshman and sophomore years. She didn’t make it to state last year. I would like to go with her to state.”

So far, Herrier’s fastest time has been 14:27.

“She did 14:27 at Henryetta (Invitational on Sept. 9) when she ran that six weeks ago,” Webbers Falls cross country coach Meghan Johnson said.

So, Herrier believes she needs to be about a minute faster than her personal best so far this season to make the cut at the Class 2A Regional Meet at 11 a.m. Saturday at Henryetta, and make her goal of being a state qualifier.

“I probably will need to run around 13 minutes,” the Webbers Falls junior runner said. “I feel I have to shave off about 60 seconds.”

Herrier has not ran in a competitive high school meet since the Checotah Crossroads Meet on Oct. 3. However, she said she’s been keeping herself in as best a running shape possible.

“I’ve been running every morning with Ms. Johnson over long distances,” she said. “After school, I’ve been trying to get in fast-tempo runs.”

Herrier was among those who ran in the Webbers Falls 5k Race, which took place Saturday. Johnson said she was using that event as a gauge for Herrier.

“What I told Cheyanne was I didn’t care what her 5k time was,” Johnson said. “I wanted to know what her twomile time was. I told her to look at her watch (at the two-mile mark). I didn’t care however she wanted to finish the 5k. I was just concerned with her twomile (time), so we kind of made up our own two-mile race.”

To say Herrier would be overjoyed come Saturday morning to be a state qualifier is an understate. She believes if that happens, she will have proved a lot of naysayers wrong.

“I’m be nervous and also excited to get to run this (Class 2A) regional, but if I make it to state I would be so excited,” Herrier said. “I would have proved a whole lot of people wrong by making it to state. Cross country is a sport. I’ve been trying to prove them wrong all season. That’s been a motivating factor for me.”