Lutheran's Angell Keeps Running During Summer Months

Lutheran High Schooll distance runner Sophie Angell certainly manages to stay busy in the off-season.

Angell—a sophomore—is running with the St. Louis based Lightning Track Club this summer. This week, she’ll compete with the Lightning on 4 x 400-meter and 4 x 800-meter relay teams in a USA Track and Field sanctioned national meet in Witchta, KS. 

“I hope it’s a great experience,” Angell said. “There will be a lot of really great competitors there.”

Angell practices with the Lightning five times a week for two hours. The two relay teams she competes on qualified for nationals by hitting qualifying times at meets at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Edwardsville, IL. and at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, OK. Next week’s meet in Witchta is the first national meet of the Lutheran student’s career.

“I’m going to trust my teammates,” she said. “We’re going to go out there and give it all we have. Hopefully, we’ll be good enough.”

Angell certainly had a lot of success in the cross country and track seasons last year. She earned all-state honors in cross country and in track in the 800-meter run and 1,600-meter run, and in 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relay events. Her track success story was a part of a larger success story, as Lutheran placed fourth in the Class 2A state girls track tournament this spring.  

Cross-country practice starts on Aug. 8 for Angell and the other cross country athletes at Lutheran.

“Most of our team is returning,” Angell said. “We want to be really successful.”

Having so much success under her belt in a still new career, it’s only natural that the sophomore has big goals.

“I’d like to win a few state titles in track,” she said. “I’d also like to see our cross-country team place in the top three at state.”