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Freedom leaps, sprints to the front of the pack

Now heading into postseason, the Patriots' track and field team has lost just one event, to track powerhouse Wharton.

By ROD GIPSON
Published April 21, 2006

Morse remembers it too - mainly because it wasn't only the first time he attempted the event, but the first time he ever saw it.

The result was twofold - Morse leaped an impressive 39 feet and the Freedom Patriots coaches began salivating.

A year later and plenty more leaps, Morse is among the best field athletes in the state. And along with sprinter Calvin Smith II, the two have helped Freedom become a squad to watch heading into the postseason.

"They are two of our top seniors and just phenomenal athletes," said Freedom track coach Leon Brockmeier. "Mikese is kind of our head man for the field events and helps out me and the team tremendously, and Calvin is just one of those speed burners you stop to watch every time he runs."

Morse, who transferred to Freedom last year after beginning high school in Ohio, came in and added immediate energy to the Patriots.

After that initial triple jump, coaching and practice has seen Morse's distance stretch to 45 feet, 10 inches, second best in the county (Gaither's Carlton Mitchell is No. 1 at 46-2.5).

Morse's high jump numbers of 6 feet, 4 inches are also among the county's best and he holds the top two long jump distances recorded this season. His personal best is 24 feet, 8 inches.

"It's a lot different competing down here (in Florida)," said Morse, who has begun to receive track scholarship offers. "But the competition has been better, and competing in some of the bigger events I think has definitely helped me."

Morse, who at 5 feet 10 and 165 pounds, also played football for the Patriots and acknowledges his athletic future may lie in both sports.

"I enjoy track and football," said Morse, who as a running back helped Freedom to its first winning season in school history in 2005. "I'm just concentrating on track right now but I'm not sure (about college)."

Smith's track prowess was less of a surprise to the Patriots.

The son of former 100-meter world record holder Calvin Smith, the younger Smith has been part of the Freedom track program since its inception in 2002. A standout in the 100-, 200-, 400-meter and relay events, Smith has recorded times among the best in the state and has gained notice nationally.

Smith's 10.5 in the 100 and the 21.4 in the 200 are tops in the county, as is his 400 time of 47.7, which was the best in the country earlier this year. His 400 time now ranks as the fifth best in the nation.

"He just has a textbook style," said Brockmeier of Smith. "He's exceptional from the blocks; he's so smooth and just a fluid runner."

But despite an athletic pedigree and a growing status as a legitimate track athlete, Smith said there is plenty to still work on.

"I try to focus on getting a good start," said Smith, a 5-foot-11, 165-pounder who also played football and basketball for the Patriots. "Driving out of the blocks and keeping my head down, those are things I want to work on."

Morse, along with sprinters Calvin Smith and Eddie Davis, has had a huge impact on the Freedom program this season. The Patriots have won all but one of the events and their one loss was by 20 points to local track juggernaut Wharton.

Now the Patriots want to transfer that regular season success to the postseason as the district tournaments begin.

"We're just trying to get ready," Brockmeier said. "For all the practices and the meets, we're just trying to get better each week and be ready when the districts start."

[Last modified April 20, 2006, 08:11:20]