Huron's Jaden Carey will compete for BGSU

HURON — Jaden Carey feels right when she's on a track. "Track is my home," she said. "The sport in general, I just feel most myself here." The Huron senior ensured that this won't be her final time with that feeling. Carey recently committed to compete collegiately at Bowling Green State University. She plans to study criminal science and forensic investigation. "I went back there (for an official visit) and loved it a lot more than the first time," Carey said. "Originally, it was kind of equal with some of the other choices, but after official visits, it really was over the edge… Just getting to know the team and spending time with them was really nice. I got to see more of the campus and be a little more personal with it. I just liked it a lot." Carey was a multi-event state qualifier as a junior. She placed third in Division II in the long jump. "Easily one of the most coachable athletes I have had the privilege to coach," Huron track coach Mike Lemponen said. Also a dancer and cheerleader, Carey had to decide which of her pursuits she would continue at the next level. When the college letters started to arrive during her junior year, she realized track and field was the answer. "Dance I've been doing for 15 years, so I feel like I've kind of made peace with that," Carey said. "I did what I can. Track I feel like I haven't been able to do everything that I can with it." A huge junior season helped Carey stand out to the recruiters. She put everyone on notice with a perfect 4-for-4 day at Huron's Artie Miller Invitational — winning the high jump, long jump, 100-meter hurdles and as part of the 4x100 relay. Carey made it to state in both jump events. On the first day of the state meet in Columbus, she cleared 5-2 in the high jump, not her best height but not something she wanted to dwell on, either. "It was a big thing, I had to reset my mind for the next day because I knew I had something else," Carey said. "I wasn't too happy with my performance, but I got 5-2, and that's not a bad jump. I hope to do better this year." The next morning, Carey leaped her personal best in the long jump, 17-8.25. That had followed her very-temporary PR of 17-6.75. She picked a good time to jump further than she ever had. The third-place finish is a bit of dual motivation for Carey, who both proved to herself how good she can be but was also pretty close to an even greater accomplishment. "Third, it's amazing, but I know I can do better," Carey said. "17-8 was kind of a shocker when I got there and I jumped that. I was happy to PR at state of all things. I just know that I can PR further." Long jump glory will be just one of the things Carey is chasing her senior season. It's in that event that she has had her eye on the school record for a while, currently held by Amy Allendorf Brown. Allendorf was a two-time state placer whose best leap was 17-11.25. Carey is also in range of the school's 100 hurdles record, and after battling a number of injuries as a junior, hopes to stay healthy and contend all the way through the season's final weekend in multiple events again. "I've got some school records that I've got my eye on," she said. "I feel like if I put enough work in, it's definitely something I can get to. Those records and my teammates and people around just keep me pushing to work harder." Regardless of how the next two and a half months go, Carey's got the weight of a college decision off her shoulders. She said that one of her goals was to get it out of the way before the season started so the competition was her only focus. Throughout much of the regular season, Carey should shine as one of the area's best in multiple events. But she won't stop working. "I want to keep pushing myself," Carey said. "Even if I do win at one meet, I don't want to just settle. I want to beat myself."