The Stateliner sophomore ran 12.11 seconds to come in third at Friday's NJSIAA Group 4 meet.
Sydney Hawkins has run faster than she did Friday.
But the Phillipsburg sophomore seemed content with her third-place finish in the 100-meter dash in Friday’s NJSIAA Group 4 track and field championships at Egg Harbor Township High School.
“I am pretty happy with how I did,” said Hawkins after she ran 12.11 seconds in the final and qualified for the Meet of Champions; she had run 12.09 in the earlier preliminary Friday and her personal-best stands at 11.94. “I was trying to get top three, and I am glad that I did that.”
Winning the race was perhaps a bit beyond Hawkins because of the presence of Williamstown senior Bria Mack, who won her fourth consecutive Group 4 100 championship in 11.58 seconds; she ran 11.74 in the preliminary.
Asked if she was glad Mack will be graduating, Hawkins smiled.
“It really pushes me to run against Bria,” Hawkins said. “She makes me run my best.”
Hawkins said she needs to run a more consistent race to reach her goals of running better than 11.94 seconds, as low as 11.80 if possible, at the Meet of Champions.
“I think my start is fine,” she said. “But I think I am slowing down near the end of the race. I think I need to open my stride up and push my arms more.”
Phillipsburg head coach Rich Kiley said he’s confident Hawkins can run under 12 seconds at the Meet of Champions coming up June 10 at Northern Burlington High School.
“(She just needs to) stay relaxed, focused and positive,” Kiley said. “She’s done it already, no reason for her not to do it again. I know she has it in her.”
Hawkins was certainly more comfortable at Egg Harbor this year than as a freshman. She came in third then as well but in 12.43 seconds.
“Last year I was really nervous at groups,” Hawkins said. “This year I was more excited. I do a lot better when I am excited than when I am nervous.”
Speaking of nerves, Hawkins will compete in the 200-meter dash Saturday at Egg Harbor, her less favorite of her two events. She enters as the No. 5 seed but with a personal-best time of 24.93 seconds. Mack is the top seed at 24.38 (she has run 24.19).
“Now that I am thinking about it I am kind of nervous about that now,” Hawkins said. “I am trying not to think about it.”
Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.