Soccer players get to be track stars for a day on Okinawa

The top three racers run in the girls 100 meters.

From left, Kubasaki’s Savannah Stewart placed third, Kadena’s Isabella Price won and Kubasaki’s Kayden Hammac took second in Thursday’s Mike Petty 100. (Photo by Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – Kayden Hammac sprinted to second-place finishes in the 100 and 200 and anchored Kubasaki’s 400-relay B team to victory in Thursday’s 17th Mike Petty Memorial track and field meet.

Not bad, for a striker who leads the Dragons’ girls soccer team with nine goals and six assists this season.

“And this was without training, without being near (starting) blocks,” Dragons assistant track coach Gabriell Horton said. “With the times she’s running, she could win Far East.”

“I did track at my last school,” said Hammac, who transferred from San Diego, where she ran track at Canyon Hills High School and posted times of 12.81 in the 100 and 27.39 in the 200 last spring. “I had the opportunity to do it again and I really missed it.”