Fast track: Smith, Hardin sprint their way to success

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 8, 2018

They have a need for speed.

Coupeville senior Jacob Smith is the fastest sprinter in school history, and Oak Harbor senior Taeson Hardin parlayed his quickness into a football/track scholarship to the College of Idaho.

Jacob Smith

Smith ran an 11.12 100 meters in the Olympic League 1A championship meet Friday, May 4, to set a new school mark in the event.

Bill Carstensen ran a hand-held time of 10.9 in 1987; it converts to 11.14 when adjusted to automatic timing.

Smith set the school 200 meter record (22.41) last year while placing third in the state meet. He was also 10th in the 100 and 12th in the 4×400 at state last spring.

As a sophomore, he placed fourth in the 200, 11th in the 100 and 15th in the 4×400 at state.

He reached state those two years by winning all three events in the 1A league meet and District 3 meet.

This season, as of May 7, Smith ranked second in the 100 (11.12) and third in the 200 (22.87) among 1A runners in 2018.

Smith’s times improved dramatically between his freshman and sophomore years because he changed his training habits.

“I spent more time at it than everyone else,” he said. “I was one of those first-to-arrive, last-to-leave guys.”

After he reached his career goals, which came faster than he expected, he turned his focus to pleasing his mother, Deb Smith.

“The reason I run is for my mom, to make her happy,” he said.

The 200 was initially his favorite race.

“That (the 200 school record) is the one I cared about,” Smith said. “Now I think I like the 1 better; I like the short race.”

The key to his success is the support of his parents, Deb and Sherman Smith, and the help of track coach Randy King.

“Coach King has always been right there helping me,” Smith said.

Smith plans to attend Montana State University and study political science; he does not plan to run track.

“I will be too deep into my internships and studies,” he said.

Taeson Hardin

Hardin turned out for track for the first time last year, and although he lacked experience, he still won the Wesco North and district 100-meter titles.

“It would be pretty incredible if I could do it again,” he said. “I’m still trying to learn how to run.”

He placed 14th in the 100 at the state meet in 2017, and eighth on the 4×100 team.

His winning district time in the 100 is a personal best 11.09; his goal this year is to break 11 seconds.

In addition to winning the 100 meters in the divisional and district meets, he helped the Wildcat win the 4×100 relay in both contests. He is joined on the relay team by is brother, junior Dorian Hardin.

“Running track and playing football with him is something I will always remember,” Taeson Hardin said. “I take the handoff from him in the relay; we have pictures of that; it’s pretty special.”

The two compete against each other in the 100, and Dorian has won a time or two.

“He knows I am still the fastest,” Taeson said, “but his times are dropping too.”

Hardin enjoys the 4×100 the most because it is “so intense” and the “most exciting race.”

Hardin is a two-time, All-Wesco North honorable mention choice in football. He finished his Wildcat career with 1,298 rushing yards on 139 carries, a 9.3 average. He scored 14 touchdowns, two from 66 yards.

He also started at defensive back for Oak Harbor, the position he will play at the College of Idaho (Caldwell), an NAIA school.

He was recruited by several schools but liked C of I after visiting in February.

“I like the way they treated me,” Hardin said; there was no hard sell. “They offered in both football and track.”

“They were truthful and straight up,” he added. “I had a good talk with the coach, and it is a good place for me academically and athletically.”

He plans to major in electrical engineering.