Devin St. Clair has posted some of the best times on the oval this spring.
Now, time is all the Kentwood High track star has on his hands.
St. Clair, a frontrunner to win gold medals at Star Track later this month in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes, tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee two weeks ago playing rugby. The injury occurred not while being hit or tackling an opponent, but rather by doing the one thing he is known best for — running.
“I took one cut and it went out on me,” lamented St. Clair. “I knew (my knee) was all out of place after it happened. I was just playing around. I play football a lot. I thought I’d get out and play rugby.
“I should never have gone out and played rugby during track season. I thought I was invincible.”
The injury came just one day after St. Clair bolted to the state’s best marks in the 100 (10.73) and 200 (21.40) at the Shoreline Invitational. The Kentwood senior also anchors Kentwood’s 4 x 400 relay team, which also has Washington’s top time of 3:23.67 and is part of the team’s 4 x 100 relay, which is among the state leaders.
The injury is a devastating blow to a Kentwood team that was considered among the challengers for the team title at the state meet. And though the Conquerors still possess plenty of talent, losing St. Clair is a huge blow, coach Steve Roche said.
“I guess to put it in comparison terms, what if our basketball team lost Josh Smith?” Roche said. “It’s that level of injury. Those relays go from top of the state level to … wow, I hope we can get to state.”
St. Clair took second at state last year in the 100 (10.89) and third in the 200 (21.87). He was a heavy favorite to win gold this year. Being injured so close to the state meet is tough to swallow, St. Clair admitted.
“It has taken a lot out of me,” said St. Clair, who isn’t on crutches, but does have to wear a brace on his left leg. “I knew I had a state title to go get. I feel like I let a lot of my teammates down, myself down and a lot of people down. I don’t know how to handle it. I’m moping around, just trying to get over it.”
Instead of looking forward to the potential of state gold, St. Clair now has four-to-five months of physical therapy ahead. In addition, he won’t be able to run for at least another six months.
On the bright side, Eastern Washington University, the school in which St. Clair hopes to attend and compete for next year, has remained loyal.
“They say they still want me,” he said.
St. Clair is one of Kentwood’s top all-around athletes. Not only has he excelled on the track this spring, but also on the football field in the fall. During football season, St. Clair, a wide receiver/defensive back, was named the South Puget Sound League North Division’s Special Teams Player of the Year. He also earned first-team honors as a wide receiver and second-team accolades as a defensive back.
“It’s so unfair,” Roche said. “You go through sports and you see athletes who are very talented and don’t work hard and don’t deserve the success. He’s not one of them. He’s out there every day and gives ever ounce that he has got.”
That said, Kentwood still has enough depth and talent to do some damage at the state meet, especially with standouts Steven Warner, Darrius Coleman and Cody Fishel among others still in the lineup.
“If anything, we still have a good group of kids who can do something,” Roche said.
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