AOTW: Trailblazer Redwine makes up for lost time with banner year
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
AUBURN HILLS — It’s not that Kyle Redwine is considered a one-hit wonder in the sport of track and field team, it’s that the recent Auburn Hills Avondale graduate only had one full season while with the Yellowjackets.
Now, the 2012 grad has put together quite a memorable run the past six months.
Redwine was the 60-meters state champion indoors and followed that up with a fine senior outdoor season on the grand oval. This summer, he has competed in several national meets with his club team, Maximum Output.
“I definitely had something to prove,” said Redwine, who was named MVP of the Midwest Meet of Champions back in mid-June and was Michigan’s top high school-aged sprinter this spring. “The goal all along was to do the best I can and help us win the state title. Avondale came so close last season.”
BLAZING SPEED: Recent Auburn Hills Avondale graduate Kyle Redwine was undefeated in the 100 meters this spring and is an unsigned talent in the late summer months. File Photo | Dan Stickradt
Redwine was undefeated in the 100 and 200 meters this season, except for a false start in the 200 at the Bloomfield Hills Lahser regional. He placed in four events at the Division 2 state meets in helping Avondale rack up 47 points and the D-2 state title.
Rotating between the 100 meters, 200 meters and three relays, the 400-relay, 800 relay and 1,600 relay, Redwine helped Avondale to its first-ever state title, fourth straight OAA league championship and third consecutive regional and is busy on the junior circuit this summer with Maximum Output. The AAU season will end in mid-August.
Still unsigned by colleges, Redwine will eventually be a steal once he can find a way onto a roster.
“I still plan on running in college,” said Redwine. “I hope to have something decided by (early) August.”
Redwine was explosive early in his freshman season, clocking 10.8 hand-timed in the 100 meters in a dual meet. His season was cut way short due to a hip injury.
His sophomore and junior school years were marred by additional injuries and eligibility issues. He did play junior-varsity soccer as a junior, but was not able to run come March of 2011 for his junior track campaign.
Meanwhile, Avondale was fifth at the state finals in 2010, third in 2011 and finally state champs in June, but only the latter with Redwine in uniform.
“It was great to have him for a season. Who doesn’t want the fastest kid in the state on their team,” said Avondale coach Wes Harden. “Having Kyle and Nate Chapman leading this team made the world of difference. We lost some really good kids from the previous year, but having top kids like that helped us win the state title.”
After sweeping the 100, 200, 400 relay and 800 relay at the OAA Blue Division track meet in mid-May, Redwine and the Yellowjackets began to heat up.
He won the 100 (10.4) and ran a leg on the winning 400 relay (43.1) and 1,600 relay (3:27.7) at the regional, leading Avondale to 108 points and the team title.
At the Oakland County meet, Redwine aided Avondale’s third-place team effort (46 points). He again won the 100 (10.69) and 200 (21.6) and anchored the winning 800 relay (1:28.03) and the 400 relay (42.92) that placed third.
At the state finals, he blazed 10.74 in the semifinals of the 100 and won the finals in 10.94. He anchored the state champion 400 relay (42.83), fourth place 800 relay (1:28.69) and runner-up 1,600 relay (3:24.16). The 800 and 1,600 relays did not come out of the fast heat.
Redwine graduated with multiple school records, including the 100 and 200, and has been on college coaches’ radar for a couple of years, partially due to some impressive performances the past couple of summers on the AAU circuit.
“I hope to make a decision of where I will go next season by (early) August,” said Redwine.
Several Division I and Division II coaches have been in contact, including USC in recent months. Redwine may have to go the junior college route at first but will likely be at a big time school in a year or two, as he ranked among the nation’s top sprinters.
“I knew when I was in middle school that I could be good at track,” said Redwine. “I won the 400 at the eighth grade county meet. I kind of realized that track would be my best sport. I’ve wanted to be a state champion and run in college ever since.”
So far in the past few months, he’s blazed a pretty impressive trail.
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Good Article on Kyle Redwine. He is an all around good athlete