Lewis, Eagles see 3-peat shot vanish
The 16th in a series recognizing some of the state’s best spring high school athletes who had their seasons canceled by the coronavirus pandemic.
Vilonia was aiming for a third consecutive Class 5A boys state track and field championship.
Unfortunately for Nick Lewis, he didn’t get an opportunity to help the Eagles fly high once again.
Once the news came that Arkansas’ spring sports season was over because of the coronavirus pandemic — the senior distance runner, who won the 800-meter state title and was part of Vilonia’s Class 5A state-record 3,200 relay team as a junior — tried to come to terms with not representing the Eagles anymore.
“We were all pretty upset,” Lewis said. “But Coach [Michael] Stout told us to worry about what you could control. We tried to do that.”
From the initial date of March 15 of the Arkansas Activities Association’s dead period until April 9, Lewis and Vilonia were preparing to get back to work.
“My guys were still training on their own,” Stout said. “We had virtual communication. I know Nick was training four to five days a week. He would send me messages.”
Two weeks before the dead period began, Vilonia’s boys track and field team had won the Class 5A state indoor championship. Lewis helped Vilonia win the 1,600 and 3,200 relay events in times of 3 minutes, 30.57 seconds and 8:26.80, respectively.
Lewis said he believed the Eagles’ indoor success was going to carry over to the outdoor season.
“We were confident,” Lewis said. “We all felt good going into the outdoor season. But we’ll never get to know for sure.”
Vilonia’s boys track and field team has been one of the most successful teams in the state in recent years, winning five state championships since 2012. The Eagles had a three-peat in 2012-14, and were looking for a second three-peat this spring.
“They were going to be the most decorated senior class we’ve had here,” Stout said.
Along with Lewis, Draven Smith, Tyler Moran, Tyler Kelley, Brandon Raulston and Jayden Wimberly were also key contributors to the Eagles’ state championship teams.
“Our 12th-graders had such a great career here at Vilonia,” Stout said. “I can realistically say in my position that they were in the best position to win a state championship.”
Stout said Lewis was a good leader for the Eagles.
“It’s been a pleasure to coach him,” Stout said. “I’ve never had to get on him on or off the track. He’s a class act, 100%. He’s as good of a young man as I’ve ever been around.”
Competing for Vilonia was a fun experience, Lewis said.
“We took it seriously,” Lewis said. “It was never a job. We always tried to have fun. That’s what made us do our best.”
Being a part of Vilonia’s 3,200 Class 5A state-record relay with Raulston, Brayden Matyja and JD Otts from 2019 is a memory Lewis said he will always cherish.
“That was pretty fun,” Lewis said. “None of us knew what the record was. I was running the first leg and after I was done, I was trying to catch my breath. One of my coaches told me to go cheer on the rest of our team. I wanted to help set the pace when I ran. We were shocked when we did break the record.”
Vilonia bested Harrison’s time of 8:05.57 set in 2017.
An exercise Vilonia’s team does at every practice as well as before accepting a conference or a state championship trophy is to do 17 jumping jacks as a team, to represent all 17 events in a track and field meet. Lewis bought into the team philosophy of the Eagles as a freshman, and Stout said that’s been a big reason why the Eagles have been successful.
“That sets us apart,” Stout said. “The team is always first. We do the jumping jacks every day. We do them before we break down into individual groups. When we do them before getting a trophy at the conference and state meets, some people have no idea what we’re doing.
“But we treat track and field like you would any other sport. No one is more important than the team.”
Lewis is headed to the University of Central Arkansas to major in social sciences, as he wants to be a history teacher. He will not compete in track and field at UCA, but he said he doesn’t have any regrets, despite the sudden end to his high school career.
“I didn’t think it was going to be as good without the guys I’ve been running with,” Lewis said. “We’re all going to miss it, though.”