Ranson seeks strong finish for Blackhawks

Updated: May 4, 2011 7:45PM

Their ranks are growing.

West Aurora’s Jasmine Ranson made it official this week, signing a national letter of intent Tuesday to attend Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville on a track scholarship. She joins seniors from last year’s team — Mariah Smith (Illinois) and Shanice Andrews (Wichita State) — in moving on to a Division I collegiate program.

Will it help ease the pressure on the talented sprinter/jumper as she prepares for a stretch of big meets that will wrap up her prep career, beginning with today’s DuPage Valley Conference Meet at Glenbard North?

“I thought it would, but honestly, it doesn’t,” Ranson said. “I still don’t want to let this team down. I’m only here with the Blackhawks for a couple of weeks. I still want to perform to my best even though I know I have somewhere else to go after this.”

Wichita State, Northwest Missouri State and Grambling were among other schools she considered.

“I miss (Andrews) terribly, Shanice is one of my best friends but I liked Southern better,” Ranson said. “It seemed like a family. The whole campus is beautiful and it’s not too far, not too close (to home).”

While she will focus on the jumps (especially triple and high) in college, Ranson hopes to be at her multi-tasking best for the Blackhawks during the stretch run of her senior season.

“It will be between the triple, 4-by-1 (400 relay), 4-by-2 (800 relay), high jump and 200,” Ranson said of her big-meet schedule. “That’s five (events) but I can only do four. It’s just up to what coach (Teresa Towles) thinks. I’m OK with any of the decisions she makes.”

Ranson finished seventh in state in the triple jump last year and was a member of West’s (6th) state medalist 800 relay team as a sophomore.

Meanwhile, the product of coach Wilbert Walters’ Aurora Sundowners track program is setting a good example for those that will follow her lead, much like she followed Andrews and others.

Emerging sophomore sprint standout Anita Saffa, who last week was second to Rosary’s Anna Deufel in both the 100 and 200 and joined Ranson on West’s winning 400 and 800 relays at the Kane County Meet, has taken note.

“Last year I had to go find her a lot,” Towles said of Saffa. “She was never where she was supposed to be, but there’s been a big change this year. She’s really improved her attitude and become more of a team leader.”

Asked about last year, Saffa smiled sheepishly then said, “Last year I wasn’t really focused. They used to have to find me to run, especially at practice.”

The turnaround came at state, where she ran on a relay but also saw Andrews win the 100-meter hurdles to claim West’s first girls state individual title in track.

“Shanice worked really hard her senior year and really wanted it and that influenced me,” Saffa said. “That, and seeing the (individual) times at state and knowing that I could run them.

“Last year I had a bad attitude but I realized I do have a talent, and maybe I should do the best and use it to my advantage to help me get a scholarship someday. I decided to be more focused on it.”

She even applied herself more in the classroom and earned “scholar-athlete” status (3.5 GPA or better) for the first semester of this year.

Saffa, like Andrews and Ranson, is also a Sundowner.

“Mr. Walters influences me, he supports me,” she said. “He’s the one that got me my first pair of track shoes when I was in eighth grade. He cares a lot about track and how kids use sport to help them in their future with education.”

Ranson knows Saffa has gotten the message.

“My little sophomore,” Ranson said. “She was a little shaky. This year she is a team leader. I love that girl. …. I have confidence she’ll be the next leader.”

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