Gimme 5: Bloom Township's Cassell in a Sprint to Catch Up

Bloom Township’s Ivory Cassell has made quite a leap in the last year.

From qualifying for the state track meet in eighth grade while attending Greenbriar Elementary in Chicago Heights to being on the Blazing Trojan varsity squad as just a freshman, the meteoric rise has caused her to grow up quickly.

“It is easier in high school, but they are more challenges,” Cassell said.  “The people are older and faster, but I am not intimated by them.”

Cassell is one of numerous freshmen who has been thrust on the scene after the Blazing Trojan girls track team was hard hit by graduation last year.

“Were in a rebuilding mode right now, so we have our ups and downs,” Blazing Trojans coach Huey L. Johnson said.  “But I have very high expectations down the road for Ivory and the rest of these freshmen.”

Cassell participates in the 100-meter dash, the 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay, triple jump and long jump.

So far, she has struggled in the outdoor season, not jumping as far as she was during the indoor season. But that might be blamed on the cool, damp weather that has been so prevalent in April.

Cassell started running track in seventh grade. She said math is her favorite subject, specifically algebra. She enjoys eating pizza and listening to hip hop and rhythm and blues music.

Despite being so young, Cassell already has a realistic look on her high school career.

“I want to strive to go down state this year,” she said. “I don’t want to say, 'I doubt I will make it.' If I don’t, I will try to be better next year.”

Download the movie