When Jaelyn Ray lined up for the race, she owned the third-fastest 800-meter time in Livingston County for just this season.
After hitting the finish line, the Pinckney junior was the county’s fastest metric half-miler of all-time.
Ray, who rarely has the opportunity to run a competitive 800, shattered the county record by running a first-place time of 2 minutes, 12.96 seconds on Thursday, May 21 in the Distance Night Under the Lights meet in Canton.
The county mark of 2:14.09 set by Brighton’s Juliet Lewis lasted all of 27 days and is now third on the county’s all-time list. Hartland senior Elliana Neuer also eclipsed that mark, finishing second in 2:13.90. Lewis’ time took place April 24 at The Barnyard Invitational in Romeo. Ray wasn’t in the top 10, which required a sub-2:18, before Thursday.
“That was one of the best high school races I’ve ever watched,” Pinckney coach Daniel Patrick said. “It was incredible to watch a kid bite down when you know they have to have it, making moves, digging down and finding speed when you need it, then being able to dig again and again. It was a smart race, an intense race. That girl continues to blow me away.”
Ray broke the school record of 2:14.79 set by Erika Rapp in the 2018 state Division 1 meet. Her previous best was 2:18.24.
Heading into the final lap, Ray found herself boxed in while running in fifth place. She had to make a daring move to put herself in a position to win, swinging wide on the first turn of the final lap. She was a close third heading into the final stretch before turning on the jets to run a final 400 split of 65 seconds.
“I kind of stopped my track a little bit and went to the outside,” Ray said. “If had an instinct like I knew I had to go or there was no way I was going to be in the race. If I burn out, I burn out.”
Ray now owns county records in the 800, the 1,600 (4:49.22 at Barnyard) and cross country (17:36.7). Her 3,200 time of 10:32.20 is second in county history to a 10:16.11 run by Pinckney’s Noelle Adriaens in 2019.
Neuer lowered her own school record in the 800. She also set school records in the 1,600 (4:50.27) and 3,200 (10:38.44) this season. She plans to run the 800 and 1,600 at the state meet, as well as the 3,200 and 1,600 relays.
“It was a really fun race, because it was very competitive,” Neuer said. “We were together until the very end, which was so fun for me. We trained through this race, so my legs felt a little rough during it, but I’m still happy to run a (personal record).”
Running a blistering 800 doesn’t alter Ray’s plans for the state Division 2 finals on May 30 at Hamilton High School. She is seeded second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200. She anchors a 3,200 relay team that is seeded seventh.
“I think I will stick with the longer races,” Ray said. “It definitely opened some doors. I think historically I’ve always been better at the two mile. I still have a lot to improve in that area specifically. I think I’ll just stick with what I’ve got.”
Two freshmen who could threaten Ray’s record in the future had outstanding races, as well. Howell’s Brooke Wallace was eighth in 2:20.05 and Hartland’s Layla Foguth was ninth in 2:20.61.
It was a big night for county runners, who won four of the six races in the distance-only meet.
Brighton junior Blake Kulesza won the 800 in 1:55.13, with teammate Zach Wyderko placing third in 1:55.57.
Howell junior Jack MacGregor won the 1,600 in 4:20.26. Brighton’s Evan Cummings was fifth in 4:26.41.
Hartland’s Sophia Nunnery won the 1,600 in 5:10.87. Hartland’s Ava Goodman was fourth in 5:26.08 and Howell’s Anna Halliday was fifth in 5:29.08.
Brighton’s Ronan MacArthur was fifth in the 3,200 in 10:12.51.
Livingston County’s top girls 800 runners
2:12.96, Jaelyn Ray, Pinckney, Distance Night Under the Lights, May 21, 2026
2:13.90, Elliana Neuer, Hartland, Distance Night Under the Lights, May 21, 2026
2:14.09, Juliet Lewis, Brighton, Barnyard Invite at Romeo, April 24, 2026
2:14.59, Maddie Brown, Brighton, state Division 1 meet, June 1, 2019
2:14.76, Ashlyn Tait, Howell, state Division 1 meet, June 1, 2019
2:14.79, Erika Rapp, Pinckney, state Division 1 meet, June 2, 2018
2:15.6, Avery Evenson, Hartland, KLAA meet, May 22, 2012
2:15.72, Susie Rivard, Brighton, state Division 1 meet, June 5, 2004
2:16.8, Julie Stowers, Brighton, state Class A meet, May 30, 1998
2:17.70, Taylor Grace, Howell, regional at Milford, May 12, 2012
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Pinckney’s Jaelyn Ray sets another county track and field record
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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