By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Dakotah Sanders wants to show the college world what he can do. From what the high school world has seen, this ought to be good.

The Rock Hill Redmen standout distance runner is looking to make a name for himself at the next level after signing a letter-of-intent with the Shawnee State Bears cross country and track teams.

Sanders is expected to run in the 800 meters and possibly the 1600 and relay races

“I’m just looking to be the best version of me as I can. I just push myself everyday. I just want to be good for my team,” said Sanders, who said he prefers cross country over all of the other sports he has played.

“I love it. I want to be an All-American and show them what I’m capable of.”

Last spring, Sanders was part of the Ohio Valley Conference track championship team and it continued in the fall when the Redmen won the OVC in cross country.

Sanders was 12th overall in the Division 3 district cross country meet with a 17:17.18 time. He was 27 in the regional meet and improved his time to 17:04.65.

Rock Hill’s team qualified for the state cross country meet and improved his time yet again as he ran a 16:57.15 time.

There were plenty of college suitors who contacted Sanders that included the University of Rio Grande and Kentucky Christian University. But Sanders invoked the famous real estate line, “Location, location, location.”

“It’s closer to home and it’s not out in the middle of nowhere,” said Sanders. “I have a bunch of friends going there. It’s a more familiar place than any of the other schools.”

Although Sanders doesn’t want to be going to school in “the middle of nowhere,” it’s okay for running.

“I think (my favorite sport) is cross country. You’re out in nowhere and it’s just you against time,” said Sanders.

“I felt much more at home with it. I had friends to run with. I was much better at the sport. It’s much more mentally challenging;”

But it’s not all running for Sanders who said he does bowling for fun and he used to play basketball but put that aside to focus on his running.”

“Sometimes I bowl and I like to help people. Bowling is hard. I just like it because you have a lot of people around you and it’s fun,” said Sanders.

Sanders plans to major in mathematics with hopes of being a teacher and possibly coaching.

“Hopefully, I’ll coach cross country and track,” said Sanders.