'All in’: Kaylee Taglauer a mainstay with Inland Lakes girls track

INDIAN RIVER — Under her team's tent, in a lawn chair, there sat Kaylee Taglauer . Almost appearing like she might be falling asleep, you honestly couldn’t blame the Inland Lakes senior track and field star , who just finished a grueling 400-meter run while running a leg in regional champion and state-qualifying 4x100 and 4x200 relay events before that. Simply put, Taglauer needed a little break.

IL GIRLS WIN REGIONAL TITLE: I-L girls win regional title; several area athletes qualify for state CHLOE MAKES BASKETBALL CHOICE: Inland Lakes' Robinson to continue basketball career at Bay College But by the end of a long and what turned out to be a warmer day than usual during this strange season of track weather, Taglauer found herself on the winning end for a third time on the day, helping I-L's 4x400 relay take first at Shanley Field in Indian River on Friday, May 15. About 10 minutes later, Taglauer was celebrating an MHSAA Division 4 regional championship with the teammates she’s built a strong bond with since the beginning. It was another thrilling day for Taglauer, a superb all-around sprinter who’s been a mainstay in the I-L program since being a part of a relay team that earned all-state honors while she was a freshman.

Back then, she was teaming with Natalie Wandrie, Lauren Fenstermaker and Larissa Huffman, all stars. Heck, she even admitted she still thinks about some of them while she runs. “Sometimes when I’m out there running, I’ll be thinking, ‘What would Larissa be doing right now?

’” Taglauer said. “They were good role models, and they were honestly the best to work with. " But once those standouts graduated, it was almost like Taglauer had to start over, especially when it came to having to form chemistry with new relay teammates while also trying to have success in her open events.