Smithville's Carr, Erdman keep pushing each other forward

Over the past seven years, the area has been blessed with a bevy of talented distance runners. Starting with Rittman’s Pyper Gibson, the torch was passed on to Norwayne’s Jaylee Wingate, and now it’s being carried by Smithville’s Kaitlyn Carr.

Whenever Carr’s prep career winds down, presumably at state and standing at the top of the podium, she will have lived out the best advice she has for those striving to be where she is today.

“In this culture today, we are focused on comparing ourselves to others; that’s especially evident in the running world,” Carr said. “The only thing you should be comparing yourself to is who you were yesterday — being able to just improve on your times and keep the focus on being better than you were and just being a better person that way. You will be so much happier than if you’re comparing yourself to other people. Do hard things, challenge yourself and work to get better every day.”

Over her prep career, she has done exactly that, as Carr has already competed in seven events at the track and field state meet and qualified for the cross country state meet four times. A year ago the decorated senior won state titles in the 3200 and 1600, giving her three individual state titles on the track as she also won the 1600 in 2024. Carr also was a member of the winning 4x800 relay in 2024 and earned an individual state title in cross country this past fall. With Carr leading the way, Smithville won the Division III team title at the 2024 state track meet.

There is one aspect of her personality that sticks with coach Kirstie Mahas that really drove and propelled Carr to where she is today, something that will continue to be a driver for her as she takes her talents to the University of Notre Dame this fall.

“Her intensity,” Mahas said. “She masks it well, but she is so intense. She is going to go out and beat people if she can, and I like that. It’s fun.”

As for what Carr has meant to the Smithville track and field program.

“She is a great kid," Mahas said. "She is another example of athletic talent that does it the right way. She’s an incredibly hard worker, puts the team and her teammates ahead of herself, and that sets such a healthy tone for the program and for what it means to be Smithville track and field.

“We can have individual accomplishments, but we are also part of this bigger thing, and she has represented that really well. It’s been really fun as a result.”

For any program, it’s huge to have that leadership from the top down, and with Carr helping to set that tone, the Smithville track and field program continues to be one of the area’s best.

“It creates a healthy culture where working hard does matter,” Mahas said. “There is growth that can happen. We can support one another. That’s what we want from our program. We want it to be a healthy team culture.

"Track doesn’t get a lot of accolades for that, but it’s a hard sport. You want to have people behind you and supporting you, and you accomplish so much more when you have people behind you pushing you forward.”

That was echoed by Maryn Erdman, her teammate and running mate.

“It’s been a long five years,” the junior said. “I’ve always had her there, seventh grade, eighth grade. I went to state with her — her freshman year in cross country. We’ve always been there for each other, and it’s going to be hard because she’s always been there. It’s going to be hard to watch her leave, but I am so excited for her and this next chapter.”

As for right now?

“We want to take our team to state,” Erdman said. “We want the 4x800 and the 4x400 to go to state. I just want to treasure these moments with her — praying before the relays, praying before the meet — and I am really starting to realize how few of those moments that we have left.”

Carr, Erdman and Smithville

It sounds like a law firm’s name. To many across the area and even the state, it has been the law. The duo has wreaked havoc and dominated the track and cross country courses. In an unprecedented era of excellence in distance, the duo has shone and pushed each other to be better than the day before.

“We really push each other, and it’s nice having that person to jump off of,” Erdman said. “She has been there before, and she’s been there with me. She pushes me every day, and we relate so well on so many levels. She understands. It makes me want to strive for more, and we’ve really bonded through that.”

It’s something that made Carr pause for a minute.

“I was just reflecting on how we’ve had so many runners who’ve broken school records or are about to,” Carr said. “It’s just really special to run with a group of people like this.”

As for her partner on the track and in cross country.

“We push each other, and I definitely wouldn’t be the runner I am today if she wasn’t here,” Carr said. “It’s great to have someone who can push me, and I push her too. We really encourage each other.”

Their desire to get better, passion for more and humbleness to work together have been evident over the years. No matter how many wins they stack up or the podiums they climb, it’s always been about helping each other to be better.

“We’ve been very fortunate that they do work together and that they support one another,” Mahas said. “It’s not a competition about who gets what, and that has helped both of them excel. They get to go out and focus on being the best that they can be on the track and don’t have to worry about one-upping anybody or that sort of thing. It really helps the culture on the team be so much stronger and so much more positive. We all do better in positive environments.”

Already in a short prep career, Erdman has made it to state in eight different events, won the 800 and was a member of the winning 3200 relay in 2024, helping the Smithies win the team state title that year. Even still, Mahas couldn’t help but smile at how far her junior has come this spring.

“It’s been fun to watch that maturity process, not that she wasn’t already there before,” she said. “It’s just that this year it’s not been such a battle for her. It’s been more relaxed, and it shows up in her races. She runs more confidently. She sets a really good tone for the underclassmen and the rest of her teammates. She just works through her struggles and works through things, and it’s worth it in the end.”

“I’ve been happy with my races,” Erdman said. “Maybe the times aren’t quite where I wanted, but race strategy and how I’ve been paced is on track for my goals this season.”

Now is the time of year, much like Carr, when standouts shine their best, and Erdman is no stranger to that. It’s just a matter of what she will etch into this big stretch run on the road to state.

All in for Notre Dame?

For many across Wayne County, the question can be tough as the Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes compete at the highest levels.

“I am not a huge Notre Dame fan, but it’s going to be a lot easier rooting for them now,” Mahas said, “just not in football. I will stick with the Buckeyes.”

“I am a Kaitlyn Carr fan,” Erdman said. “I don’t follow college sports too much. I like Kansas basketball, and I don't really care that much about football. I will watch her race, but not sure beyond that. I do like their colors.”

Final thoughts

“I just want to be an example of a great teammate,” Carr said when asked how she wants her legacy to be remembered, “just lifting my teammates up and encouraging them to do their best. Even if I am not having my best day, I want everyone else on my team to feel special, feel encouraged and know I support them.

“Every year that I’ve been in track, I’ve been blessed to have great teammates, whether it was Cadence (Amstutz), Claire (Haas), Jenna (Necko) and Aly (Wickens) last year, Maryn, Hayden (Steiner), Shelby (Schenk) and just everyone. I am just blessed to have a great group of people every year that I’ve been here. It’s a really special group of people.”