Shaw looks to continue Heritage tradition of multi-event standouts

ROGERS -- Brandon Shaw hopes to carry on what's become a Rogers Heritage tradition in a couple weeks at the Arkansas High School Decathlon.

The senior will try to become the fourth consecutive War Eagle to win the grueling two-day, 10-event competition. Shaw competed in six events at the recent 7A-West Conference meet and will likely do four in today's Class 7A state meet.

The 5-foot-6, 140-pound sprinter admitted his former teammates Alex Miles, Daniel Spickes and Joey Saucier have left him with a daunting legacy to try and duplicate.

"It's really put a big weight on my shoulders to live up to their standards," Shaw said.

Heritage boys track coach Jay Miles said it's become a source of pride for the program.

"It's kind of a family thing for Heritage and almost a rite of passage, and he seems to be the next in line," Miles said. "I know all those other guys are rooting for him."

Miles, Spickes and Saucier were role models for Shaw, but they also helped push his limits even as a freshman.

"I remember I just always wanted to beat them at practices," Shaw said. "I would be the little freshman in the varsity group we called it, trying so hard to beat them."

His teammates stoked Shaw's competitive fires for the decathlon, but he also said a history lesson from his grandfather helped pique his interest in the event.

"My freshman year, I didn't really know what was the decathlon really so I asked my grandpa about it," Shaw said. "He explained everything about it and how the decathlon champion is known as the world's greatest athlete in the Olympics, and ever since that day to me, it's just I want to be that. So it's just been decathlon, decathlon, decathlon for me."

Shaw finished 11th in the event as a sophomore but improved by more than 500 points a year ago and nabbed sixth. Two athletes who finished ahead of him last year graduated, and he's within 200 points of the other three, so Shaw and Miles believe the goal of a fourth consecutive champion is attainable.

A little forecasting by Miles using Shaw's performances this season in several of the events has Shaw topping 6,000 points, which would definitely put him in range to win the title.

Shaw's season has not been without troubles though. He was sidelined for a couple of weeks because of turf toe after suffering the injury while warming up without shoes at Bentonville.

The injury not only set him back from a training standpoint, but it also hurt his preparation for the decathlon, Miles said.

"We were going to get him some work in a couple of those other events like the high jump, and we're just playing catch-up," Miles said. "Now, we're just trying to solidify his strongest events."

Those strong events include the 100 meters and the long jump. Because of his slight build, the shot put and discus are considered to be his weaker events, but Shaw also has worked hard to improve in the pole vault, high jump and even the 400.

Training some with the cross country team over the summer has helped his endurance level, Miles said. But he also had a positive effect on the distance crew, as well.

"He wasn't going out and doing a huge amount of mileage, but sometimes he was the rabbit to go out and push the pace in the first 200 of those 400 repeats," Miles said. "He did some of our 30-minute runs. He would tough it out."

Miles has seen Shaw grow mentally as well as physically as a senior.

"He's grown up a lot individually, and I'm proud of him," Miles said. "He's had some adversity with the turf toe, had some rough patches during the season and has responded in a good, mature way. He's always fought hard not to lose, but his mental maturity, he's been able to bounce back from those rough patches.

"He has truly turned into a leader."

Shaw's just hoping to be the leader of the pack in two weeks at the Arkansas High School Decathlon and keep his school's winning tradition going.

Sports on 05/05/2016