"On Sunday and Monday I said there's no way I'm going to state," she says.
Her parents, knowing how important it was to her, told her to take the night to think about it. By Tuesday, her mood began to change. A decision was made: She was going.
Tornadoes tend to destroy everything in their path, but their path is always random. So while her school was destroyed, the stadium where Sanders keeps her poles was not.
"It was funny, everywhere me and my coaches walked I could see people pointing and talking," she says. "They saw the Joplin name."
And though the meet did not do anything to formally recognize the town, the crowd did.
"The applause, whenever they said the name, was awesome," she says. "It was louder than for other schools."
Sanders was sought out by many well-wishers: "Half the people I talked to," she says, "I had no idea who they were."
School is out in Joplin. Graduation -- thankfully -- ended just a bit before the storm. And while state playoffs continue on, the rest of the school's spring sports teams had been eliminated from postseason competition. Sanders was the only member of the girls (or boys) track teams to advance to the state meet, meaning she was the last active student from a high school that is no longer active.
Sanders says she felt that pressure: "A lot of people told me to represent Joplin well," she says. "I wanted to do so. We have a lot of pride."
Joplin, more than 150 miles away, was always near as she competed.
"It was on my mind more at the meet than it was when I was with my family back home," she says. "I knew I would never be able to get away from it. It was a big deal."
She finished in a three-way tie for that 8th spot, clearing 10 feet. However, due to scratches, she is officially listed in 10th. She doesn't mind.
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