Alexis Levin, Otsego Track. (Photo: Aaron Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune)

TONTOGANY - Alexis Levin was so nervous last season, she decided not to compete in one of her events during the district track and field meet.
Now, 12 months later, the Otsego High School sophomore no longer battles nerves and is starting to thrive on the competition and the atmosphere of each meet.
She's just one step away from her sport's showcase event.
Levin will compete in the Division II regional at Lexington High School tonight and Saturday.
The top four finishers in each event at the regional qualify for the state meet June 5-6 in Columbus.
The 16-year-old will compete in the long jump Saturday after running preliminaries in the 100 and the 200, and the 1,600 relay tonight. The running finals are Saturday.
Levin is a returning regional qualifier in the long jump after finishing 12th last year.
"I just want to place in the top eight of all my events," Levin said of the regional where the top eight finishers in each event score points. "There are a lot of great athletes there, so it'll be tough. But competing against that kind of competition will make me work even harder.
"If I could get in the top four and get to state, I would be the happiest person around. It'll take a lot of hard work, but it's something I want to do. When I compete against other good athletes, I seem to do better. That gets me pumped up."
Levin is completing another excellent season after skipping the 200 at last year's district. Even though she didn't run the 200, she competed in the long jump, the 1,600 relay and the 400 at the district meet.
"It was the freshmen nerves. I was really intimidated," said Levin, who didn't compete in track as an eighth grader because of a fractured foot suffered during the basketball season. "I was out of shape and seeing all of the older girls was too intimidating. That was a big jump to go from seventh-grade track to varsity track, especially the district meet."
 

Levin even admitted she became sick before some events last season. But with the help of head coach Jan Hemsoth and assistant coach Jill Bernthisel, and former assistant coach Dominick Kaple, she's become more relaxed.
"She's taken the athlete's approach -  she doesn't freak out or let anything bother her, like the weather or the competition," Hemsoth said. "She's better at going with the flow and taking things as they happen, responding to different situations.
"She's stronger physically, but mentally she's much better at relaxing and working through any of the negative things," Hemsoth added.
Levin won the district long jump this year with a distance of 15-71â„2. She also finished second in the 200 (27.36) and third in the 100 (13.08), with both times being personal bests. She set the school record in the long jump (17-43â„4 ) May 5 in the Otsego Invitational.
Unfortunately for Levin, her stepfather, Cliff Tupper, died of cancer Jan. 2.
"He's the biggest motivation I have," she said. "I know he would want me to achieve everything I can. He's always on my mind. He always pushed me and was always by my side to push me.
"(His death) made me think about a lot of things like I want to achieve things before it's too late. Like when I graduate, I don't want to think it's too late to have done this or tried this. I'm trying to do things now to benefit me in the future and to do my best every day."
Levin's been consistently good this season. She was second in the SLL in the long jump (15-71â„2 ), 100 (13.24) and 200 (27.6), and was third in the 1,600 relay (4:25.76).
"She's a good kid and a good athlete. She's very dedicated and she wants to do well," Hemsoth said. "She listens and tries to do the things you ask her to do."
As a freshman, Levin won the SLL long jump, and finished fifth in the 400 and sixth in the 200. She may return to the 400 next season.
"I just wanted to build on last year and get better this year," Levin said. "Getting to the regional, that helped me get in even better shape for this year. Seeing everybody (at the regional) and feeling the excitement gave me a big boost to do my best every day to get back there."
Eight of the 16 regional qualifiers this season jumped 16-0 or better at the district level last year, including one who went 17-31â„2. But with her school-record jump of 17-43â„4, Levin could qualify for state.
"She's definitely capable of getting to state," Hemsoth said. "She's proven she belongs. The regional is just a matter of who has the best day."
Joining Levin on the 1,600 relay team are seniors Samantha Fleming and Kara Dickey, and junior Allison Luttrell. The team finished third in the Elida district with a time of 4:20.11.