Jaylen Aminu came into the state track and field championship meet with something to prove.

The Liberty sophomore had broken the 12-second mark at districts and went to states as the top seed in the 100-meter dash. She wanted to prove she could do it again. And she did.

Aminu ran the preliminary race in 11.9, not far off the 11.77 she posted at districts. She came back to run 12.0 in the semifinal and 12.09 in the final.

"I am kind of disappointed and I'm also very proud of myself," she said. "Last year I was all the way in seventh. This year I got third. And I wasn't all that far from second.

"I'm happy with my prelim time, because it shows the people who were doubting me that I can run in the 11s."

Her preliminary time was the fastest run by any Class AAA girls runner at the meet, held last Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University.

Aminu had the top time in prelims, which were held on Friday, and was the third-fastest in Saturday's semifinals. She led briefly in the final, but was passed by Cheltenham sophomore Chanel Bissert, who finished in 11.92, and Pennsbury's Dasia Pressley, who edged Aminu at the finish by one hundredth of a second

"I'm not good with leaning [at the finish line]," said Aminu. "I just can't lean. It's hard for me."

She plans to work on that in the offseason, something she didn't do in the past. She took third in the state almost purely on natural speed and talent.

"I have to train this summer," she said. "Last year I didn't train in the summer."

Aminu got more comfortable with the state-meet atmosphere this year and is excited to get back next year. She also plans to run the 200-meter dash at states next year if she can once again qualify in both events.

"Last year I was more babied by my coach," she said. "This year I knew what to do and where to go, how to do my warm ups by myself. And I was less nervous than I was last year. I was more comfortable than last year.

"Next year I'll be just ready to run."