Novi Senior Rewrites School Record After Injury

Novi track has one of those late-senior-season stories people remember. Drelen Lillard, an 18-year-old high jumper at Novi High School, spent part of his career dealing with injury, then came back this spring and tore up the school record book. He didn’t just edge past the old mark once. He broke it, then broke his own new record two weeks later. That kind of jump matters in high school track because the window is tiny — one outdoor season, a few big meets, and then it’s over. ### Who is Drelen Lillard? Lillard is a Novi senior who competes in the high jump and hurdles, and he has been building toward this for years. He started track in seventh grade at Novi Middle School, moved from hurdles into high jump after coaches noticed his bounce, and turned that raw explosiveness into a real specialty. By this spring, he wasn’t just a good local jumper — he was the athlete chasing school history. (candgnews.com, live.athletic.net) ### What record did he break? The old Novi High School high jump record belonged to Scott Sawyer, who cleared 6 feet 7 1/4 inches in 2016. Lillard first passed that on April 14 in a dual meet against Howell, going 6 feet 7 1/2 inches. Then, on April 28 at home, he pushed the record again to 6 feet 8 inches. That second jump is the one that really stamps the season — because it shows the first record wasn’t a fluke or a lucky day. (candgnews.com, live.athletic.net) ### Why does “twice” matter so much? Because high jump records can fall by the tiniest margins. We’re talking about clearing a bar a quarter-inch higher than someone else managed a decade earlier. So when an athlete breaks the record and then comes back and adds more room, that changes the story from “nice moment” to “he owns this now.” Lillard basically turned a one-night breakthrough into a new standard for the program. ### What was the injury piece? That’s the part that gives the story its emotional weight. Local coverage framed this season as a comeback after injury, not just a normal senior-year jump in performance. The detailed public reporting available so far focuses more on the result than the exact medical timeline, but the broad shape is clear — rehab interrupted his path, and this spring became the payoff. That’s why coaches, teammates, and family treated the record as bigger than a number on a results sheet. (candgnews.com, msn.com) ### How good is 6 feet 8? At the high school level, 6 feet 8 is serious. AthleticLIVE listed Lillard’s 6-foot-7 result from April 14 as a new 2026 Michigan No. 3 at that moment, which tells you he wasn’t just leading Novi — he was entering the statewide conversation. A jumper at that height is suddenly relevant in bigger postseason meets and more visible to college programs. ### Is he only a high jumper? No — and that helps explain the athletic profile. On April 28, the same day he pushed the high jump record to 6 feet 8, Lillard also won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.62. That mix matters. Hurdlers need rhythm and speed. High jumpers need timing, spring, and body control. When one athlete can do both, it usually means the explosiveness is real, not event-specific. ### What is he chasing now? Lillard’s stated goal is 6 feet 10 inches. He has talked openly about wanting Division I attention and a strong scholarship offer, and that target is part performance goal, part recruiting signal. Basically, the school record was one finish line — but not the main one in his mind. The bigger play is turning a comeback season into a college opportunity. ### Bottom line? This is why high school track stories can hit harder than they look at first glance. A senior got hurt, came back, and left school history different from how he found it. Novi gets a new record-holder. Lillard gets proof that the lost time didn’t define the ending.