H.S. track: TLCA-Abilene foursome make history with school's first state berth
Kiara Brown, Kymera Robertson, Symbri Miller and Ja'niah Pinson will make history when they step on the track Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
The four freshmen will be the first athletes at Texas Leadership Charter Academy-Abilene to compete at a state event in school history.
The foursome earned a wild-card berth for the Class 1A 400-meter relay, after finishing third at the Region II-1A meet April 29 at Angelo State’s LeGrand Stadium in San Angelo.
“It’s really cool how we’re the first to do it,” Pinson said. “When we found out we’re the first, we were all celebrating and everything.”
Added Brown: “It was exciting. I’m glad to be a part of that history – being the first to qualify for state.”
Cross Plains won the region title with a time of 51.37 seconds, while Mertzon Irion County was second (52.06). TLCA-Abilene was third at 52.30.
The Eagles’ time not only made the cut for the state meet, but it’s the fifth-best time going into the Class 1A state meet.
Not bad for a third-year program that doesn’t even have a track. Until they recently were allowed to work at the Shotwell Annex track, the TLCA-Abilene team had practiced in a field behind the school.
That didn’t stop track coach Ryan Ward from thinking his freshmen could do something pretty special this year.
“I think we’ve known there’s potential in this group,” Ward said. “Certainly, they’ve worked hard to put themselves in position to do this. They’re starting to see the rewards of all that hard work.”
Yet, there were times this season when Miller thought the idea of state was a far-flung dream.
“I really didn’t think this would happen, because at the beginning of the year, the relays needed some work,” Miller said. “Now, the relays are really good, and I’m really proud.”
Pinson, though, kept believing.
“I had faith in us going to state,” Pinson said. “It was crazy. Everybody was excited, and all our nerves was up.”
Once they got the word they had made the cut for state, Ward was ecstatic.
“Oh, man, when they made it, what went through my mind was just how excited I was for them to get to compete at this level on this kind of stage,” Ward said. “Not to mention, it’s a group of all freshmen getting to do it.”
Medal dreams
Now, the four dare to dream of winning a medal. It won’t be easy.
Cross Plains’ foursome of Lindsey Sparks, Abbigale Shephard, Addison Long and Katie Goans, all seniors except for the junior Long, have the No. 1 qualifying team. Lamesa Klondike is No. 2 (51.58), followed by Pettus (51.69) and Irion County (52.06). Borden County (52.34), D’Hanis (52.50), Bryson (52.61) and Throckmorton (52.91) round out the field.
“I really hope we place, and we get on the medal stand and get a medal,” Miller said.
It might happen. The foursome’s best time this year is 52.25, which might be good enough for a medal if they can match or better it.
And who knows, the moment doesn’t seem too big for them – maybe that’s because they’re freshmen who don’t know any better.
“Sometimes I think it helps,” Ward said. “I don’t know that it’s sunk in full yet that not everyone gets this chance. There’s a lot of schools packing up track equipment right now, and we still get to run and compete.”
Then again, that all might change when they get into the 20,000-seat stadium on the University of Texas campus. It’ll be quite a sight with the Class 1A and 6A meets being run at the same time.
“It’s going to be an adventure for them for sure,” Ward said. “Hopefully, we get them down there and they get to see it and be in the stadium a little bit before they run and kind of get over that initial shock of it being a much bigger state and much bigger crowd to run in front of.”
Regardless of the outcome, it bodes well for the future that all four are freshmen. The two alternates – Lyla Smith and Emily Jones – are young, too. Smith is a freshman, while Jones is a sophomore.
“It’s super exciting,” Ward said. “I think it’s exciting for them to get that experience and think about, potentially, the future of the program moving into these next couple of years. But right now, we’re taking things one day at a time. We want to finish this year on a high note.”
Miller, too, has thought about the future.
“I’m really proud of us,” Miller said. “I really can’t wait to see what happens in the years ahead of us.”
State Track Meet
At Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin
FRIDAY
Class 4A/5A
SATURDAY
Class 1A/6A
Field events/3,200 final, 9 a.m. each day
Running finals, 5 p.m. each day
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: TLCA-Abilene foursome eye history at Class 1A state track meet
