The Llano High School track and field program has four Class 3A Region I qualifiers thanks to their finishes at the District 5 and 6-3A area meet April 9 at Wall High School.
They are senior Ciara Hays, juniors Anna Machuga and Peyton Parrish, and sophomore Cole Kennedy. All finished in the top four of their events to advance to regionals.
Hours before the meet, head coach Ryan Priem sent a message to the Jackets and Lady Jackets challenging them to "play to win, don't play not to lose, play to win."
At the time, he may not have known how impactful and important that message would be for Hays and Parrish.
When Priem isn't coaching an event, he checks on his athletes as they're competing. One was Parrish, who was seventh in girls discus with one throw left.
"Peyton, what was the message I sent you this morning," he asked her.
"Play to win," she said.
"Exactly," he said. "Your back is against the wall. You only have one throw left. It's now or never. So go play to win."
With rejuvenated confidence, Parrish stepped into the circle and "just launched the most beautiful throw that I have ever seen her throw. I am so proud of Peyton," Priem said.
She took bronze with a mark of 112 feet and 8 inches.
Hays led the triple jump until a Wall jumper surpassed it on her fifth leap. When Priem returned to the pit, he reminded her of his message before she went to her starting mark.
The result was a 36-1.75 mark for gold.
"That jump was absolutely perfect," Priem said. "The 200 people around the pit that saw her jump knew that she just an amazing jump."
Hays took bronze in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.98 seconds.
"She is just a phenomenal athlete who wanted to run the hurdles in the past," the coach said. "We finally had enough girls on the roster to be able to get her in the event. She's currently in the top three in Region I right now and will have a real shot at going to state. We are super proud of her and what she has accomplished in her career."
Junior Anna Machuga won silver in the 800 meters in 2:28.30.
"Anna has gotten better and more comfortable running the 800 each week," Priem said. "She is such a competitor and always strives to be great in whatever she does. She ran the same time at the area meet as she did at the district meet in much worse conditions. Which means she ran great. She has had an excellent year."
The Jackets' lone regional athlete is Kennedy, won the shot put with heave of 49-1.75 to set a new personal best and finished second in the discus with a toss of 145-2.
Priem noted that Kennedy "had a fantastic day" and praised his work with throwing coaches Richard Kattner and Joe Kennedy, his dad.
"He was consistent all day," Priem said. "I have never been around a sophomore, who has performed so well in both events and been so consistent all year in both events. Cole works hard and is so coachable."
While some Llano athletes' seasons ended, he commended them for their commitment to putting in the work and improving during each meet.
"The guys we had running did an amazing job," he said. "We battled each and every week, and I am proud of their effort and accomplishments."
Priem pointed out the difference between the Jackets and Lady Jackets are the number of underclassmen suiting up on the girls team.
"They are young," he said. "We have one amazing senior and we have some very good juniors, but the rest of them are sophomores and a freshman. And they are all good. Fifteen of our 17 varsity girls advanced to the area meet. The future is bright."
The regional meet is Friday and Saturday, April 18-19, at Elmer Gray Stadium on the Abilene Christian University campus.
The coach noted it doesn't get easier at regionals where historically those who survive here tend to earn Class 3A state medals.
"We know going in that we are fighting for fourth or fifth place in most events," he said. "And that's OK. We are who we are. But that will never deter our kids from competing and giving their all every time."
RESULTS
District 5 and 6-3A area meet at Wall High School
April 9
BOYS
400 – 8, J.D. Friday, 54.09; 1,600 – 8, Townes Smith, 5:18.50; 3,200 – 5, Townes Smith, 11:17.29; 4x100 – 8, Llano, 46.38; 4x400 – 7, Llano, 3:38.48; long jump – 8, Graham Prokop, 19-5; triple jump – 5, J.D. Friday, 41-6.25; discus – 2, Cole Kennedy, 145-2; shot put – 1, Cole Kennedy, 49-1.75, 5, Konrad Zwicke, 46-4
GIRLS
200 – 8, Enola Matlock, 30.03; 800 – 2, Anna Machuga, 2:28.30; 1,600 – 7, Anna Machuga, 6:00.64;
3,200 – 8, Jordan Hussion, 13:50.45; 300 hurdles – 3, Ciara Hays, 49.98; 4x100 – 8, Llano, 52.45; 4x200 – 6, Llano, 1:53.99; 4x400 – 7, Llano, 4:25.59; long jump – 6, Addison Priem, 14-11.5; triple jump – 1, Ciara Hays, 36-1.75, 8, Avery Kendrick, 32-9; pole vault – 8, Reagan Mikulenka, 6-6; discus – 3, Peyton Parrish, 112-8, 5, Emilie Clopton, 107-7;
