Llano High School senior Ciara Hays will continue a custom the track and field program has had for almost a decade.
Thanks to capturing the silver medal in the triple jump at the Class 3A Track and Field Championships April 18 at Abilene Christian University, Hays has made sure Llano is represented at the Class 3A State Championships again. That's seven of the last eight years.
The one year Llano didn't make it was the one year the meet wasn't conducted – 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hays will make her state debut at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas at Austin campus.
"It is really rewarding as a coach, as a school and a community for us to have a kid at the state track meet," head coach Ryan Priem said. "We aren't known as a 'track school,' but somehow each year we seem to get a kid or group of kids to Austin."
Hays secured her placement with a leap of 37 feet and 8.5 inches to set a new personal best.
"She went into the finals in eighth place," Priem said. "On her first jump of the finals, she went from eighth to second. On her fifth jump, she improved her mark. Just an incredible performance by Ciara. She has gotten better and better each week. She's really hitting her stride."
Hays also competed in the 300-meter hurdles where she finished in 51.56 seconds for 14th.
"The hurdles were a lot more competitive than we originally thought," Priem said. "We will never make excuses, but Ciara was physically and emotionally spent after the triple jump. We left school at 6:30 a.m. (the first day of the meet). She jumped at 11 a.m. and didn't run the hurdles until 9:15 p.m. It was a long day and she didn't have her best race, but we're still proud of her."
Sophomore Anna Machuga set a new personal record in the 800 meters by clocking 2:27.73 to finish eighth. After the final curve, she passed other runners for that finish.
The coach noted that Holliday sophomore Kenli Atwood, who won the Class 3A state silver medal last year, was in the race.
"That didn't get to Anna at all," he said. "She knew based on her time, she was between ninth and 12th place. She and I talked before the event, and I told her that a (new personal record) and a top 10 finish would be a fantastic day. And that's just what she did. She went from 11th to eighth in the final 100 meters."
Junior Peyton Parrish was 12th in the discus with a toss of 106-09.
"I'm so proud of Peyton," Priem said. "No she didn't have her best day or a (personal record), but the windy conditions were tough on everyone. However, the pressure of competing at the regional track meet didn't get to her like it did others. All three of her throws were in the sector and competitive – not one scratch or foul. Every time she stepped into the ring, she had confidence and let it fly."
The Yellow Jackets' lone regional qualifier, sophomore thrower Cole Kennedy, took fourth in the shot put with a heave of 49-5 and fourth in the discus with a throw of 147-06.
He set a new personal best in the shot put for the second consecutive week and encountered a strong wind in the discus like Parrish.
"The wind was just brutal," the coach said. "But Cole was more consistent than any other competitor. Every throw was within the 140-147-foot range. For a sophomore to compete in two regional events is fantastic and for a sophomore to earn a top five in both events is amazing."
