Lady Diamonds senior duo hopes to end prep careers as state champs
For two senior members of the Sallisaw Lady Diamonds track team, this weekend’s Class 4A State Meet, which will take place today and Saturday at Plainview Stadium at Plainview High School, located on the far west side of Ardmore, will be their final prep event.
When the Lady Diamonds’ 800-meter relay team of Ava Armstrong, Kayli Macon, Hannah Palmer and Jazmyne Wright came in third at last Saturday’s Class 4A Regional Meet in Jay, the four of them knew they had punched their tickets to state. Macon and Wright are the only seniors who are getting to end their prep careers at the state meet, for which both are grateful.
“I was thrilled and excited,” Macon said about the 800-meter relay team making state. “I was proud of Jazmyne for pulling through (on the final leg) and getting us to third (at the regional meet).”
“I was really excited,” Wright said. “This is my last year of high school, and I’m actually happy to go to state with the team (members who qualified for state).”
Both seniors would love to end their prep careers with a state title.
“I would be really thrilled about it,” Wright said. “I’d be so excited for it. I’m going to help us bring home the gold. I hope we all pull through and get it. It would be a feeling like I have never felt before.”
In Macon’s case, not only does she have a shot at being part of the Class 4A 800-meter relay state champion with Wright, Armstrong and Palmer, but she has a shot at three more state titles — being part of the 400-meter relay team with Natalie Gonzalez, Emma Martin and Armstrong as well as being the 200-meter dash state champion and the champion in the long jump.
“In the moment, there is not a better feeling than being up on the podium,” Macon said. “We got to step up there last year. Honestly, that was the highlight of my high school career — to get up on the podium. If we can do it again, it would be amazing.”
After Saturday, both of the two Lady Diamonds seniors prep careers will be over. However, only one of them hopes to continue her track career at the collegiate level.
“I’m going to try to do track in college,” Wright said. “I haven’t gotten any offers yet, but I’m going to try (to walk on). I’m still looking, but I’m going to try to plan on doing track in college.”
On the other hand, when Saturday’s Day 2 action of the Class 4A State Meet comes to a close, Macon’s athletic career will end, too.
“I’m not planning on doing athletics in college,” Macon said. “Once it (prep career) comes to an end, it will hit me, ‘I’m never going to do that again,’ but it is what it is. I have no regrets on the decision.”
