Mansfield Lake Ridge freshman sails to gold in UIL state track and field meet
Jasmine Moore of Mansfield Lake Ridge sailed farther than she ever had before, almost farther than anyone in the nation.
Meanwhile, Grapevine pole vaulter Peyton Weissmann finished the season exactly as it began, matching the best height of his career.
And both came away with gold medals in their respective events in Thursday’s opening day of the UIL Class 5A state track and field meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
“The crowd was really loud, and they reacted kind of crazy, so I knew I’d done well,” said Moore, a freshman, who turned in a leap of 42 feet, 1 3/4 inches in the triple jump.
And indeed she had. Her performance is the second best in the nation this season, trailing only the 43-2 of Tara Davis of Agoura, Calif. That performance was in April also at Myers Stadium at the University of Texas in the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
Lake Ridge jump coach James Whisenhunt said Moore had set a goal of 42 feet for the state meet.
“For her to come down here and do this is just amazing,” he said.
For Weissmann, his winning vault of 16-6 on Thursday matched his winning vault in the season’s opening meet. The junior, competing in the state meet for the second year in a row, went a foot higher than a group of four vaulters who cleared 15-6, including Aledo senior T.J. Zalar.
“I felt fresh. I had a good week of practice,” Weissmann said. “My drive was good on the runway. I knew if I found my jump, I could win.”
More medals
Along with the gold medals won by Moore and Weissmann, three other athletes from the Fort Worth area captured medals on the opening day of the meet, which runs through Saturday.
Sophomore Faith Ette of Lake Ridge won a silver medal in the girls shot put, as did Saginaw Boswell junior Jalen Seals in the boys triple jump. Also, senior Jimmy Enobaber of Lake Ridge claimed a bronze in the boys triple jump.
Ette had a throw of 43-10.25. Seals turned in a leap of 47-11 1/4 and Enobaber went 46-9 3/4.
“This is Jimmy’s second medal this school year if you count football,” Whisenhunt said.
Enobaber played wide receiver for the Eagles, who finished 15-1 and second in the state in Class 5A Division I to Richmond George Ranch. He was also won bronze at state last season in the triple jump.
“An outstanding day, just outstanding,” Lake Ridge coach Michael Prewitt said. “To come down here and go 3-for-3 on the the opening day is really something. They all did what we knew they were capable of doing.”
Seals wrapped up a medal on his final jump.
“On that last jump he gave it all he had and got out there,” said Pioneers jump coach Jeremy Mullins. “It was a beautiful jump and I’m real proud of him.”
Seals said the silver medal was a bit of redemption for last season when he competed at the state meet, but finished eighth after a bout with tendinitis hampered him.
“It’s been a nice season. I’ve been consistent, and this is a great ending,” he said. “And I still have that motivation for gold next year.”
Meet schedule
Friday: 8 a.m. start (A, 2A, 4A, 6A) — 3,200 run only
Friday: 6 p.m start (3A, 5A) — wheelchair, running events
Saturday: noon (A, 4A) — running events
Saturday: 6 p.m. (2A, 6A) — running events
This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 11:13 PM with the headline "Mansfield Lake Ridge freshman sails to gold in UIL state track and field meet."