The Pilot Point Bearcats track team reached the finish line for its season with three runners representing the Bearcats at the UIL State Track & Field Championships on May 1.
Juniors Peytyn Goodin and Ava Smith and senior Bennett Cory competed in Austin but fell short of the podium.
“Any time you make it to state is a feat in itself, so for those kids that went and competed and for them to be in the top nine in our class, it was a huge accomplishment,” Pilot Point head boys track coach Tyler Lawson said. “I’m proud of all of our kids. The state meet is a great experience. We had two coaches on staff that had never been before, so they got to [see] what that's like as well, but overall, I’m just ecstatic about how they ran and how they competed out there.”
Goodin, who made her second appearance at the state meet, finished sixth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.61 seconds.
She said returning to Austin was extra special for her this season after suffering a serious knee injury last season.
“After the ACL surgery, it took a lot of patience,” she said. “I didn't think I was going to be able to run as fast, mainly because my surgeon was telling me I wouldn't have the best year to come and that I should wait for my senior year … but then I got [to state], and while I wanted to run as best as possible, it was just so relieving to make it after everything that happened 10 months ago.”
Smith, who finished seventh in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:25.87, said she enjoyed the opportunity to compete in Austin and is going to work hard to make her way back next season.
“I was really excited and had a great time,” she said. “The crowd was amazing, and it was a good competition. It wasn't the result I wanted, but I'm hoping to use that as motivation going into next year.”
Cory finished ninth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:58.18.
Cory, who reached his goal of making his way to the state meet in his final season as a Bearcat, said he hopes his performance encourages the next generation of Pilot Point runners.
“I really hope that it inspires them because most of the guys that are on our cross-country team and track team are faster than I was as a freshman and sophomore,” he said. “I really hope that this [pushes] them to work harder and shows them that even if you feel slow right now, you can work your way up.”
Lawson made sure to thank his wife and the Pilot Point ISD administrators, coaching staff and community for the encouragement and support they provided him and his team this season.
“I can’t say thank you to them enough,” he said. '… All those people have a busy schedule, so for them to take the time out of their day to come watch these kids run or help us with anything we needed says a lot, not only for them as a person but in how they believe in what we're trying to build here at Pilot Point.”
