SAN ANGELO, TX -- The expectations are always high for Water Valley senior Kenzie Jordan. She has won state twice in track and left her mark as a volleyball and basketball standout for the Lady Wildcats.
So, it should be no surprise the Angelo State volleyball signee took home three medals and qualified for state in those three events at the Class 1A Region II track meet at ASU on Saturday. The senior said getting in the blocks still brings a bit of nerves.
“I get nervous because I feel like I’m expected [to do] a lot, to be a lot ever since I was a freshman,” Jordan said. “The feeling I get in the blocks, I pray and I’m calm. Getting back to state is such a great feeling, especially with these girls. They’ve been my team for years.”
Jordan won the 200-meter dash and helped the Lady Wildcats finish first in the 400-meter relay. Those marks would help the Lady Wildcats finish third as a team at the meet.
The Lady Wildcat 400- and 800-meter relay teams, where Jordan serves as the anchor, take the same common theme from most of Water Valley’s girl’s sports teams this season -- they know each other and expect nothing less than the best. Three of the four legs on each of their relay teams are seniors with Shelby Kolls and Cayce Jackson running.
“I think there’s a lot of leadership between us,” Jordan said. “The three seniors are very strong-willed, I guess you could say -- stubborn at times, too. And the junior [Kirstyn Greebon] is our best friend. We work hard together and keep each other accountable.”
The trust each leg of their relay has in one another has been built over four years on the hardwood in basketball and volleyball. That trust has served them well on the track.
“They don’t mind hard work,” head coach Brenda Greebon said. “Kenzie exhibits that in everything she does. Having a good leader like that kinda gets them wound up and makes them want to do good for her. … There’s just a good gel there. They want to do their best for each other and for themselves too.”
Being able to close out her senior year in Austin is a special moment for Jordan, who has appeared at the state track meet in two out of the previous three years. It’s even more special for a tradition-rich program like Water Valley.
“She’s just an amazing athlete,” Greebon praised. “Kenzie is one of a kind. She gets nervous, but doesn’t show it. Even when she might not have the best day, it doesn’t get her down and she encourages the other ladies on the team. She wants everybody in our program to do the best they can.”
During prelims on Friday, Jordan got a surprise from her soon-to-be teammates on the Angelo State volleyball team, who came out and cheered her on during the 400-meter relay.
“That was the best feeling,” Jordan smiled. “I’ve met them all and they’re so, so sweet. I can already tell how supportive they are and I can’t wait to dive into all of that.
The state track meet will be at the University of Texas on May 10 and 11.
This story will be updated with full results.
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