Olivia Hildebrand saved her best for last on Thursday.
In her final high school track and field meet, the Whitesboro senior won the Class 3A girls discus and shot put at the state track and field meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. She also had her best throws on her sixth and final attempts.
“There’s no better way to finish,” Hildebrand said. “I’ve been waiting four years for this. I’m excited.”
Hildebrand is a four-time state qualifier in the discus and a two-time state qualifier in shot put. She will throw at West Point next season.
Three years ago, Hildebrand finished fifth in the state in discus. She was the state runner-up each of the last two years before breaking the ice last week. Hildebrand threw 139 feet, 6 inches on her first throw and 142-9 on her second. The only competitor who came close to catching Hildebrand was defending state champion Taylor Wiseman of Childress.
Wiseman’s final throw of 141-7 wasn’t enough to catch Hildebrand, who still had one throw left. Instead of scratching since she had the gold medal clinched, Hildebrand wanted to make the most of her final throw.
“I wasn’t satisfied,” she said. “I knew I had more in the tank, so I just threw it out there.”
That final throw gave Hildebrand a season-best 150-1. After celebrating her gold medal with family, friends and coaches, there was still one more event - the shot put.
“I wanted to medal,” Hildebrand said. “I didn’t medal the other time I competed in shot put.”
Going into her final throw, Hildebrand was in fifth behind Bree Lewis of Coahoma (40-8.75), Landrie Valenzuela of Jacksboro (40-7), Jaycee Green of Whitney (40-2.25) and Abby Elmore of Gunter (40-1.75). She gave herself a little mental pep talk prior to her sixth and final throw.
“I told myself to remain calm, you’ve done it before, you can beat them and it only takes one, so just throw it out there,” Hildebrand said.
The pep talk paid off. Hildebrand threw 40-10.5 on her final throw, while the four in front of her failed to meet or beat that mark.
“I’m so grateful and thankful for everything that I’ve accomplished,” Hildebrand said. “It was a great way to end it.”
While her high school track and field career is done, Hildebrand still has some business to tend to on the softball diamond. The Lady Bearcats face Gunter in the region quarterfinal round this week.
“I would love nothing more than to go to state in softball,” Hildebrand said. “I know our softball team can do it. That would be amazing.”
In addition to Hildebrand, other Whitesboro athletes competed in the state meet. Isabel Gabbert and Brylee Weddle competed in the 3A girls 300-meter hurdles and 3A girls 400-meter run, respectively, and they also ran legs on the 3A girls 4x400-meter relay team with Aubrey Beam and Shelby Riddle.
Whitesboro also had a team in the 3A boys 4x400 relay. That team consisted of Colt Fagan, Max Hinsley, Maxx Parker and Karter Sluder.
In Friday’s 2A state meet, one Collinsville and two Tioga athletes competed. Nicholas Cox of Collinsville competed in the 2A boys discus, Sam Mott of Tioga ran in the 2A boys 400, and Kyndall Whitley of Tioga competed in the 2A girls long jump.
