State Track & Field Champions!

The Stroud Lady Tigers Track and Field Team captured their first 2A Team State Championship on Saturday at the OSSAA State Track and Field Championships, held at Western Heights for Classes 1A-2A. During the 2023 spring track season, the Lady Tigers were on a mission to rewrite their school's record book, and they accomplished the task. Four of the five school records were broken during the regular season and the fifth was conquered at the OSSAA Regional Track Meet. Kileigh Mixon was the first athlete to take down the first school record of the season, in the 100 Meter Hurdles, at the OBU High School Invitational (Shawnee, OK) on April 4th, by posting a time of 15.43 seconds. Mixon previously held the 100M Hurdles school record in 2021 at the state track meet by a time of 15.54 seconds, finishing as the State Runner-Up. At the same track meet (OBU Invitational) Mixon set a new school record in the long jump, which stood for 44 years, by jumping 18 ft. and 1 inch. The previous record was set in 1979 by a measurement of 17 ft. and 4 inches.

Pictured: (Top Kileigh Mixon, (Bottom) Kenlee Parrick

On April 17th, the Lady Tigers' 4x100 Meter Relay set a new school record at the Route 66 Track Classic Track Meet (Chandler, OK) in the 4x100 Meter Relay, by posting a time of 50.76 seconds. The previous record was set back in 1981 with a time of 51.4 seconds (in the 4x100M Relay). Kileigh Mixon set a new school record in the high jump, at the Rt. 66 Track Classic, by jumping 5 ft. and 9 inches to defeat her 2022 school record of 5 ft. and 8 inches. The Lady Tigers 4x200 Meter Relay team also broke a 44-year-old school record at the OSSAA Regional Track Meet (Stroud, OK.), on April 29th, by posting a time of 1:48.66 and finishing first in that event. At the regional track meet, the Lady Tigers earned seven gold medals, one silver medal, one bronze medal, and a 5th place finish to claim the 2023 Regional Track and Field Championship. Peyton Davis won the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 12.69 seconds and placed 3rd in the 100 Meter Hurdles. Audrey Donaldson placed 5th in the 200 Meter Dash with a time of 28.16, and Kileigh Mixon won the 100 Meter Hurdles with a time of 15.62 seconds, the High Jump with a mark of 5 ft. and 4 inches, and (won) the Long Jump with a mark of 17 ft and 8 inches. Kenlee Parrick won the Pole Vault event with a height of 9 feet. The 4x100M and 4x200M relay teams won their events, and the 4x400M Relay team took second place.

The OSSAA State Track and Field Championships was a two-day event held at Western Heights (High School), in Oklahoma City, on May 5th-6th. On Friday (May 5th), the state track meet began with the field events. Seniors Kileigh Mixon and Kenlee Parrick were the first two athletes to compete for a chance to claim their individual championships, and to help their team claim the Class 2A State Championship. Mixon defended her crown as the two-time state high jump champion, by jumping 5 ft. and 4 inches, to claim her third straight high jump championship. Parrick vaulted 9 ft. claiming her first championship in the pole vault that morning as well. The championship crownings of Mixon and Parrick on the opening morning set the tone for the remainder of the state track meet.

Friday afternoon, in the preliminary heat of the 4x100M Relay, the Lady Tigers broke their school record again by posting a time of 50.17 seconds, which was the fastest time to advance to the finals the following day. Next, the dynamic duo of (freshman) Peyton Davis and (senior) Kileigh Mixon competed in the 100M Hurdles where both finished in the top four of the preliminary heat to advance to the finals (the following day). Davis posted the fastest time in the preliminary heat with a time of 15.58 seconds, and Mixon posted a time of 15.66 seconds to finish 4th in the heat. Within 20 minutes of running the 100M Hurdles, Davis was back in the starting blocks to run in the preliminary heat of the 100 Meter Dash and set a new school record by posting a time of 12.31 seconds. The previous school record was set back in 1981 with a time of 12.35 seconds (in the 100 Meter Dash). To close out the first day of the state competition, the Lady Tigers' 4x200M Relay team broke their week-old school record by posting a time of 1:46.90, to receive the bronze medal. The 4x200 Relay team in order were: (senior) Kenlee Parrick, (freshman) Audrey Donaldson, (senior) Mattie James, and the anchor (freshman) Peyton Davis.

Day two of the state competition opened with the Div 1 Oklahoma State Track & Field signee Kileigh Mixon, in the long jump. Mixon jumped 18 ft. to claim the state runner-up in the long jump event to be edged by the defending state champion, and future collegiate teammate, Kinidi Taylor (Crescent High School) by a mark of 18 ft. and 3.25 inches. The field events concluded and the track events were to begin that afternoon. The first task for the Lady Tigers in the track events was the 4x100M Relay.

The Lady Tigers dominated the 4x100M Relay to break their recent school record again by posting a time of 49.86 seconds, to bring home the gold and state championship in the 4x100 Meter Relay. The 4x100M Relay team in order were: (senior) Kenlee Parrick, (freshman) Peyton Davis, (senior) Mattie James, and the anchor (senior) Kileigh Mixon. The next event for the Lady Tigers came 40 minutes after running the relay, which was the 100 Meter Hurdles finals. The two-time state runner-up, Kileigh Mixon was determined to finish her final high school hurdle event on top as the state champion. Mixon delivered to set a new school record with a time of 15.15 seconds, in the 100M Hurdles, to capture the state title. Davis finished the race placing 4th in the event. In less than 20 minutes, Davis was heating for the finals in the 100 Meter Dash. While in the heating area, Davis was visibly upset and sat in the back row of the heating area. I looked over at Coach Kelly Brown and said "Oh, she's pissed. She's about to win this 100 and break the school record again. Watch!" Brown agreed and said, "I told her 11.96."

Pictured: (L to R) Kenlee Parrick, Kileigh Mixon, Mattie James, and Peyton Davis

Davis stood at the start line with a fierce look of determination. When the starter fired the gun, Davis shot out of the blocks like a rocket to break her day-old school record with a time of 12.17 seconds, to claim the state title in the 100 Meter Dash, and breaking the Lady Tigers sixth school record of the season. After the 100M Dash, the Lady Tigers (team) were setting in first place heading into their final event, the 4x400M Relay. Coach Kelly Brown checked the team standings and figured out several scenarios for her Lady Tigers to take home their first state team championship. The Lady Tigers had to finish the race in the top 8 to become state champions, and they placed 6th in the event finishing with a time of 4:19.00 to capture their first state women's track title in school history. The 4x400M Relay team in order were: (junior) Haley Durrence, (senior) Mattie James, (freshman) Audrey Donaldson, and (senior) Kenlee Parrick.

Pictured: Peyton Davis

Before the trophy presentation, Coach Brown said she knew her girls would put it all on the line. With tears in her eyes, Coach Brown was in awe and said "Six girls," which I refer to as the "Super Six." Coach Brown said she called her parents and was "just bawling on the phone." But, can you blame her? No, it was that special! This was not the first time Coach Brown took a team of less than 10 athletes to the state track meet and take home a team trophy. In 2021, the Lady Tigers were the state runner-up (in Class 2A) and were a talented and memorable team I had the pleasure of covering. The 2023 seniors knew the feeling of coming up short in 2021 and said they wouldn't let it happen again their senior year. They were right, and put the icing on top of the cake to close out their senior season on top as champions!

Coach Kelly Brown received the iconic Gatorade bath from her team while standing on the podium during the trophy presentation, and every Stroud faithful cheered the celebratory moment. Afterward, the Lady Tigers took the ritual victory lap with the championship trophy and banner around the track, while Coach Brown watched her team and took in the moment. The record boards will be updated, and you are part of your school's history. Now, you've earned those championship rings! This historic season will be remembered for a lifetime!

From your photographer, Congratulations STATE CHAMPIONS!!! I am so proud of you all! You all deserve it!!!

- Mario Holland