Campbell bronzed at state meet
New Caney freshman starts high school career on medal stand
New Caney’s Nastassja Campbell is a state medalist – and she’s only a freshman.
Campbell claimed a bronze medal in the pole vault at the UIL Track and Field State Meet last week in Austin.
“She’s a distance runner for me,” coach Sara Sheppard said. “She didn’t even pole vault.
“This is the first year she picked up a pole, and we were having practice one day and she saw Coach (Joshua) Potter and them over there, and she said, ‘I’d like to try that.’ I said, ‘Well, then get over there and try it,’ and she was just a natural.”
Sheppard said Campbell’s participation in gymnastics helped build up her strength.
The rest is just natural ability.
Campbell’s personalbest going into state was 11 feet, which already was a school record, and she cleared 12 feet to take third.
“It’s a big accomplishment for her and she’s real excited,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard said she’s not surprised by Campbell’s early success, even if it was in an unexpected event.
“She’s so strong,” she said. “She was a two-mile runner for me. We had to switch her events in track just to accommodate the pole vaulting because she was that good at it. She’s a great all-around kid, top of her class.”
Campbell took second at the district and regional meets.
“Her goal was to hit 11-6 (at state),” Sheppard said. “That was her personal goal. When she got that she relaxed.
“She didn’t miss but one time before the final attempt, going 12-6.”
The two girls ahead of her – Grapevine’s Zoe McKinley and Boerne Champion’s Kendahl Shue – tied at 12-6.
Campbell’s early success also earned her a bid to another prestigious meet.
“She was invited to go to the Meet of Champs this weekend in Waco,” Sheppard said.
The Texas Track & Field Coaches Association’s inaugural Meet of Champions, set for Saturday at Baylor’s Clyde Hart Stadium, pits the top UIL, TAPPS and SPC athletes against each other.
“If she’s stick with it, I do (see a gold medal in her future),” Sheppard said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s next year. She’s incredible. She’s still practicing right now and she plans on competing this summer, so we’ll just see how much better she can get.”
Dragons earn scholar honors
The John Cooper School boasted eight finalists and two winners for the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe’s Mike Ogg All-Montgomery County Scholar of the Year award.
The winners were Jack Wiernicki in boys basketball and Julianne Malek in volleyball.
Wiernicki, a forward, was a co-captain this year.
The four-year varsity player also is an honor roll student on the steering
committee of the school’s Habitat for Humanity program.
The senior will play basketball at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., this fall.
“This year, as a senior, he was our team leader and worked extremely hard in the weight room to get himself ready,” coach Mike Cooper said. “He led the team in shooting and rebounding. I’m very excited about him continuing his basketball career at Washington University in St. Louis.”
Malek is an honor roll student and Cooper Pioneer, attending the school since kindergarten.
The senior also is heading to Washington University to play volleyball and pursue a degree in business.
“Julianne is a leader,” coach Jim Richardson said. “She leads by her actions on the court and the other players rally around her. She brought excitement to the court.”
Cooper’s other Mike Ogg finalists were Alex Farley (boys soccer), Alexa Coughlin (girls soccer), Muna Uzodike (girls basketball), Kayleigh Murphy (softball), Pedro Nasta (boys cross country) and Samara Sargeant (girls track).