By Jim Irish
Track fans had their final glimpse of Bastrop High School’s Ramonz Adams, at the state track meet last Friday.
Ramonz said on Monday that he plans to graduate in December and then enroll for the spring semester at Texas Tech, where he has made a verbal commitment to play football.
"It was just fun to be out there."
-- Bastrop's Ramonz Adams
Adams, a 6-foot-1, 160-pound defense specialist, displayed his athleticism, capturing the silver medal in the Class 5A triple jump at Mike Myers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin.
“It was just fun to be out there,” Adams said.
Adams is the first Bastrop athlete to earn hardware at the state meet since Glorilisha LeLe Carter took second in the 200-meter dash and third in the long jump in 2015. Carter later competed for Texas A&M.
Adams’ first attempt was his best at 46 feet, 9¾ inches, surpassing his personal record of 46-8½ at the region meet.
”It put the heat on everyone else,” Bastrop track coach Steve Mayberry said.
Adams said he surpassed his previous PR by holding the second phase of the jump longer.
Jayden Thrower, a junior from Barbers Hill, won the gold medal with a leap of 47-7. Thrower waited until the final three attempts to best Adams.
"I don't talk when I'm competing. I stay locked in."
-- Adams
Adams said he doesn't know Thrower.
”I don’t talk when I’m competing,” he said. “I stay locked in.”
Adams committed to Texas Tech in January although he received offers from Houston, Vanderbilt, Texas State, North Texas, and Arkansas State.
Adams may receive offers from other universities, but Bastrop head coach said “We’re big on keeping our word.”
Adams said he was impressed with Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, who finished his second season with an 8-3 record after beating California 34-14 in the Independence Bowl. In his first season, McGuire guided the Red Raiders to wins over Texas and Oklahoma.
”Joey’s one of the best player-coaches in the business,” Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl said. “There’s no doubt Joey’s been turning that place around.”
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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