The Lady Patriots can boast two individual state champions from the 3A state track meet in Baton Rouge, as both Meg Simon and Randee Vincent took home first place in their respective events and helped NV to a fourth-place finish with 31 points.

Simon lept 12-01 in the pole vault to earn the individual state title in that event, while Vincent set a PR in the javelin with a throw of 128-06.

“I was very surprised because all season I haven’t thrown over 120-00,” said Vincent. “At least I’m peaking at the end of my season... At first I was shocked but now I just feel like, wow, I actually accomplished it.”

As a senior, the state meet was the final sanctioned athletic competition for Vincent, who is forgoing possible scholarships in softball to focus 100 percent on her studies in college.

Still, she said she is okay with that, seeing as she went out with a bang.

“It’s pretty sad,” she said. “But still, it’s pretty exciting.”

Simon, a junior, has spent the better part of the track season in pursuit of the 12-00 mark, a personal record.

“It was amazing,” she said. “12-00 has been my goal for about as long as I can remember. I think I was just running on adrenaline. I was just excited to be there and all my friends were there”

With the first-place finish at the outdoor meet, Simon is now the title holder twice over, as she jumped 11-01 to take the 3A state championship at the state indoor meet in as well.

Simon has made it to the state meet three years running now. She said, having met her previous goal of 12-00, she will reset her personal goal to 13-00.

When asked if she thought a state record (13-09) might be in the cards, Simon was realistic.

“I’m hoping for it,” she said. “But, the higher you get, it gets more difficult.”