A record-breaking season for the Papillion-La Vista South girls track and field team continues. The young, talented team started off strong with a land slide victory at the College of Saint Mary’s Class A Invite with a score of 145, the team that followed Papio South had 57. Not only has the team dusted the competition, they’ve created record breakers.
Lyric Judson, 10th, who is one of those record breakers, most recently jumped her way to a new school high jump record: 5’2” on March 22 at the College of Saint Mary’s Class A Invite. She later matched her record two more times at the Millard South and Lynn Groff Invite.
Judson gives her coach credit for her confidence.
“Coach [Jamie] Burr is really encouraging and she instills confidence in me a lot,” Judson said. “She’s always saying: you have that height, you just need to do this.”
Of course, there was some apprehension before the big leap. “There was a little bit of, not fear, but nervousness,” she said. “But my coaches and my teammates were really encouraging.”
Judson isn’t the only one earning her stripes this season as the record books continue to be shattered.
Junior Katie Shafer broke the school record in the 200 meter dash her sophomore year and the 400 meter dash in her junior year: 25.07 seconds at the 2024 State Championship and 57.51 seconds at the Titan T&F Classic respectively.
Shafer reflected on the dynamic nature of the sport and the team’s camaraderie.
“You would think… it’s all by yourself, which at some points, some aspects, [it] is,” Shafer said, “but it’s also a team sport because if you don’t have a team behind you supporting you throughout track, it’s so hard on you mentally, physically. Just having those people backing you up just helps. I think it’s such a unique sport, because even though you’re personally improving, you have a team, too—even though it might not seem like that.”
Shafer also credited a fellow teammate for helping her grow this season. “Breylee Botts is a senior this year, and she just helped me a lot … because she’s so good, … she just helps me a lot like mentally and physically,” she said.
Sophomore Ashlyn Carter has recently gotten herself in the books by beating the previous 1600 record of 5.13.69 that was held by Anna Milton a decade earlier.
In the field events, sophomore Addison Medeck set the school record in shot put (40’11”) and sophomore Finley Moone set the long jump school record, jumping 18’ even. The Titans possess talent across events and many rise to the challenge week after week. Expectations run high and confidence is booming as they prepare for the season. “I think it’s just about trusting yourself,” Judson said. “And trusting your team.”
