For the second straight year, a girl in Texas has won the Class A state track title by herself. Bonnie Richardson, the valedictorian of her 14-student senior class in the farming town of Rochelle, won the title by placing in all five events she entered: first in long jump, second in high jump, second in discus, third in 200 meters and fourth in 100 meters. Her 38 points edged out the second-place team’s total of 36. She has no teammates.
Rochelle doesn’t have a girls track team and Richardson is the only girl at the school who participates in track. But even as a one-girl team, nobody else in Class A in Texas has been able to beat her at the state meet over the past two years. Last year, she medaled in five events to claim the overall title with 42 points. Teams from Chilton and Seymour tied for second with 36 points.
After single-handedly beating 56 other teams this year, Richardson told a reporter: “It’s great. It’s over. It’s done. It’s nice that I can relax now.” She has certainly earned the rest. But it won’t last too long. Richardson has earned a track scholarship to Texas A&M and will begin classes in the fall.