At last, Jacie Droddy is a state medal winner.

Port Neches-Groves’ senior long jumper earned a bronze medal in her third and final appearance at the UIL state track meet Friday at the University of Texas at Austin. Droddy jumped 18 feet, 1.5 inches on her last jump to move into the state podium stand in 5A.

So, Jefferson County went 1 for 1 in the medal hunt at Austin, as Droddy was the only athlete from the county at this year’s meet. She topped her two previous finishes at state, fifth in 2017 and sixth last year. Droddy won the 5A Region III silver medal three straight years.

And, yes, her coach was overcome with emotion.

“I was very emotional,” Brittany Fruge said. “I didn’t expect to be emotional. We’ve had a really good relationship. We’ve grown close. No one deserves it more than Jacie.”

It’s the finish Droddy was hoping to attain before she heads to Texas A&M to begin her collegiate career.

Sanye Ford of Frisco Liberty won with an 18-9 jump. Glenquioa Hardy of Mesquite Poteet earned the silver at 18-2.5. Droddy’s last jump beat 5A Region III champion Destini Lombard by a half-inch.

As Southeast Texas was recovering from heavy winds and thunderstorms overnight, Droddy had to battle an unusually chilly day in the state capital. Fruge said it was windy at 55 degrees, adding Droddy has not had to perform in that condition “in a while.”

“It was not an ideal jumping day,” Fruge said. “But we trained with the same mentality that everyone has to jump in that condition. You’re not at an advantage over anyone you compete with.”

Droddy recorded 17-4.5 on her first try, while Ford and Lombard had already reached 18 feet and Hardy fouled on her first two tries. Droddy fouled on her second jump and recorded 18-0.25 on her third jump, 17-7.5 on her fourth, 17-10 on her fifth and 18-1.5 on her last.

Savoria Anderson of Burleson Centennial was fifth at 17-11.5, Rachel Darden of Mansfield Legacy sixth at 17-11.25, Deja Shaw-Huckaby of Fort Worth Chisholm Trail seventh at 17-10.25, Riley Floerke of Gregory-Portland eighth at 17-9.5 and Daniella Muniz of Rio Grande City ninth at 17-6.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews