Hawley's Diontay Ramon wins state track gold with hometown hit by tornado on his mind

AUSTIN — Diontay Ramon had a lot on his mind Friday.

As the Hawley senior prepared to compete at the Class 2A UIL state track and field meet, he couldn't help but think of those in his hometown affected by a rash of tornadoes the night before.

By the end of the competition, a gold medal hung underneath the maroon letters spelling out his tight-knit community. It symbolized a small victory as Hawley and the surrounding area begin to recover.

"We're gonna get through," Ramon said. "Stuff like this happens. Not all the time, but it happens. God has a plan, and we're gonna get through."

Hawley ISD reported "several families that have lost homes" following multiple tornadoes in Jones County on Thursday evening. That was hours after Ramon and Hawley jumps coach Lane Scoggins left for Austin.

Through social media the Bearcats contingent began seeing the destruction, which caught Scoggins "by surprise" after agreeable weather on the drive down.

"We're praying for each and every one of those people," Scoggins said. "We know them. There's students, there's teachers. I've got those kids in my classroom. It's hard to see those pictures and those videos. The one good thing is, as far as I know right now, everyone's OK. … I'm thankful for that."

IMAGES: Massive tornado rips through Jones County on Thursday

Ramon reached a personal-best 47 feet, 1½ inches to win the triple jump by two feet. It was the culmination of a season's worth of improvement following a torn meniscus last year. Doing so while representing Hawley on the biggest stage was a cherry on top.

"No matter what we've been through, thick and thin, the whole town is a blessing," Ramon said. "I love them, from coaches, teachers, kids, family. They are truly a blessing."

It's a common sentiment. Ramon said fellow athletes back home spent Friday doing what they could to help those in need. That sums up the symbiotic relationship residents have with the school, Scoggins said.

The coach hopes Ramon's triumph at Mike A. Myers Stadium can be part of the healing, too.

"Hawley has always been great about rallying around their athletes," Scoggins said. "And the success that we have comes a lot from the support that we get as a coaching staff, as athletes and as a school. In the midst of this, which is terrible, there's a little bit of a silver lining. There's some celebration that can come from it. … Hopefully it does bring a little light to kind of a dark situation overall."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Hawley's Diontay Ramon wins state track gold with hometown hit by tornado on his mind