WHITEHOUSE, Texas — Looking at the calendar, Jermod McCoy knew it was going to be a hectic weekend.
It began Thursday night, where his Whitehouse baseball team hosted the first game of an area round playoff series against Ennis. They pulled out a big win 3-2, but there was no time for McCoy to celebrate. Only minutes later, he was on the road down to Austin to compete in the state track meet, with his first event beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
"We actually ended up leaving that night after the game," McCoy said. "We got there probably around 12:30. I went to sleep probably around 2, but I slept all the way in the car."
Even with a disrupted sleep schedule, McCoy showed the whole state his talents. He competed in the long jump and the triple jump, and at the end of the day he stood at the top of the podium in both events.
He also capped off his high school track career with a personal record in the triple jump, his best event.
"I think being in Austin at that stadium helped me rise to the occasion and to go out there and get it. It was my goal from the beginning of the year to jump a 50," McCoy said. "I ended up getting that at the state meet. I was just super excited, it felt great."
The very next day, McCoy was back on the road to Ennis to complete the second game of the series and to clinch a spot in the next round of the playoffs.
Head baseball coach Greg Branch said that tenacity and competitive spirit is what makes Jermod such a special player.
"If I could sum up Jermod in one word, it's competitor. He's competitive in everything that he does," Branch said. "Whether it's checkers or chess, on the baseball field, football field, or track. He's just going to compete with everything he has."
After baseball season, McCoy will focus on his next journey. He's committed to play football at Oregon State. The legacy he will leave behind at Whitehouse will always be remembered. However, Branch said it's his character that will continue to carry McCoy to success.
"When a division one school wants you for talent, that's one thing. But all the schools that have come through have talked about Jermod the person and the character that he brings," Branch said. "That's the first thing that stands out when you meet him, how he lights up the room."
Next, McCoy and Whitehouse will take on Lucas Lovejoy in a best of three series to advance to the regional semifinals.