When Joliet Catholic’s Symone Holman stood on top of the awards stand at the girls track state meet, she had to make sure that she found her family in the stands and wave to them.
Her mother, Tamara Reed-Holman — who qualified for state in four events for Decatur McArthur in 1990 and ran for Illinois State — was in the crowd at O’Brien Field in Charleston waving back.
It was a special moment for mother and daughter.
“I got a lot of my fast genes from her and she’s been my inspiration,” Symone said of her mom. “She was a sprinter, and when I practice on my own, she always comes with me and gives me extra motivation when she’s there.
“She’s always pushing me. She’s not like a drill sergeant. She pretty calm. Nothing crazy.”
Holman capped a crazy successful high school career Saturday. She ended up with seven state medals, including winning the Class 2A long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 11.75 inches. She also took sixth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.42 seconds.
Holman, the Southland’s lone individual state champion this year, was just the second in program history to win a state title for the Angels. Tonya Scott won the 100 in Class AA in both 1984 and 1985.
“I was surprised to find that out,” Holman said of the history. “That’s an honor.”
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The area had other state championship success over the weekend at Eastern Illinois.
Homewood-Flossmoor tied for first place in Class 3A with 76 points. It was H-F’s third state title and second in a row, even though the Vikings were without the injured Mariyah Robinson, a Florida recruit.
H-F’s 800 relay team of sophomore Khloe Daniels and juniors London Willingham, London Jarrett and Aniya Mullins set a state record with a 1:36.85, breaking Lincoln-Way East’s record of 1:36.86 established in 2013.
The quartet also won the state title in the 400 relay in 46.17. They missed the state mark of 45.5, which was set last year by Willingham, Robinson, Jarrett and Mullins.
In Class 2A, St. Laurence’s 800 relay team of freshmen Eniece Danzy, Madison Taylor, Mariah Woods and Gabrielle Woods won in 1:39.96. It also was the first title in program history for the Vikings.
Holman, meanwhile, finished seventh, second and seventh at state in the long jump her first three years. This was her last chance at taking gold.
“I’ve been down for the long jump every year and I’ve always placed,” she said. “One of my goals was to at least win one of my events. I was really proud that I could get that one.”
While Holman was able to run this season, tendinitis in her left foot at the beginning of the outdoor season kept her from jumping until May 6 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference Meet at Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights.
She won that day with a 16-9.75.
“I hadn’t jumped for so long, so I was definitely a little nervous,” she said. “I still did well. I got first in conference and that showed me where I was at with jumping.”
One of the reasons Holman picked Central Michigan was because of its predental program.
The bad news for Holman was she had to have braces for a year in fourth grade and then had to have a second round of braces in high school. The good news is she has found her calling.
“I always wanted to be a doctor of some kind, but being at the dentist so much, I thought that would be a great career path,” she said. “I feel like I know my way around just by being there so much.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.