Russellville senior Makenzie Schwartz is no stranger to the state track and field championships at Adkins Stadium.
In four years, Schwartz qualified for state in 13 events - out of a possible 16 - and finished her high school career with eight state medals. Only one thing was missing: a gold medal.
Not anymore.
Schwartz captured her first state title Saturday by winning the Class 1 girls 100-meter dash with a time of 12.59 seconds.
"I didn't know I won because it was pretty close," said Schwartz, who edged Osceola junior Aleah Asare at the finish line by three-hundredths of a second.
It's the first state title for the Lady Indians since Sarah Koestner won the 3,200-meter run in 2010.
Of Schwartz's eight state medals, this was her first in the 100. In addition to Asare, three other runners finished within 0.11 seconds of Schwartz, who posted a personal-best time in the event.
"I didn't think I was going to get first, because I was ranked third (after the preliminaries)," she said.
Making the win more impressive was Schwartz had run the 100-meter hurdles final just 15 minutes earlier. Schwartz finished third in that race with a time of 16.19 seconds, but officials had to hold up the medal presentation for that event so she could get back to the starting line for the 100.
"It was really tough, because I was supposed to go (to the bullpen), and they said, 'No, you should just go (to the starting line)," Schwartz said. "So I was like, 'Aah, I don't know if I'm going to be ready (for the 100).'"
Schwartz earned her third state medal of the day in her final race, the 300-meter hurdles. She medaled in the event all four seasons and posted her best state finish in the race, placing third with a time of 47.54 seconds.
"That meant a lot," Schwartz said.
Schwartz recorded all 22 points for the Lady Indians in the Class 1 team standings. Russellville finished in eighth place behind Schwartz's effort.
As a junior, Schwartz also accounted for all of Russellville's 11 points in the Class 2 team standings. The same goes for her sophomore year, when she scored seven points.
"I'm proud of myself for helping the team in any way I can," she said. "I try my best so I can get as many points as possible."
Schwartz will run track next season at Columbia College.
"I'm really excited," she said.
Blue Eye won the Class 1 girls team title with 68 points, one better than runner-up Worth County. St. Joseph Christian was third with 45 points and Marion County was fourth with 38.
In Saturday's final event, the pole vault, Worth County finished 1-2 for 18 team points to close the gap on Blue Eye.
The only other area team to enter the team standings was St. Elizabeth, which tied for 51st place with two points. The Lady Hornets' lone all-state medalist was junior Ariel Schaffer, who finished seventh in the pole vault. She cleared 8 feet, matching her personal best.