Zgaynor to throw javelin at SEMO

Kennedy Zgaynor has only been throwing the javelin for two years, but she has rapidly become the best in Poplar Bluff High School history.

Zgaynor signed her letter of intent on Tuesday afternoon to throw the javelin for the Southeast Missouri State University women's track and field team next season in Cape Girardeau, surrounded by family, friends and coaches from her time at PBHS.

“She's such a selfless athlete,” Poplar Bluff girls track coach Beth Lewis said. “She's everybody's height woman. She's getting younger high school athletes interested in javelin — and getting them pumped up about it and excited.

“It's not about Kennedy. Kennedy is not about Kennedy. Kennedy is about doing what's right, being a good teammate and making it fun for everybody. She surely makes it fun for the coaches, always smiling and joking.”

Zgaynor — who also played softball and girls basketball at PBHS — has only been throwing the javelin two years, but what an amazing two years.

In her first year throwing, she took fourth at the Class 5 state meet last spring with a throw of 128 feet, 3 inches — and she has continued to build on that this spring.

She broke the school record last Friday with a throw of 142 feet, 9 inches (43.51 meters). More than that, she broke her own school record which she had set just a week earlier at the SEMO Conference meet.

And with the postseason starting with the district meet this weekend, Zgaynor is not about to rest on her past successes.

“I'm just going to keep working,” Zgaynor said. “I'm never really satisfied with myself. … I'm not perfect at it, so I'm just going to keep working and keep trying to do what I do.”

Lewis thought Zgaynor would play softball at the collegiate level. But the SEMO track coach had other ideas.

“SEMO started calling us and I think she really had a change of heart,” Lewis said. “It's something she's fairly new at — this is only her second year doing it. I'm excited for her and I love the fact that she's going to be so close to home.”

Zgaynor also was impressed with SEMO's nursing program, which she plans to major in —and on the field, she wants to do her part to help SEMO succeed next season.

“They have a pretty good nursing program and I take my schooling pretty seriously, so it's one of the main reasons I went there,” Zgaynor said. “It is a really nice school too — and also with the track team, the team bond is just really genuine and I really like that.”

Which is a big part of what she liked best about her four years at PBHS.

“I've made some really great friendships here and some great relationships with my coaches and my teachers,” Zgaynor said. I'm beyond blessed with that.”