Like many Louisiana high school indoor athletes this week,
Parkway's
Ember Pierce is playing the waiting game to see if she will be participating in Saturday's LHSAA State Indoor Meet. If the Lady Panther sophomore continues to improve the way she has in the last year, it will be the last time she has to wonder if she is getting in.
Pierce is one of the most improved 1600m runners in the state, second only to
Northshore's
Alivia Buley. Pierce ran a 6:32.85 in the 1600m last year. This season, she has improved to 5:58.94.
It's no surprise to her coach, Parkway head coach Kent Falting.
"She is a nice kid on the inside and a firecracker on the inside," Falting said of Pierce. "When she gets in a race, she gets fired up and finds something to motivate her. It may be a girl in the race that she just has to beat, a time goal, or just proving to her herself that she can do something. She almost looks angry on ...