Brumbaugh ready to build on historic 2021

MT. PLEASANT — You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who had more success during the 2021 track and field season than Mt. Pleasant’s Jadan Brumbaugh.

The Panther senior enters 2022 with a boatload of accomplishments in her rearview mirror and some lofty goals ahead for the new season.

Brumbaugh did it all in 2022, winning everywhere she went, including twice at the blue oval, winning a championship at the Drake Relays and at the Class 3A state meet.

“I’m way more relaxed than I was last year,” Brumbaugh said. “I’m not as worried, distance wise.”

In the first home meet of her junior year, Brumbaugh broke Mt. Pleasant’s school record in the shot, throwing 40 feet, 8 inches to win the meet. She would break the school record again later in the year, throwing 44-04.5 to break her own mark.

“Everyone has told me it would be cool to see me throw 50 this year,” Brumbaugh said. “It’s a future mark that would be nice to hit.”

Brumbaugh won the Drake Relays by almost two feet, finishing out with a best throw of 42-4.25. At state, she raised her mark to 44-9, which she hit on her last attempt. Nobody else in the competition came close.

Brumbaugh says winning the major meets last year puts her at ease in her senior season.

“I’ve already achieved Drake and state,” Brumbaugh said. “It’s not something I haven’t done, so it’s not something I have to worry about.”

Mt. Pleasant’s top thrower became an inside threat on the basketball court in the winter. Brumbaugh went out for basketball this year at the request of head coach Curt Watson. She became an ALL-SEC player by the end of the season.

“Watson begged me to do it,” Brumbaugh said. “I didn’t want to do it very much, but at the end I had a lot of fun with it.”

And as successful as the 2021 season was for Brumbaugh, the Panther girls track team in general has reasons to come in with a chip on its shoulder. Fairfield knocked the Panthers off the top of the SEC last year, winning the SEC meet by a whole 50 points. Mt. Pleasant finished second.

“We’re all really wanting to get that win at conference,” Brumbaugh said. “We’re ready to put the work in to get better.”