Jada McDougle tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus last October, and there were doubts she would ever return to her previously elite level of performance on Newton County’s track and field team.

She did return, however, and her comeback culminated at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championship in July, where she finished fifth in the 100-meter dash and 22nd in the 200-meter dash. 

It was only a few months after that when she decided where her track career would continue after high school. 

“People didn’t think I was going to bounce back as fast and that I couldn’t run as fast as I did before,” McDougle said. “But I did, and Mississippi State showed a big interest in me this summer.”

McDougle signed her letter of intent with the Bulldogs Wednesday after committing to Mississippi State in September. While the Newton County senior has only been running track the past two years, she excelled at the sport right away by winning the state championship in the 100-meter dash her first season, as a sophomore. 

The honor roll student said running for a school of which she’s been a lifelong fan is a dream come true. 

“I really feel like I’m at home when I’m there. It is the home team,” she said. “I’ve always rooted for Mississippi State, and now that I can be a part of the school, it’s just really nice.”

McDougle’s personal record is 11.82 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 24.15 seconds in the 200-meter dash. 

Ashlee Walker started as head coach of the Newton County girls track and field team the same year McDougle joined the team and said her ability as a sprinter has an immense influence on younger athletes, and that she has a competitor’s attitude.   

“Not only has she done well performance-wise, but I’ve seen her grow as a leader,” Walker said. “Other girls follow her and look up to her, and she has that mentality of a winner.”

For her senior track season next spring, McDougle said she wants her teammates to achieve the level of success she’s enjoyed.

“I just want to go out with a bang,” she said. “And to try to push everybody to go to state, because I don’t want it to be a quick season.”  

NORTHEAST’S MOLLY MOORE SIGNS WITH ECCC AS DUAL-ATHLETE

Molly Moore didn’t want to have to decide between soccer and softball, and when East Central Community College offered her the chance to play both — the only school to do so — she knew where she wanted to go next year.

“I’m so excited that I get to not only play one sport, but that I get to play two of them,” Moore said. “I’m just so excited for this journey and where’s it going to take me. I’m blessed with opportunities.”  

Moore, ranked in the top three in her class academically and this fall’s homecoming queen, signed her letter of intent Wednesday at Northeast Lauderdale to join the Warriors’ soccer and softball programs. A slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball player with the Lady Trojans, she stopped playing soccer at Northeast after her eighth-grade year in favor of basketball but continued to play soccer on local travel teams.  

One of her travel team coaches, Ryan Joiner, is also the women’s soccer head coach at East Central, and Moore said she will enjoy having familiarity with him. 

Moore had a team-high .362 batting average in fast-pitch last season, with a .450 on-base percentage and 36 stolen bases. She said she still wants to improve in both sports before joining the college ranks.

“I just want to work hard so I can get better, because whenever you get to college, everybody’s as good as you,” she said. “So I just want to continue to work hard and make memories.”