Just two years ago, Moody High School had never won a State Championship. As of 2016, it now has three.

During its meeting on April 25, the Moody City Council recognized the school’s newest AHSAA champions – Shaquawn Vandergrift and Michael Land. Vandergrift brought the first of the two titles home to Moody during the State Indoor Track and Field Meet in early March, and Land followed shortly after with a title in wrestling.

Land and Vandergrift follow Brett Staggs’ 2015 wrestling championship to make three for the school.

Shaquawn Vandergrift

Moody doesn’t have an indoor track program, which is what makes Vandergrift’s title stand out. In March, he set a state record in Class 4A-5A with a 6.95-second run in the 60-yard dash to take home the championship.

According to coach Raphael Greaux, Vandergrift worked nearly every day since September 2015 in preparation for the State Meet. Greaux said Vandergrift showed constant dedication through months of training. He also rebounded from three knee surgeries to claim the title.

“If it wasn’t for his work ethic, commitment and dedication, he would have never accomplished what he has so far,” Greaux said of Vandergrift. “It’s been amazing working with him.”

Michael Land

In 2015, as Brett Staggs was chasing his own title, his teammate Michael Land was absorbing as much as he could.

“Michael’s first season was last year, and it was a lot of fun to coach him because he had questions,” Coach JT Gosnell said. “He wanted to know everything about everything.”

Land took what he learned in his first year and applied through the offseason, enrolling in a wrestling club, learning new styles and reviewing film. When he returned to competition this year, he worked his way to a Championship in the 126-pound division.

“To win a state championship, it takes a lot of work, and it takes a lot of things to work out right,” Gosnell said. “But it also takes a young man who’s willing to put in lot of extra time.”