Rexford-Golden Plains High School held a pep rally for sophomore distance runner Emma Weiner the day before she was set to compete in the Class 1A state cross country meet last fall. 

Weiner was blown away by the support. 

"It really helped motivate me," Weiner said. "After that, I was like, 'I have to do it for them.' And I knew I had the support from everyone at my school, which is obviously a big thing."

Weiner kept the encouragement from the Bulldog faithful in the back of her mind as she fought through agonizing pain during the 1A race on Oct. 30 at Victoria's Sand Plum Nature Trail. 

Earlier in the week, Weiner suffered what she thought was a sprained ankle after tripping while coming out of a class at school. She didn't have time to see a doctor to get the injury checked out before the race. 

Noticeably limping as she crossed the finish line, Weiner captured the state title with a time of 20:04.07, winning the race by more than 25 seconds over the second-place finisher. 

"It was probably one of the most painful things I've felt," Weiner said. "But I tried not to think about it as much as possible. I just knew that I had to finish, especially since I had already started. I just had to keep going. And I knew that I had a whole bunch of people counting on me. Everybody was there for me, so I did it for them."

"It was definitely a relief just to get to the finish line, because I didn't know if I was going to be able to do that."

Then came the real stunner. 

When Weiner went to get her leg checked out by a doctor a couple days later, X-rays revealed a broken fibula. 

She had won a state title with a broken leg. 

"I was very shocked," Weiner said. "I've never had a broken bone before. I was definitely not expecting to see that on the X-ray."

Weiner, the Capitol Federal True Blue® Student of the Week, spent about a month on crutches after the injury and about two more weeks after that in a walking boot. But she's been cleared in time for track season and will look to defend her Class 1A state championship in the 1,600 meter run and look to compete for another title in the 3,200 after placing second in that event last year. 

"I don't know that in my 23 years at Golden Plains that I've coached a tougher kid," Golden Plains athletic director and track and field coach Travis Smith said. "Mentally and physically, she's always on top of her game."

Weiner said going through the rehabilitation process for her leg has helped steer her into a possible career path.

"I'm hoping to be a physical therapist," she said. "Going through physical therapy with my leg injury has kind of helped me decide that is what I want to do," Weiner said. 

The injury kept Weiner from taking the floor for the Golden Plains basketball team, which went 23-1 and reached the Class 1A Division II title game before falling to Central Plains. 

Weiner was finally cleared to practice the week of state basketball and suited up for state.

"It was super exciting," Weiner said of the Bulldogs' success. "It was hard to watch (and not be able to play), but it was really fun. I'm really glad they went as far as they did."

In addition to being a three-sport athlete, Weiner is active in Scholars Bowl and Catholic Youth Organization, and took part in the school play this year. 

"It is tricky (to balance time)," Weiner said. "You have to really work on the schedule, and also make sure I have enough time for myself."

She also maintains a 4.0 grade-point average. 

"She sets a great example for everybody in our school, from our seniors all the way down to our elementary students," Smith said. "She's the type of young lady that you hope your daughter grows up to be. She's just a really good kid. Everybody around here looks up to her."

Weiner transferred to Golden Plains from Hoxie as a seventh grader. She placed third at the Class 1A state cross country meet as a freshman. She won the 1,600 in her first state track meet with a 5:26.24 and ran an 11:41.75 for her runner-up finish in the 3,200. 

"I heard about a good little runner over there at Hoxie," Smith said. "She had run some really good times in junior high. When she came over, we were super excited to have her and the rest of her family over here. Since she's stepped up on the track, she's been phenomenal."

Smith said he's been cautious with Weiner leading up to the first track meet. 

"I probably ask her every lap that she runs if the leg's OK and she's doing well, because I just don't want to see it happen again," Smith said. "But I think she has a great chance to repeat in the (1,600) and has a great chance in the (3,200)."

"Just to shave off as much time as possible and set some new PRs," Weiner said of her goals for this season.