Despite the unfavorable conditions on the concluding day of the 98th Clyde Littlefield Relays held at Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus, the schedule proceeded as planned. 

The cool, wet weather resulted in a downpour that left standing water on the track, necessitating a one-hour delay to allow for drying. The events resumed later in the afternoon. However, many unattached athletes and several teams chose to withdraw during the finals, opting not to risk potential injuries. Most of the top times were achieved during the preliminaries on Friday.

Annually, one of the nation’s top track and field meets showcase some of the nation’s top talented athletes from across the country, spanning from high school to professional ranks. Coverage in Texas’s capital city transitioned into anticipated celebrations as thrilling moments unfolded. Fans were eager, ready to witness the next significant highlight at the relays. 

Several colleges and universities made its presence known. Cal State Fullerton played a significant role in various events, including Abel Alejandro Jordan sprinting across the finish line to secure victory in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.12 seconds. Luke Hitchcock claimed second place in the 1A Men’s 1500 Meter Run Finals, finishing in 3:49.46. The Titans took second place in both the 4×100 and 4×400 Meter Relays, with times of 39.08 and 3:06.85, respectively. Hawkin Miller achieved third place in the 1A Shot Put Finals with a throw of 60-5.00. A fierce competition for the top position in the men’s 5000 meters saw Texas Tech’s Victor Kipkoech outpace Odessa College’s Justus Soget Kiplagat, clocking in at 13:58.54 compared to Kiplagat’s 13:59.41. 

The University of Texas men’s team enjoyed a successful day. Kendrick Smallwood won the title for the Longhorns in the 110 Hurdles with a time of 13.16 seconds. UT’s Kody Blackwood triumphed in the 400 Meter Hurdles, finishing in 49.58 seconds. Chris Brinkley from Texas finished third in the 400 Meter Hurdles with a time of 50.06 seconds, while Hudson Bennett placed second in the men’s 3000 Meter Steeplechase Finals with a time of 9:06.24. The men’s 4×100 Meter Relay team finished in third place with a time of 39.10 seconds. Brandon Gorski finished second place in the men’s long jump with a leap of 23-7.75. Kelsey Daniel won both the 1A Men’s Long Jump and Triple Jump Finals with distances of 25-10.50 and 52-9.75, respectively. Agbonkonkon Osawese held on for third place in the 1A Men’s High Jump Finals with a height of 6-10.50. Benjamin Shue emerged victorious in the men’s Discus Finals with a throw of 178-1.00. Michael Pinones and Shaiquan Dunn claimed the top two positions in the 1A Men’s Shot Put Finals with throws of 64-5.00 and 60-8.25.

U-of-H claimed victories in the 4×100 and 4×200 Meter Relays with times of 38.69 and 1:22.48, respectively. Patrick Flowers achieved a commendable third place in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase with a time of 9:08.91, while Antrea Mita earned second place honors in the 1A Men’s High Jump with a height of 7-0.25. 

On the high school circuit, two of the nation’s premier track athletes, Klein Collins’ junior Andrew Brown and C.E. King’s sophomore Dillion Mitchell, provided the audience with thrilling performances. Brown crossed the finish line in the 110 Hurdles, astonishing fans with a wind-aided time of 12.97 during the preliminaries. He also triumphed in the 300 Meter Hurdles, clocking in at 35.61. In the finals, Brown outperformed Houston Worthing’s Avonte Earl, a nationally ranked hurdler, finishing with a time of 13.15 compared to Earl’s 13.38. 

Mitchell followed suit with an impressive display, energizing the crowd as he sprinted to a wind-legal time of 10.10 in the 100 Meter Dash. Furthermore, Mitchell played a crucial role in anchoring the Panthers’ 4×200 Meter Relay team to victory, receiving the baton in third place behind Frisco Heritage and Long Beach Poly. He swiftly made up ground on Frisco and momentarily surged past the Jackrabbits, securing a first-place finish in the preliminaries. 

Atascocita’s Mariah Maxwell, representing APXP, a private college preparatory training program, crossed the finish line ahead of Howard University’s Yahnari Lyons, winning the Invitational Women 200 Meter Dash Finals with a time of 22.25. Mariah, who is a twin, is still attending high school and competes alongside her sister Mia, as both joined the APXP Training Group last May. 

The annual event, influenced by the participation of seven high schools from out of state saw Poly and Wilson from Long Beach, California, which have been long-time supporters of the relays and consistently demonstrate competitiveness. The other participating schools included El Cerrito, NC, Flossmoor (Homewood-), IL, IMG Academy, FL, La Jolla (SD), CA, and Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 

Flossmoor’s Zion Morrison kept pace for a third place tie in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.58. However, he entered the finals with the second fastest time of 10.33, just behind Mitchell. William Bundy claimed the title in the triple jump with a distance of 46:9.75. 

IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, witnessed its girls’ distance runners joining forces to create remarkable memory on Friday, winning the 4000 Meter distance medley relay with a time of 11:37.38. Cy-Fair Bridgeland came in second with a time of 11:49.44.

Following the success of the girls, the IMG Boys also triumphed, winning both the 4000 Meter distance medley and the 4×400 Meter Relays with times of 10:09.91 and 7:46.66, respectively. The Home School Athletic Association challenged the Ascenders, finishing in second place with a time of 10:17.97. Additionally, Ascenders’ Matthew Dodds finished third in the finals of the 1600 Meter run with a time of 4:10.91. Winston Schroder contributed to the Ascenders’ achievements by grabbing second place in the long jump with a distance of 24-5.25. Gabriel Pelletier tied with several competitors, clearing a height of 16-0.50 in the pole vault. 

Long Beach Poly established its dominance with a time of 3:23.86, narrowly defeating Katy, which finished with a time of 3:24.17, to win the Boys Sprint Medley Relay.

Rancho Cucamonga secured the second position in the 4×100 Meter Relay. 

Despite dropping temperatures, the rain and wind on the final day did not hinder competition from meeting the fans’ expectations. A variety of athletes noted its progress as they recorded lower times, personal bests, and significant accomplishments both as individuals and as a team.

To view the full results of the meet, please follow the link below.

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Victor Lopez knows a lot about track and field. Though retired, the longtime Rice Owls coach remains a respected figure in the university’s athletics community.

The Victor Lopez Classic, which began in 1983 and is now in its 43rd edition, is one of the nation’s premier track and field meets, drawing top college and high school athletes from across the country to Rice University.

Anthony Roberts, who became a member of the Rice staff in 2022 as the assistant director of communications, shared his insights regarding this season’s classic.

The quartet of Christian Greyling, Colin Hayden, Elton Martin, and Brady Meredith recorded the nation’s fastest time in the 4×800 Meter Relay (7:46.88), propelling the Woodlands to victory. St. Thomas and Kingwood followed in second and third place, respectively, with times of (7:56.59) and (8:00.84).

In the 4×100-meter relay, the Woodlands achieved a time of 41.00, securing third place behind Summer Creek and Katy, which clocked in at 40.92 and 40.96, respectively.

As Saturday approaches, the meet is set to conclude, with most finals commencing in the evening.

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Kerth Jackson is one of the top shot put throwers in the State of Texas. On this day of the AAU District Qualifying Round he struggles on all thows trying to advance to the regional round. Jackson said, “ I’ve been focusing more on the discussion”.

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Spring marks the season for various high school sports in Texas, including 7-on-7 football, baseball, softball, track and field. During this period, student-athletes can take solace in the generally favorable weather conditions. While Texas weather can be unpredictable, the past month has seen temperatures fluctuate between the 50s and mid-80s, providing a welcome reprieve.

The 7-on-7 football format offers players, including defensive backs, linebackers, safeties, receivers, running backs, quarterbacks, and tight ends, an opportunity to enhance their skills, execution, and timing. As the pace of the game resembles that of a NASCAR race, Spring is a crucial time for athletes to maintain a competitive edge and continue honing their abilities.

Coaches have increasingly turned to the Spring events as a pivotal opportunity to enhance a team’s visibility during the regular season. Since the introduction of 7-on-7 football to Texas high schoolers in 1998, numerous players have moved on to play at the collegiate level and in the NFL. This preparation significantly alleviates the workload for the coaching staff, enabling them to dedicate more time to special teams and other critical aspects of the team.

While baseball, softball, track and field commence in the Spring, the season extends into the summer months, often subjecting athletes to sweltering temperatures exceeding the upper 90s and even reaching triple digits. Athletes who participate in multiple sports frequently discover their involvement enhances their performance in each discipline. Track and field, in particular, is advantageous for many athletes, as it emphasizes agility and speed. Additionally, soccer, which begins in the winter and continues into the Spring, contributes to agility, mobility, quickness, and overall speed improvements.

For numerous head coaches, the arrival of Spring is a welcomed opportunity to develop players and foster team growth.

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On Saturday evening at the UIL Track and Field Finals, every race was contested. Including the Eagles track team, who took flight in winning the Boys Class 6A State team title at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.

An intense evening made the Eagles aware, it only led Mansfield Summit by a point, 38-37 and the Crusaders by 18 with two events left. The 1600 Meter Run, and the 4X400 Meter Relay. With Summit done with its events, the Eagles were concerned with putting itself in a position to add points by placing within the top four spots. It turned out to be the storybook ending it needed, finishing fourth in the race which gave it four points, enough to bring home the title.

From the first event of the day to end, Klein Forest battled. It nearly escaped with the 4X100 and the 4X200 Meter Relay titles before Mansfield Summit”s anchor leg Quenten Jones edged Auhmad Robinson at the tape in the 4X100 and Converse Judson’s Kenyon Morgan nicked Robinson in 4X200.

Each relay victory earned 20 points for the winning team and 16 for second place.

However, accumulating points by any means necessary worked in the Eagles favor. Within its first few events, Klein Forest tallied 22 points to set the tone. Mauri Westmorland finished fourth in the Discus Throw and fifth in the Shot Put. That gave the Eagles its first six points. Following, a second place finish in the 4X100 Meter Relay pushed its point total to 22.

In Class 6A Girls, Summer Creek enjoyed its success on the track by taking home the third place team title behind Duncanville and DeSoto. It started with a second place finish in the 4X100 Meter Relay (45.24). McClennon finished first in the 400 Meter Dash (53.25) and Tianna Randle followed up her region III 100 Meter Dash win with the state title (11.51).

The Woodlands Alexandria Webster finish second in the 300 Meter Hurdles (42.34). Owens of Bush won the 200 Meter Dash (23.38). Cinco Ranch’s Heidi Nielson girl took second in the 1600 Meter Run (4:48.71). Clear Falls grabbed silver behind DeSoto with a time of (3:42.58).

In Class 6A Boys, Lance Nathan Broome of Seven Lakes finished first in the 200 Meter Dash (20.83). Katy Tompkins Cole Lindhorst (4:07.41) and LaPorte Ryan Schoppe (4:07.47) both finish first and second in the 1600 Meter Run. Clear Springs Kirk Collins won the 110 Hurdles (13.42) added silver in 300 Hurdles (36.86) after finishing third a year ago as a sophomore. Keys of Katy Tompkins grabbed the bronze (36.87). Strake Jesuit”s Matthew Boiling finished his day with three gold medals, the Long Jump (25-04.50), 100 Meters Dash and 1600 Meter Relay, Brazoswood’s Robert Whitmarsh took the honors in 800 Meter Run (1:51.73). The Woodlands Patrick Piperi won the Shot Put (64-06.00).

In Class 4A girls, La Marque”s Jackeria Woodkins claimed gold in 400 Meter Dash (55.88), Silsbee”s Honestee Holman won the Triple Jump-(38-10.25)

In 4A Boys, Stafford watched its team title hopes slip away with two near misses. Despite the disappointment, it picked up team silver. It’s standout Ryan Martin – six spots back when he received the baton, quickly made up ground passing five of the six teams but being edged out by Waco LaVega at the tape for the 4X100 Meter Relay title. Martin was distraught over the second place finish (40.21). Once again Martin relived the same story but this time four spots back, Martin pulled Stafford up to second where it settled on silver. later, he collected the gold by winning the 100 Meter Dash (10.35). Wheatley’s junior Robert Gregory picked up gold in the Boys 200 Meter Dash (21.12).

In class 2A Boys, Shiner was impressive, winning the 4X100 (41.88) and the 4X200 Meter Relay (1:28.47). The Comanche’s got out of the blocks quick and never looked back. In the 4X200 Meter Relay, Shiner’s anchor leg made a stagger, coming back from two spots to grab gold.

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The Eagles won its fourth consecutive team title by practically dominated nearly every race. It totaled 121 points, 73 in front of second place Duncanville’s 48. The Eagles have duplicated this performance throughout the track and Field season. A truly special and well-deserved group of talented Eagles.

Just two weeks ago at the Region I meet, DeSoto set the national record in the 4X100 Meter Relay by clocking (44.44). It shattered the old mark set by Long Beach Poly (44.50) of California in 2004.

The unified group of talent Eagles had a personal goal of setting a national record. That became a reality in the first race of the day when it’s 4X100 Meter Relay team of Taylor Armstrong, Rosaline Effiong, JaEra Griffin and Jayla Hollis broke the record it set two weeks ago to post a national record of (44.24).

Later, Armstrong and Griffin joined Mia Abraham and Trinity Kirk as it best the 4X200 Meter Relay (1:36.18). And finally, Effiong, Zariah Jones, and Bryannia Murphy brought home the gold in the 4X400 Meter Relay (3:39.79).

Eagles duo of Hollis (13.40) and Jalaysi’ya Smith (13.42) took gold and silver in the 100 Meter Hurdles. Armstrong added the trifecta after winning the 300 Meter Hurdles (42.19). Brianna Washington took the silver in the Discus with a throw of 148-5.

The dream season every athlete wants became reality for the Eagles.

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Devon Achane blushed when one reporter asked how it felt when the Fort Bend Marshall Track team appeared on ESPN Sports Center. They were stunned, to say the least.

However, winning the Class 5A state title before 22,000 fans at Mike A. Meyers Stadium on Friday night summed up the expectations of the Fort Bend Marshall Buffalo’s Boys Track and Field team.

In search of a record, Fort Bend Marshall found it in the 4X200 Meter Relay team (1:23.38) of Bryson Stubblefield, Korey King, Dalevon Campbell, and Achane, breaking the old conference 5A record of (1:23.52) set by Port Arthur in 2017.

The record It hoped for never materialized in the 4X100 Meter Relay. But Fort Bend Marshall got off on the right foot by winning the race in a time of (40.24). The clocking stands as its third best of the season behind its (40.08) and (39.99) it posted in district competition and the regional prelims.

The Buffalo’s won a total of five running events and collected one third place finish. Matthias Petterway made a stagger of four spots back to cap the 300 Meter Hurdles (37.35). Stubblefield, one the favorites to win the 100 Meter Dash, finished third. Stubblefield, share the same similarities as teammate Achane, gifted. He stumbled out of the blocks before regaining his balance, making up ground on a talented group of sprinters.

The calm and relaxed but well exhausted Achane had a hand in two relay victories before concluding his day by sprinting to the 200 Meter Dash title (20.67).

The multi-talented junior is considered as one of the top football prospects in the nation by most if not all national publications.

Winning is expected when you talk with the Buffalo’s. With all its experience and hard work, anything less would be a disappointment.

The unusual cool evening may have played a role in its quest to lower its times. But no one complained.

In other 5A Boys action, Ashton O’Connor, a slot receiver on Shadow Creek’s state finalists football team (10.48) and John Tyler’s Caleb McMiller (10.53) took gold and silver in the 100 Meter Dash. Caleb Malbrough of Manvel had a jump of (48-01.05) to collect gold in the Triple Jump. Johnathan Baker of Katy Paetow won the Long Jump (24-10.00). Paetow, the new school in Katy ISD, opened its doors in 2017 to ninth and tenth graders. The school opened to relieve Katy and Morton Ranch.

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Competition is second nature to the Lancaster Tiger Girls Track and Field Team. In its last meet of the season, it took home the Class 5A team title Friday night at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.

For Lancaster, its a sweet ending to an ultra-competitive season. It endured head to head action competing against rival DeSoto, surrounding Metroplex area schools, Houston area, and national powers. The Tigers have seen it’s fair share of competition this season. The title marks its 12th.

For more on the Tigerettes, view the list of competitive track events below.

2019 Outdoor Season Calendar

Sat, Feb 16 – Jerry B. Griffin Invitational
Sat, Feb 16 – Legacy Bronco Relays
Sat, Feb 23 – Dallas Lincoln HS 24th Lewis Invitational
Sat, Feb 23 – DeSoto Nike Invitational
Sat, Mar 2 – Skyline Classic
Sat, Mar 2 – Temple Wildcat Relays
Fri, Mar 8 – Lancaster Meet of Champions
Fri, Mar 15 – TSU Relays
Sat, Mar 16 – TSU Relays – HS & MS Divs (F-Sa)
Fri, Mar 22- Jesuit-Sheaner 55th Annual Relays
Sat, Mar 23 – Jesuit-Sheaner 55th Annual Relays
Sat, Mar 23 – Eddie Payne-Carter Shootout
Sat, Mar 23 – Prairie View A&M Relays (HS)
Thu, Mar 28 – Naaman Forest Relays
Wed, Mar 27- 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Sat, Mar 30 – 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Wed, Apr 3 – UIL 5A District 13 (W, Fr)
Fri, Apr 5 – UIL 5A District 13 (W, Fr)
Thu, Apr 18 – UIL 5A Area 13/14 Track & Field Championships
Fri, Apr 26 – UIL 5A Region II
Sat, Apr 27 – UIL 5A Region II
Fri, May 10 – TX UIL 5A State Championships

Battle-tested is one way to describe Lancaster as it used several events to accumulate 60 points, eight in front of second place Fort Bend Marshall to stake out the Class 5A State team title.

Powered by two relay victories, TaShondra Govan, Kiara Smith, Aysia Ward, and Cornesia White-Calhoun teamed up to win the 4X100 Meter Relay (45.89) and later three of the four passed the baton to clock a winning time of (1:37.74) in the 4X200 Meter Relay. Lancaster’s Kiara Smith won the 100 Hurdles (14.26), and Ward tied McKinney North”s Brook Givens for the top spot in the 200 Meter Dash (24.09). But in actuality, Ward took the gold, winning the race by two-thousandths of a second, (24.081) opposed to (24.083).

Fort Bend Marshall Girls took home the team silver by building points from five events. The Buffalos finished fourth in the 4X100 Meter Relay (47.08) and second in the 4X200 (1:39.24). Cesley Williams took silver in the 400 Meter Dash (55.69). Chelsie Shelling finished fourth in the 100 Meter Hurdles (14.68). Destini Lombard placed fourth in the Long Jump (18-0.00).

In other Metroplex girls action, McKinney North’s London Culbreath won the 1600 (4.59.04) and the 3200 Meter Run (10.40.47).

The Metroplex dominated the field events, taking home five gold and several silver medals. Frisco Liberty’s Nissi Kabongo High Jump (5-10.00) and teammate Sanye Ford Long Jump (18-09.00), Vy Huynh of Mesquite Poteet Shot Put (41-09.50) and Rachel Darden of Mansfield Legacy Triple Jump (19-19.25)

Aledo’s Graydon Morris took care of the Boys 1600 Meter Run (4:14.11). Frisco Independence Terry Smith took home the 110 Meter Hurdle title (13.99) and Lancaster’s Bedell Dillon turned the 400 Meter Dash into gold (48.14).

Zack Davis of Aledo came away Pole Vault title (16-03.00)

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One of a few events made the day special as high schools across the greater Houston area competed in the Class 6A Region III Finals on Saturday at Challenger Columbia Stadium for a chance to advance to the state finals in Austin.

Of course, the beautiful weather helped in keeping things in perspective.

Fans set their sites on Matthew Boiling, who wowed the crowd, sprinting down the track in a time of 9.98 in the 100 Meter Dash. But the 4.2 wind-aided race won’t count towards the record books. However, it’s the fastest time in any conditions of all time in the 100 Meter Dash in high school. Trayvon Bromell of Saint Petersburg, FL holds the national record with a 9.99 in 2013.

Boiling’s anchor leg finishes of both the 4X100 and 4X400 Meter Relays were as exciting as his 100 Meter Dash title. By the time Boiling received the baton in the 4X100 Meter Relay (40.71), he was in sixth place, but he made up the stagger passing four runners on his way to edging George Ranch’s anchor leg Avery Veiseh (40.72) at the finish line. Alief Elsik finished third (40.98).

On the anchor leg of the 4X400 Meter Relay, Kingwood’s Garrett Carswell held a ten-meter lead before Boiling, who ran a 45.5 split to passed Carswell on the second curve, on his way down the back straight away.

To go along with Boiling accomplishments, he anchored Strake Jesuit to a victory in the 4X400 Meter Relay and won the Long Jump (25 feet, 2 inches). The victories also aided Strake Jesuit to its second consecutive regional title (70), defeating second-place George Ranch (53) and North Shore (48).

With first and second place finishes in the 4X100 and 4X200 Meter Relays respectfully – benefited George Ranch in bringing home the team silver.

In other 6A Boys action, Clear Springs hurdler Kirk Collins swiped the 100 (13.81) and 300 hurdles (36.97). LaPorte’s Ryan Schoppe doubled his winnings by holding off Kingwood’s Carter Storm, squeaking out (4:13.02) opposing (4:13.03) in the 1600 Meter Run. Then Schoppe won the 3200 Meter Run. Seven Lakes Nathan Lance Broome finished second in the 100 Meter Dash (10.26) behind Boiling but took gold in the 200 Meter Dash (21.29).

There were no drop-offs in the girls 6A competition. Despite not winning any of the relays, Cinco Ranch girls gathered points by placing in several events, leading up to a team-high total of 78 points.

Starting with standout Sophie Atkinson, who had a huge hand in the Mustangs title run. Atkinson placed second in three events, including the 800 Meter Run (2:15.35), the 1600 Meter Run (5:02.41) and the 3200 Meter Run (10:40.41). In helping Atkinson, was teammate Heidi Nielson, who collected a couple of gold medals in the 1600 Meter Run (4:55.50) and the 3200 Meter Run (10:30.42). Off the track, Michelle Graham, Amelia Flynt, and Daniella Munoz added to its point total. Graham won the Triple Jump (41-1 3/4), Munoz took silver in the High Jump (5-9), and Flynt placed third in the Discus (136-5).

Summer Creek shared a few key victories which earned it a team silver after scoring 60 points. The Bulldogs clocked a winning time of (45.40) in the 4X100 Meter Relay. It finished fourth in the 4X200 Meter Relay (1:40.58). An emotional Tianna Randle highlighted the 100 Meter Dash (11.31) when she separated herself from the pack. Dynasty McClennon took gold in the 400 Meter Dash (53.73) and second in the 200 Meter Dash (23.98). Camryn Dickson took home a pair of medals, silver in the 100 Meter Dash (11.59) and the third in the 200 Meter Dash (24.15).

Fort Bend Travis Victoria Mathiew came away with a pair of titles, winning the 100 (13.81) and the 300 Meter Hurdles (43.39). Mathiew, competing against a stellar field, pulled away with two hurdles remaining to cap the win.

Qualifying athletes placing first or second and top three result of all UIL regions advance to the state finals at Mike A. Myers Stadium on May 10-11 in Austin, Texas.

To view full results, please visit, microsport.com and click on results

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California schools represented at the 92nd Clyde littlefield Texas Relays

Austin, TX – The sky is not the limit for DeSoto Boys and Girls Track and Field team. Being the best it can be, suits the DeSoto fine. The Eagles turned in a performance worthy of a national billing at the 92nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on the final day of competition at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.

With the high school competition divided into two sections, Division I and II. Division II supported the larger schools so that the smaller schools in division I would find parity.

The Eagles of the DeSoto Track and Field team soared as it has done all season.

DeSoto well known as a hotbed of talent on the national level, couldn’t do much wrong.

The Lady Eagles set the tone early by running national times in the 4X100 and 4X400 Meter Relays. The time of (45.07) and (3:39.81) in the 4X100, and 4X400 are tops in the nation. Also, the Eagles took the title in the 4X800 Meter Relay (9:14.70). It just missed sweeping all four relays when rival school Lancaster edged the Lady Eagles 4X200 Meter Relay team at the tape, winning in a time of (1:38.27) to (1:38.48). Jayla Hollis of DeSoto took second in the 100 Meter Hurdles (13.83). JaEra Griffin finished third in the 100 Meter Dash (11.64).

Despite health issues, the Eagle Boys team have managed to plug holes where it’s needed. DeSoto Boys raced to two titles in Division II 4X200 Meter Relay (1:25.81) and the 4X400 (3:12.90). In addition, it placed fourth in the 4X100 Meter Relay (41.07)

During the early season of spring, the weather can be an athlete’s worst nightmare or a warm welcome. The temperature reached 70 degrees by noon but dipped down to 61 degrees by the start of the 1:30 finals of the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

The Eagles weren’t the only highlight of the day. When speaking with the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Matthew Boling, nothing indicates his competitive nature shown on the track and field.

Boling excels by action with few words. Much like he has done in the outdoor season at previous meets, including the 68th Annual Coast Guard TSU Relays where he posted national times in the 100 and 200 Meter Dash. Despite not competing in running events at the Victor Lopez Relays, Boling won the Long Jump with a 25-foot jump.

The Strake Jesuit standout brought the crowd of more than 20,000 to its feet when he blazed the 100 Meters, clocking (10.20) and anchored the winning Crusaders 4X100 Meter Relay Team (40.86)) just tenths of second faster than Duncanville’s (40.86).

In both races, Boling had to come from behind to earn the victory. On the 4X100 Meter Relay, Long Beach Poly of California led both Duncanville and Strake Jesuit by five meters when Jack Rabbits anchor leg Keon Markham received the Baton first. Duncanville’s Marquez Beason and Boling made up the stagger, passing Markham for the crowd cheering finish.

The Crusaders added a third-place finish in the 4X800 Meter Relay (7:58.62).

Schools from around the nation had its fair share of fortune. The long-distance travel did not leave any jet lag on most of the out of staters, who fared well. The most notable was California’s Calabasas High School Girls Track and Field and Long Beach Poly Boys team. California’s last year’s Division II, 100 Meter Dash, Girls state champion De’Anna Nowling, followed it up by taking the Texas Relays title in a time of (11.43). She also helped her team to a second place finish in the 4X100 Meter Relay (46.46) behind DeSoto in the Division II 4X100 Meter Relay.

The quadruple of Jade McDonald, Bella Witt, Kyla Robinson-Hubbard and Nowling made up Calabasas 4X100 Meter Relay team. Poly Boys nearly escaped with the title in the 4X100 Meter Relay (40.91), but it wasn’t to be as it took third by edging out DeSoto. It brought home the bronze in 4X400 Meter Run (3:17.35) when it finished in front Dallas Metroplex power, Garland Rowlett. Archbishop Carroll of Washington DC Girls 4X100 Meter Relay turned in a clocking of (48.08) in Division I and a second place finish.

Long Beach Poly Girls finished fifth in 4X100 Meter Relay (47.02). Talented Ali Armstrong of St. Katherine Drexel Prep out of Louisiana set a Texas Relays record by hurdling the 100 Meter Hurdles in (13.36).

Calabasas will join Poly next week in Los Angeles at one the nation’s top track and field meets in the Arcadia Invitational.

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