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.
