Hightower stay focus
to win region III title
Humble – The hot 90 plus weather didn’t slow down the Mustangs. With the temperature reaching a scoring 94 degrees, it seemed ideal for North Shore’s Track Team.
The North Shore Mustangs scored 122 points to nail down the Class 5A Region III Track & Field Championships Tuesday evening at Turner Stadium. With the win the Mustangs pick up their second consecutive region III title. The margin of victory was 62 points more than second place Willoridge.
“The kids really came out focused, we had some great performances. Chris winning the 3200 Meter Run last night was incredible he (pr-ed) 15 seconds to win the race. Deandrew, I’ve learn not to expect things out of him he just rises to the level of the competition every week. We knew we had to get all three relays to have a shot next week and that’s what we did,” said North Shore’s Coach Barry Briner.
Winning all three relays gave North Shore 60 points alone.
“He’s a real savvy kid, he’s ran track all his life (speaking of track and field standout Deandrew White’s anchor leg on the winning 4×400 Meter Relay). He’s knows how to put himself in position and he knows what he’s got left in the tank. He thrives on competition. He’s going to state in four events, that’s quite a load,” said North Shore’s Coach Briner.
Tim Cornett, Devon Gibson, Jaylon Hicks and Larry Stephens guided the Mustangs to a time of 41.38 in the 4×100 Meter Relay. Cornett, Gibson, Stephens and Deandre White helped win the 4×200 Meter Relay with a 1:27.14 and Cameron Buckner, Tre’von Davis, Artigus Johnson and White took home the 4×400 Meter Relay with a time of 3:15.77. White also won the long jump and finished second in the 200 Meter Dash.
Dulles Junior Sheroid Evans continued his individual accomplishments winning the 100 and the 200 Meter dash.
Hightower used a grind it out performance collecting 79 points to get pass arch rivals Elkins and Marshall to claim the girls Class 5A Region III Championship. The three schools rein from the same district as finished the day in three of the top four places.
“It was unbelievable, each girl came out did what they needed to do for the team to be successful, we knew we would have our hands full with Marshall and they ran great today in everything that they ran and we fired every bullet we had in the pistol. Just happened to turn out we scored more points than they did today. We’ll get ready in two weeks, get to state and see what happens in Austin,” said Hightower’s Coach Derrick Kountze.
Marshall finish in second place just 5 points less than the Hurricanes with 74 as Elkins had 36 in fourth behind third place Houston Lamar who finished with 50 points.
“I think the district meet really prepared us for what we would see at regional’s weather it was the relays, some of the hurdles or the jumps. You saw Elkins get second in the 4×400 Meter Relay, Marshall was third. Marshall won the 4×100 Meter Relay, 4×200 Meter Relay we were second in both, that’s just the level of competition at the district meet, it really prepared us,” said Hightower’s Coach Kountze.
The Hurricanes knew it wouldn’t be easy facing their district rivals but were able to pull out the win.
Westside’s Diamond Dixon won the 400 Meter Run.
In boys class 3A action, defending state champions, West Orange-Stark’s 73 points was enough to take home their third Class 3A Region III Title in four years. The Mustangs set three new records which included a time of 41.08 in the 4×100 Meter Relay, a region III record, in the 4×200 Meter Relay the time of 1:26.12 is a meet record and Trey Franks 10.45 in the 100 Meter Dash is a new regional record.
“I haven’t had a chance to look at the other the regional results but I know coming in Liberty-eylau and Dallas Madison are strong so we’ll have to be on our best performances to beat those people in the individual events as well as a team. Our ultimate goal is the team title, last season we lost the 4×200 Meter Relay. We have five events going, two relays including the 100 Meter dash, 110 Hurdles, 200 Meter Dash. We have to win all of those, that’s our goal. Today we won every event except for the 400 Meter Dash and we got hurt in the 4×400 Meter Relay,” said West Orange-Stark’s Coach Toby Forman.
Waco Connally Girls breezed through the Class 3A Region III Track & Field Championships with 114 points. The experienced Cadets won the 4×100, 4×400 Meter Relay and will look for their second straight state title in Austin at the UIL State Track & Field Championships May 14 & 15.
For complete coverage of the Region III Track & Field Championships go to http://flashresults.com/flashtexas/2010/region3track10/