Jaylon Hicks ties national record in the 100 Meter Dash, DeSoto wins girl’s team title
Austin – Coming into the season Coach Cross didn’t know what exactly to expect after the departure of standouts Tim Cornett, Larry Stephens and DeAndrew White but as the season opened things went well. Cross knew if his team could keep the focus on them selves’ things would work out fine.
For the North Shore Boys Track team, things couldn’t be sweeter after winning their second straight Class 5A UIL Track and Field State Championship in front of 20,000 thousand fans at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Saturday evening. The win caps the end of an undefeated season for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs took gold in five events, including the 4×100 Meter Relay, 4×200 Meter Relay, 100, 200 Meter Dash and the triple Jump. Jermaine Authorlee, Jaylon Hicks, Maiketavius Jones and Larry Mcduffey recorded their fastest time of the season in the 4×100 in a time of 40.22. The foursome of Jermaine Authorlee, Devonte Davis, Jaylon Hicks and Larry Mcduffey posted a 124.45 in the 4×200 Meter Relay. Authorlee and Hicks earned gold in the 200 and 100 Meter Dash. Hicks tied a national record with his time of 10.15 in the 100 Meter Dash. Devonte Davis captured the gold in the Triple Jump with a jump of 51-03.75.
North Shore finished with a team high 73 points.
“Unbelievable performances, you always try to work things out where you peak at the state meet. Everything worked out for us,” said Garrett Cross, North Shore’s Coach. “We hit our best times right here when it counted, it’s just a great feeling. We talk about focus 24/7 anytime you’re going to do things consistently you got to have focus. These kids had it all year long. Now for two years straight, it’s just a great feeling. It shows the type of character these kids have, maturity the way they been able to stay focus.”
Though football packs a powerful punch at the school, track seems to be working its way into the hearts of Mustang Fans.
Copperas Cove won the team silver (51), Klein Forest and Southlake Carroll tied for third (24).
DeSoto edged Garland 51-48 to claim the girl’s team title.
DeSoto’s Coach June Villars said, “We came out, our 4×200 ran very well, we ended up sixth, we were 139.11 coming into this and they ran a 137.94 today, so that’s the best they’ve ever done. We had a few problems along the way; the girls got a little down. But we knew with 4×400 Meter Relay coming up at the end of the night that we still had a chance to win it. If we had to put it in anybody’s hand we had to put in their hands and they went out and made it happen.
In other action Ridge Point’s Cameron Burrell, a promising sophomore took silver in the 100 Meter Dash. A major part of Hightower’s track team a year ago, Burrell was forced to transfer to Ridge Point the newest school in Fort Bend I.S.D. which only has freshmen and sophomores students.
The Woodlands Madi McLellan won the 3200 Meter Run with a time of 10:33.86. Hightower’s Carissa Hill finished third in the long jump, (18-08.75). Oak Ridge’s Dalton Rowan took gold in the Boys discus with a toss of 189-05. Spring’s Reese Watson edged out Killeen Harker Heights Regan Gilbert, 16-09.00 to 16-06.00 to win the Boys Pole Vault title. Elkins Taylor Houston defended her 200 Meter Dash Title in addition to helping her team to the silver in the 4×200 Meter Relay.
