Franks leads the way
for class 3A Mustangs
Austin – The stars were bright at The 83rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays Saturday. The venue presents one of the best and largest stages for track and field.
21,000 screaming fans poured into Mike A. Myers Stadium on the final day to watch this year’s track and field athletes.
Athletes traveled from all around the country to compete in the premiere meet.
At each level, high school, college and professional the action was packed.
On the high school level it was a day for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs in division I. The class 3A power was Led by Oklahoma signee Trey Franks. The Mustangs won all four of their races which included the 4x 100 Meter Relay, 4x 200 Meter Relay, 110 Hurdles and the 100 Meter Dash.
Franks and Phillip Jones won individual races along with helping the Mustangs win the 4x 100 Meter Relay and 4x 200 Meter Relay. Franks won the 100 Meter dash with a 10.48 and Jones took the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.30.
“Winning four events at any track meet in one day is pretty rare. I don’t care what division it is, these kids deserve everything they accomplished. They have done a great job for me, said West Orange Stark’s Coach Toby Forman.
Persistence Pays off
The track team was not giving up on the ideal of competing at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. As a matter of fact they continue to ask their coach to take them to the meet, well aware of the how prestigious this event is.
“The y kept on asking to come. I finally got permission from the school, we got enough funds together and we were able to drive up, we left Orange at 4:30 Friday morning. We came in, ate at Denny’s down the road and we ran, the kids were so excited to be here and I think that’s why you are seeing this explosion,” Coach Forman said.
West Orange Stark expected to win after returning the core of their team from last year’s class 4A state championship. Staying positive is their focal point.
Franks, Jones and James Haynes made up the 4x 100 Meter Relay along with the addition of Sophomore Justin Thomas, set a Texas Relays record with a 41.40.
The team is mostly underclassmen. Ed Ivory, Jones and Roberts are juniors while Franks and Haynes are seniors.
Franks, Jones, Mark Roberts and Thomas time of 1:26.06 was good for gold in the 4x 200 Meter Relay. They are proud of the fact that they broke 1:27.00, it’s never been achieved in Forman’s tenure.
Coach Forman credits his team’s success to their off season workouts and the weight room work. “We never stop lifting. They may get a Friday off but we don’t get all week off. We stress the weights to our kids, they believe in it and I believe in it. I think it pays off. It minimizes our injuries, we’re strong, we can finish races and a lot of people can’t because they’re off the weights, said Coach Forman.
In his 6th year as the head coach at the school, Forman has never been to the Clyde Littlefield Relays but have enjoyed his first time success at the meet. “It is everything that I thought it would be and some. The pros, the collegian athletes and Texas A&M, University of Texas, LSU are all phenomenal. Just to be on the same track as those people is an honor. I just hope the kids can take something from this when they have children and grand children and pass that on. It will be a great experience for them, said Coach Forman.
The unselfish character of the team have bought into Forman’s concept, they trust him to put them in races most suitable for team and ability purposes.
On the college level both Texas A&M men and women were victorious.
On the pro level, Texas native Quintin Summers of the USA Next Level anchored the 4x 400 Meter Relay to a winning time of 3:03.00
