As all the hype surrounded Strake Jesuit”s Matthew Boiling, Klein Forest had a goal in mind. Compete.
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.