With a new relay record set and a second place overall team finish in regionals under its belt, the boys’ track team now prepares for the state meet in hopes of continuing its successful streak.
Seniors Adam Van Buren and Josh Helom, sophomore Malik Summers, and sophomore Darrell “DJ” Johnson ran the fastest 4×400 relay in school history with a time of 3:14.48 and earned a second place finish to show for it.
Johnson ran as an alternate for junior Jordan Holt. The team was clocked in the district meet at 3:17.20.
The 4×200 relay team placed second as well. With Summers running as the alternate in place of Holt, sophomore Deandre Brown, junior Trevon Caudle, and senior Miles McCloyen ran a 1:26.97 time, an improvement from their district meet time of 1:27.08.
The 4×100 relay team took third, with Brown as alternate for Holt, along with Caudle, McCloyen, and junior Kyran Trigg. After running a 42.17 at districts, the team ran a 41.77 time at regionals.
“They all ran well, even though they had alternates,” assistant coach Shawna Werts said. “That was really impressive.”
Overall, the team scored 49 points, finishing as the runner-up to champion Cedar Hill by 6 points. The boys also finished second at the district meet.
All three relay teams advanced to the state meet on May 14 at Austin’s Mike Myers Stadium.
In individual competition, Helom finished sixth at regionals in the 300 meter hurdles with a 39.55. McCloyen, who ran a 21.95 in the 200 meters to place fourth at regionals, will be making his fourth consecutive appearance at the state meet.
“They have a lot of experience,” Werts said.
On the girls’ side, two relay teams made it to regionals, but neither placed. Although they didn’t make it to state, Werts says they show promise.
“The girls’ team is pretty young,” Werts said. “They’ll mature soon enough. We just have to work.”
White said he is proud of the young runners and their improvement.
One of the two women’s relay teams that went to regionals was the 4×400 team, which consisted of seniors Ethel Ajanga, Jennifer Okafor, Tyler Cottingham, and freshman Kamryn McGee.
The other was the 4×200, made up of freshman Chelsea Soto, McGee, Cottingham, senior Des’Rae Guy, and freshman Lyandria Taylor.
“I think success just can’t be measured by times and paces,” White said. “We have had so many kids that have performed far beyond what we expected and even what they thought they could do. We have had some athletes improve tremendously. The most consistent runners usually are steadily improving.”
