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DeSoto’s boys track and field
team looks nothing like it did last year when the Eagles
finished second at the Class 5A state meet to Galena Park North
Shore. But that doesn’t seem to matter.
The reloaded Eagles dominated
many of the state’s top track athletes Saturday at the 47th
Jesuit-Sheaner Relays. DeSoto won all three relays to win the
Class 5A division with a total of 101 team points at Jesuit’s
refurbished Haggar Stadium. Mansfield Timberview was second in
5A with 68 points and
Southlake Carroll was third with 62. Class 3A Madison won
the 4A division with 70 points, Frisco Liberty was second with
65 and Corsicana third at 50.
“This shows we are talented,”
DeSoto coach Mark Brady said. “This is huge. I’m fired up.”
DeSoto won 5A state titles
last year in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays with four seniors. With
completely revamped relay teams, the Eagles haven’t missed a
beat with juniors Bryson Echols and Caleb Pryor, sophomore
Dontre Wilson and freshman
Jordan Ingram.
DeSoto wasted no time getting
a jump on the field Saturday by rallying to win the 4x100 relay
in 41.45 seconds, the second-fastest time in the nation this
year behind the 41.28 from Cedar Grove (Ga.). Mansfield
Timberview held the lead after the final handoff, but DeSoto
anchor leg Wilson stormed ahead down the final straightaway on
Jesuit’s new track. Timberview was second in 41.71. Brady said
Wilson rallied from behind to win the 4x100 at the Eagles’ meet
as well.
“I thought it was worth the $5
admission fee just for that at our meet,” Brady said. “He’s been
awesome.”
DeSoto won the 4x200 relay in
1:27.10 ahead of Lancaster (1:28.62). In the 4x400 relay, the
Eagles (3:16.23) edged Southlake Carroll (3:16.25) in a photo
finish to end the day.
DeSoto’s William Stovall won
the 800 meters in 1:53.31, the third-fastest time in the nation
this year. Two running finals into the day, it was clear the
Eagles would be tough to catch.
That was before senior Kenneth
Minkah took the track. Minkah is the only Eagles athlete who
competed at the state meet last year who is back this season.
Minkah won the 5A 110 hurdles state title a year ago and has
been in great form early this season.
Despite running into a
headwind Saturday, Minkah won the 110 hurdles in 14.19 seconds
and the 300 hurdles in 37.86.
“We have just as much talent
this year as last year,” Minkah said, “and we seem like we want
it more.”
Big day for Frisco Centennial
senior: Frisco Centennial senior Austin Bolling, who has signed
with Baylor, pulled off a rare double by winning the 4A 300
hurdles and 200 meters.
Despite the events going off
close to each other, Bolling never wavered. He won the 300
hurdles in 38.14 in front of Madison’s Jamorrison Jones at
38.55. Bolling came right back to win the 200 in 22.53, just
ahead of second-place Jeramee Strain of Mexia at 22.58.
Celina thrower wins 5A shot
put, second in discus: Celina junior Jordan Roos, the defending
3A shot put state champion, won the 5A shot put with a throw of
63-feet, 2-inches and was second in the discus with a
personal-best mark of 176-7.
Five of Roos’ six throws went
farther than 60 feet and the one that didn’t was measured at
59-111/2. Roos ranks second in the nation this year in the shot
put at 64-1, just behind Austin Perry of Duncan, Okla., at 64-4.
“I wasn’t getting my legs into
my throws enough, so it was all arm and technique,” Roos said.
“There is a lot of room for improvement.”
Cedar Hill senior wins 5A long
jump, triple jump: A strong wind didn’t bother Cedar Hill senior
Olabanji Asekun in the Class 5A long jump. Asekun leaped 24 feet
to easily win over second-place Kevin Litaker of Killeen Ellison
at 22-7˝. Asekun also won the 5A triple jump with a mark of
47-5. He ranks fourth in the nation in the triple jump at 48-10.
Asekun leads the area this
season with a long jump of 24-11/2 and he’s one of only five
prep athletes in the nation this year to have an outdoor long
jump of 24 feet or more. |