AUSTIN – The Samuell girls didn't win a gold medal Friday at the UIL state track and field meet, but they certainly were noticed.
Samuell, which has taken a back to seat to the traditional Dallas ISD track powers over the years, had a strong showing with a second-place finish in the 4x200 relay in one minute, 37.73 seconds and a fourth-place finish in the 4x100 relay in 46.61.
"We're happy," said Samuell junior Horlexus Willis, the first leg of the 4x200, "but we're not satisfied."
Perhaps even better news for Samuell is the fact that it loses only one senior from the 4x200 relay team, second leg Shanisha Harris.
"Track is the most loved sport at Samuell," Willis said. "We have half our school right over there supporting us."
Athletes take part in graduation ceremony: Five local athletes participated in a Class of 2009 graduation ceremony on the Myers Stadium track. The UIL organized the event because many athletes competing at the meet had conflicts with their graduations once the meet was pushed back three weeks because of the swine flu outbreak.
UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt gave a brief speech before 53 graduates (two were valedictorians) were introduced to the crowd before the start of the Class 2A and 4A running finals. The graduates, lined up single file on the track, crossed the finish line to get their diplomas. Each graduate had their picture taken and will be presented with a DVD of the ceremony. There will be another ceremony Saturday before the start of the 5A running finals.
The five local athletes honored were Fort Worth Dunbar's Crystalyn Clark and Dawn Atkins, Rockwall-Heath's Jasmine Williams, Arlington's Boston Spiva and Garland Naaman Forest's Richard Garrett. Many of the graduates were decked out in their caps and gown despite the mid-90s heat.
Rockwall's Kennard second in pole vault: Shelby Kennard's disappointment was obvious after she finished second in the 4A pole vault. The senior, who finished second in 5A last year, vaulted 11-feet, 9-inches. That was 13 inches below her personal best.
"Everybody has a bad day. Mine just happened to be on the absolute worst day possible," said Kennard, a Kentucky signee. "I'm just going to turn this around and use it as a positive."
Pflugerville Hendrickson's Natasha Masterson cleared 12 feet to win the gold. Rockwall's Alicia Janke was third at 11-9.
Finishing 1-2: Red Oak's Preston Sanders won the 4A discus in the afternoon and finished second in the shot put in the evening. It was a surprising day, he said, because he expected the shot put to be his stronger event.
"The discus was very surprising and the shot put was disappointing," he said. "I'm happy with my performance overall."
Lincoln girls second in 4x400: Lincoln finished ahead of Lancaster again in the girls 4x400 relay by coming in second in 3:49.76.
Lancaster lost the lead after its anchor leg froze when the bell rung signaling the final lap. That allowed Mansfield Timberview and Lincoln to pass. Timberview's girls won in 3:47.35.
Briefly: Midlothian's Vince Frawley beat the rest of the field by a foot in the 4A pole vault by clearing 16 feet. Denton Guyer's Garrett Montgomery was second at 15-0. ... Rochelle senior Bonnie Richardson, who won the girls Class A title by herself last year, might do it again. Richardson, who scored 42 points in the maximum five events last year, piled up 28 Friday by winning the high jump and long jump and finishing second in the discus. She'll compete in the 100 and 200 today. ... Forney's Chandrell Stephens won the 4A 200 (23.96), Midlothian's Carly Kitts won the 4A 1,600 (5:03.19) and 4A 3,200 (10:52.23) and Terrell's Aron Garcia won the 4A high jump (5-7).
