A makeover, an unexpected twist and a new challenge drew out the best in three Mesquite Horn girls who reached state for the first time.

Kelsey Samuels, a junior, implemented a new throwing style from summer coach Michael Carter that worked wonders on her delivery and helped her finish second in the shot put (40-6 ¼ ) at the 5A Region II meet.

"I concentrated a lot on toning my arms and legs, and I use my legs a lot more than I used to when I throw," Samuels said. "Most of the time, I would just go out there and chunk it, but now that I have good technique, I throw a lot better."

Janesa Moore started the triple jump in midseason in what was supposed to be temporary assignment. But she picked up the event quickly and finished second with a jump of 38-3 ¾ .

"I just have to work on my second phase, getting my knee up, but otherwise it isn't as hard as I thought it was," Moore said.

Sophomore Kelsi Baker, the reigning 12-5A basketball MVP, joined the track team two years ago, she said, "to be with my friends." She won the shot put (41-2 ¼ ) and placed second in the discus (122-2) at regionals.

Last season, Skyline junior Jodale Burkley reached the 800-meter final at the Region II meet but missed out on a state berth. That setback fueled his fire and, given another chance at the regional on Saturday, Burkley refused to be denied. He finished second in 1:53.07 and punched his first ticket to state.

"I just got mentally prepared for it," Burkley said. "I was doubting myself a little bit, but I started believing in myself and worked at it."

Arlington Seguin senior Kevin Hobson made a name for himself this season and rode that momentum to 4A Region II titles in the 100 (10.71) and 200 (21.43) last weekend.

Hobson said he's putting in extra time to make it all click May 9-10 at the state meet.

"I need to practice harder for state, and I've been motivating myself," said Hobson, who has a scholarship offer from Houston and has also drawn interest from Texas A&M. "I've been working overtime focusing on extra block starts and making sure I finish through the line in a race."

29-6: Combined height cleared by Midlothian juniors Eric Frawley (15-0) and Vince Frawley (14-6) as they finished 1-2 in the pole vault and qualified for state in 4A.

3: Maximum number of running events allowed by an individual competitor at the UIL state meets. Rowlett junior Marquise Goodwin has qualified for five events at state, three of which are running events: 100, 4x100 and 4x200.

4: Events won by Arlington Grace Prep's Janette Eubanks at the TAPPS 5A North regional meet on April 24. She won the triple jump (35-3), high jump (5-2), 100 hurdles (15.67) and 300 hurdles (48.14) and was part of the second-place 4x100 relay. She had also won all four events five days earlier at the TAPPS 1-6A district meet.

"Both of them are gymnastically agile, and they're both really fast. In pole vault, that combination of speed and strength makes the vault."

Rockwall assistant coach Toby Howell on juniors Grant Gunderson and Shelby Kennard, who qualified for the UIL 5A state meet. Gunderson won the Region II boys meet with a personal-best 15-6, and Kennard was second in the girls event at 12-0