AUSTIN – Even with a record string of state titles under her belt, Lancaster girls track coach Bev Humphrey still believes a little bit of luck can go a long way.
State track and field highlights
5-10-2008
So for every visit to Mike A. Myers Stadium, Humphrey is perched on the front row near the finish line in what she calls "my seat."
She was rocking back and forth at times as Lancaster was fiercely challenged by Fort Worth Dunbar early in the Class 4A state meet. But once again, Humphrey emerged from her seat with her team as the state champion.
Lancaster won an eighth consecutive state title by topping the 4A field with 84 points, followed by Dunbar with 58 points.
Dunbar unseated Lancaster's reign in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays – it had won the races for six and four years in a row. Yet, Lancaster's depth was too much to overcome.
"We respect the speed of Fort Worth Dunbar, and we were ready," Humphrey said. "We knew what we needed to do."
Senior Tiara Miller turned in a bonus performance with second place in the 800 (2:15.87). Humphrey was unsure whether Miller, a TCU signee, would recover from her hamstring injury in time to make an impact.
By the time senior Ashley Starks placed third in the 300 hurdles (43.04), Lancaster had enough points in the bag to put away Dunbar.
Lancaster added an exclaimation point in winning the 4x400 (3:40.41) for the 10th consecutive time, breaking its own 4A record.
No sooner than she could celebrate her team's victory, Humphrey, also the school's athletic director, had to pose for more pictures because the Lancaster boys claimed the 4A title with 44 points.
A nose by junior Howard Shepard in the 4x400 relay, the final race, turned out to be the difference for the boys as Lancaster finished second in 3:16.61. It needed to place at least third and beat Fort Worth Eastern Hills, which was fourth (3:16.90) in the hotly contested race.
"It had my heart beating real hard to know that we were going to win state," said Lancaster's Freeman Kelley.
Red Oak senior Michael Carter Jr. continued a legacy of state gold with a 4A victory in the shot put (61-1).
"It was good to finally be able to get there," said Carter, whose father is national record holder Michael Carter Sr. "I know there are a lot of famous people that have been on this [podium], and I'm glad to be one of them."
