Pball
04-15-2006, 08:39 AM
Wildcats cruise to district title
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
DIBOLL — The Palestine Wildcats won their fifth straight district title Thursday night and this one was a little easier than the past four.
A year after going down to the last event to win the district title, the Wildcats had this year’s District 21-3A meet wrapped up with two events still left Thursday at Lumberjack Stadium as the Wildcats won by 34.5 points.
“This is just awesome,” Palestine track coach Booker Bowie said of winning a fifth straight district title. “It shows what our kids can do when they suck it up and compete.”
The District 21-3A track meet was expected to be a dual between Palestine and Westwood. Westwood had defeated the Wildcats twice this year in track meets and took Palestine to the wire at last year’s district track meet.
However, Palestine got off to a strong start in the field events Wednesday and continued it Thursday as the Wildcats finished with 142.5 points. Westwood finished second with 108 points.
“I am so proud of our whole team,” Bowie said. “We had some young kids step up and give us points and our relays all did well.”
Palestine qualified all three relay teams to the Class 3A-Region III track meet, which will take place at Humble High School on April 28 and 29. The top three finishers in each event advance to regionals.
Palestine also advanced six different athletes to the regional meet while Westwood advanced seven different athletes and one relay team.
Palestine won the 800-meter relay with a time of 1-minute, 31.04 seconds. The Wildcats took third in the 400 relay and second in the 1600 relay.
Westwood came from behind to win the 1600 relay as Palestine had the lead through the first three legs, but Westwood’s Terris Nichols overtook Palestine’s Harland McCoy in the final 75 meters to win the relay with a time of 3:28.29 seconds.
The turning point for Palestine in the meet came in the 300 hurdles as the Wildcat lead had been trimmed to 15.5 points by Crockett. Palestine’s Cory Whitfield, who struggled earlier in the day taking fifth in the 100 hurdles, rebounded to win the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.09 seconds.
“Cory’s run was real crucial at that point because they were catching us in points,” Bowie said. “Cory came back after a bad 110 hurdles and showed a lot of character.”
Palestine’s Montrell Johnson won the 100. It is the second time in his high school career that Johnson, a junior, has won the 100 at district.
Johnson also qualified for regionals in the 200 as he took second.
Westwood’s Bruce Smith won the 200 with a time of 22.76 seconds.
Cale Brooks will go to regionals in two events as he finished third in both the 800 (2:05.78) and 300 hurdles (41.35).
Brooks’ older brother Cody won the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.33 seconds.
Omar Sanchez also advances to regionals after taking second in the 800 (2:05.65).
Palestine qualified four athletes to regionals on Wednesday during the field events. Aaron Smith took third in the shot put; Paul Kennedy won the discus; Kevin Swanson won the triple jump and Billy Lewis was second in the triple jump.
Westwood’s Derek Hardy was third in the pole vault Wednesday to qualify for regionals.
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
DIBOLL — The Palestine Wildcats won their fifth straight district title Thursday night and this one was a little easier than the past four.
A year after going down to the last event to win the district title, the Wildcats had this year’s District 21-3A meet wrapped up with two events still left Thursday at Lumberjack Stadium as the Wildcats won by 34.5 points.
“This is just awesome,” Palestine track coach Booker Bowie said of winning a fifth straight district title. “It shows what our kids can do when they suck it up and compete.”
The District 21-3A track meet was expected to be a dual between Palestine and Westwood. Westwood had defeated the Wildcats twice this year in track meets and took Palestine to the wire at last year’s district track meet.
However, Palestine got off to a strong start in the field events Wednesday and continued it Thursday as the Wildcats finished with 142.5 points. Westwood finished second with 108 points.
“I am so proud of our whole team,” Bowie said. “We had some young kids step up and give us points and our relays all did well.”
Palestine qualified all three relay teams to the Class 3A-Region III track meet, which will take place at Humble High School on April 28 and 29. The top three finishers in each event advance to regionals.
Palestine also advanced six different athletes to the regional meet while Westwood advanced seven different athletes and one relay team.
Palestine won the 800-meter relay with a time of 1-minute, 31.04 seconds. The Wildcats took third in the 400 relay and second in the 1600 relay.
Westwood came from behind to win the 1600 relay as Palestine had the lead through the first three legs, but Westwood’s Terris Nichols overtook Palestine’s Harland McCoy in the final 75 meters to win the relay with a time of 3:28.29 seconds.
The turning point for Palestine in the meet came in the 300 hurdles as the Wildcat lead had been trimmed to 15.5 points by Crockett. Palestine’s Cory Whitfield, who struggled earlier in the day taking fifth in the 100 hurdles, rebounded to win the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.09 seconds.
“Cory’s run was real crucial at that point because they were catching us in points,” Bowie said. “Cory came back after a bad 110 hurdles and showed a lot of character.”
Palestine’s Montrell Johnson won the 100. It is the second time in his high school career that Johnson, a junior, has won the 100 at district.
Johnson also qualified for regionals in the 200 as he took second.
Westwood’s Bruce Smith won the 200 with a time of 22.76 seconds.
Cale Brooks will go to regionals in two events as he finished third in both the 800 (2:05.78) and 300 hurdles (41.35).
Brooks’ older brother Cody won the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.33 seconds.
Omar Sanchez also advances to regionals after taking second in the 800 (2:05.65).
Palestine qualified four athletes to regionals on Wednesday during the field events. Aaron Smith took third in the shot put; Paul Kennedy won the discus; Kevin Swanson won the triple jump and Billy Lewis was second in the triple jump.
Westwood’s Derek Hardy was third in the pole vault Wednesday to qualify for regionals.