TSU Relays Top Takeaways

TSU Relays
William Grundy

The Texas Southern Relays will always be a heck of a track meet. It is right at the end of Spring Break and sometimes the beginning of great track weather. Houston schools will always be present at the meet, and over the years, the Metro Dallas area, San Antonio area schools, along with Corpus Christi schools help make up a competitive weekend. This weekend, we learned some things about the current season and we were reminded of what we already thought but may have forgotten.

-THINGS WE WERE REMINDED OF-


ERIC EDWARDS

Eric Edwards is good! He came in fresh off the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships where he had a 60h PR and became an All-American in New York City. This weekend, he returned to Texas outdoor track and resumed his winning ways by taking both the 110h and the 300h races.


Sha'Carri Richardson 
Sha'Carri Richardson is fast and a very nice young lady, but oh boy, don't ever count her out...ever! It is clear, she felt some type of way before the girls 100m. The girls 100m final was the Sha'Carri Richardson Show and she had quite a release of emotions at the end. Watch as Richardson put on an impressive 100m with a wind legal 11.48.
 

Cy Springs 
The Cy Springs girls don't play. They have a complete team up and down the board. Last year, we knew they were good. They were the only team in America that ended the season in the top 5 in the nation in all three sprint relays. They graduated some girls, but they come back this season still taking care of business. Along with the sprinters, they have jumpers, 400 runners, and 800 runners.

-THINGS WE LEARNED-


Port Arthur Memorial is for real 

A couple of teams with sub 41 performances this season and several 41 low teams were all present this weekend. This was definitely a State Meet preview. When a lot of people think about the boys sprint relays this season, they might not have considered Port Arthur at the top. We learned Port Arthur Memorial is tough! They lined up with the best in Texas and crossed the line first. This Kary Vincent Jr. led squad has a chip on their shoulder and they definitely will not be an easy team to beat. Two weeks in a row, they have been out front early and then played the come catch me if you can game very well and they haven't been caught. Do not overlook the Titans!


This year, the 4x200 is a strong race in Texas
Lancaster came into the weekend as the nations top team in the 4x200 with the top three times in the country. The TSU 4x200 race was as entertaining as they get. At the third and final exchange, the race was all up in the air, with several teams in the mix. Lancaster, DeSoto, Manvel, and Ft Bend. Marshall were in an all out Texas battle for the ages. Lancaster had the race they wanted with all of the big boys set up to take a back seat to them. However, in the middle of the final curve, there was a baton mishap and all Lancaster could do is watch their U.S. #1 ranking go down and wait for redemption at Texas Relays.  With only three teams left with 150m remaining,  Manvel and DeSoto would take it down to the wire with one tenth of a second separating them. 


We should be on watch for a new state 4x400 record  

In the 4x400, DeSoto came in as the clear favorite. Their U.S. #1 seed was on the line and several Texas teams were salivating for the opportunity to take down the fastest team in the country. Manvel actually had the lead after the first exchange and seemed to be even after the second exchange. However, DeSoto took advantage of the exchange zone and quickly burst to the lead, one they would not relinquish. With a lead that grew to almost ten meters and stud anchor QuiVell Jordan waiting on his turn to get some action, DeSoto looked to be headed to a for sure victory. Manvel's Howard Fields had a different outcome in his mind. Field gradually made up the necessary ground to put on a good show for the crowd. What now seems to have been a move made slightly too early saw Jordan use his 300h strength to hold off Fields' hard fought anchor leg. Manvel joins DeSoto as the only teams in U.S. high school history to run 3:11 before April 1st.


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