Team Tuesday: Put Some Respeck On Cy Spring's Name

Mar 20, 2018

There are several top track and field programs being talked about nation wide as perennial programs. There are some that are synonymous with success dating back decades long like Long Beach Poly and Miami Northwestern.

However, things evolve and new communities and schools are created all of the time and new programs have definitely become well known and popular in the sport.

There is one program that many may be overlooked in the mix of things and that is Cypress Springs High School (Cy Springs). This weekend, Cy Springs ran the #1 4x400 time in the US at the TSU Relays with their 3:44.09. They also have the #23 4x200 time with a 1:40.77 and the #15 4x100 time nationally with their 46.85 in the 2018 season.

This weekend, Cy Springs wasn't all about relays though. They exited the Texas Southern University campus having left their mark almost all across the board.

They were able to collect several state and national top marks to add to their season standings. If the state meet were today, Cy Springs could potentially have many state meet participants and they'd be eyeing an award stand finish.

Senior Rachel Hall has played a big part of the program for the last four years. This year, her role is even bigger and that includes all three relays. Hall also checks in on the state leaderboard list with a 24.99 in the 200m time and the 400m with a 57.74.

Hall is joined by sophomore teammate Wonders Oguejiofor. This weekend, Oguejiofor had a big weekend with a 55.93 in the 400m finals at TSU. That was just the beginning of her workload over the weekend as she also ran a TX #2 800m time with her 2:12.77. She added a 5-6 high jump mark on the season and contributes on the national leading 4x400 relay.

The sprint events aren't the only events that Cy Springs is performing well in. Senior Monique Spruill is also putting in work for her team and has three events that she could potentially qualify for the sate meet in. Spruill hits the state leaderboards in the 800m with her 2:19.95 from this weekend, a 5:16.70 and in the 1600m, as well as a 11:16.22 in the 3200m. Then there are teammates Marina Talor and Katelyn Nguyen who have 5:30.22 and 5:42.46 1600m times with 12:00.78 and 12:16.36 to supplement the sprinters.

Cy Springs still checks in with the hurdles and more field events.

Aliyah Carswell and Jalyn Lee bring the points for the hurdlers with15.27 and 44.18 for Carswell and 16.56 and 46.79 for Lee. Then Tiffany Mack, Ufuoma Okwolo, Jewel Dennis join the party in the field.

As previously mentioned, Cy Springs gets overlooked as they go by year after year with out getting the respect they deserve.

While they haven't won a state or national title, Cy Springs has been the most consistent girls sprint team in the nation.

No other team in the country has finished the season in the top ten in each of the three sprint relays each over the last three years. That's right, from 2015 - 2017, nobody has else has done it -- Except Cy Springs. You can go to whatever program you want to on the west coast or any program on the east coast....you can even look up the Sunshine State and you won't find it being done. All due respect to all of the programs here in Texas, but still the fact remains that Cy Springs sits alone with that honor of consistency.

In 2016, they even finished in the top five nationally in the rankings for all three relays.

In the two years leading up to this time frame, you could see things in the making. In 2013, Cy Springs finished the season ranked in the top 15 nationally in two relays with a #12 in the 4x100 relay and #15 in the 4x200 relay. Then in 2014, they took a step further by adding a top finish in the 4x400 relay finishing the season #26 in the nation and in the top 20 in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

It's easy to see that four outstanding and hard working girls could come in for four years and carry a team. However, for Cy Springs, it has been at least five strong years and going on number six this season.

Coach Ruquaya Gibson has been a fire starter for the Cy Springs program and has the girls believing and performing at an elite level year in and year out. However, Gibson isn't just about coaching her track kids. Gibson, a Chicago, Illinois native and former University of Iowa track and field athlete made a career change to teaching and coaching to make a difference. She does so by challenging and and inspiring all of the youth that she comes in contact with, not just her athletes.

Whether they receive the respect, accolades, and pats on the back or not, Cy Springs will continue to do what they do best -- perform well and do it consistently!

"Be the best of you." When we are our best we inspire others to be their best. Every interaction is an opportunity to inspire. #30daysToInspire pic.twitter.com/X3AKFO8j7b
-- Coach Gibson (@1inspiredcoach) January 26, 2018

Cy Springs Season Nationally Ranked Finishes 2013-current