Josiyah Taylor, Malik Franklin, Kendrick Jones Win Sprints


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5A Boys 100m

The 5A Boys 100m was an exceptional race that finished with six runners nearly straight across the line. After the dust settled, Denton Ryan's Josiyah Taylor and Da'Marquis Lewis swept the top two spots in 10.39 and 10.40 respectively.

Jayden Finley of North Richland Hills and Kendrick Jones, a freshman from Lake Belton, finished in a near dead heat and were separated by 7-thousandths of a second for third place at 10.41. The top six finishers all finished within .08 seconds of each other.



UIL 5A Boys 400m

The fastest seed time coming into this race in lane 7 was Malik Franklin, a junior from Fort Worth Wyatt with a time of 47.56.

False start to begin this race, an unfair start was called but there were no disqualifications.

Ready for round two the starter let the guys know to wait on the gun. Clean start the second time around and it was Jack McDaniel, a senior from Georgetown in lane 6 who was the lone returner from last year's state meet.

Freddie Dubose, a junior from Comal Smithson Valley in lane 5 led that the way through 200, on the home stretch it was Franklin in lane 7 going away with the gold with a time of 47.58 and it became a race for 2nd and 3rd. McDaniel captured the silver with a 48.48 while Dubose got the bronze with a 48.68.


Malik Freeman checks the clock as he crosses the finish line in the UIL 5A boys 400m

Photo Credit: Shelton Jolivette/MileSplit TX


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UIL 5A Boys 200m

In a senior laden race, it was the freshman Kendrick Jones (Lake Belton) who came in with the fastest seed time of 20.80, but two other boys has sub 21.0 seed times.

Jones ran a great turn and had two strides on the 100m champion Josiyah Taylor (Denton Ryan). Jones, the AAU 14-year old national record holder used his speed and deer like stride to race to the finish in a 20.57 (+2.6) to win his first state title.

Taylor held on for second place in 20.99 and Cameron Cleveland (Red Oak) was third in 21.10.