Athletic success is something that the Galena Park North Shore athletic department is quite familiar with. That success goes throughout the entire athletic department and includes the girls or boys track and field teams.
That's why their capability to make it to the state track meet this month was not surprising. It just wasn't done in the the most conventional way.
From the beginning of the year, North Shore tasted athletic success the entire school year. It began in the fall with their cross country and football teams.
During the cross country season, the North Shore boys rose to a state ranking and were one good regional performance from making it to the state meet as a team. However, seniors Jose Gonzalez and Brian Martinez were both able to qualify for state.
On the gridiron, the Mustang football team was busy doing their thing as well. North Shore rode an undefeated season all of the way to the UIL 6A title game. With a last second hail mary, they were able to pull off an unbelievable play and with no time left on the clock they came away with the win.
North Shore basketball enjoyed a good season as well and pushed their way through the playoffs. They finished with a semi-final state run for the 2019 season.
That is where the track team picked things up to end the school year. With cross country, football, and basketball all making successful runs to state and success permeating throughout the school, there was just one semester and a few months left. That would be the track team's responsibility to round out the athletic season with a bang.
Senior hurdler Ariauna Edwards was able to make her way through the guantlet and qualify for the state meet in the 100 hurdles. She was able to run her fastest times in the last two and most important meets of her high school career.
Edwards ran a 13.84 PR at the Region 3-6A Meet to qualify for state and then ran her second fastest career race with a 13.98 good enough for fourth place at state.
The North Shore girls 4x100 relay also had a good day at regionals. They ran a SB of 46.02 to qualify for state. That was also good enough for the 12th fastest time of the season in the country. They would go on to run 47.36 for eighth place at the state meet.
The North Shore boys had a an interesting path to the state meet. The North Shore boys are historically linked to speed. This season, they had no shortage of it. Dorian Hewitt proved this season that he is one of the top sprinters in the Houston area and in the state of Texas.
He qualified for state in the 100m by blazing a 10.33 and a third place finish at the region 3 meet. At state, Hewitt finished with a 10.51 good enough for fifth place overall.
However, it was the relay events where things got dicey for the North Shore boys. At regionals, they finished fourth place in the 4x100 relay with a 41.08 and third place in the 4x200 relay with a 1:26.07 at the region finals.
With only the top two spots guaranteed to qualify for state and one third place with any hopes of getting the wild card spot, the season for North Shore was over and done.
With a week off from the track and away from track practice, North Shore got a call from the UIL. One of the region 3 teams who finished ahead of them in both relays was disqualified and that would move them up one spot from third to second and from fourth to third.
That would eventually place both relays in the state championships.
The season was over and done with for the North Shore relays until a second chance was given to them. They capitalized on the opportunity by placing fifth over all in the 4x200 in 1:25.93 and they also grabbed a bronze medal with their third place finish in the 4x100 and SB 40.94.
"We came in here the underdogs and to come out as third is a truly blessing," Hewitt said. Senior Ajani Carter who has played football for North Shore was in his first year on the track team, "As a senior, to go to state twice in one year and the first time running track in my life, it feels good," he said.
The season started off great for North Shore athletics and continued that way. Thanks to the track teams, it also ended well.