We all know that the Katy Seven Lakes Relays is always one of the fastest early season meets of the year.
You do know that, right?
Well, look at last year for example. There were eventual state meet qualifiers and medalists galore at the meet. The boys and girls sprints were top notch as were the relays. The field events also have some of the top athletes in the Houston area who competed.
This year, the meet got an injection of super juice and it will be possibly the best edition ever.
The teams and athletes scheduled to compete will be the barriers to everyone in Region 3 hoping to make it to the UIL 3A, 4A, and 5A state meets, not to mention being in the way of one another.
Boys
- Four boys ran 10.72 and faster, including eventual UIL 4A champion Ryan Martin (10.42)
- The 200m was won by eventual UIL 6A state champion Lance Broome (21.45)
- Fort Bend Marshall swept boys relays (41.57, 1:27.63, 3:20.71)
- The jumps were big time UIL 6A fourth place finisher Clayton Keys (22-10)
- Three boys shot putters over 50 feet including 2018 UIL 6A 5th place finisher Kyle Stulce (58-10.50)
Girls
- The 200m was won by eventual UIL 6A state champion Laila Owens (23.81)
- The 5,000 was won by eventual UIL 6A 3200m third place finisher Emily Cole
- The triple jump was won by Melissa Matthews (38-00)
- Fort Bend Marshall swept relays (47.66, 1:41.17, 3:52.59)
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Events To Watch
Boys 100m & 200m
Last year, Devon Achane was third with his 10.67 and Bryson Stubblefield was fourth in 10.72. They both return this year and if they run the 100m, the two Marshall teammates could produce another fire race. However, there could be challengers. Spring Westfield's DeAnthony Nervis enjoyed a very successful indoor season. He had a couple of sub 7.00 60m races and some 21.8 200m races as well. He is primed and ready to fun fast if he is in the sprint events. Then there is Tompkins' David Foster who also ran well during the indoor season. His 6.81 in the 60m is ELITE and he that puts him in a position to run a fast and challenging opening race.
Stubblefield and Achane are vets and don't expect them to be rattled. Stubblefield was third in last year's 100m at the UIL 5A state meet and Achane, well he won the 200m at state.
This will be good, like six guys under 10.7 good!
Will any of those young men run the 200m is the question? If they double up, they will make that race just as hot. They could potentially meet up with George Ranch's Faybian Marks and Katy Morton Ranch's Telron Bradford.
Marks already dropped a 21.41 last weekend in the 200m, proving that he shouldn't be taken lightly. Bradford is a 400m specialist, but he's got to have a complimentary event and working on speed has got to be in the plan some time during the season. He has a 21.73 PR, so he is competitive in the distance.
Marshall also has another stud sprinter in Garrett Wilkins who is chomping at the bit to get a good 200m under his belt. He has a 21.28 PR from the summer. Garrett is also a hurdler, so he could opt for the 300H match up with other studs.
We could eight guys go 21.5 or better.
Boys 300H
Here is where Wilkins could also pop up. If he wants a good early season test, this meet will provide it for him. If he does, he will potentially, meet the UIL 6A state meet's third place finisher in Clayton Keys who is one of the favorite hurdlers this season with his 36.87 PR.
The event will also see one of the top up and coming hurdlers in the stat in Bryce McCray. The George Ranch junior had a great summer in the hurdles dropping a couple of 53. races.
Boys 5,000m
Katy ISD is not shy of quality distance runners. Between Tompkins' duo of Cole Lindhorst and Gavin Saacke, the Falcons cross country leaders should have front runners if they run the race. Seven Lakes' Carson Slater and Magnolia's Dylan Sequeira also had outstanding cross country seasons and they'll be in the mix of this race.
However, all runners will have a strong Klein duo to contend with. Chris Daniels had an outstanding individual cross country season and will be one of the state's top returning distance runners next fall. But, let's not disrespect last year's Seven Lakes winner Gustavo Posada. Posada ran 15:50 to out kick in for the win last season.
Girls 200m & 400m
This meet will be loaded with girls talent. The talent of the potential entries in this meet are like a mini regional meet.
There are two girls who have sub 24 PRs in the 200m and six more girls in the 24s. Texas UIL 6A state champion Laila Owens and UIL 6A and state meet finalist Dynasty McClennon.
Both girls are superior 400m competitors as well and could make a for an epic 400m race. But, the other potential competitors makes the possibility of this race even more stout.
State meet qualifiers Cesley Williams (55.30) PR has the experience from last year's freshman season where she qualified for state and senior Wonders Oguejiofor has a little bit of state meet experience of her own as she is the 2018 UIL 6A state champion in the 800. She has a 400m SB of 55.31 from last season.
With Jailynn Smith, Ryan Little, Eliana Lake, and Alexandria Ruth, all girls ran sub 56.4 last season including three of them dipping into the 55s.
There could be six girls run 56 or faster this weekend.
Girls 5,000m
Cassidy Graham of Bridgeland had a fabulous freshman season in 2019. Graham, second in this event in last year's race qualified for the UIL 6A state meet in the 1600m and she solidified herself as distance star in the Houston area.
Expect her to be around the lead of the event, as will strong distance runners like Magnolia's Emma Ellis, Tompkins' Hayden Gold, and Seven Lakes' Molly Humes. Two other key factors in the race could be Montgomery's Abigail Wilson and Klein's Madeline Myers. Both girls were thrust into the leadership role during the cross country season. Now, that it's track season and a little more individualized, they could improve this season and it could start in this 5K.
Girls 300H
Tytiania Morrison is legit! The Aldine Eisenhower hurdler has a fabulous 43.68 PR from last season in the 300H, but last week, she showed she is ready for 2020. She dropped a 44.47 to welcome this outdoor season. Sumer Creek's Morgan Taylor also has a 43 second PR. Expect to see these two drop something fast if they compete in the event this weekend.
Girls Relays
This is where the day will dazzle the spectators at the meet. With teams like Fort Bend Bush, Fort Bend Marshall, Summer Creek, Katy Tompkins, Geroge Ranch, and Aldine Eisenhower this meet could see meet records not only fall, but be obliterated. With some of the things past Cy Springs teams have done, that is saying a lot.
All of these teams have been competing in Austin at the end of the year in the last couple of seasons. Summer Creek (45.24)was ranked No. 2 in Texas last year in the 4x100 and Eisenhower was ranked No. 5 last season (45.66). George Ranch (45.16), Cy Springs (45.61), Marshall (46.85) and Bush (46.97) will all be in the relay races, making this a must see.
Four of the teams ran 1:39.18 and faster in the 4x200 relay last year and 3:53 or faster in the 4x400 relay last season.
With all of that said, it's possible the fastest team this weekend could come from outside of the mentioned teams. The home team, Seven Lakes expects to have a heck of a season and getting that started on their own track this weekend could be a motivating factor for the 2020 season.
The Lady Spartans will have loaded quartets in both the 4x100 and 4x200 races and possibly be loaded enough to compete in the 4x400 with these other verified teams.