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If your first thought on what wins the Texas UIL state track and field championships is speed and explosion, then you're right....usually.
At last year's UIL 6A state meet, DeSoto won their fifth consecutive state championship by scoring 72 total points. They accumulated 50 of those points through the sprint relays and 22 combined points from the 100 meter hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles. In fact, that's how they've won all five of their titles from 2016 - 2021.
Dating back to 2000, only four teams have won state championships in the largest Texas UIL girls classification by scoring points in events over 400m.
Converse Judson did it twice with their 2014 and 2015 wins when Dominique Allen finished fifth in the 800m both years. DeSoto did it in 2013 with Camry Grigsby who finished eighth and Dallas Skyline won the state title in 2002 with Jennifer Hunt finishing third in the 800m.
The typical formula of speed, relays, and field events is how Katy Seven Lakes scored 49 points to finish third overall at last year's state meet. Two relay wins gave them 40 points to go with a runner-up finish in the 400, and then scoring one point in the long jump. The fourth place team finisher last year was Katy Cinco Ranch who scored 24 points in the 1,600m and 3,200m and 20 points from the shot put and discus. They missed the third place trophy by only one point.
This year, the Lady Spartans have the opportunity to climb up the awards stand and possibly take the top spot. Reason being, they are loaded with sprinters, relays, and field event participants; they are taking a host of participants to the area championships across nearly all 17 events.
The 2021 UIL 6A 400m runner-up, Alyssa Tate qualified for area in the 100m and the 400m, Brooke Jackson advanced in the 100m , Haley Tate in the 200m, Jenna Sanders in the high jump, and with Lauren Schmitt in the pole vault, there is plenty of point earning potential still moving towards the state championships along with the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
| SEVEN LAKES | EVENTS | UIL 6A RANK | FLOWER MOUND | EVENT | UIL 6A RANK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alyssa Tate | 100m and 400m | No 7 | Dayan Felicien | 100m | |
| Haley Tate | 200m | No.8 | London Gray | 400m | |
| Avery Catchings | 800m | Samantha Humphries | 800, 1,600, 3,200 | No.2, No.2, No.2 | |
| Ella Beck | 1,600m and 3,200m | Nicole Humphries | 800m and 1,600m | No. 6, No. 3 | |
| Zyah Evans | 100H and 300H | Virginia Knight | 800m | ||
| Summer Halphen | 300H | Natalie Cook | 1,600m and 3,200m | ||
| Jenna Sanders | high jump | Alexandra Fox | 3,200m | No.5 | |
| Maya Mamen | long jump | Eva Vreeland | 100H and 300H | ||
| Leia Bowden | long jump and triple jump | Grace Bettencourt | 100H and high jump | ||
| Lauren Schmitt | pole vault | No. 8 | Emma McLaughlin | 300H | |
| Aubrey Tupper | pole vault | Riley Ward | high jump | No. 2 | |
| Janey Campbell | discus and shot put | No. 11 | Madison Goodin | pole vault | |
| Heather Thayer | discus | Relay Team | 4x100 relay | ||
| Stephanie Williams | shot put | Relay Team | 4x200 relay | ||
| Relay Team | 4x100 relay | No. 2 | Relay Team | 4x400 relay | No.11 |
| Relay Team | 4x200 relay | No. 1 |
| Brooke Jackson | 100m | No. 7. |
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Although Judson, DeSoto, and Skyline have won state championships with getting points from the 800m, no girls state champion in the largest UIL division has won with points earned from the 1,600m and the 3,200m in the last 22 years.
However, as it currently stands, there is a good possibility that might change this year as that is exactly what Flower Mound has to offer. They have won two consecutive cross country championships and they have the opportunity to do something we've never seen.
It's possible the 800m, 1,600m, and 3,200m events are the source of the majority of their scoring potential.
For next week's area championships, the Lady Jaguars qualified sprinters, distance runners, all three relays, and a host of field event qualifiers.
Dayana Felicien in the 100m, Riley Ward in the high jump, and their 4x400 relay all have good possibilities of continuing to move towards state meet qualifying, but it's their cross country team who have good opportunities to score a majority of the team's points that could lead to a team state meet award.
We have seen strong cross country programs translate to the track before. The Woodlands and Southlake Carroll teams of the late 2000s and early 2010s have had their top runners earn plenty of points towards their track team's totals.
The majority of Flower Mound's top seven cross country runners could be major point scorers at the state level on the track. Samantha Humphries, Nicole Humphries, and Virginia Knight have all qualified in the 800m, Natalie Cook and the Humphries sisters are all moving on to the area meet in the 1,600m. Cook, Samantha Humphries, and Alexandra Fox have all qualified for the 3,200m.
The rest of April will provide key moments for both squads to continue their trek towards the state meet, but it's possible we could see a battle between speed and explosion and distance running decide the UIL State 6A Track and Field Championships.