KFDM COOP Posted April 7, 2008 Report Posted April 7, 2008 Ganders make mark on 21-5A meet By Dave Rogers Published April 8, 2008 For a minute Monday afternoon, it looked like the best shot putter in District 21-5A might be missing a trip to the regional meet. Lee’s Zac Zellers, as expected, had the best throw in the prelims, a 50-foot, 1-inch effort. But he didn’t improve on his first two efforts in the finals. Others did. Zellers, the junior who was in fourth place before his final threat, said, “I just knew I had to step up.†And he did. His 54-foot effort nudged Sterling’s Eli Propes out of a lead he had held for about 60 seconds. It was one of three first-places in the day’s six field events by the Lee boys as they started their bid to unseat Kingwood as district team champion. “I’m pretty proud of all the kids,†said Lee coach Charles Southall. “We just have to keep on getting better.†Lee’s Michael Mahan easily won the high jump when he needed one try to clear 6-4, and Thomas Bates rebounded from disappointment in the triple jump to win the long jump. The only other winner by a Baytown performer came from Sterling’s Alyssa Cotton, who cleared 10-3 to win the pole vault. Propes had been in the odd-man-out fourth position going into his final throw in the shot put. Then he pushed one out to 52-1 and took the lead. It held up until Zellers, throwing right after him, let out a mighty yell and loosed the winner. “I knew he was going to pop it out there,†Propes said of Zellers. “The best thing is we’re going to regionals.†Zellers said Propes pushed him. “When he did that, I knew it was time to step up. Otherwise, I wasn’t going to regionals,†Zellers said. “I had thrown 54 last week (at the Rockhold Relays). I knew I had it in me again.†The top three finishers in each event at the district meet advance to the Region III-5A meet back here at Turner Stadium April 25-26. Zellers goes to regionals in two events afer his 158-3 discus effort placed second to a 183-9 by Humble’s Matthew Kosecki. Mahan, taking a day off from the Lee baseball team, skipped 6-6 after he had the win in hand and tried unsuccessfully to get over 6-8 three times, “I did 6-6 last week, so I skipped it,†he said. “But I was peaking at the bar too soon. It’s form. I don’t practice form; I don’t have time. “But I’m going to get 6-8 at regionals.†Bates finished only fifth in the triple jump after being a favorite going in. Then he came back with a first-jump effort of 22-6.5 that was good enough to win it. “I was mad I didn’t win the triple jump,†Bates said, “so I had to make a statement in the long jump.†Sterling’s girls, second in this meet a year ago like the Lee boys, had a big day topped by the pole vault. Their Mandi Allen placed second in the shot put and Ashley Anderson was third in both the long jump and triple jump. Chacarra Gibson and Beanka Hidalgo were third and fourth in the discus. “Ashley didn’t have her best day in the triple jump, but she competed and did what she needed to do to get to the next level,†said Lady Rangers coach Christie Speights. “Overall, everybody’s doing what I ask. They have competed, they have PR’d. I can’t ask more of them right now.†Lee’s girls were led by Shardae Philogene, the volleyball standout competing in her first meet. She was fourth in both the long jump and high jump.
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