KFDM COOP Posted May 6, 2008 Report Posted May 6, 2008 Sharks Clark needs fast start to get state finish he desires ON TO STATE By Tom Halliburton The Port Arthur News Aaron Clark III likes his chances of finishing what he starts. He just needs to make sure he properly starts what he finishes. The 18-year-old Sabine Pass high school senior completes an outstanding three-sport prep career Saturday afternoon at the 97th annual University Interscholastic League state track and field championships in Austin. It easily could be sizzling hot by 1:15 in Mike Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus when the Class 1A state meet starter yells out "Runners take your mark... set .... (pow goes the pistol)." As far as the available nearby historians know, that entry in the 1A boys 100-meter dash just might constitute the first time in school history for a Sabine Pass trackster to participate at the famous UIL event. "We know it's been more than 20 years, maybe ever," said Ashley Cloud, the former Nederland student who serves as Sabine Pass girls track coach and also bravely fires the starter's pistol at the Sharks football stadium. Cloud has been working with Clark on smoother, stronger takeoffs. She would prefer that he would stay low in those opening 10 meters when the son of Aaron, Jr., and Gzele Clark (a former Lincoln girls trackster) roars from the blocks. A 6-1, 197-pound all-purpose athlete, Clark definitely deserves to be mentioned among the school's finest and most versatile athletes. Aaron earned first-team all-district 24-1A as a football runner, and a basketball post before he competed in the district track meet last month in five events -- the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, triple jump and sprint relay. "The main two things I need to do are come out of the blocks better and finish hard at the end," Clark said. An A-B Honor Roll student with a polite spirit about him, Clark plans to major either in business management or real estate management. He's entertaining full academic scholarship offers from Mississippi Valley State and Alabama State University of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but a real strong outing this weekend might be the ticket to a track and field opportunity at the University of Houston. "It's pretty important to me," he said. "I've got to be able to run a good race. I ran OK at regionals but I know I can run better." Clark knows that his ability to produce a faster time than Hull-Daisetta's Adrian Anderson figures to serve as a fairly accurate barometer of his chances. The Hull-Daisetta sprinter captured gold medals in both the boys 1A sprint events at state last May. Anderson won the 100-meter dash (10.86) and the 200-meter dash (22.30.). While Anderson clocked an 11.28 to edge Clark's 11.37 at the 1A Region IV meet, Clark had defeated Anderson to win the gold at the District 24-1A meet. The difference all boiled down to Clark's takeoff. Thus, the work on a good start has topped the list of concerns for Clark, sprinting coach Cloud and boys track coach Trey Harvey. "I was OK at regionals but I could have run better," Clark said. "My best this year has been 10.7." A ninth- and 10th grade student at Port Arthur Memorial, Clark transferred to Sabine Pass for his last two years. Besides his mom, Clark's brothers and sisters participated in track. His first cousin, Memorial senior Danielle Smith, captured the 21-5A gold medals for the Titans in the discus and the shot put. His coach, Cloud, also has Memorial in her background after working with Sandra Bradford and Debra Arvie in the girls track program.
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