Mustangs impressive in winning own meet

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Mustangs impressive in winning own meet
Van Wade
The Orange Leader

ORANGEFIELD — It may have been just the second meet of the season but it looks like “full steam ahead” for the West Orange-Stark Mustang track team.

The Mustangs, the defending Class 3A state champion, looked quite impressive at their own Mustang Relays held at Orangefield High School as they ran up 127 1/2 points to win the championship, nipping Port Arthur Memorial, which had 116.

Even more impressive were the Port Arthur Memorial Lady Titans, who rang up a whopping 200 1/3 points to win the girls field, easily defeating a tremendous second-place effort by the Orangefield Lady Bobcats (102 1/3).

Without a doubt, Mustang senior Trey Franks had his feet plenty involved in Saturday’s action.

Franks won the long jump with a leap of 21 feet and 1/4 inch and also won the triple jump with a leap of 43-11.

Franks did it on the track as well, winning the 200 meters in 21.52 seconds. He also ran a leg on the Mustangs’ winning 400-meter relay unit that also consisted of Justin Thomas, Phillip Jones and James Haynes, which turned in a swift time of 41.84.

Haynes was solid as well, placing second in the 100 meters (10.66) and third in both the long jump (20-4) and the triple jump (41.7).

The Bridge City boys dominated the distance events like always.

Senior Cardinal Tim Cude captured first in the 3,200 meters, running a 10:00.10. Cardinal Kirby Shepherd won the 1,600 meters with a 4:48.20 clocking, just nipping Cude, who finished second with a 4:49.32.

Pole vaulter Kyle Fontenot claimed Orangefield’s lone first-place medal by winning the pole vault as he went 12 feet.

The Lady Bobcats had a stellar day.

Rebecca Higginbotham and Kaitlyn Henson went 1-2 in the high jump. Both went 4-10 with Higginbotham winning on fewer misses.

Kasidy Hayes ran a superb 800 meters after coming off the basketball playoff squad as she captured first with a time of 2:35.68. Lady Bobcat Lauren Perkins also earned a first-place medal, winning the 100-meter hurdles in 16.62 seconds. The Lady Bobcats also finished second to Memorial in the 1,600-meter relay.

The WO-S Lady Mustangs received two first-place finishes with Johnesha Sims winning the long jump (16-1 1/2) while Danyale Thomas was first in the 100 meters (12.69) with teammate Crystal Haynes a close second (13.00).

Bridge City distance runner Meagan Shockley capped off a good day for Orange COunty when she won the 1,600 meters in 6:06.21, just nipping teammate Ariel Chesson (6:06.35) at the end.