Whitehouse’s Chaynee Atwood Cruises + Nacogdoches and Lindale Win District 16-4A Track and Field Titles

LINDALE -- There just isn't an event tougher than the 1600 meter run.

It's a brutal one-mile race where high school athletes chase after Roger Bannister's then record-breaking time of 3:59.4.

Some runners throw up, some collapse in exhaustion and some cry. Yet all finish with relatively astounding times against the average person.

As one runner dry heaved on the way to the bathroom and others stood around like zombies after completing the event, Whitehouse senior Chaynee Atwood looked on her opponents as the girls' District 16-4A champion unphased and talked about the win as if she had not just run a mile at breakneck pace.

"During it, you feel horrible," Atwood said. "I mean, it's a constant sprint for four laps. It doesn't look like it, but it is. Finishing it is probably one of the best feelings ever."

The Ladycats distance runner beat competitors from Corsicana, Jacksonville, John Tyler Lindale and Nacogdoches by 16 seconds or more with a time of 5:25.49.

Her reward? She gets to do it all over again next week at the area meet, which will be hosted by Whitehouse, along with Lindale's Sydney Hacker, Claudia Charles and Jacksonville's Tempestte Silvers and the top four finishers from 15-4A.

Atwood also won the similarly tricky but more conservative 3200 meter run.

"It feels really good because I've never actually been to the area meet before," she said. "Last year I was injured, so I didn't get to run in my district. Going to area for the first time is going to be more than exciting."

The Whitehouse runner was on pace to do all the things she's doing as a senior, but a stress fracture got worse by the meet last season.

"I ignored it for a while and it built up to the point where I shouldn't have run on it," Atwood said. "I was pushing myself really hard. Harder than I ever had. It really stunk, but it gave another runner on my team the chance to really shine as a senior, and she did."

Whitehouse's star began pulling away from the field on the second lap of the 1600 meter race. A four-person gap opened up to a quarter-track gap and then got even worse for the competitors.

Atwood smiled as fans from all of 16-4A's schools cheered her on at the lap marks.

This particularl race had spiraled out of control for the field.

"Normally, we don't have such a crowd cheering us on," she said. "People are normally waiting for the 4x400. Having my team and the parents cheer for me was pretty awesome, and I knew I was hitting my laps like I should. That was definitely a good feeling."

Each race is different, however. Don't count out the area field.

But this was Atwood's night.

"You don't really have a lot of assurance for the next race because each race is different for everyone," she said. "I just try to remember that some other girl could come out and whoop me. I have to bring my best every time. Every time."

Welcome to the world of UIL track:

Not Just Football Players

The 16-4A District Meet featured major names across the East Texas landscape.

Nacogdoches' Jaylon Lane participated on several of the Dragons' relay teams and advanced to the area round as an alternate runner. (© Christopher R. Vinn/www.etsn.fm)

Nacogdoches was headlined by junior Jaylon Lane and sophomore Brandon Jones. Both lead their respective East Texas graduating classes in terms of scholarship numbers.

Lane is a cornerback with 24 college football programs that want him, including schools from the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC plus Notre Dame. Jones, a safety, has 12 college football opportunities, and that number is likely to climb since he has two more years to play as a Dragon.

Some of their finishes helped the Nacogdoches' boys team win the district championship with 151 points to John Tyler's second-place finish of 127 points.

"This program is real good," Lane said. "Our coaches make sure that the football players help out and do track. We've got two sophomores, Brandon being one, that show we can be more than just football players. We want to be considered athletes and just be well-rounded."

Lane's track season technically ended Thursday, but he is an alternate on several advancing relay teams anchored by Jones. The 4x200 and 4x100 teams both finished in first-place.

"I'm really going to work really hard this week on my starts and stops," Jones said. "Hopefully, we'll have a good relay event. I think we have the potential to make a deep run."

Jones also finished third in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11 seconds.

Whitehouse athlete Shemar Smith won that event with a time of 10.85 seconds.

"It takes a lot of practice and dedication," Smith said. "If you don't practice hard, you're not going to run as fast as you expect. You have to practice and dedicate toward what you're trying to achieve."

Smith will visit the Texas Tech football program this weekend in conjunction with the Red Raiders' spring game festivities Saturday prior to the area meet in his hometown.

Senior Whitehouse quarterback Patrick Mahomes is expected to make the trip to Lubbock as well. He signed with the program in February.

"Hopefully they're going to offer me," Smith said. "Patrick, I played with him as my quarterback and I'd like to play with him again if it turns out that way."

The Whitehouse standout also advanced to the area round in the 4x100 relay, the long jump and 200 meter dash events with fourth-place finishes or better.

The 400 meter dash, one full lap around the track, was won by John Tyler sophomore Duntayviun Gross. He's another East Texan that could get looks from a football program in the future.

Gross then outran Lane in the final stretch of the 4x400 relay before Lane pulled up for a sixth-place finish.

"It feels good," Gross said. "I'm just a sophomore, so it feels even better to be out here and winning."

Lindale Girls Win Title

The hosting Lady Eagles won the girls side of the 16-4A meet with 173 total points to Whitehouse's 133 tallies.

Lindale participants won six of the 17 events, including four field events, and placed at least one advancing competitor in 12 of the competitions.

Kaylah Callaway finished fist in the 800 meter run, Gracie Tucker first in the 100 meter and 300 meter hurdles, Chassity Sims first in the long jump, Rhyan Rand first in the triple jump and Mackenzie Bateman was first in the pole vault.

Whitehouse's Tex Pierce speeds up on the home stretch of the boys' 800m run. (© Christopher R. Vinn/www.etsn.fm)

District 16-4A Track and Field Championships

Wednesday-Thursday

Eagle Stadium, Lindale

Top four in each category advance to regional meet

BOYS RESULTS

Team Standings

Nacogdoches -- 151
John Tyler -- 127
Whitehouse -- 118
Corsicana -- 88
Lindale -- 84
Jacksonville -- 50

Long jump

1, Datavian Thacker, Jacksonville -- 20-10 1/2
2, Ja'Coby Lacey, Whitehouse -- 20-8
3, Shemar Smith, Whitehouse -- 20-7 3/4
4, Chester Vaughn, John Tyler -- 19-7
5, Ken Rogers, Nacogdoches -- 19-6 3/4
6, Isaac Warren, John Tyler -- 19-4

Triple jump

1, Ken Rogers, Nacogdoches -- 42-2
2, Lakeem Christmas, Corsicana -- 41-7
3, Chester Vaugh, John Tyler -- 41-2 1/2
4, Latavian Forsest, Nacogdoches -- 40-4 3/4
5, Deandre Williams, Lindale -- 40-2 1/2
6, Rodney Bendy, John Tyler -- 39-10

High jump

1 (tie), Lathan Carter, Corsicana -- 6-0
1 (tie), Kervon Jackson, John Tyler -- 6-0
1 (tie), Jakori Pruitt-Sanders, Nacogdoches -- 6-0
1 (tie), Danair Martin, Corsicana -- 6-0
5 (tie), Ezell Woods, Jacksonville -- 5-10
5 (tie), Datavian Thacker, Jacksonville -- 5-10

Pole vault

1, Noah Gilfillanm, Corsicana -- 15-7
2, Reid Perry, Nacogdoches -- 15-0
3, Mason Hardy, Nacogdoches -- 14-0
4, Blythe Smith, Lindale -- 13-6
5, Taylor Farham, Lindale -- 12-6
6, Andrew Broaddus, Whitehouse -- 11-6

Shot put

1, Jacob Bragg, Nacogdoches -- 50-9
2, Justin Dunning, Whitehouse -- 43-10
3, Kostin Wallace, Whitehouse -- 43-2
4, Marcus Brown, Whitehouse -- 41-6 1/4
5, Jaylon William-Reese, John Tyler -- 40-9 1/2
6, Chris Jones, Corsicana -- 40-5 1/4

Discus

1, Jacob Bragg, Nacogdoches -- 154-4
2, Jassavia Reese,John Tyler -- 137-1
3, Joshua Ambroson, Jacksonville -- 121-1
4, Chris Jones, Corsicana -- 115-7
5, Brandon Lavender, Jacksonville -- 112-2
6, Darius Watson, Corsicana -- 109-4

3200 meter

1, Jeffrey Watson, Lindale -- 10:31.02
2, Andrew Cox, Lindale -- 10:50.88
3, Jonathan Brown, Corsicana -- 11:01.34
4, Joseph Mohr, Whitehouse -- 11:04.71
5, Colton Fluke, Whitehouse -- 11:04.81
6, Mason Wyatt, Lindale -- 11:16.07

4x100 relay

1, Nacogdoches (Alex Gregory, Brandon Jones, L.J. Barnes, Jamar Woodward) -- 41.97
2, Jacksonville (Tony Lane, Ezell Woods, Braylon Parish, Datavian Thacker) -- 42.30
3, John Tyler (Terry Ausborne, Bryston Gipson, Chester Vaughn, Damion Miller) -- 42.68
4, Whitehouse (Justin Dunning, Shemar Smith, Tre Staples, Coleman Patterson) -- 42.72
5, Corsicana (Tray Owens, Xavier Bradley, JaMicah Polk, Kaley Washington) -- 43.14
6, Lindale (Tayton Williams, Deandre Williams, Andrez Alverez, Bryce Barkowsky) -- 43.75

800 meter run

1, Tex Pierce, Whitehouse -- 2:05.24
2, Ethan Carillo, Nacogdoches -- 2:08.29
3, Ricky Estrada, Whitehouse -- 2:09.31
4, Jarrell Miller, Whitehouse -- 2:11.16
5, Jonathan Olsen, Lindale -- 2:12.38
6, Chris Melahn, Lindale -- 2:14.04

110 meter hurdles

1, Robby Washington, John Tyler -- 15.61
2, Barney Harris, John Tyler -- 15.69
3, Will Glover, Nacogdoches -- 15.84
4, Cade Parrish, Whitehouse -- 16.26
5, J.J. Johnson, Nacogdoches -- 16.43
6, Jacorey Whitaker, Nacogdoches -- 16.49

100 meter dash

1, Shemar Smith, Whitehouse -- 10.85
2, Datavian Thacker, Jacksonville -- 10.91
3, Brandon Jones, Nacogdoches -- 11.00
4, L.J. Barnes, Nacogdoches -- 11.11
5, Bryston Gipson, John Tyler -- 11.13
6, Reginald Gipson, John Tyler -- 11.21

4x200 relay

1, Nacogdoches (Alex Gregory, Jamar Woodward, L.J. Barnes, Brandon Jones) -- 1:27.13
2, John Tyler (Terry Ausborne, Damion Miller, Bryston Gipson, Chester Vaughn) -- 1:28.48
3, Corsicana (Kaley Washington, Xavier Bradley, JaMicah Polk, Tray Owens) -- 1:31.50
4, Whitehouse (Justin Dunning, Chris Reese, Tre Staples, Coleman Patterson) -- 1:31.57
5, Lindale, (Tayton Williams, Deandre Williams, Andrez Alverez, Ryan Spellman) -- 1:33.12

400 meter dash

1, Duntayviun Gross, John Tyler -- 51.67
2, Ar'Keevin Lewis, Nacogdoches -- 52.47
3, Lakeem Christmas, Corsicana -- 52.72
4, Ja'Coby Lacey, Whitehouse -- 52.77
5, Ricky Estrada, Whitehouse -- 53.01
6, Alexis Balderas, Jacksonville-- 53.81

300 meter hurdles

1, Nathan Evans, Lindale -- 40.27
2, Barney Harris, John Tyler -- 41.07
3, Xavier Bradley, Corsicana -- 41.18
4, Thomas Boyd, John Tyler -- 42.00
5, Kale Ridge, Lindale -- 42.34
6, Cade Parish, Whitehouse -- 42.69

200 meter dash

1, Alex Gregory, Nacogdoches -- 21.72
2, Jamar Woodward, Nacogdoches -- 21.94
3, Shemar Smith, Whitehouse -- 22.44
4, Chester Vaughn, John Tyler -- 22.89
5, Terry Ausborne -- John Tyler -- 22.92
6, Deandre Williams, Lindale -- 22.99

1600 meter run

1, Jeffrey Watson, Lindale -- 4:41.40
2, Andrew Cox, Lindale -- 4:47.22
3, Joseph Mohr, Whitehouse -- 4:51.04
4, Jonathan Brown, Corsicana -- 4:56.50
5, Colton Fluke, Whitehouse -- 5:06.67
6, Jonathan Olsen, Lindale -- 5:15.87

4x400 relay

1, John Tyler (Robby Washington, Jorian Jackson, Thomas Boyd, Duntayviun Gross) -- 3:29.44
2, Lindale (Nathan Evans, Kadin Harmon, Spence Griffith, Jeffrey Watson) -- 3:31.26
3, Corsicana (Lakeem Christmas, Lathan Carter, Ryan Brown, Tray Owens) -- 3:31.72
4, Whitehouse (Ricky Estrada, Tex Pierce, Dusty Johnson, Ja'Coby Lacey) -- 3:31.91
5, Jacksonville (Alexis Balderas, Ezell Woods, Braylon Parish, Tony Lane) -- 3:32.06
6, Nacogdoches (Ar'Keevin Lewis, Jaylon Lane, Anthony Flores, Will Glover) -- 3:34.94

Corsicana's Shamara Taylor sprints the last leg of the girls' 400m relay. (Â© Christopher R. Vinn/www.etsn.fm)

GIRLS RESULTS

Team standings

1, Lindale -- 173
2, Whitehouse -- 133
3, John Tyler -- 100
4, Corsicana -- 76
5, Nacogdoches -- 61
6, Jacksonville -- 45