Sports Update
Stampede track and field team locks down 20 qualifying berths for AAU national meet
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
The West Mesquite Stampede has traveled across the country in recent years, building a strong reputation for its team far beyond the state borders.
This year, with the national competition scheduled to be in its home state, the Stampede, which is based in Mesquite, but features young athletes from around the area, was eager for the challenge, and as they usually do, the met it.
The team earned 20 qualifying berths at the AAU National Qualifying meet in Burleson on June 21-24.
The Stampede, who have competed in Detroit, Mich., Des Moines, Iowa, Knoxville, Tenn., New Orleans, La., and Norfolk, Va., on two different occasions, will stay closer to home when they head to Houston for the 2012 AAU Jr. Olympic National Track and Field Championships on July 25-Aug. 4.
West Mesquite exited the regional competition with six gold medals as a team, led by Raashaan Reason, who had a pair of first-place finishes.
Competing in the Young Men (18-and-under) division, Reason blazed past the field to win the 100 meters in a time of 10.92 seconds and then add the 200 meter crown to his tally in a time of 21.61 seconds.
Reason was not finished, as he joined Jordan Bracy, Trevontee Garner and Roderick McGruder on the 400 relay team that took third place to earn a qualifying spot. Garner and Bracy will also be in Houston as individuals, as each took third place in the 100 meters and 110 hurdles, respectively.
Louis Moore also had a strong all-around meet competing in the Sub-Midget Boys (11-and-under) division. Moore won the gold medal in the high jump with a mark of 4-02. He then added a silver medal in the 80 hurdles and a bronze in the long jump to round out his collection.
Another member of the Reason family, Rhyan, won the gold medal in the high jump in the Midget Boys (12-and-under) division by clearing 4-04. Reason added a second medal around his neck by taking second in the 80 hurdles.
Rounding out the gold medal winners for the Stampede was Jay Wynn, who claimed first place in the 10-and-under 1,500 meters, and Joseph Gatlin, who won the long jump in the eight-and-under division.
Three other members of the team came away with silver medals at the regional meet. Jordan Jeffrey took second place in the Bantam (10-and-under) Boys 1,500 meters, Keviona Harris was the runner-up in the Sub-Midget (11-and-under) Girls Race Walk and Darion Lewis placed second in the 110 hurdles in the Intermediate (16-and-under) Boys group.
Latell Armstrong fell just short of the medal stand last weekend, but he will have plenty of opportunity to take the next step after qualifying for two events at nationals. Competing in the Sub-Youth (13-and-under) Boys class, Armstrong finished fourth in the 800 meters, fifth in the 1,500 meters. He narrowly missed out on a third event, taking seventh in the 400.
The final two qualifiers for the Stampede were Kordan Jones, who was fourth in the long jump in the Sub-Bantam Boys division, and Destiny Mcalister, who placed fourth in the Sub-Youth Girls 1,500 meters.
This year, with the national competition scheduled to be in its home state, the Stampede, which is based in Mesquite, but features young athletes from around the area, was eager for the challenge, and as they usually do, the met it.
The team earned 20 qualifying berths at the AAU National Qualifying meet in Burleson on June 21-24.
The Stampede, who have competed in Detroit, Mich., Des Moines, Iowa, Knoxville, Tenn., New Orleans, La., and Norfolk, Va., on two different occasions, will stay closer to home when they head to Houston for the 2012 AAU Jr. Olympic National Track and Field Championships on July 25-Aug. 4.
West Mesquite exited the regional competition with six gold medals as a team, led by Raashaan Reason, who had a pair of first-place finishes.
Competing in the Young Men (18-and-under) division, Reason blazed past the field to win the 100 meters in a time of 10.92 seconds and then add the 200 meter crown to his tally in a time of 21.61 seconds.
Reason was not finished, as he joined Jordan Bracy, Trevontee Garner and Roderick McGruder on the 400 relay team that took third place to earn a qualifying spot. Garner and Bracy will also be in Houston as individuals, as each took third place in the 100 meters and 110 hurdles, respectively.
Louis Moore also had a strong all-around meet competing in the Sub-Midget Boys (11-and-under) division. Moore won the gold medal in the high jump with a mark of 4-02. He then added a silver medal in the 80 hurdles and a bronze in the long jump to round out his collection.
Another member of the Reason family, Rhyan, won the gold medal in the high jump in the Midget Boys (12-and-under) division by clearing 4-04. Reason added a second medal around his neck by taking second in the 80 hurdles.
Rounding out the gold medal winners for the Stampede was Jay Wynn, who claimed first place in the 10-and-under 1,500 meters, and Joseph Gatlin, who won the long jump in the eight-and-under division.
Three other members of the team came away with silver medals at the regional meet. Jordan Jeffrey took second place in the Bantam (10-and-under) Boys 1,500 meters, Keviona Harris was the runner-up in the Sub-Midget (11-and-under) Girls Race Walk and Darion Lewis placed second in the 110 hurdles in the Intermediate (16-and-under) Boys group.
Latell Armstrong fell just short of the medal stand last weekend, but he will have plenty of opportunity to take the next step after qualifying for two events at nationals. Competing in the Sub-Youth (13-and-under) Boys class, Armstrong finished fourth in the 800 meters, fifth in the 1,500 meters. He narrowly missed out on a third event, taking seventh in the 400.
The final two qualifiers for the Stampede were Kordan Jones, who was fourth in the long jump in the Sub-Bantam Boys division, and Destiny Mcalister, who placed fourth in the Sub-Youth Girls 1,500 meters.
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