Sports Post

Track tested, state approved: Area athletes head to state finals
EIGHT AREA ATHLETES punched their tickets to the state high school track and field
championships in Austin next weekend, highlighted by Clear Springs junior Kirk Collins Jr, who
will compete in two events at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.
Collins captured first place in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles at the 6A, Region III Finals, which
were held at Challenger/Columbia Stadium in League City. Collins finished with a time of 13.82
seconds, setting the stage for him to outpace the pack in the boys’ 300-meter hurdles in a time
of 36.98 seconds.
After finishing third in both categories in last year’s state finals, Collins will return for an
opportunity for bigger things.
Clear Falls sophomore Kennedy Wade won first in the girls’ 6A, Region III finals in the 800-meter
run, topping the field with a time of 2:13.86. She will also compete with the Falls’ 4×400 meter
relay team, a role she participated in last year’s state finals.
The 6A, Region III finals also produced state-bound performers in Clear Falls Chemariea Hardy
in the girls’ 400-meter race (54.88 seconds) and Dickinson’s Destiny Smith in the girls’ 300-
meter hurdles (43.47 seconds). Dickinson’s Koi Johnson advanced to her fourth straight trip to
Austin, finishing second in the triple jump with a leap of 40 feet, 9.75 inches.
Lionell Fredrick of Clear Springs placed second in the boys’ discus (171 feet, 3 inches), while
Friendswood’s Mike Hermes also heads to Austin after finishing second in the 5A, Region III
boys’ high jump (6 feet, 5 inches).
La Marque’s Jackeria Woodkins assured a second straight trip to the state finals after topping
the pack in the 4A, Region III girls’ 200-meter and 400-meter events.