Growing Mustangs show well at district
Led by Bellow’s gold in the 1,600, Kingwood tracksters head into area round
The Woodlands dominated the District 16-6A track meet last week at Turner Stadium, sweeping the team titles, but Humble ISD’s teams still showed well and qualified a host of top athletes for area.
“It was a good meet between The Woodlands, College Park and Atascocita,” Kingwood boys coach Tate Symons said.
“They were the three best teams.
“I really think Atascocita probably had the best team, (but) they dropped the baton on the 4x200 (relay) and that cost them.”
Symons’ boys finished sixth, only a few points out of fourth, which, considering their youth and some of the injuries they dealt with, especially with the sprinters, Symons said he was happy with. “We did well,” he said. “Everybody we had in the meet either ran their best time of the year or jumped their furthest or did something really well, so it was good.”
Harry Bellow ran his fastest time of the year en route to gold in the 1,600-meter run.
The senior, who was on junior varsity last year, won with a time of 4 minutes, 15.01 seconds, and junior teammate George Cyboran placed third at 4:15.65.
“Harry made a big jump in cross country, and then unfortunately just didn’t feel good at the district meet, and in our district, if you don’t run lights-out you’re pretty much done,” Symons said. “So in cross country, I think he was one of the top runners in the state there. He had one bad meet and it messed him up.”
That showing motivated his efforts going into district.
Senior Dominic Swoopes, who was on Kingwood’s state championship mile relay last year, is returning to the area meet, qualifying for the first time in the 300 hurdles, where he placed second (38.71).
College Park’s John Kelly won the 300 hurdles in 38.23 seconds in a tight finish.
“They’re all tight,” Symons said.
“If you look at any district in the state of Texas, from top to bottom, there’s not one tougher than ours.”
Senior Daniel Golden can attest to that.
The reigning cross country state champion didn’t make it out of district in the 3,200, finishing fifth at 9:17.75.
Kingwood’s Dawson Trudell survived in the 400 dash.
The junior has nursed a hip injury all year, causing him to miss four meets, but he placed third in 49.46 seconds.
The top four finishers in each event move on.
“Last year, he ran 48.6 and he was a 47-split on the mile relay, so we’re expecting a lot more out of him in the next couple of weeks,” Symons said. “He’s just now really starting to get healthy.
“It’s been a rough year, but he’s persevered and done a great job of just staying with it.”
The team of Trudell, Swoopes, Matthew Abrahams and Oliver Raney placed second in the 1,600 relay with their fastest time of the year, a 3:19.51, and Abrahams was third in the 800 with a 1:56.39.
Summer Creek’s Cameron White won the 800 in 1:55.59.
Kingwood pole vaulter Jake Pinkston, who pulled his hamstring the meet before district last year and didn’t make area, placed second with a leap of 146, and teammate Dalton Dvorak was third (14-0).
Dvorak is coming back from ACL reconstruction after injuring his knee in August in the first football scrimmage.
The 15-6A/16-6A area meet is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday at Turner.
“All of our guys at the area meet can go to the regional meet,” Symons said. “We’re going to the area meet to take it to the next level.
“We’re definitely not looking to finish the season at the area meet.”