Bearkats return to winner’s podium
District triumph carries Klein to this week’s area meet
The Klein girls track and field team secured their third district championship in four years, winning the District 15-6A team title with 144.5 points last week at Klein Memorial Stadium.
Klein Oak was second with 105 and Westfield was third with 89.
“We started this season with the expectation of taking back the title, and winning the whole thing, but it’s track, so it never went exactly as planned,” coach Tim McGuire said. “There were ups and downs, and wondering if we’d have everybody together by district, but they’re a really good group of girls.
“They had their hearts set on accomplishing that goal and they all came together at the right time and did a very good job.”
The Bearkats received key points in several events.
Perhaps the biggest was the high jump, where all three entrants advanced, finishing first, third and fourth.
“We have a really good high jump coach,” McGuire said.
“Kenny Hammock is our high jump coach. He used to be the high jump coach at Klein Oak and Klein Forest, and, In fact, he was the head football coach at Klein Forest for a while. He had five girls jumping over 5 feet this season, so we had a 5-footer jumping on JV this year, which is crazy.
“His No. 1 girl, (Adeline) Hebert, jumped 5-foot-9 and broke the school record at district.”
Hebert, a junior, was first, sophomore Brianna McKean (5-4) was second and freshman Kennedy Smith (5-0) was fourth.
They all advanced to the area meet in a lightning-interrupted final.
McKean’s 5-4, which came on her second attempt, was a personal record, and Hebert repeated as the district champion.
“Hebert’s been 5-4, 5-6 consistently all season long,” McGuire said.
“Last year, she was a 5-7 high jumper. And then the district meet came around and all three of them were clicking.”
They were the only ones.
Freshman Heavens Angel (38-10) won the shot put, senior Gabrielle Orion was third in the shot (36-3½) and fourth in the discus (104-4½), and senior Anna Pronko (100) took second in the pole vault.
“A bunch of kids stepped up really well,” McGuire said.
The Klein girls led in the team standings by 8½ points after the first day.
The title clincher was their 1-2 showing in the 800-meter run, where senior Taylor Lett (2:21.50) and freshman Emily Cole (2:22.59) scored 18 decisive points.
Lett fought off several injuries to repeat as district champ.
“She stepped onto the track saying she wasn’t going to be denied the district title her senior year, took the lead about 450 meters into the race and never looked back,” McGuire said. “And the freshman is a competitor.
“(Cole) was maybe 10, 15 seconds away from qualifying for state in cross country while she was on the freshman volleyball team, then went and played freshman basketball.”
Senior Imani Nave battled Dekaney’s Natashia Jackson for supremacy in the 200 and 400.
Jackson (54.17 seconds) emerged in the 400, with Nave placing second at 55.67, but Nave won the 200, breaking her own school record by finishing in 23.94 seconds – which was barely enough.
Jackson crossed the line only two-hundredths of a second behind her.
“That was a hell of a race,” McGuire said. “The Dekaney girl was right on her.”
After the meet was over, and the awards handed out, they lingered on the field, making sure to soak the victory in.
“It was really cool,” McGuire said.
“The girls gathered in the middle of the field, they were presented the trophy, and the seniors were happy, they had smiles on their faces, but it was fun to watch the freshmen and the newer generation.
“They were totally geeked out about it. They were dancing with the trophy and having a good time.”
The 15-6A/16-6A area meet is slated for Wednesday and Thursday at Turner Stadium.
“The top times in the region are going to come out of this area, (especially) in the hurdles (and) the distance races,” McGuire said.
“So the expectations are to get in there, survive and advance.”