Threesome lifts Lamar at state track
Heymach, Young and Pollard carry Texans to fourth in Austin
Lamar’s girls were small in numbers but high in production at the University Interscholastic League State Track and Field Championships last week at the University of Texas in Austin.
The Texans sent just three athletes in six events – juniors Julia Heymach and Milan Young and sophomore Hailey Pollard – and still managed to earn fourth place at UT’s Mike A. Myers Stadium. De Soto was the Class 6A girls’ champion with 79 points, followed by Cy Springs with 60 and Cedar Hill with 43. Lamar was one point back with 42.
With Heymach, Young and Pollard returning, Lamar might be a state title contender in 2017.
“Next year could be a lot of fun,” said Lamar head girls coach Bob Collett, “but we probably need a few more girls and maybe a relay to make a run at state.”
Lamar handled the pressure of the state meet, not to mention rain and a lightning delay that forced the schedule to be re-arranged.
“Some of the girls didn’t handle it very well, but ours did,” Collett said. “I was really proud of the way they competed.”
Lamar’s distance star, Heymach was aiming for another sweep of the 6A girls’ 1,600- and 3,200-meter races, but she just missed out.
Heymach, whose season was interrupted by injuries, started off slowly by placing third in the 3,200 with a time of 10:29.03. She was off the pace set by winner Paige Hofstad of New Braunfels (10:23.91).
But Heymach showed her grit in the 1,600 a day later, besting a loaded field to win in 4:44.00. She was a full two seconds in front of Madie Boreman of Leander Rouse (4:46.55).
“Julia was out three months because of injuries. If state had been two weeks later, I think she would have won both races,” Collett said. “The girl who beat Julia in the 3,200 (Hofstad) was No. 2 in the country in cross country, so she lost to good competition. But I loved the determination Julia showed in the 1,600. She was not going to be denied.”
Young was a threeevent qualifier in the both hurdles and the 100 dash and she brought home a pair of medals.
In the 300 hurdles, Young was clocked in 42.69 seconds, finishing just behind De Soto’s Alexis Duncan (41.88) to take second place. Young was third in the 100 hurdles (13.76), also won by Duncan (13.22), and took fifth in the 100 (11.95).
“Milan had a terrific meet and scored 16 points all by herself,” Collett said. “Milan was really close to winning the 300 hurdles, but Alexis was too tough. She did great in the 100 hurdles and she had no business even qualifying in the 100. That was a bonus.”
Among Lamar’s small state contingent, Pollard was the biggest surprise. The youngster struck gold in the discus with a throw of 135 feet, 7 inches.
“Hailey was out of bounds on her first attempt, but she settled down,” Collett said. “Hailey improved every time and let one go on her fourth throw. It was really exciting to watch.”
Collett admitted that the compressed schedule made it hectic at times to keep up with his athletes.
“I was running back and forth the whole night, but it was worth it,” Collett said.
It will be a busy summer for all three girls, with Heymach competing in the Meet of Champions on Saturday, May 21, at Baylor University in Waco, followed by the Brooks PR Invitational in Renton, Washington, next month. Young and Pollard also will be involved in summer track.
“They’ve got some important meets, then we’ll shut it down and let them get some rest,” Collett said. “They have definitely earned it.”
At the Class 5A meet, Madison junior Brandolyn Walker came in third in the girls’ 100 (12.00), while Waltrip senior Kyler Scott took seventh in the boys’ 100 (10.83). In Class 4A, Wheatley senior Takyera Robinson placed fourth in the girls’ 200 (24.58). Lamar moves on
The Lamar baseball team is through to the third round of the UIL Class 6A playoffs.
The Texans (22-9-1) will face Strake Jesuit (25-4-2) in a 6A-Region III quarterfinal series this week.
All three games will be at Premier Baseball, 20230 Cypress Rosehill Road in Tomball, with Game 1 at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 19; Game 2 at 5 p.m. Friday, May 20; and Game 3, if necessary, at noon Saturday, May 21.
Lamar head baseball coach David Muñoz considers the Crusaders a tough out.
“Strake Jesuit is the No. 2 team from the Katy district (19-6A), so you know they can play,” Muñoz said.
“In some ways, they remind me of us.”
Like Strake Jesuit, Lamar, the District 20-6A runner-up, has caught fire during the postseason, including a sweep of Cy-Fair in the area round.
Game 1 was a rollercoaster, spread out over two days and two ball parks (Memorial and CyFair) because of the incessant rain.
The one constant was senior pitcher John Doxakis, who miraculously went the distance in a 2-0 victory. Doxakis struck out nine batters, allowed a meager two hits and issued only two walks.
“When Cy-Fair decided the bring back their No. 1 pitcher (Hunter Edwards), we decided to go ace-forace,” Muñoz said. “John didn’t throw that many pitches the first day and was fresh. We kept him warm and he was ready to go.”
Offensively, senior left fielder Tyson Thompson got things started for Lamar in the top of the sixth inning with a two-out single. Thompson went to third on a double by junior third baseman Owen Holt and scored when CyFair’s second baseman mishandled a hard-hit ball by Doxakis. A double by senior first baseman Jimmy Winston brought Holt home for the 2-0 lead, which Doxakis protected.
Lamar fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning in Game 2, but the Texans wasted little time launching a comeback. Thompson singled and advanced to third on a Doxakis double. After Cy-Fair walked Winston to load the bases, junior right fielder Jacob Millender ripped an RBIsingle to tie the game. Doxakis later scored the go-ahead run on a balk and Millender made it 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Cameron Gibbons.
The other run came on a solo homer by senior center fielder Julian Cranford in the fifth inning to make it 4-1.
Winston was efficient on the hill for Lamar. Of his 100 pitches, he scattered five hits (including only two over the final six innings) and struck out six batters.
“Jimmy settled down after the first inning and dominated the rest of the way,” Muñoz said.
With a rainy week in the forecast, Muñoz said the main challenge Lamar could face this week isn’t Strake Jesuit but finding a dry field.
It’s a problem that Westside would love to have. The District 20-6A champs, considered state title contenders, were knocked out last week, losing an area series to Langham Creek. The Wolves won the opener 7-1, but they dropped the final two games 7-2 and 2-1 in nine innings.