Texas High girls continue dominance, win Watty Myers Relays

TEXAKANA, Texas — Texas High’s girls continued their winning ways in the 44th annual Watty Myers Relays Friday, holding off Longview to capture another championship at the Texas High track.

The Lady Tigers scored 142 points to trim Longview (131) and extend their winning streak on their home track to four or five.

“I’m not sure how many Watty Myers titles we’ve won in a row, but we’ve got a little streak going,” said Texas High girls coach Pat Daniels. “We’re a young team and I wasn’t expecting to win, but we’ll take it.”

Texas High also won the Paul Parr Relays last week at Liberty-Eylau, which placed third in girls with 74 points.

Longview flexed its muscles and won the other three divisions: varsity boys, JV boys and JV girls. The Lobos rolled up 137 points to win the boys crown over Texas High (95). Liberty-Eylau was third with 85.

Because of cold rain and inclement weather moving in, the field events were not held.

“We were just finishing up when it started pouring,” Daniels said.

The Lady Tigers were sparked by high-point performer Cashlin Gooden (22) and teammate Fezeka Barnes (tie for runner-up, 20).

Gooden won the 300 hurdles and was second in the 100 hurdles. Barnes was second in the 400 and 800.

Texas High’s Brittany Buendia was also runner-up in both distance races, the 1600 and 3200.

The Leopards’ first places were La’Qukeishya Jeffery in the 100 and Makenzie Kvarda in the 800.

In the varsity boys division, Texas High had the top two point producers in Caden Miller (24) and Evan Likins (22).

Miller won both hurdle events and Likins won the 800 and was second in the 400. Both ran on the Tigers’ second-place 4x400 relay.

Liberty-Eylau had a couple of first-place finishes with Tavieon Neal in the 200 and the Leopards’ 4x100 relay (Neal, Keeunue Shepard, Jeavon Stewart and Semaj Rose).

Longview won the JV boys division with 172 points, Mount Pleasant was second with 128 and Texas High third with 86. Mount Pleasant’s Jonathan Sandate was the high-point in that division with 20.

Longview also won the JV girls with 192 points to outdistance runner-up Mount Pleasant (82). The host Tigers were third with 69.

The Lady Lobos had three girls who scored 20 points.