MONT BELVIEU — Port Arthur Memorial did not win any girls relays in the April 7 District 22-5A finals in Baytown.

That might be hard to believe, given that the quartets swept the 4×100-, 4×200- and 4×400-meter races in Thursday’s Area 11-5A meet at Barbers Hill High School.

“We’re just healthy,” Titan girls coach Sandra Bradford said. “These are the kids who’ve been running prior to district. Right now, they’re healthy, and their chemistry is coming back.”

Among those who didn’t get to run last week was Zykirra Cabarras. She came back to help Memorial win the first two relays handily with Aniya Duhon, Coreyanna Gorrer and Capri Wilson in the 4×100 and A’nyriah Scott replacing Duhon in the 4×200.

The 4×400 race was most dramatic as Smith overtook Beaumont Central down the front straight on the final leg to win. Scott, Duhon and Millicent Neveu ran the first three legs.

Memorial’s relay success was key in the Titans winning the boys team title and taking second to Kingwood Park in team standings.

In boys, Memorial scored 152 points, outdistancing Barbers Hill (85.5), Humble (72) and Kingwood Park (63.5). In girls, Kingwood Park had 104 points to Memorial’s 99, followed by Beaumont Central (75) and Barbers Hill (72).

The Titan boys took care of business and swept their relays, as they did in districts. Not only that, Memorial drew closer to their own national record in the 4×200 by running 1 minute, 25.39 seconds, 2.22 seconds faster than their winning district time.

And that was with a different lineup as well.

Memorial boys coach Darrell Granger had planned Wednesday to move sophomore Ireon Brown from the 4×200 to 4×400 to give Xavier Hull a chance to recover from a pulled hamstring. On Thursday, Brown, the 200-meter champion, went back to the leadoff in the 4×200, and he, Michael Odoms, Greg Laday and Elijah Hines raced to their fastest time of the year.

JaVontae Hopkins ran the first leg of the 4×100 for Odoms, who was recovering from shin splints. Brown, Hines and Laday finished that race off.

“It’s just the hard work and the dedication of the kids and coming in and going to work, which makes it seem like I’m a genius, but it’s all up to them,” Granger said.

Memorial’s 4×200 time would have been faster had Hines not let up his speed during the final 10 meters, but Granger allowed him to.

“That was his fifth event of the day. I’m not mad at him,” Granger said.

He had great reason not to. Hines won the triple jump (44 feet, 11 inches) and earned silver in the 100 meters and long jump (won by teammate Jamyus Jones’ 22-4).

The Memorial boys 4×400 team was Laday, Allen Santos, Lamont Freeman, and Tyvonne Allen.

 

MORE TITAN GOLD

Tre’vonte Caines is just beginning his hardware collection in the shot put.

The Memorial freshman threw 48-2 to follow up his 22-5A victory with an area title, improving from two weeks ago by 10 inches.

“Can’t do nothing but be proud,” he said. “A lot of confidence, but I knew I could do it. I just stayed humbled, listened to what my coaches said once again, and came out to be great.”

Tyvonne Allen beat the 2-minute mark in the 800 meters. The senior turned in 1:58.87, with Phillip Green of Humble second and Freeman third.

Freeman and Allen ran up front through the first lap.

“It was a good little race right there. When I had seen him get tired, I had to treat him like any other opponent, and I had to make my moment,” Allen said. “I took it.”

Duhon won the 400 meters (59.35) with teammate Smith coming in third.

 

MID-COUNTY GREATNESS

Port Neches-Groves’ Jacie Droddy is going back to next week’s 5A Region III meet in Humble a two-time district and two-time area champion in the long jump.

The senior jumped 18-3 to win her gold, more than a foot better than second-place Kayla Pruitt of Dayton. She was the regional runner-up and finished fifth in state last year.

“I’ve been working really hard this year,” Droddy said. “Last year, I was jumping 17s throughout the season, and I didn’t start jumping 18s until regional. This year, I’ve worked on getting high and not looking on the board and just worrying about speed. I’ve been getting 18s throughout the season, and I even jumped a 19. I’m excited because this is like the first time I’ve been constantly repetitive in 18s and 19.”

Droddy’s 19-0.75 in districts is her personal best.

Preston Riggs of PNG won the high jump, but his height was unavailable. Riggs beat teammate Nik Foreman on fewer missed jumps at districts.

Nederland’s dominance in the pole vault continued with Kevon Latulas and Alec Torres taking first and second. Latulas went 14-6 and Torres vaulted 14-0.

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The top four placers in each event advance to the April 27-28 5A Region III meet at Turner Stadium in Humble. Full results will be posted in an online version of this story at panews.com.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews

**CORRECTED to reflect order of legs in Memorial’s 4×400 girls relay team due to late change**