The Eagles have state title on their minds. Via VYPE
Originally Appeared on VYPE
BEING CLOSE, just isn't good enough when it comes to the competitive world of Texas high school track and field.
Eisenhower girls' relay teams have been close the past two seasons, but self-inflicted wounds like dropped batons on exchanges have kept the Eagles from reaching the final track meet of the year in Austin.
Coach Ahmad Roper has watched this happen the past two years and is ready for the 2019 season to be the dawning of a new standard.
"This year, it's unfinished business," Roper said. "I told them, we have to take care of business. We get hyped up because we have one of the fastest times in the state, but we're not at the big dance."
In 2017, Eisenhower sent its 4X200-meter relay team to state, where it finished eighth overall with a time of 1:38.48. Last season, no relay teams made the trip to Austin, failing to get out of regionals.
"It was that lack of execution throughout the year that caught up to us when we really needed it," Roper said about last season.
The consistent message to his team during the offseason has been about consistency and discipline.
If his group buys into that message, he believes they will be able to make the run needed to get to state because they have the raw talent to get there. The core of the girls' track team includes Iyana Gray, Darnee Williams, Kiana Rollins, Jaiya Covington, Tytiania Morrison, Hannah Simmons, Chanelle Houston, Deshawn Petitt and DeJanee Washington.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.