UIL State Track & Field
Fort Bend Marshall boys win Class 5A Crown
Joshua Koch
May 15, 2018, 8:24 pm
For the third time in the past four seasons Fort Bend captured the Class 5A UIL Boys State Track and Field Championship. Vype
AUSTIN - Fort Bend Marshall is quickly turning into a track and field dynasty.
The Buffs for the third time in the past four seasons captured the Class 5A UIL Boys State Track and Field Championship.
"Everything, I know it's a cliche to say when you win a championship they they're all different but they are," Fort Bend Marshall coach Lloyd Banks said. "This is a different group of kids, different circumstances. Youthful, the way they rose to the occasion was a thing of beauty.
"I'm proud of them."
Heading into the final event of the night, the Buffs needed at least a third-place finish in the 4X400-meter relay race to secure the title.
Trailing Mansfield Legacy by eight points, 56-48, Marshall turned on the burners in the last race of the evening.
The combination of Devon Achane, Dominick Houston-Shepard, Korey King and Henry Thomas proved to be just what they needed.
The group posted a 3:16.47 to take the gold and secure the state championship.
"This is my first year and it's a real great feeling," Shepard said.
The opponents on the track hasn't been the only thing Fort Bend Marshall has had to battle over the last few weeks.
Rumors had been circulating that the school could be altered to potentially an academy and potentially split the athletes to other schools in the district.
Banks did tell VYPE that they are here to stay and no changes will be coming to the high school.
"The fact that the rumors are there kind of bother us," Banks said. "We're doing so many great things outside the athletic realm. I'm happy for our kids and I'm happy for our community. I hope we continue to put a good product on the track, field and classroom.
"The kids were kind of upset about that. Why would you want to close us? What are we doing or not doing for us to be in a position to uphold us. Our kids look at us like we should be a flagship school. That's our mindset. For the last couple of years if you look at it athletically and academically we're there. But because of our social-economic situation sometimes we get the negative tag. If you take the time to look deeper you'll see there are awesome things going on at Fort Bend Marshall. We'll continue to do that."
The Buffs boys track team also took silver in the 4X100 and 4X200-meter relay to help bolster their point total. Of Fort Bend Marshall's 68 points, 52 came from the relay teams.
Houston-Shepard also racked up 14 more points in the 110 and 300-meter hurdles with a third place and second place finish, respectively.
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Reynaldo López struck out seven over six scoreless innings, Orlando Arcia homered and the Atlanta Braves won their third straight, 6-2 over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
López (2-0) allowed four hits and walked one in his third straight sterling outing to start the season.
“It’s like I’ve always said, for me, the important thing is to focus,” López said through an interpreter. “To have the focus during the outings and then, to be able to locate those pitches.”
He has given up one run in 18 innings for an ERA of 0.50.
“He threw the ball really well against a really good hitting club,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “Another solid one.”
Arcia hit a solo home run to left in the second and a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Luis Guillorme and backup catcher Chadwick Tromp each hit a two-run double in the ninth to put the Braves ahead 6-0.
“Tromp has done a good job ever since we’ve been bringing him in these situations and filling in,” Snitker said. “I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him back there. ... He’s an aggressive hitter. He’s knocked in some big runs for us in the limited time that he’s played.”
Kyle Tucker homered for the Astros leading off the ninth against Aaron Bummer, and Mauricio Dubón had a two-out RBI single to cut the lead to four. After Bummer walked Chas McCormick to put two on, Raisel Iglesias induced a groundout by Victor Caratini to end it and secure his fourth save.
“They pitched well, and our guys are grinding out at-bats,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Even in the ninth inning there, we’re grinding, fighting until the end.”
Hunter Brown (0-3) yielded two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six innings. Brown allowed nine runs in two-thirds of an inning in his previous start, last Thursday against Kansas City.
Brown said he executed better Tuesday than he had in his previous two starts.
“He mixed all his pitches well,” Espada said. “The breaking ball was effective. He threw some cutters in on the hands to some of those lefties. He mixed his pitches really well. That was a really strong performance.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken right big toe. IF David Fletcher had his contract selected from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Albies’ place on the roster.
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (right shoulder inflammation) threw a side session Tuesday, but Houston will wait until Wednesday to see how Verlander feels before deciding whether he will make his first start this weekend against the Nationals, Espada said. ... RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) threw around 20-25 pitches off the bullpen mound, and RHP José Urquidy (right forearm strain) also threw off the mound, Espada said. ... LHP Framber Valdez (left elbow soreness) played catch off flat ground.
UP NEXT
Atlanta LHP Max Fried (1-0, 8.74 ERA) starts Wednesday in the series finale opposite RHP J.P. France (0-2, 8.22).