Arlington Seguin hurdler flashes Olympic hopes in qualifying for state

Arlington Seguin girls track coach Renwick Ridgeway has seen senior Tonea Marshall run the 100-meter hurdles many times.

Often one word comes to mind. Olympics.

“She’s only fourth-hundredths of a second off of qualifying for the Olympic Trials,” he said. “I think you’re only seeing the beginning of what she can do.”

Marshall won the Class 5A Region II championship Saturday, clocking a time of 13.47 seconds. In Friday’s preliminaries she posted a 13.10.

And her best time of the season is 13.04, which is also tied for the top time in the United States.

Marshall dominates the 100 hurdles, especially in the state of Texas. She is the defending state champion, and in 2014 she placed second.

She said competing in the Olympics is a goal, but first things first. She wants to go Austin and win another state championship.

“I haven’t thought that much about it [Olympics], but yes, I would definitely like to run in them someday,” she said. “But right now I’m focusing on running for my high school.”

She’s also focusing on returning to state with several of her friends who were there with her last season when the Lady Cougars brought home a state team title. Friends such as senior Aubrey Ridgeway and junior Lateria Gooding, who ran with her on relays at state and again Saturday as they won both the 4x100 and 4x200.

They were joined by freshman Chayce Walker on the 4x100, posting a 46.69, and senior Ja’Maya Gill on the 4x200 to finish in 1:37.56..

“We all met our goals to go to state, and it’s great,” Marshall said. “It’s exciting to run with my team. We’ve known each other since junior high.”

Creative hurdling

Chuck Harris of Mansfield Timberview said he knew he had to do something if he wanted to make his first trip to state.

So the senior hurdler and his coach got creative and it paid off with a championship in the 300-meter hurdles.

Harris started running with his teammates in the 200-meter dash during practices. Only while they were dashing, he was hurdling.

“I was always slowing down in the last 100 meters. I needed to come at the hurdles faster,” Harris said. “The shorter distance between the hurdles helped that.”

After back-to-back fourth-place finishes, Harris made a surge in the event. He has won five straight races and six of seven, finishing second once.

He clocked 36.95 to win the region, just behind his season best of 36.84 just over a week ago at the Area 13/14-5A Meet.

“I have some fast teammates, but out of six people I usually come in third,” Harris said of the unique practices. “At first I thought, ‘Aw man, I don’t want to do that,’ but it helped, so now I’ve got to keep doing it.”

Budding rivalry

Mansfield Lake Ridge freshman Jasmine Moore finished a surprising second to Frisco freshman Whitney Williams in the long jump on Friday.

They were separated by a quarter of an inch, Williams clearing 19-7 1/4 and Moore 19-7.

Moore came out on top in the triple jump on Saturday, posting a 40-8. Again it was close, with Williams jumping 40-7 1/4 .

Moore said Friday after her loss that it was the fuel she needed for inspiration.

“I kind of needed that to make me go back in my place and get focused again,” she said. “It’ll be good to see her again at state, and to compete against her for the next three years after that.”

Moore ranks in the top nationally in both the long jump (20-0) and triple jump (41- 1/4 ).

Other area state qualifiers from Saturday:

Boys

▪ Medric Roberson, Mansfield Summit, senior, first in 110 hurdles, 14.09.

▪ Jimmy Enobaber, Mansfield Lake Ridge, senior, second in triple jump, 46-8 1/4 .

▪ Lamarque Davis, Mansfield Timberview, junior, second in 400, 47.92.

▪ Mansfield Legacy 4x100 relay (senior Jermaine Brealy, junior Trent McDonald, junior Brandon Bosecker, senior Michael McGee), second, 40.95.

▪ Mansfield Legacy 4x200 relay (Brealy, junior Marcus Fricks, McDonald, McGee), first, 1:25.22.

▪ Mansfield Timberview 4x400 relay (Harris, Davis, freshman Joshua Armstead, senior Trayvonne Armstead), second, 3:14.72.

Girls

▪ Faith Ette, Mansfield Lake Ridge, sophomore, second in shot put, 41-5.

▪ Ivy Walker, Mansfield Summit, senior, second in 100 hurdles, 14.33.

▪ Ja’ Leesa Giles, Mansfield Legacy, junior, second in 200, 24.10.

▪ Mansfield Lake Ridge 4x400 relay (Moore, sophomore Kynnedy Brown, senior Hillary Givens, sophomore Ariel Ford), second, 3:48.42.

Waiting game

Area athletes who are waiting to see if they earned a wild-card entry in their respective event as the best third-place finisher in all four regions:

Girls

▪ Ja’Leesa Giles, Mansfield Legacy, junior, 100, 12.16.

▪ Ariel Ford, Mansfield Lake Ridge, sophomore, 400, 55.48.

▪ Valencia Bullock, Mansfield Lake Ridge, junior, triple jump, 39-7 1/2 .

Boys

▪ Vernon Scott, Mansfield Summit, senior, 200, 21.599.

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Arlington Seguin hurdler flashes Olympic hopes in qualifying for state."