BY BILL MARTIN
Reporter Publisher
In the history of the venerable Rockdale Relays, there’s only one other school that has won more titles than the Tigers and much to the gracious hosts chagrin, it’s the rival Taylor Ducks.
The Ducks literally ran away with their seventh championship at the 59th Rockdale Relays Friday at Tigerland Field.
Taylor outdistanced second place Georgetown by 45 points to take its first Relays championship since 2014 when star Mark Jackson won fi ve events.
Host Rockdale finished sixth with 43 points.
On the girls side, Georgetown East View compiled 167 points, well ahead of second place and defending champion Taylor’s 96 points. East View won the 2016 Relays title.
The Lady Tigers were ninth with 13 points.
The Taylor boys—which won their fi rst Relays title in 1961—used first place finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200, the sprint relay, the triple jump and the pole vault.
The Ducks also piled up double-digit points in the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter dash and the 110-meter hurdles.
There was a serious duel in the pole vault between Rockdale’s Gavin Young and Taylor’s Montana Welch.
Welch ended up soaring past Young with a leap of 14-0, which is just six inches off the meet record, set in 1998.
Young—who jumped 13-6 Friday—was a state meet participant in 2017 and has a career best of 14-0.
The highlight of the meet may have been Will Storey’s performance in the 100-meter dash where he zipped to a time of 10.8 to win the event.
He edged out Taylor’s Ronak Naik (10.83) and Dushon Orr (10.97) in a photo finish.
The Tiger senior just missed out on the Relays record of 10.41, set by Jason Hodge of Giddings in 1999.
With the speedy Storey in the mix, the Tiger sprint relay squad made a good showing with a clocking of 43.72. Joining Storey was freshman Cam’Ron Valdez, senior Dylan David and senior Brajon Ayala.
Taylor won with a timing of 42.28.
Thorndale’s Corey Pruesse took the shot put with a toss of 46-11 3/4 and was third in the discus at 145-8 1/4.
Pruesse went to state in the discus in 2017.
The East View girls were all over the board, collecting first place finishes in the 400, 800, 1,600, 3200, 300 hurdles, 1,600-relay, shot put, discus and high jump.
For Rockdale, Armoni Mack was fourth in the 400, Andrea Salazar was fourth in the discus (80-11) and Brandi Caffey was fourth in the pole vault (9-0).
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