Hoping for back-to-back championship titles, the Milano High School boys track team returns to the UIL Class 2A State Track and Field Championship on Saturday at Mike A. Meyers Stadium in Austin with five members.
“Being back at state, knowing we have the opportunity to win for the second straight year, is one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had,” said Devonte Jones, who will compete in the 300-meter hurdles,100-meter dash, long jump and the 4x200 meter relay with teammates Gus Downey, Christian Thurman and Drew Demeritt.
Parker Jones will also have a long day at the state meet, running in the 3200-meter run in the morning and the mile later that evening
“For me, track season is divided into two parts. The first two months and the last week,” said Parker Jones, who won state last year in the mile.
“You go from competing for fun alongside your friends to psychologically getting yourself to prepare for what might be the biggest race in your life. That’s what it is for all my teammates, we’re just preparing to perform the best we can and maybe the chips will fall in a way that leads to another team championship.”
The Eagles won state last season with four gold medals in the mile relay, sprint relay, mile race and 400-meter dash. They took a silver and bronze in the 300-meter hurdles and high jump.
“We are very excited and fortunate to be back with another opportunity to make a run at the state championship,” said Coach David Westbrook. “After having four seniors from last year’s team graduate, I knew we needed to develop other events and especially get a relay team there to realistically have a shot to win it all again.”
Parker will start things off for the Eagles on Saturday morning in the 3200-meter run scheduled for 8:20 a.m. after the 2A girls race. He runs another four laps at 9:35 p.m., when he gets a chance to defend his 2018 state title.
Devonte’s day also starts early with the long jump at 9:45 a.m. Like the other Jones, he will wait the day out until he competes in the 100-meter dash at 7:05 p.m., with Thurman. Both boys will compete 30 minutes later in the 4x200-meter relay with Downey and Demeritt.
His last event will be at 8:35 when he runs in the 300-meter hurdles.
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