Jasper sends two teams to Regionals
Carter also advances in discus
By GEORGIA PURDY Newsboy Correspondent

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S JOHN SELLS reaches back for the hand-off from Octavius Rawls in the 400 meter relay. Jasper's 4x100 placed third at the District 21-3A Championship in Silsbee, April 5.

The Jasper Bulldogs will send two relay teams and a single individual to the Class 3A Track & Field Regional Championships to be held at Humble High School April 25-26.

The 400-meter relay team of Octavius Rawls, John Sells, Darren Beavers, and Terrance Avant took third place with a time of 43.68 at the District 21-3A meet in Silsbee, April 5.

The mile relay also finished third. The team of Tim Cauley, Sells, Beavers, and Avant ran a 3:30.77. Dante Cauley and Kadaroe Rawls are alternates on both teams.

Carlos Carter threw 137-9 to win the discus competition Thursday.

Jasper finished sixth overall. West Orange-

Stark won the championship with 150 points, followed by Silsbee, 120; and Bridge City, 111. The Mustangs' win ended the Bridge City Cardinals' sixyear streak of district championships.

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy ANCHOR LEG TIM CAULEY gets a fast start in the 1600 meter relay at the district meet. Jasper placed third and both teams will compete at Region III in Humble,April 25-26.

While the 'Dogs 'wins might seem like small success, they actually signal the end of a two-year decline in the number of participants and the possible beginning of a comeback in a sport that has enjoyed enormous success over the years.

"Our goal this year was to increase participation," head coach Tracy Adair said. "The numbers had been low for the past couple of years. When I took over this season, Coach Brooks asked me to get the numbers up so that was our goal."

Adair said that numbers did improve so that over the season, they have been averaging about 35 per meet, counting both varsity and junior varsity.

"We've had 42 different kids in either varsity or JV," Coach Adair said. "We had 15 on the varsity team at district and 18 on JV. I don't know the exact number competing last year, but it was small. I'm really proud of getting this many kids out to participate."

Adair also said that while they did have expectations of getting certain events out of district, a team win was not their goal.

"It might seem strange to hear a coach say we aren't out to win," he said. "We didn't stress 'win at all costs.' We said, 'Get out and compete and improve each time.'

With that attitude, the boys' program saw not only an increase in participation, but also, youngsters willing to work hard without the expectation of winning a medal.

"We had kids to run every week and never win anything," Adair said. "For example Cameron Stubblefield ran his best time in the 800 at the district meet. He didn't win, but he ran his personal best. Kadaroe Rawls, who runs hurdles, ran his fastest time this year in the prelims. He fell in the finals, but he got back up and finished the race."

Carlos Carter was expected to get out of district, Adair said, because he had been beating his competition all year, but winning the event was a bonus. They also set a goal of getting the 4x100 out.

"We didn't run our best time in the 4x100, but we expected to get out," Adair said. "We also set a goal to beat Kirbyville and we did. We haven't run as fast as West Orange-Stark all year, but we did set a goal to go to Region."

The 4x400's third place finish was a surprise, he said.

"We were very surprised. Our fastest time had been 3:37 and we ran it in 3:30.77," Adair said. "I credit sophomore Darren Beavers with the difference. We asked him to run at district, and he ran a .52 split."

Adair also noted the performance of Kimpton Lewis and William Brooks.

"Kimpton Lewis hasn't thrown shot put since eighth grade. He's had a two neck surgeries, two springs in a row. We asked him to come out. No one worked as hard as he did. He did 50 throws a day, every day. He threw his personal best of 42 feet at district to finish in sixth place. We are all proud of him. William Brooks also worked hard and jumped well. He finished fifth, but he was just out-jumped. He did his best."

With this season's increased participation, Adair and his assistants hope to rebuild the boys' program so that the Bulldogs are again a name in track & field. Jasper hasn't won a district championship since 2005.

"We will never do the things Jasper kids have done in the past unless we get them out," he said. "We have great kids. I've had a lot of fun this year. Our kids are good. You see those from other schools cussing and look at the way they are dressed and then you see the Jasper kids. You don't see that kind of thing. They are very good and I think we can be competitive again."