Eleven new top marks highlight Texas Relays

Texas Relays produced more than 1,000 TFX elite marks over the weekend and gave the new season 11 new US#1s. 

The mega-meet in Austin could have possibly had even more national leaders but tailwinds in the 100 meters were over the allowable limit, which negates the eye-popping times of 11.27 for Teahna Daniels of First Academy FL and 10.36 for John Lewis of Willis TX. Daniels flew to that time with a 4.4 meters-per-second wind and Lewis' final was aided by a 3.6 wind. 

The second section of the men's 100 saw a 6.9 wind reading. 

The focus of this meet is the relays and they didn't disappoint. 

On the boys side, Marshall TX ran a US#1 in the 4x200 (1:24.26, tied for 16th all-time) and also ran US#2 3:14.05 in the 4x400. 

The St. Thomas Aquinas FL girls, who broke the national record in the 4x200 at Texas Relays last year, weren't quite as fast in 2015. Still, they set a US#1 with 1:35.93, good for No. 13 all-time. 

Lancaster TX won the girls 4x400 in US#2 3:46.27. 

Smithson Valley TX, with Devin Clark running a 2:08 split,  ran US#1 9:20.25. They were pressed by Katy TX, which ran US#2 9:20.98, Great Oak CA, which finished with US#7 9:26.24, and Hebron TX, which was fourth in US#8 9:26.26.

The Marcus TX girls ran US#1 11:57.49 to win the distance medley relay, with Great Oak second in US#3 12:05.55.

Here are some of the additional individual highlights:

- In the boys 3200, Alex Rogers of New Braunfels Canyon TX edged Carter Blunt of Independence TX as both of them dipped under nine minutes. Rogers ran US#4 8:58.53 and Blunt ran 8:58.62.

-  Sophomore Sam Worley from NB Canyon TX won the 2K steeplechase in US#1 6:06.99 -- just about five seconds off the sophomore class national record. 

- The boys 110 hurdles produced six of the top seven performances of the year so far. Marcus McWilliams of Pflugerville TX ran US#1 13.63 and edged Chevis Armstead of DeSoto TX (US#2 13.64). 

- The boys 300 hurdles produced seven of the top 13 performances in the U.S. so far. Norman Grimes of Canyon TX won with an impressive US#1 36.10.

- Kerwin Roach from North Shore TX won the triple jump with US#1 50-8 (1.2). 

- There was a logjam atop the boys pole vault, where three jumpers made a final bar at 17-1. Brandon Bray of China Spring TX beat Mondo Duplantis of Lafayette LA and Tommy Dial OK on misses. Duplantis broke the freshman outdoor class record by almost 10 inches. 

- Sophomore Adrian Piperi of The Woodlands TX unleashed a big mark of 63-0.75 to win the shot put by almost six feet. It was also good for US#2.

- Junior Colin Echols of Coppell TX threw 182-10 for US#4 in the discus.

- Devin Clark of Smithson Valley TX came out of the gates hot in the 1600 meters, winning in a time of 4:47.49, which is US#3.

- Julia Heymach of Lamar TX and Maddy Reed of Marcus TX battled in the 3200 and drove one another under 10:20. Heymach pulled it out with US#2 10:19.23 and Reed was next with US#3 10:19.36.

- Tonea Marshall of Sequin TX won a huge showdown in the girls 100 hurdles with fellow juniors Alexis Duncan of DeSoto TX and Kimani Rushing of Hallandale FL. Marshall ran a sensational time of 13.27 but was aided by a 4.0 wind reading. Duncan ran 13.65 and Rushing was next with 13.66.

- In the 300 hurdles, Samantha Gonzalez of Creekview TX ran US#1 41.89 to defeat Rushing, who ran US#2 42.06 for second place.

- Samiyah Samuels of Cypress Springs TX achived a US#1 outdoor mark of 19-9.50 in the long jump, edging Tara Davis of Agoura CA (US#2 19-7).

- Davis, however, came back to win the triple jump with US#1 40-11.50. And she beat New Balance Nationals Indoor champion Asa Garcia of Texas City TX, who settled for second with US#2 40-8.50 and Rushing, who was third with US#3 40-2.25.

- Nicole Summersett of Westlake TX (photo, above, by Mike McCarthy) won a close competition in the girls pole vault that saw three clear 12-11. Summersett won with fewer misses.

- Meia Gordon of Cypress Creek TX was a rare double victor, taking the shot put with 47-9.75 and the discus with 147-10. Her discus competition was close. She edged Celine Markert of Yoakum by just five inches.