The East Chambers Lady Buc track team competed at the regional track meet in Whitehouse this past weekend and took 1st place overall. Thirteen ladies went to the regional meet to compete and five will advance to state. Starting the meet off for the Lady Bucs was Jasmine Carrington receiving 6th place in the long jump with her personal best of 17’ 2” and 4th place in the triple jump with 34’ 5”. The 4 X 100 relay had a photo finish with Trinity and were edged out at the line with a time of 49.63. Competing for the Bucs on the 4 X 100 relay were Asia Coleman, Charla Thomas, Tayler Kurek, and Jasmine Carrington. Next up for the Bucs was Lindsey McDonald in the 100 and 300 hurdles. McDonald finished 2nd in the 100 hurdles at 15.7 and 1st in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.2. Going into the final event, the Lady Bucs had 39 points and White Oak had 54 points so it came down to the mile relay. East Chambers had to finish 1st or 2nd and had to beat another school to ensure a regional championship. EC was coming into the final event by qualifying 1st with a new school record of 4:02.22, and the Lady Bucs were the obvious favorites to win. The Lady Bucs unaware of what needed to be done to win the meet, just ran as hard as they could to ensure another trip back to state in the mile relay finishing 1st with a time of 4:05.4. The mile relay team consisted of Lindsey McDonald, Tayler Kurek, Jasmine Carrington, and Charla Thomas. With the mile relay victory, EC took the lead with 59 points to win the meet.

Coach Sarah Fontenot commented, “I have never been more proud than at that moment when I realized that EC won the meet. Everyone of the girls, even the ones who did not qualify for state, worked so hard this year to earn this title.”

Head track Coach John Johnson said, “Hard work and dedication proved to be the winning formula. We as coaches are proud to be a part of the first time East Chambers' girls won a regional track championship.”

The Lady Bucs will participate at the state meet in Austin on June 5, 2009, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Read article at TylerPaper.com.

Several athletes traveled to Kountze on Thursday night, April 23, 2009, to compete in the Lions regional qualifier meet. Shelby and Mallory Franzen started the afternoon by both placing 4th in the shot and high jump respectively. Shelby tossed the shot 34’10” for her second best throw of the year. Freshman Mallory Franzen sailed over a personal best of 4’10” in the high jump. Freshman Madalyn Bertrand won the 800 meters in a time of 2:35 while competing against 3A and 2A schools. Nichole Honea placed 4th in the 100 hurdles at 17.5 and then won the 300 hurdles in 51.7. The 1600 meter duo of Abbey Johnson and Sara Bertrand ended the evening by picking up 5th and 7th place respectively. Johnson clocked a season best of 6:25 and Bertrand came across the line in 6:51. Coach Johnson  was proud of how the girls competed against the bigger schools which will help prepare the athletes for the regional meet next Friday.

The district track meet was held on Tuesday  and Thursday of this week. Results for the varsity boys competition are as follows:  4 x 100 Relay - 3rd 45.78; 110 Hurdles - Seth Hunt 3rd 17.15, Josh Adamson 5th 17.85, Logan Domingue 6th 18.49; 4 x 200 Relay - 3rd 1:37.11; 300 Hurdles - Trey Lambert 4th 45.25, Josh Adamson 6th 46.19; 1600 Run - A. Palomares 6th 5:27.92; 3200 - Lopez 4th 12:08.99, Netro 5th 12:13.02, Palomares 6th 12:24.29; 800 - Cale Kennamer 5th 2:20.65, 200 - Anthony Ortiz 4th 23.89, Justin Hallmark 5th 23.99; 4 x 400 relay - 5th 3:49.31.

Results for the junior varsity boys competition are as follows:  Discus - Spencer 2nd 87' 1 1/2"; Pole Vault - Reddell 2nd 9' 6", Norris 3rd 8' 6"; Shot Put - De los Santos 1st 37' 9 1/2"; High Jump - Spencer 3rd 5', Touchet 4th 4' 10"; Triple Jump - Touchet 2nd 34' 4 3/4"; 110 Hurdles - Chambless 1st 19.46; 300 Hurdles - Chambless 1st 47.38; 1600 Run - Netro 2nd 5:37.46; 3200 - Netro 2nd 12:25.3, Martinez 5th 14:49.5; 800 - Norris 1st 2:29.6, Starcle 2nd 2:29.6; 400 Dash - Reddell 1st 58.84, Norris 3rd 1:03.73; 200 Dash - Touchet 2nd 29.76.

The East Chambers Lady Bucs captured the district track title on Thursday, April 16, 2009, with 192 total points followed by Kountze 156, Anahuac 139, Buna 57, Warren 34, Hardin 21, and Deweyville 18. Field event finals and running prelims were held on Tuesday with the running finals on Thursday afternoon.

On Tuesday the Lady Bucs set the tone early by qualifying 5 individuals for the regional meet. Autumn Scott grabbed the number one spot in the discus with a throw of 101' 7”. Cheyenne Majors placed second and Patricia Paniaguia sixth. In the triple jump Jasmine Carrington placed second with a personal best of 35’ 3.5” along with Tayler Kurek who placed sixth. Carrington also grabbed the third spot in the long jump with a leap of 16’ 5.5”. In the shot put ring, Shelby Franzen picked up the second place spot with a throw of 33’ 6.75”. Kianna Closer helped out the Bucs with a fifth place finish. Tayler Kurek claimed the third spot in the high jump with a leap of 4’ 8” while Mallory Franzen finished fourth.

In the running finals on Thursday, the Lady Bucs started the meet with a win in the 4 x 100 relay. Asia Coleman, Charla Thomas, Tayler Kurek and Jasmine Carrington crossed the line in 49.52. Madalyn Bertrand wasted no time in the 800 by taking first with a time of 2:35. Abbey Johnson finished fourth for the Bucs in the 800. The Bucs picked up the first and second spot in the 100 hurdles. Lindsey McDonald claimed the title with a time of 16.43 and Nicole Honea finished second with a time of 17.07. In the 100 meter Mallory Franzen crossed the line in 14.06 picking up fifth place. In the 4 x 200 relay the Lady Bucs ran their fastest time of the year crossing at 1:45.20. The relay consisted of Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, and Carrington. In the 400, freshman Madalyn Bertrand claimed the silver with a time of 63.82. The 300 Hurdles saw the duo of McDonald and Honea who claimed the gold and bronze. McDonald was first at 47.71 and Honea third at 51.72. The 200 meters had the Bucs getting fifth and sixth with Coleman and Franzen respectively. In the mile, Abbey Johnson claimed the gold with a time of 6:26.62 while teammate Sara Bertrand finished  third, and Brenda Cardenas placed sixth. Johnson won the gold with a last second pass of the leader at the finish line, and Sara Bertrand came from fifth place in the home stretch to get third. The Lady Bucs capped off the afternoon with a 2009 season best in the 4 x 400 relay with a time of 4:08.24. Lindsey McDonald, Tayler Kurek, Jasmine Carrington, and Charla Thomas came away with the gold.

Coach Johnson commented, "Coach Fontenot and I are so proud of the ladies. Hard work along with a positive attitude has kept this team together and performing well all season. We qualified 13 girls for the regional meet in Tyler." 

View regional track meet Schedule of Events.

The Lady Bucs came from behind on Thursday, April 9, 2009, to win the Buc Relays. The Lady Bucs started off the meet short handed but made a strong surge at the end to take the title. EC was short a few girls during the field events and at the beginning of the running events. Once the whole team arrived, the girls performed really well. Due to some key points in the field events, the girls were in good position to win the meet once the team arrived. Asia Coleman, Charla Thomas, Tayler Kurek and Jasmine Carrington ran their best time in the 4x200 with a time of 1:46.31. In the 4 x 400 the team of Lindsey McDonald, Tayler Kurek, Jasmine Carrington and Charla Thomas set a Buc Relay record of 4:09.38. Other outstanding performances included Madalyn Bertrand finished first in the 400 with a season best time of 1:03.37. Also, Abbey Johnson finished third in the mile with a personal best of 6:27.18.

Coach Johnson commented, "I was concerned in the beginning that we might not win the meet because of our lack of depth in some events. However, all the girls performed well throughout the night. Coach Fontenot and I were so proud of how all the girls performed. The girls are improving each week in all events. I feel we are ready for the district meet on Tuesday."

Event results are:  Discus - Scott 3rd 95' 0", Majors 6th 85' 10"; Shot - S. Franzen - 2nd 33' 3.5"; Long Jump - Carrington 2nd 15' 10"; Triple Jump - Carrington 2nd 33' 2.25"; 4X100 - Coleman, Thomas, M. Franzen, Carrington - 4th 51.6; 4x200 - Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, Carrington - 1st 1:46.38; 3200 - Bertrand 5th 15:16.18; 400 Bertrand - 1st 1:03.37; 300 H - McDonald 1st 47.22; 200 - Coleman 4th 28.73; 1600 - Johnson 3rd 6:27.18; 4x400 - McDonald, Kurek, Carrington, Thomas 1st 4:09.38.
 

The varsity Lady Bucs track team competed in the Longhorn Relays on Saturday, March 21, 2009. The Bucs placed second behind Barbers Hill. The Lady Bucs were tied with the Eagles going into the mile relay, but a miscue on the hand-off resulted in a dropped baton. Despite picking up the baton and winning the race, the Bucs were disqualified.

Coach Johnson commented, "I felt the girls performed well on Saturday. Times are dropping each week which is a direct result of the hard work the girls do at practice. I am excited each race to see how the girls are going to perform. All three of our relays are really running well along with McDonald and Honea in the hurdles. In field events Shelby Franzen is getting better each week. Our freshman are really making an impact at the meets. Madalyn Bertrand is turning in great times in the 800 for a first timer in that event. What I am most impressed with is that each time the girls step on the track they are going to give 100%. As a coach I could not ask for anything else."

Track results were:  Shot Franzen 1st 33' 9"; Discus Majors 1st 91' 7"; High Jump Franzen 3rd 4' 8"; Long Jump Carrington 1st 16' 0"; Triple Jump Carrington 2nd 34' 8"; 800 Bertrand 3rd 3:36.9; 100 Hurdles McDonald 1st 16.1, Honea 2nd 17.14; 400 Relay Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, Carrington 1st 50.4; 800 Relay Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, Carrington 1st 1:47.7; 300 Hurdles McDonald 1st 47.56, Honea 4th 52.63.
 

The varsity girls won the Anahuac track meet on Thursday, March 5, 2009. The top finishers for the Lady Bucs included: Shot - Majors 1, S. Franzen 2, Clouser 3; Discus - Scott 2, Majors 4; Long Jump - Green 5; Triple Jump - Carrington 3; High Jump - Coleman T4, M. Franzen T6; 3200 - Cardenas 5, Johnson 6; 400M Relay - Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, Carrington 1; 800 - M. Bertrand 2, Edwards 4; 100 H - Honea 1, McDonald 2; 800M Relay - Coleman, Thomas, Kurek, Carrington 1; 400 - M. Franzen 4; 300 H - McDonald 1, Honea 2; 200 - Bennett 6, 1600 - Cardenas 4; 1600 M Relay - McDonald, Kurek, Carrington, Thomas 1.

Coach Johnson commented, "Coach Fontenot and I were very proud of how all the girls finished. I am very pleased of the performances for this early in the year. We are looking forward to a great year for Lady Buc track."