Faith Academy boys’ team wins state track championship; two Lady Flames medal
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls boys' track-and-field team and four Lady Flames competed in the Class 2A state meet of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools May 1 in Waco. The boys team won the championship, and two Lady Flames brought home medals. Courtesy photo
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls boys’ track-and-field team captured the Class 2A state championship, the team’s first title in the sport. The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools meet was April 30-May 1 at Panther Stadium on the Waco Midway campus.
“There was never a doubt we were the favorite,” McCannon said. “We took it one event at a time. The boys were ready. They had the ability.”
On the girls side, freshman Claire Pogue won silver in the vault, and senior Molly Murphy took bronze in the 3,200 meters.
The Faith boys earned 181 team points for first place; Shiner St. Paul was second with 122.5 points.
Flames senior Gus Henry earned Class 2A male athlete of the meet with four gold medals and a bronze. He accounted for 46 of Faith’s total points.
Henry’s events were a logistical challenge. He competed in the high jump and the shot put, which were scheduled at the same time. It took him four minutes to get from the high-jump pit to the shot put competition.
“We planned for it,” McCannon said.
Henry won the high jump, pole vault, long jump, and 110-meter hurdles and placed third in the shot put.
The boys’ 4×400-meter relay team of junior Case Coleman, junior Cody Owens, senior Tyler Kwan, and sophomore Luke Ehrig won gold in 3:31.88, two seconds away from a state record. The 4×200-meter relay team of Brendan Thames, Ben Martin, both juniors, Coleman, and Ehrig set a school record in 1:33.29 for fifth place.
For the Lady Flames, pole vaulter Pogue’s leap of 7 feet 9 inches won her second place, while 3,200-meter runner Murphy wrapped up her high school career, clocking 13 minutes 21.98 seconds for third. Murphy was seventh in the 1,600 meters in 6:15.57. Also competing was sophomore Kara Kwan, who was sixth in the 200 meters in 29.11 seconds and eighth in the triple jump at 31-01.75.
“They kept the pedal to the metal the whole time,” McCannon said of his team. “It all comes down to what you expect out of the athletes. Tape measures and watches are the easiest things to set expectations. We always talk about competing. We talk about competing, and it’s from the heart. Track is a heart issue.”
RESULTS
FAITH BOYS
100—4, Luke Ehrig, 11.76; 400—3, Cody Owens, 52.58; 800—2, Case Coleman, 2:02.40, 6, Grayson Poage, 2:08.57; 1,600—7, Grayson Poage, 4:55.72; 110 hurdles—1, Gus Henry, 15.21; 300 hurdles—1, Tyler Kwan, 41.08, 4, Brendan Thames, 42.67; 4×100 relay—5, Faith Academy (Cross Sanchez, Ben Martin, Cody Owens, Brendan Thames), 46.66; 4×200 relay—1, Faith Academy (Brendan Thames, Ben Martin, Case Coleman, Luke Ehrig), 1:33.29; 4×400 relay—1, Faith Academy (Case Coleman, Cody Owens, Tyler Kwan, Luke Ehrig), 3:31.88; shot put—3, Gus Henry, 41-08.75; high jump – 1, Gus Henry, 6-4, 2, Tyler Kwan, 6-0, 3, Ben Martin, 5-6; pole vault, 1, Gus Henry, 13-07, 2, Case Coleman, 10-06; long jump – 1, Gus Henry, 23-06.75, Tyler Kwan, 21-0; triple jump – 1, Grayson Poage, 41-03.25, 3, Tyler Kwan, 40-11.75, 4, Case Coleman, 40-03.25
FAITH GIRLS
200—6, Kara Kwan, 29.11; 1,600— 7, Molly Murphy, 6:15.57; 3,200—3, Molly Murphy, 13:21.98; pole vault— 2, Claire Pogue, 7-09; triple jump—8, Kara Kwan, 31-01.75
