Track Notes: Craig Lutz sets record at Texas Relays

By Dave Krider Apr 12, 2011, 11:16am

Marcus star wins 3,200 for fourth straight year despite illness; Injuries end Sheroid Evans' career.

Despite battling illness, Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) senior distance runner Craig Lutz put his name in the record books over the weekend during the prestigious Texas Relays in Austin, Texas.

The University of Texas recruit led the 3,200-meter race from start to finish, posting a time of 9 minutes, 9.5 seconds on a windy day and making him the first boy to win an event four consecutive years. The relays date back to 1925.

The Marcus distance medley relay also placed first in 10:11.08, thanks to a 4:14.6 anchor by Lutz.
Craig Lutz fought illness to win an event for the fourth consecutive year at the Texas Relays.
Craig Lutz fought illness to win an event for the fourth consecutive year at the Texas Relays.
Photo by Mike Scott

Lutz told the Dallas Morning News, "I felt like I left everything out on the track. I've been coughing all week and today I had the worst fit of coughing. I came through my first four laps at the pace I needed (4:28), but after that it started falling apart."

The only girl to win her event four straight years was Red Oak's Michelle Carter, who dominated the shot put from 2000-2003.



* Four shot putters soared past 60 feet, with the title going to Celina (Texas) junior Jordan Roos (62-0.5).

* Two pole vaulters soared past 17 feet. The title went to Spring (Texas) junior Reese Watson at 17-2. Lafayette (La.) senior Andreas Duplantis also cleared a personal-record 17-2, but had more misses.

* The girls pole vault was won by Catholic (New Iberia, La.) senior Morgann LeLeux at a record 13-5.

* Stevens (San Antonio) senior Mykkele Thompson soared 25-2.25 on his final leap to capture long jump honors.
 
* Mansfield Legacy (Texas) junior Shelbi Vaughan won the girls discus on her first toss with a nation-leading throw of 159-1.

INJURY ENDS SHEROID EVANS' CAREER
Continual hamstring injuries have ended the brilliant high school track career of Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas) star Sheroid Evans. Coach Charles Burton told MaxPreps, "He's done for the rest of the year. He had two meets outdoors and none indoors. He's rehabbing now and doing yoga to increase flexibility."

Evans led the nation in the 200-meter dash (20.82) and the 400 hurdles (50.55) as a junior. He also won the Class 5A title in both the 100 and 200. Burton said Evans will report to the University of Texas on June 7 to begin limited workouts for football. He will be able to lift weights and do some light jogging.



"There's no telling when he'll be able to sprint," Burton added. "Track still (also) is on his agenda (for next spring). We'll have to wait and see how he heals up."

POTPOURRI
* Boone (Orlando, Fla.) junior sprint star Marvin Bracy beat his sophomore cousin, Levonte Whitfield of Jones (Orlando, Fla.), in a 100-meter dash duel for the second week in a row during the Brian Jaeger Elite Classic at Winter Park, Fla. Bracy was clocked in 10.32, breaking a 19-year-old meet record. Whitfield was second in a personal-best 10.50. Bracy also won the 200.

* Chad Noelle, a senior from Greene (N.Y.), ran the second-fastest all-time 2,000-meter race (5:20.9) during the Orange and Black Invitational at Walton, N.Y. The national record is 5:18.5.

* American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) sixth grade sensation Daesha Rogers won the 800 in 2:11.36 during the Miramar (Fla.) Invitational.

* Holy Innocents Episcopal (Atlanta) senior O'Neal Wanliss won the 400 in 47.78 and the 800 in 1:54.77 during the Taco Bell Classic in Columbia, S.C.

* Barlow (Gresham, Ore.) senior sprint star Arthur Delaney has committed to the University of Oregon, according to the Oregonian. He is the defending state champion in the Class 6A 100 and 200 meters.