Published: April 26, 2008 01:18 am         

Royse City thinclads nab two state berths

COMMERCE — Megan Frausto and Luke Beck of Royse City nailed down berths in the state track and field meet with their performances during Friday’s opening day of the Region II-3A meet at Texas A&M University-Commerce’s Memorial Stadium.

Frausto successfully defended her region title in the long jump, leaping 18 feet 8 1/2 inches on her fifth attempt to win by three inches over Tatiana Colbert of Frisco Wakeland.

Frausto led for much of the competition after soaring 18-4 on her first attempt, one inch better than Colbert. Colbert grabbed the lead with an 18-5 1/2 jump on her fourth attempt but the determined Frausto responded with an 18-6 1/4 effort on her fourth attempt to retake the lead and then stretched her advantage with her best jump on No. 5. Frausto leaped 18-4 3/4 on her final attempt.

Frausto accomplished one of her goals by making it back to state.

“That’s been my goal every year,” said the Royse City junior.

However, she didn’t reach 19 feet, which was another goal. She’d leaped 19-3 1/2 while winning the Kansas Relays title last weekend.

“I wanted 19,” she said. “I couldn’t hit the board. I felt good in Kansas. I’ll keep working on my pop up.”

Beck cleared a personal-best 15 feet 6 inches to finish second to the state leader Blaine Bassler of West. Bassler set a new region record and moved up among the national high school leaders by clearing 17-0.

Beck passed on the first few opening heights before joining the competition at 13-6. Beck cleared 13-6, 14-0, 14-6, 15-0, 15-3 and 15-6 on his first attempts before finally missing three times at 16-0.

“All my jumps were my first attempts,” said a happy Beck.

Bassler didn’t join the competition until 15-0 and missed on his first attempt. He didn’t miss again until 17-0. He cleared 17-0 on his third attempt and then missed three times at 17-4, which would have tied him with the national leader, Nico Weiler of Los Gatos, Calif.

Beck said earning his first trip to state was “pretty exciting.”

His goals before the meet were, “Get to state and jump high.”

Frausto and Beck will advance to the University Interscholastic League’s state meet on May 9 in Austin.

Kara Hoover of Rains qualified for state as an alternate after tossing the discus 120 feet to finish third. It was her season best.

A 45-minute storm delay caused officials to move the girls pole vault competition from Friday afternoon to today, starting at 9 a.m. Charvia Bell of Royse City ranks among the regional leaders, clearing 10-0 at district but she’s cleared 11-0 this season.

The running finals start at 4 p.m. today.

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Long jumper Jessica Franklin, pole vaulter Katie Jones and high jumper Rocio Medrano of Greenville will be competing today in the field events at the Region II-4A meet at Fouts Field in Denton.

The Lions did not advance anybody to today’s running events as 100-meter sprinter Kevin Heath and 300-meter hurdler Ryan Rumph did not finish among the top eight qualifiers in Friday’s preliminaries. Heath ran a 10.97 in the 100 and Rumph clocked a 41.99 in the 300 hurdles.

Amber Casselberry of Greenville tossed the discus 103-10 but also did not make it to the final eight in her event.