Published: May 10, 2008 12:42 am         

Royse City vaulters capture medals at state meet

AUSTIN — Hot temperatures didn't stop Royse City vaulters Luke Beck and Charvia Bell from claiming silver medals on Friday at the University Interscholastic League State Track and Field Championships.

The air temperature reached 96 degrees at Mike A. Myers Stadium, which meant trackside temperatures were well over 100 degrees.

Beck tried to stay cool under an umbrella in between vaults while finishing second in the 3A division with a clearance of 15 feet 3 inches.

"It's really hot but it's fun," said Beck.

Beck took second place to the defending state champion, Blaine Bassler of West. Bassler, who vaulted a state's best 17 feet at the Region II-3A meet, could do only 15-6 while contending with a hamstring injured in the region finals of the 100-meter dash.

Beck got close on 15-6, the height he cleared at regional.

"I had a couple of pretty good chances," he said. "It's hot. I got tired."

Beck, who is a junior, said he plans to vault higher next year when Royse City competes in 4A. He said he wants to jump in the 16s.

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Bell was grinning from ear to ear after clearing 11-3 to finish second in the 3A girls pole vault.

"Two's not bad," she said. "I'll take two.

"I like to think of it (as) I'm in the top two in the state of Texas," she said.

Whitney freshman Wren Bonner won the event by clearing 11-6.

Bell got off to a rough start.

My adrenaline was really high," she said. "I was pretty drained."

She missed twice at 10-6 and before the third attempt said to herself, "I might as well go all out and I got it. After that I was okay."

Bell credited her pole vault coach, Paul Richards, the son of two-time Olympic champion pole vaulter Bob Richards.

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Greenville sophomore Jessica Franklin made the most of her first trip to the state meet, leaping 18 feet 1/4 inch to finish fifth. Beaumont Ozen sophomore A'Lexus Brannon repeated as state champion in that event with a leap of 20-1 1/2. Brannon has the best wind-aided jump in the nation at 21 feet.

Franklin had trouble hitting the board as she scratched on three attempts.

"It was more nerves than anything," said JoAnna Vaden, Greenville's field event coach. "She made some adjustments. She got that 18.

"Not many kids make it down here and she got fifth her first time," said the coach.

Franklin said this experience will make her practice harder in hopes of doing better at state next time.

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Royse City's Megan Frausto, who was third at state last year in the 3A long jump, finished fourth on Friday, hitting 18-1 1/2 on her final attempt to finish behind Amanda Clemons of Goliad (18-9 1/4), Kiara Bonner of West Columbia (18-5 1/4) and Tameika Harris of Yoakum (18-3).

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First-time jitters apparently weren't a problem for Wolfe City's James King, who leaped a personal-best 22 feet 3 inches to finish fourth in the Class A long jump. Jayton's Tyler Speed had enough speed to jump 22-11 1/2 for first place. Montraze Landrum of Chilton was second at 22-10.

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B.K. Scott of Wolfe City threw a personal-best 151-4 in the Class A discus to finish sixth. Scott had hoped to add to his state medal collection. He won the state powerlifting title in the 242-pound class after bench pressing 500 pounds.

Left-hander Johnathon Lindsey from Strawn won the event with a throw of 174-3.

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Royse City junior Skyler Strahm cleared 5-2 in the Class 3A high jump to finish eighth. Kati Holley of Monahans won the event at 5-9.

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Henry Josey, who ran the third leg on Angleton's victorious 4x100-meter relay team, is the son of Greenville's record-setting sprinter Henry Neal. Josey ran a strong leg to put Angleton in position to win and anchor Donald Monroe did the rest, pulling away for a convincing victory in the time of 40.93.

Josey's father still holds the national high school record in the 100-meter dash at 10.15 seconds set in 1990 in Austin and the national junior college mark of 10.09 clocked in 1992 at the Texas Relays.

Josey said his father helps with his coaching.

"He helped me get to regional," said Josey.

Despite the help, the son wants to top his father.

"I'm just trying to beat his record," said Josey.