It was an up and down day for the Port Arthur Memorial Titans track team.
The highlight was junior Kary Vincent Jr. reaching the Class 6A Track and Field Championships in the 200-meter dash.
Vincent ran 21.15 seconds to win the event Saturday at the 6A Region III meet at Columbia Challenger Stadium in Webster. It was reported the time is the fastest in the state this year and ninth best in the country.
The Titans’ 4×100 relay team finished third with a time of 40.88. Memorial’s third-place finish meant the Titans had to watch for times in other regions to come in before the team qualified for state.
The UIL takes the top two finishers at each regional meet to state and then the next best finish. Then, disaster struck for the Titans.
Senior Kameron Martin injured his hamstring in the 4×200-meter relay. The Titans finished fourth in it and then eighth in the 4×400.
“This was not the day you wish to have at a regional meet,” coach Darrell Granger said. “Kam started to grab his leg after the turn but he would not stop. He got to the second leg and we were still able to finish fourth. That tells you something about our kids.”
Granger said he felt bad for Martin because the 4×200 is the future Baylor Bear football player’s favorite race.
“That race has always meant a lot to him,” Granger said. “I know he is disappointed right now.
“The good thing as a team is we got some kids to Austin and that is always the goal. We are going to work to come out of there with a couple medals.”
Vincent and the 4×100 relay team join Memorial triple jump participant J’Koven Celestine as qualifiers for the state meet at Mike Myers Track Complex at the University of Texas May 13-14.