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Complete Forecast for  Jul 09 2008

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

AUSTIN - Leandria Lee lifted what she called "the weight of Chapel Hill" off her shoulders with another strong statement.

The last Lady Bulldog standing, Lee defended her state title in the Class 3A girls' 200-meter dash Friday before an estimated 15,500 at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

"The burden's off now," Lee said after receiving her gold medal atop the awards stand. "Now I can sleep, relax."

The lone East Texas female to win gold in 2007, Lee captured the lone first place medal among area girls Friday.

Lee led from start-to-finish, posting a career-best time of 24.70 seconds. Running in less-than-ideal lane No. 1, Lee zipped out the blocks, sprinted the curve hard and fended off challenges from Giddings' Asia Wilson (25.11) and Liberty-Eylau's Taylor Utsey (25.12) down the stretch to end her career in style.

While the crowd awaited the results to be posted on the large scoreboard, the meet announcer inadvertently recognized Wilson as the winner. When the time arrived for medals to be placed around the athletes' necks Lee, however, stepped atop her rightful spot on the highest step behind the No. 1.

"I just realized I had to get out the blocks and run," added Lee, a favorite to repeat as Tyler Morning Telegraph Female Trackster of the Year. "I ran that curve. And the start was perfect."

Being the defending champ created higher expectations for Lee, who fulfilled them with her fastest half-lap ever.

"I worked harder trying to get my time better," Lee said with a wide smile that showed off her braces. "After winning the 200 last year, I wanted to win this my senior year. This is very big for me."

Tai'Shea Reese received a piece of medal, just not the one she wanted.

The Kilgore senior finished a solid, yet disappointing third in the Class 4A girls' long jump.

Reese's bronze medal gave East Texas its first of the day on the girls' side. But after finishing second last year, Reese rejoiced little after first leaving the medal stand.

It took a jump of 18 feet and 11 3/4 inches on her sixth and final attempt just to move Reese in the top three.

A'Lexus Brannon of Beaumont Ozen defended her title, winning with a jump of 20-0 1/2. Whitney Gipson of North Richland Hills Birdville followed in second at 19-10.

Coming in, Reese ranked second among the eight qualifiers after winning the Region II title with a leap of 19-5 - a mark both the top two finishers exceeded.

"(I'm upset) I didn't get first place," said Reese, who claimed to be slowed by a sinus infection that weakened her during an event held as Central Texas temperatures approached triple-digits. "I think I could've gotten first or second. That's all right, though."

After taking a minute to soak it in, Reese reflected on the good instead of regretting on how she "could've hit the board better" and gotten her "knees up."

"I can be happy because a lot of folks can't make it to state," she said. "That makes me feel better."

Pine Tree sophomore Vanessa Aldridge appeared to have a strong chance of winning a medal, possibly even gold, coming into state.

Those hopes seemed to lessen for Aldridge - a bronze-medalist in the 100 as a freshman - after Fort Worth Dunbar anchor Veronica Jordan jetted down the straightway to lead her team to gold in the 400 relay.

The same Jordan shattered the state record in the 100 - Aldridge finished third in last year's 100 in which Killeen's Tiffany Townsend set the record at the time of 11.21 - speeding to a time of 11.16. Aldridge clocked a career-best 11.75, but followed Houston Wheatley's Dominique Duncan (11.37) and Forney's Chandrell Stephens (11.61) to the line in one of the fastest girls' 100 races in recent memory.

The same three schools denied Aldridge a medal in the 200, despite another career-best time of 24.61 for the Lady Pirates standout.

Duncan won the 200 in 23.52, with Dunbar's Ashley Collier (23.58) and Stephens (24.07) placed second and third, respectively.

Big Sandy's Jazz Montgomery also placed fourth in the 2A girls' triple jump.

She bowed out at a jump of 36-2 1/4, more than two feet off her top qualifying distance (38-3).

Brittany Kinney of Karnes City paced the field with a 37-10 1/4 to nudge out Marlin's Whitney Lofton (36-11 1/2) and Italy's Alex Barajas (36-3 1/4).

Other Class 4A and 1A athletes who failed to medal or place in the top three included: Henderson's Adria Jackson (sixth, high jump, 5-0); Lindale's Whitney Binder (seventh, pole vault, 10-6); and Overton's Megan Cook (sixth, pole vault, 9-6).