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AUSTIN – The legend of Fort Bend Marshall track continues to grow.
Heading into the 2019 UIL State Track & Field Meet, the Buffs were seeking what could be their fourth team title in the last five years and their relay teams were the talk of the country.
Living up to those expectations can be tough for some teams but not Fort Bend Marshall.
“There’s not really pressure,” Korey King said. “It just makes us run harder because we know there’s always someone out there to beat us. We have a target on our back.”
The target couldn’t have been any bigger on Friday night.
With three relay teams qualified, Fort Bend Marshall was the hands down favorite heading into the day and the Buffs lived up to the hype.
Fort Bend Marshall took gold in the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400-meter relays, Devon Achane won the 200-meter dash and the Buffs claimed the Class 5A Men’s Team State Championship for the fourth time in the last five years.
The Buffs finished with 86 points beating out Lancaster, which had 56 points, for the top spot.
“To walk away with a team title is unbelievable,” Delevon Campbell said. “It is the norm for Fort Bend Marshall. We’re trying to set a legacy back in Houston.”
.@FBMarshallTrack 4x100 meter relay team wins the state title with a time of 40.24. Buffs have first running win of the night. @TXMileSplit@TTFCA@MHS_Buffs@MarshallBuffs@FBISDAthletics@abc13sports@ffvmousvon_@joeagleason@1MalikH1pic.twitter.com/2OaCVSXtHw
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) May 10, 2019
This is the first time since Lancaster won five-straight Class 4A titles from 2008-2012 that a team has been this dominant. The title puts Fort Bend Marshall in rare air, making them the 20th boys’ team all-time in UIL history to win four or more titles.
Fort Bend Marshall also ties Houston Forest Brook for the most boys’ team state track titles for a team from Houston. Houston Forest Brook won four consecutive titles from 1998-2001.
“That’s crazy,” Fort Bend Marshall coach Lloyd Banks III said. “I love my babies; we’re going to work hard and continue to do that. I’m just speechless right now, I’m just proud of them. They worked their butts off and came out and did what they were supposed to do. They came out and executed.
“We knew it was going to be tough. They accepted the challenge and got it done.”
For the Buffs, the dominance came on the track.
A first-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay gave them the first 20 points of the day. Then the 4x200-meter relay followed suit and reset the record books.
The pair of first-place finishes gave Fort Bend Marshall a commanding 46-25 lead in the team standings after the first 12 events.
“It’s a great feeling because everything is about points,” Devon Achane said about winning the first two relays. “You can come in second in all relays and still win a state championship. But to come in first both times it feels good.”
Posting a time of 1:23.38 smashed the Class 5A record set by Port Arthur Memorial in 2017, when the Titans ran a time of 1:23.52.
“Personally, we wanted to be faster,” Dalevon Campbell said. “We were trying to get the national record. But it’s all cool.”
To cap off the night, Fort Bend Marshall posted a 3:14.22 in the 4x400-meter relay and did it with all seniors running the relay.
Matthias Petterway, who also won gold in the 300-meter hurdles, Kacey Barnett, King and Campbell put the exclamation point on the final race of the night with the win.
“They wanted to go out, they wanted to win,” Banks said. “Campbell went all in, did his thing. I’m proud of them. Good group. We’re young in some spots, so a lot of them will be back.”
BREAKING: @FBMarshallTrack breaks the Conference 5A record in the 4x200 meter set by Port Arthur Memorial in 2017 posting a time of 1:23.38!! @MarshallBuffs@FBISDAthletics@abc13houston@abc13sports@MHS_Buffs@espn@ESPNAssignDesk@SportsCenter@TTFCA@TXMileSplit@milesplitpic.twitter.com/qzblv3HIhu
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) May 11, 2019
Houston-Area Top 3 Finishes
Allison Wilson, Montgomery HS – Bronze (10:41.21) in 3200-meter run
Jonathan Baker, Katy Paetow – Gold (24-feet-10 inches) in Long Jump
Caleb Malbrough, Manvel – Gold (48-feet-01.50 inches) in Triple Jump
Amryn Williams, Foster – Bronze (46-feet-5.75 inches) in Triple Jump
Fort Bend Marshall boys 4X100-meter Relay (Bryson Stubblefield, Devon Achane, Korey King and Delevon Campbell) – Gold (40.24)
Collin Williams, Foster – Bronze (1:54.25) in 800-meter run
Dalton Holland, Barbers Hill – Silver (14.19) in 110-meter hurdles
Ashton O’Conner, Shadow Creek – Gold (10.48) in 100-meter dash
Bryson Stubblefield, Fort Bend Marshall – Bronze (10.65) in 100-meter dash
Chelsea Stein, Klein Collins – Bronze (21.32) in the 100-meter dash (Wheelchair) / Silver (1:19.09) in the 400-meter dash (Wheelchair)
Jacob Allen, Kingwood Park – Gold (17.20) in the 100-meter dash (Wheelchair) / Silver (56.49) in the 400-meter dash (Wheelchair)
Fort Bend Marshall Girls 4x200-meter relay (Alexandria Ruth, Theeresa Green-Whit, Doneshia Johnson and Jai’lynn Smith) – Silver (1:39.24)
Fort Bend Marshall Boys 4x200-meter relay (Bryson Stubblefield, Korey King, Dalevon Campbell and Devon Achane) – Gold (1:23.38)
Manvel Boys 4x200-meter relay (Xavier Carter, Dayvon Henderson, Vinson Brown, Davin Wilkins) – Bronze (1:26.34)
Cesley Williams, Fort Bend Marshall – Silver (55.69) in 400-meter dash
Darren Battle, Magnolia -Silver (48.81) in 400-meter dash
Dustin Stallberg, Clute Brazoswood (1:01.20) in 400-meter dash (Wheelchair)
Matthias Petterway, Fort Bend Marshall (37.35) in the 300-meter Hurdles
Devon Achane, Fort Bend Marshall (20.69) in the 200-meter dash
Halena Rahmaan, Montgomery – Silver (4:59.40) in the 1600-meter race