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by Stephen (steveu) Underwood
Boys 4 x 1 Mile/Distance Medley Relays
FMR Track Club (Klein Oak, Texas)
Comes From Behind - Twice
The FMR Track Club twice used big comebacks to win the two longest
boys' relay events. Efforts from FMR 'middle men' enabled the boys
from Klein Oak, Texas to give anchor Steve Magness position to win
on his 1600 leg each time and he did just that. In the 4 x 1 mile,
he bolted a 58-second last 400 that capped a 4:24 as FMR edged homestate
favorite Kearney (Neb.) and Drew Tonniges, 18:18.31-18:19.44.
In the DMR, he cruised in the middle of a 4:28 before a strong last
800 forged a 6-second margin on Kearney, 10:31.92-10:38.46. While
Magness' easing up in mid-race before kicking may have cost his
team the national lead ("That's all I know how to do,"
he moaned.), it did mean he didn't need the trash can his resourceful
teammates provided for his customary post-race hurl.
Setting the table in the 4 x 1 Mile effort were Frankie Flores
(4:44), Paulo Sosa (4:37) and Gabe Gonzales (4:32). FMR was only
5th after the first leg, with Kearney's Cory Wroblewski leading
at 4:32. But Sosa moved the squad up to 2nd, then Gonzales used
a vicious kick to take the lead in the final 150 of his leg. After
a 63 start, Magness slowed down as Tonniges shadowed him then took
the lead with 400 left. But Magness quickly retook the advantage
while still saving something for the DMR later in the day.
"I was real happy with how everyone did," said Magness.
"I didn't know if we could get the lead before the baton got
to me."
"I started off about 50 meters behind," said 3rd-leg hero
Gonzalez. "I was inching closer, then I decided to pick it
up with 400 to go. Then with 150 to go, I really gunned it."
Sosa, who caught everyone but Kearney on his second leg, said the
team would have something in the tank for later. "We want to
take the national lead (10:31) in the DMR," he said.
Though Sosa's prophesy fell just short, FMR's winning effort hardly
did. This time it was Gonzalez (3:14 for 1200), Eric Spear (50 for
400) and Sosa (1:59 for 800) that got the stick around the first
three legs. Don Lugo, behind open 800 winner Raphael Asafo-Ageyi,
led the first leg, however.
Spear got FMR the lead, but Sosa lost it. However, FMR's third man
kept contact as much as possible. "I stuck with him as close
as I could," he said. "I did my job."
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