Graham track impresses at Region I meet

Seven Graham track and field athletes qualified for the UIL Track and field state meet with top-two finishes in two events on Saturday afternoon in Lubbock at the Region I-Class 4A regional meet. The girls 4x200 relay team of Claire Jones, Allison Lee, Summer Croxton and Rosie Schaffer took home second in the finals with a time of 1:43.89. The time was an eyelash behind Vernon's time of 1:43.89. Records were shattered by the team when they broke a school record Friday during the prelims with a run of 1:44.53. The time broke the previous school record of 1:44.73 from back in 2004. During the finals on Saturday, they topped that mark with a run of 1:43.89. It marks the first time since 2004 that Graham has sent a relay team to the state meet. In 2004, two boys 400-meter relay teams earned state trips as well as a 800-relay team. The last time a Graham girls relay team qualified for the state meet was back in 2000 when the 1600 meter relay team qualified. Alternates Julia Grimes and Chloe Menard will accompany the group as well. Nicole King will join the relay group in Austin by taking home a gold medal with a first place showing in the shot put with a throw of 36-06.50. Croxton had a fifth place finish in the 200-meter dash with a run of 25.35 in the finals. Alexis Brown of Kennedale took first with a time of 24.17. She improved on her 26.07 run during the prelims Friday. Khloe Morris finished in eighth with a time of 12:33.58 in the 3200 meter run. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.