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Franklin
earns third trip to state track meet
May 13, 2009
 By
DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff
DENTON --
Greenville junior Jessica Franklin can thank Highland Park
for the opportunity to win the Region II-4A triple jump
event on Tuesday at Fouts Field.
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Photo By David
Claybourn /
Herald-Banner Staff |
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Greenville
junior Jessica Franklin reaches for something extra on
her final attempt to win the Region II-4A triple jump
with a leap of 40 feet two inches. |
Franklin wasn’t
supposed to be in the event after finishing fourth at the
District 10-4A meet. But Highland Park chose to take
third-place finisher Katherine Culwell out of the event to
keep her fresh for some other events.
Franklin got in
as an alternate and made the most of that opportunity by
winning the title on her last attempt. Franklin who had
been in second place for most of the event, dropped to
fourth place after two big jumps from Jordan Wilson of
Forney and Aundrea Gamble from McKinney North. Destiny
Smith of Mount Pleasant had been the leader.
Franklin, who’d
gone 39 feet 6 1/2 inches, needed to jump past 39-10 to
earn a state qualifying berth. She topped that mark with a
career-best leap of 40-2.
“I’m so happy,”
said Franklin.
“I knew she had
a 40 in her,” said Greenville coach JoAnna Vaden. “Today
was a good day to do it.”
Franklin turned
in the three longest jumps of her career. She opened with
38-10 1/2, then went 39-3 1/2 and 37-11 1/2 in her
preliminary jumps.
She soared 39-6
1/2, 39-3 and then 40-2 on her three jumps in the finals.
“She hit her P.R.
three times today,” said Vaden.
Franklin said
she pumped herself up for the last attempt by playing a
song in her head.
“I just put the
beat in my head,” she said.
Royse City
jumper Megan Frausto, who’s been a state qualifier at the
3A level, finished seventh at 38-10 1/2.
Smith from Mount
Pleasant was second with a 39-10 1/2, followed by Wilson
(39-10), Gamble (39-7 1/4) and Oyeonma Okereka of Dallas
Samuell (39-1).
Franklin and
Frausto will meet again today in the finals of the long
jump, starting at 9 a.m. at Fouts Field on the campus of
the University of North Texas.
Royse City
freshman pole vaulter Joseph Beck cleared 14-6 to finish
in a tie for fifth.
Vince Frawley of
Midlothian won with a 16-0 clearance. Tristin Crayton of
Hallsville was second at 15-3. Ryan Hughes of Rockwall
tied for third with Eric Frawley of Midlothian at 15-0.
Darius Jones of
Marshall won the boys triple jump with a leap of 48-3 3/4.
Dijoun Sheppard
of Greenville was 12th at 44-5 3/4 and Cameron Nichols of
Royse City finished 18th (42-1).
Preston Sanders
of Red Oak claimed the boys shot put at 59-9.
Brock Wempa of
Royse City was 10th (46-11 3/4), while Tristian Farley of
Greenville finished 13th (44-9 1/2) and teammate Manon
Steward was 16th (43-0).
Frausto of Royse
City qualified for the finals in both the 400 (58.71) and
800 (2:25.16).
The running
finals start at 2:30 this afternoon.
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