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Quarter horse: Dunlap's 400 run leads Lady Eagles at regionals
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
Allen junior Taylor Dunlap has taken the Eagles' 400-meter ranks by storm in 2012.
In establishing a new program best in the quarter mile, Dunlap has broken her own record in the 400 three times -- the latest of which couldn't have come at a better opportunity.
That would be Saturday from Fuller Track in Lubbock -- site of the Region I-5A Track and Field Championships -- where Dunlap punched her ticket to state by placing second in the 400.
Dunlap clocked in at 55.21 in Lubbock after running a 56.67 two weeks prior to capture a District 8-5A Championship.
"[Dunlap] just kept working," Halliburton said. "She stayed rested, tried to keep what we've got and just went from there. There's nothing special to it, it's just her getting out and running to the level of her competition."
In the case of Saturday's race, Dunlap was tasked with running out of Lane 6, one of the wider routes on the track. The Lady Eagle didn't balk at the challenge, forcing her regional competition to play catch-up until she had to match strides with Mansfield Timberview's Kristyn Williams down the stretch. Williams (54.59) earned the nod, but Dunlap's run proved both a personal and program record.
"[Dunlap] likes running the 400, which you can't say for a lot of kids," Halliburton said. "She really likes that, the 200 and the 100, but is also a realist and knows she's a really good quarter-miler."
Dunlap's performance was complemented by a slew of other Eagles who saw action in the finals of their respective events Saturday.
Allen featured a fourth-place run by Bryant Johnson in the 200 (21.74), while Joe Miller leapt to eighth place (6-2) in the high jump and the Eagles' 4x200 relay claimed eighth (1:29.69).
As a team, Allen placed 30th.
In the girls draw, Ericka May notched seven in the high jump (5-2), while Kiyana Dixon soared to seventh in the triple jump (37-4 1/4) and Kaylen Rettig placed eighth in the 400 (57.77) -- pacing the Lady Eagles' 21st-place finish.
"The other kids did great," Halliburton said. "Kiyana Dixon PR'ed as a freshman with a 37-4 1/4. She jumped almost 15 inches further from district to regionals. Ericka May did good in the high jump and Kaylen Rettig made the finals in the 400, so when you're doing things like that, you're feeling pretty good."
Dunlap now advances to the Class 5A Track and Field State Championships, which are May 11-12 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. And Halliburton is confident his runner will be in the mix for a medal and maybe a more favorable lane assignment.
"Hopefully at state we'll draw an inside lane," he said, "and get to chase them."
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