Decatur track team finishes strong

Decatur senior Evan Owens clears the bar in pole vault competition in Gravette earlier this season. Owens won the state championship at Ft. Smith on May 1 with a vault of 13 feet, 4 inches.

Decatur senior Evan Owens clears the bar in pole vault competition in Gravette earlier this season. Owens won the state championship at Ft. Smith on May 1 with a vault of 13 feet, 4 inches.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Decatur - Decatur High School’s track and field team had a phenomenal year, going to the state meet at Fort Smith Southside on May 1 and placing eighth in the 2A division.

And for one Decatur senior, the state competition was his moment to shine.

Evan Owens took first place in the pole vault, beating sixteen other competitors. His winning vault was 13 feet, 4 inches, a personal best.

“He’s a very hard working kid,” said track coach Shane Holland. “I remember after the state meet last year, he was very disappointed.”

Owens was competing against two pole vaulters from Mount Ida, a powerhouse in the state of Arkansas in the event, Holland said. The Mt. Ida team practices year round and has a club devoted to the sport.

Since Decatur has no regular track to practice on, Owens and his teammates were at a serious disadvantage, Holland said.

Fortunately, Owens’ coaches allowed him to take the school’s pole vault set home during the summer months.

And, judging from Owens’ success at state, the strategy worked, and worked well.

Although Owens’ performance in the vault was outstanding, he excelled in several other events as well. In the 110 meter hurdles, Owens managed a sixth-place finish. He placed fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. He, along with fellow runners Kyle Shaffers, Josh Hare and Mario Urquibi, placed third in the 1600-meter relay.

Owens is exceptional on and off the field. He is not only an all-around athlete, but also an outstanding academic student. He was recently listed on the AB honor roll for the third quarter.

Owens plans on attending college on an academic scholarship next year.

Other exceptional athletes that contributed to Decatur’s eighth-place finish included the 3200-meter relay team of Kyle Shaffers, Josh Hare, Andrew Harris and Carlos Ocampo. They took fourth place in the event. On the girls’ side, Sara Harris took seventh place in the girls’ long jump.

Shane Holland, in his second year as track coach, commented: “With both our junior and senior boys, we won district. That’s tough to do when you don’t have a track.”

Despite this disability, the Decatur team still placed well above many schools that do have track facilities. Nearby Gentry, on occasion, allows the Decatur team to practice at its facility.

The Decatur track and field team has come a long way. It is a testament to the dedication of athletes like Evan Owens and his team mates and the coaching staff that boosted the Bulldogs ranking in the state.

“We can be number one next year. We have the momentum on our side,” Holland said.

Sports, Pages 9 on 05/15/2013