...but still a crazy story out of Texas: High schooler Bonnie Richardson single-handedly (and single-leggedly...or would it be double-leggedly?) won the University Interscholastic League's 1A girls' track team title this weekend, as the only qualified athlete from Rochelle High School.
Richardson's title march began with field events on Friday when she won the high jump (5 feet, 5 inches), placed second in the long jump (18-7) and was third in the discus (121-0).
On Saturday, she won the 200 meters in 25.03 seconds and nearly pulled off a huge upset in the 100 before finishing second (12.19) to defending champion Kendra Coleman of Santa Anna. Richardson, a junior, earned a total of 42 team points to edge team runner-up Chilton (36).
It was a good thing the 1A events were split over two days because Richardson said the heat — temperatures were in the high 90s both days — might have knocked her down. She laughed off a suggestion that she could have won more if UIL rules didn't limit individual participation to five events.
"I don't think I could handle any more," she said. "It was hot and I was tired."
Needless to say, it took more than one athlete for the Southridge teams, the St. Thomas Aquinas boys and Westminster Academy boys to win their 2008 team titles.
--Patrick Dorsey (e-mail)
