Sha’Carri Richardson burst onto the track scene last year, when she ran the fastest 100 meters at the UIL state meet. Big school, small school, any school -- Richardson was the fastest at 11.58 seconds.
This year, the Carter star was again faster than anyone at the state meet with a blistering 11.28 that broke the 4A record in the 100. Richardson also won the 200 and was part of a 4x100 team that won gold in a 4A record time of 45.96.
It was an amazing season for Richardson, but for Carter coach Lauren Cross, not a surprising one.
"She has a lot of natural talent and works really hard," Cross said.
Richardson has pushed herself to near the top of the national leaderboard. Her 11.28 in the 100 is the second-fastest high school time in the nation this year, according to DyeStat.com. The 23.18 she ran in the 200 at the 4A Region II meet is No. 3 in the nation.
Richardson had lots of reasons to smile at the state meet, but she seemed happiest when talking about Carter's team championship.
"It's great to see off our seniors this way," Carter said. "It feels good to be part of such a wonderful track program."
That program will be among the title favorites again next year with the return of Richardson, a serious competitor on the track who is bubbly and easygoing off it.
"She's very goofy and silly, and the whole team is like that," Cross said. "They are always laughing and acting surprised after they win."
Richardson hopes to run track in college and compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
If Richardson stays focused and humble, Cross is confident that the goofy, silly, seriously talented sprinter will be on the Olympic stage.
"I already have my passport," the coach said.
Recent winners
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
London Culbreath, McKinney North, Fr.
Notable: At the state meet, Culbreath won both the 5A 1,600 and 3,200. She held off Aledo's Gracie Morris in the 1,600 to win in 4:55.06, but her most impressive performance was in the 3,200. Culbreath, who in the fall won the 5A cross country title, finished the 3,200 in a state-record time of 10:13.68. She lowered her personal best in the event by more than eight seconds and finished nearly 40 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
COACH OF THE YEAR
June Villers, DeSoto
Notable: Villers led a DeSoto team loaded with underclassmen to a second straight title. DeSoto didn't have an individual champion, but rolled up team points by winning the 4x200 and 4x400 relays and finishing third in the 4x100. Villers, who ran track at DeSoto before graduating in 1991, has been the Eagles' head coach for 10 seasons. Her teams have won five state titles in the last seven years.
GIRLS FIRST TEAM
RELAYS
Mesquite Horn's 4x100
Members (in racing order): Taylor Blackshire, Le-Taija Jackson, Lyric Choice, Kaylor Harris.
Notable: Horn ran its best time of the season (44.94) at the 5A state meet to beat Cypress Springs by 0.13.
DeSoto's 4x200
Members (in racing order): Bryannia Murphy, Cierra Wash, Taylor Armstrong, Jada Laye.
Notable: DeSoto's season-best time of 1:34.87 at the 6A state meet threatened the 14-year-old state record of 1:34.51.
DeSoto's 4x400
Members (in racing order): Jalese Moore, Rosaline Effiong, Cierra Wash, Bryannia Murphy.
Notable: DeSoto won gold at the 6A state meet with a time of 3:37.85 that broke a state record that dated to 2005.
SPRINTERS
Ja'Leesa Giles, Mansfield Legacy, Sr.
Notable: At the state meet, Giles won the 5A 100 (11.64) and 200 (23.81). In the 200, she edged defending champ Jania Martin of McKinney North by :03.
Jania Martin, McKinney North, Jr.
Notable: At the state meet, Martin won the 5A 400 by running her best time of the season: 54.59. She also took silver in the 200 and was part of the winning 4x100 that set a 5A state record (45.09).
Daja Gordon, Hampton Prep, Sr.
Notable: Gordon won the 3A 100 (11.52) and 200 (23.80) at the state meet and was part of the winning 4x100 team that set a 3A state record (45.84).
Morgan Burks-Magee, Rockwall-Heath, Sr.
Notable: Burks-Magee's season-best time of 53.51 won the 6A 400 at the state meet. She was also among the area's top competitors in the 100 and 200 during the season.
DISTANCE
Quinn Owen, Flower Mound Marcus, Jr.
Notable: Owen won the 6A 1,600 at the state meet with a time of 4:47.32, which was nearly four seconds better than any other area competitor's time this season.
HURDLES
Kaylor Harris, Mesquite Horn, Sr.
Notable: At the state meet, Harris won the 6A 100 hurdles (13.38) and finished second in the 100 dash. The Texas Tech signee also anchored Horn's winning 4x100 relay.
Kyla Glenn, Lancaster, Sr.
Notable: Glenn won the 5A 100 hurdles at the state meet (13.79). Her season best time of 13.64 in the event was second in the area to Harris' 13.38.
THROWS
Faith Ette, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Jr.
Notable: Ette won the 5A shot put at the state meet with a mark of 44-61/2. Her best distance of the season was 44-11 at the Mansfield Lake Ridge Invite in February.
JUMPS
Jasmine Moore, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Soph.
Notable: For the second straight year, Moore swept the 5A long jump and triple jump at the state meet. Her state triple jump of 43-43/4 was more than a foot better than any other area mark this season.
Ja'Sha Sloan, West Mesquite, Sr.
Notable: Sloan cleared 5-9 at the state meet to win the 5A high jump. Her best height of the season helped her edge Highland Park's Falyn Reaugh, one of the nation's top high jumpers.
Sanaa Barnes, TC Byron Nelson, Jr.
Notable: Barnes cleared 5-8 at the state meet to win the 6A high jump. Barnes, who is also a star volleyball player, had a season-best mark of 5-10.
Falyn Reaugh, Highland Park, Sr.
Notable: Battling a nagging injury at the state meet, Reaugh finished third in the 5A high jump with a height of 5-6. But in March, the Oklahoma signee cleared 6-0, a height that is second-best in the nation this year.
UTILITY
Alexis Brown, Kennedale, Soph.
Notable: Brown jumped a season-best 20-01/4 to win the 4A long jump at the state meet. She was also third in the 100 at state and part of 4x100 and 4x200 teams that finished second.