SPC Breakdown
With the 2020 track & field season upon us, it's time to look more closely into the three (3) major high school athletic conferences in Texas: SPC, TAPPS, and UIL, as well as Texas' all-time records. What we're going to do, however, is not prognosticate; rather, we're going to delve into various highlights from 2000 forward and then report on the top returners for this season.
Let's have some fun with the highlights first.
SPC BOYS
The Southwest Preparatory Conference, while not garnering the media attention of UIL or TAPPS, possesses wonderful athletes and outstanding coaching. As far as records are concerned, one athlete stands alone: Genson Hooper Price of St. John's. The Northwestern University football player is part of four (4) SPC all-time records, two (2) individual and two (2) as part of relay teams. Price is tied with two others as the all-time leader in the 100-meter dash at 10.57, and he owns outright the 400-meter time at 48.12. Price also anchored the all-time 4x100 (41.61) and 4x400 (3:20.95.)
pic by TTFCA
St. John's, coached by Richie Mercado, leads all SPC Boy's teams with five (5) top spots in the all-time records; in addition to the four (4) spots occupied by Price, Collin Fullen also sits tied in the 100-meter dash at 10.57. As far as the distance races are concerned, Crayton Carrozza of St. Stephen's owns all three (3): 800 (1:52.47), 1600 (4:16.52) and 3200 (9:15.92.)
The oldest record on the books is Mathew Crane of Kinkaid. His 1977 mark of 178-09 in the discus still stands.
Since 2000, the St. Mark's School of Texas under Head Coach John Turek has won 11 team championships, the last in 2012. Three (3) of the last four (4) have been won by St. John's - St. Stephen's broke the four-peat in 2017.
Top Returners
100 - Kit Colson, St. Mark's (10.78; 1.4w)
200 - Kit Colson, St. Mark's (22.23; 0.7w)
400 - Shaunak Divine, Austin St. Stephen's (49.80)
800 - Douglas Parsley, St. John's (1:56.08)
1600 - Andres Arroyo, St. Mark's (4:24.13)
3200 - Julian Baeza, Austin St. Stephen's (9:26.63)
110h - Enoch Ellis, St. Mark's (15.50; 1.5w)
300h - Enoch Ellis, St. Mark's (41.26)
Disc - Donovan Jackson, Houston Episcopal (165-00)
Shot - Donovan Jackson, Houston Episcopal (52-03.50)
HJ - Patrick Wilson, St. Andrew's (6-02)
LJ - Matthew Bale, Kinkaid School (21-01)
TJ - Miles Jones, Houston Episcopal (39-08; 0.2w)
PV - Avery Clinkscale, Fort Worth Country Day (13-00)
*FAT/Wind where applicable
SPC Girls
Similar to the Boys, one girl stands atop the medal stand, and her name is Kennedy Gamble of Kinkaid. With two (2) individual all-time SPC records and one (1) as part of a relay, her three (3) appearances place her ahead of multiple two-time participants. Kennedy owns the 100 and 200-meter dash times at 11.76 and 23.96 respectively, and she ran third leg on the record 4x100 relay - 47.61.