Bean heads area tracksters

[KFDM COOP]

Bean heads area tracksters

REGIONAL TRACK WEEKEND

By Tom Halliburton

The Port Arthur News

Drew Bean should have his own separate category as "better than a best bet" at regionals.

  The Little Cypress-Mauriceville senior is far above the rest of the best in the Golden Triangle when it comes to being an odds-on favorite to win a gold medal and qualify for the 96th annual University Interscholastic League track and field championships.

  Most every casual area track observer realized that about Bean before the 2007 outdoor season started.... and unfortunately for our neighborhoods, nothing has unexpectedly improved in that regard.

  Translation: there may be very few Golden Triangle state qualifiers by Saturday evening.

  If the form charts prove accurate, this will be the least represented Golden Triangle contingent ever at the state meet.

  In recent years, Port Arthur and Beaumont always have produced one or two shining stars to excel and "save the day" for the rest of our region. This year, there's Drew Bean and a whole bunch of "maybes."

  Texastrack.com's long-trusted publisher and state expert Phil Murray truly delivered convincing evidence of that reality early this week. Armed with complete results from virtually district meets in all five classes as well as regional qualifier performances, Murray displayed numbers that looked a bit embarrassing for Golden Triangle schools.

  Murray showed his updated 2007 High School Performance List on his outstanding website. It listed the Top 10 best numbers in all 17 boys and 17 girls events. That opened the door for Golden Triangle athletes to be eligible for a spot in any of 340 places.

  The Golden Triangle contingent in the state's Top 10 contained Bean with the third- and sixth-fastest times in the boys 3,200-meter run. It included Ozen freshman A'Lexus Brannon with the state's seventh-fastest time in the girls 100-meter hurdles. Last, but not least, the Beaumont Central boys sprint relay team ranked 10th.... and that's all, folks.

  Nobody from any other Golden Triangle-area outposts.

  Unlike mid-April's district meets -- where all three medalists advance to regional -- only the top two move on to state, May 11-12, at Austin. So even in the case of the boys sprint relay, Central's best time of 41.4 could be a serious longshot compared to other regional times such as Angleton's 41.25, Texas City's 41.37, and Dayton's 41.39.

  In other words, don't bet the ranch on Central, but don't count out the Jaguars, either. The group of Morris Thomas, Charles Thomas, Marvin Payne and Derrick Hall have proven that they can go when they're clicking.

  Bean, though, is in his own league. He made a 9:50.11 look easy two weeks ago during the boys 3,200-meter run at the 22-4A meet in Bulldog Stadium.

  "I definitely have more in the tank," Bean said. "I'm hoping to get to 9:10 or so by regionals. The state record is 9:08... I'm feeling good now. I'm feeling strong."

  While Port Arthur Memorial and Beaumont West Brook sprinkled in a few encouraging signs, each area school is faced with overcoming Greater Houston's best of the best this weekend at Humble's 5A regional. That should position jumpers such as Memorial's Sam Bordelon and West Brook's Jeremy Blueitt in positions of underdogs to advance.

[HillGuy]

I have watched Drew Bean for a couple of years and am extremely impressed with this young man and his work ethic.  Wish him all the luck this weekend and in Austin.

Funny related story:  My son who is a freshman at BH placed 5th in the 3200m in district but found out Monday that he will run at the regional meet since two runners who qualified aren't competing.  I asked him what his goal was for the meet and he said "run a personal record and not get lapped by Bean"!  ha!

[77]

Bean is special, theres not a day goes by that I dont see bean out doing his road work. Great kid and dedicated runner. Good luck Drew.

[rhino1877]

Awesome athlete and excellent student.