It’s hard to pick only one star athlete from the Hightower track team. All of them are strong and gifted, and each has a share in making the Hurricanes a strong force in Texas high school track and field.

Seniors Isaiah Sweeney, Cleon Davis, Clyde Lee and Robert Simmons, with juniors Darius Johnson, Trayvion Clark and Kokulo Kallen, went through the competition last weekend at Turner Stadium like a hot knife through butter. The squad won two relay races (finished second in the other), Sweeney won the high jump and the 100-meter dash, while Simmons won the 200-meter dash.

After a dominating performance to win its second straight Region III-5A championship and be the odds-on favorite to win another state title, the Hightower boys’ track team is The Athlete's Connection's CollegeBallorBust.com Team of the Week.

The 800-meter relay team, which consists of Sweeney, Davis, Johnson and Simmons, set a new regional record with a time of 1:24.06. What’s even more stunning about it is that it was done with an alternate runner in Johnson.

“I felt real excited about the 4-by-200 because Darius Johnson, who is a junior, was an alternate all season, and to go in with an alternate and still put up the time we had, that alternate may not be an alternate any longer,” Hightower track coach David Pollack said.

While Johnson is the newcomer, Sweeney is the anchor of the team. His wins in the 100 (with a time of 10.7 seconds) and the long jump set the tone for Hightower’s win. Also, his performances in the relay teams the past two years have done wonders for the program.

Hightower scored 121 points to win the championship by a staggering 88 points.

“(Isaiah) is such a wonderful kid,” Pollack said. “The only thing I’m sad about him is that I’ve got two more weeks coaching him, and then he’ll go on to the University of Houston and hopefully set some records there. But he’s a tremendous asset to this program and I’m just proud being able to coach him.”

But with all this talent, the guys are not in a cocky or arrogant mode. They get along and push each other, but not enough to create any tensions on the team.

“These teammates are great friends and they made me feel welcome,” Johnson said.

But at the state meet in Austin May 9 and 10, the other track teams will not be as welcoming. The competition in the state is fierce, and all will be gunning for the Hurricanes in every event.

“At one time, the top six teams were from Texas, so we know the other top five teams are coming for us as we’re coming for them,” Sweeney said.

But besides the competition, the Hurricanes are also focused on the state record in the 800 relay. In 1998, Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt’s relay teams posted a time of 1:23.31. That time will be on Hightower’s mind as they head to state.

“We set our goal on O.D. Wyatt,” Pollack said. “We want to break that record. And if we can do that, we’ll be alright.”

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