Both Blake Shaw and Erica Alexander have something to prove at the 5A state track and field championships in Austin this weekend.

Both are returning to state from last year’s meet. Both are trying to win more than one gold medal. Both are trying to finish their high school careers with a bang. And both will be heading to Los Angeles in the fall, as they have committed to run track for USC.

Shaw, a senior from Cypress Falls, looked strong in his two events at the regional meet two weeks agao, as he qualified for the 800-meter and the 1,600-meter run, putting up the second-best qualifying times in both events (four minutes and 23.14 seconds in the 1,600 and 1:53.33 in the 800).

Shaw said he didn’t make his times in either event, but feels he did his best to qualify for both.

“In the 800, I had a goal of getting around 1:50 or 1:49,” Shaw said. “In the mile, my goal was to win it, so I made my goal there. That lifted me up a little bit.”

Not only will Shaw have to face off against the other strong runners in the state, but he'll have to fight off the warm, humid weather that is forecast for Austin Saturday. At regionals, Shaw almost decided not to run in the 1,600 because of fatigue after running in the 800.

“At normal meets, it’s a lot easier because it’s less competition, so I don’t have to push as hard,” Shaw said. “But at meets like this, it’s really hard. I was pretty drained after the 800 and I actually thinking of scratching the mile.

“But I think that was my attitude for being so tired. Once I got into the shade and got some liquids in me, I started feeling better. And as I was running, I thought I might as well try to win and go to state.”

After finishing second in the 800 at the state meet last year with a time of 1:52.44, Shaw is focused on finishing in the top two, and matching his best time that he set earlier in the year.

“At state, I definitely have to go under 1:50. I’ve been at 1:49 about a month ago, and I haven’t been anywhere since,” Shaw said. “I was at 1:50 two weeks ago, but what’s the point if you can’t do it again? So I have to go out there and show people I can do it again.”

Meanwhile, Alexander, from Clear Brook, looks to get more gold medals at state after winning the 200 and the 400 last year. This year, she will participate in the 100, 200 and the high jump.

“I feel really good, I wanted to win the long jump because I have gotten a medal in it yet,” Alexander said.

Alexander ran an 11.98 in the 100, which is the third-best qualifying time in the state. She also ran a 24.51 in the 200 and jumped 19 feet and two inches in the long jump.

“The 100 wasn’t my best race because my legs were a little bit dead from the morning, but I’m going to state,” Alexander said.

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