The Llano girls, who did well in the run-jump-throw-and-giggle Relays in Marble Falls, February 20, had the last laughs five days later in the Blanco Relays. Champions!

“It was a complete team effort,” Shaun Carter said, as he captured his first Gold in a head-coaching career—on the track—that is officially just one-meet old.

The day couldn’t have begun any better as Cara Mack, one of the few seniors on the entire squad, looked like she was taking a fast stroll to the gazebo. It didn’t look like that to her competitors—especially non-Llano foes—who finished way back in the 3200-meter run.

“It was exciting,” Cara declared. I guess so. She had a fine cross-country tour in the fall but didn’t win any races, so this was the first in a year. She’s coming back—strong—from two injuries since the spring 2009.

The Mack family should have enjoyed the weekend pretty well. Cara’s sophomore sister, Ciera, was second in the 32, her first silver medal on varsity. “I’m happy with the finish, not so happy with my time,” Ciera noted.

Samantha Lopez, another sophomore, whom it already seems has been running forever, claimed the bronze medal. “I wasn’t feeling so well, but I’ll push through this.” No question there. She was district champion a year ago in the metric mile and two mile.

“We had a tough workout the day before the Blanco Meet,” Carter advised, “and some of the team was concerned about that, but we train for the end of the season, not a meet this early in the year. The girls were running on tired legs and went 1-2-3. A win’s a win.”

With more to come: Cara was first in the 1600 with Samantha, third, and Ciera, fourth. Amanda Lopez won the 800-meter chase, with Emily Holland, third, and Amanda picked up bronze in the 400. All of this helped propel the Ladies to 154 points in the standings. San Antonio Cole was 33 points behind, while Wimberley, Canyon Lake, and Bandera wound up fifth, sixth, and seventh.

Others in Black and Orange who made their points: Olivia Hutto and Allie Rostron—second and fourth in the 100-meters and third and fifth in the 200. Amanda and Olivia teamed with freshmen Sierra Kirchner and Taylor Durham to take silver in the mile relay.

Rostron and Taylor Francis were third and fourth in the high jump, while Francis was also fourth in the long jump, and Taylor Gonzales was fifth. “Allie high jumped four feet, 10 inches, and Francis cleared at four-eight,” said coach Jim Woodard. “It wasn’t bad at all for a first meet.” Indeed, especially considering those high jumpers were playing basketball nine days prior. “We use their basketball and volleyball talents, tweak them a bit, and see what we can do,” Woodard added. He’s just finishing basketball himself, and that followed football.

More points worth collecting: Kelsey Center was second in the shot put, while Jessica Montez and Sierra Hernandez tied for third. Montez—another one recently on the hardwood, along with Center—got another third in the discus, and Victoria Calzoncit was fifth. So was Skyler Sprey in the triple jump. Sprey, Jacey Smathers, Anna Burke, and Taylor Durham were fifth in the 4x100-meter relay, and Skyler, Taylor, Anna, and Holland were fifth in the 4x200 relay.

“Everyone came out and did what we wanted,” Carter asserted with plenty of enthusiasm in his delivery. “We took care of business.”