The rain comes and goes, waves of blue sky and sun alternating with dark clouds and cool wind. The infield is damp, the fields are muddy, but the seven teams unload from their yellow school buses and join the Mavericks. At one o’clock, the gun goes off for the first event. Over the next five hours, the gun went off many times. Runners had races in the heat, the drizzle, and the downpours. But it took more than rain to stop this track meet.

On the Friday before spring break, March 11, McNeil hosted the 23rd annual Maverick Relays. Despite forecasts for rain, the meet went as planned with the exception of field events other than shot put.

Halfway through the meet, during the varsity girls 800 meter relay, there was pouring rain and lightning, which resulted in a delay. The meet picked back up to finish the relay and the JV and varsity girls 400 meter dashes, until more lightning led to the cancellation of the rest of the events –  the 300 meter hurdles, 200 meter dash, 1600 meter, and 1600 meter relay.

The cancellation of field events other than shot put came the day before the meet, as a result of standing water and safety concerns in the fields.

“I have senior friends who just do field events,” junior Ashley Helms said. “So now they won’t have a last Mav Relays.”

Even with the omission of field events and the early finish to the meet, it was successful. Varsity girls were the Mav Relay champions finishing with 106 points, 16 more points than the second place Round Rock. Varsity boys, JV girls, and freshman boys won their divisions as well, with JV boys coming in second.

The varsity girls 3200 meter relay took first, and the 400 meter and 800 meter relays took second. Individually, Faith Tormusa (10) won and Miki Romain (12) placed fourth in the 100 meter hurdles, Larissa Herold (11) placed second in the 800 meter run, Hannah Solano (10) placed sixth in the 100 meter dash, and Elisha Franklin (11) took sixth in the shot put.

“The track season has been going well,” senior Kate Bean said. “Everyone has been putting in so much hard work and effort, and we’re seeing the results of everybody’s hard work in our performances at the meets. The team is really great, we all motivate and support each other.”