The job is finished.
Heading into the final race of the season, Atascocita needed at least a second-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay. But that wouldn’t be the way these Eagles would write their final chapter.
With a time of 3:10.26 the Eagles sealed the program’s first-ever team track and field state championship by winning the 4x400-meter relay, defeating Duncanville, and finishing with 70 total points.
"This one is for the Kingwood/Humble area," Atascocita coach Elton Ervin said. "We won this for y'all."
Atascocita out-dueled rival Duncanville, which finished with 61 points for second place overall. Katy Tompkins finished third overall with 60 points.
This is the third team state title for an Humble ISD program in the past four years. Summer Creek won titles on the boys side in 2021 and 2022. Since 2014, this is the fourth title as Kingwood claimed the crown that season.
Atascocita senior Jelani Watkins made the most noise of the day, winning all three events he was a part of.
Watkins, a LSU football and track and field signee, first anchored the state record-setting 4x100-meter relay team. The squad clocked a time of 39.14 for the gold and record. Tory Blaylock, Landon Fontenot and Jordan Parker rounded out the rest of the team.
In the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, Watkins strided to gold in both with times of 10.19 and 20.60. The Atascocita senior had a hand in 30 of Atascocita’s total points.
"Jelani had an amazing day," Ervin said. "Winning three golds at the 6A level is hard."
In the field events, Atascocita received crucial points from junior Jackson Norris, who took silver in the long jump. Norris on his final jump of the day reached 24-feet-0.75 inches to take second place.
"Jackson set the tone with his second place, that was special," Ervin said. "Especially on his last jump."
Bennie Haywood placed sixth in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.21, while Fontenot took sixth in the 400-meter race clocking in 47.14. Both finishes gave Atascocita a point apiece towards the team total.