The Wylie boys track and field team has quietly had a strong season and continued its fast start Saturday at the 43rd Jesuit-Sheaner Relays. Wylie finished in a tie with Duncanville for sixth place in the 5A division with 36 points.

Wylie's Chris Givens finished second in the 5A 100 meters in 10.44 seconds and helped lead Wylie's 4x200 relay team to fourth in 1:28.47. Wylie's 4x400 relay team finished sixth in 3:24.03.

Antonio Marshall scored eight points for Wylie with a second-place finish in the long jump with a best leap of 22 feet, 3 ¾ inches. Thrower Jared Monk came in third in the 5A shot put with a heave of 50 feet, 7 inches. Monk finished 14th in a heated discus competition (135-2) that saw three athletes with throws better than 190 feet.

Skyline sophomore Howard Shepard is making the most of his first varsity track and field season.

Shepard, one of the Dallas ISD's bright young standouts in track, couldn't compete on Skyline's varsity team last year because he was ineligible after transferring from Carter the first week of his freshman year. Shepard competed for Skyline's junior varsity as a freshman.

Over the summer, Shepard showed his talent level when he became a Junior Olympic national champion in the 800 meters.

On Saturday, Shepard competed against the area's top runners at the 43rd Jesuit-Sheaner Relays. He was impressive in winning the 5A division 800 in 1 minute, 55.37 seconds, the second-fastest time in the state this year.

"I came into the race nervous because I hadn't run the 800 yet this season in good weather," Shepard said. "Coming in, I felt like the underdog. I came in wanting to get a win under my belt."

Shepard said his personal-best time in the 800 is 1:52.25, but he wants to run under 1:50 this season to make a run at a state title.

E-mail bgeorge@dallasnews.com