PLANO – Toddrick Allen cleared a personal-best 7 feet in the high jump March 21 at the 
Texas Southern University Relays. Quite a feat for someone still relatively new to the event.

"I used to play around with [high jumping] in the eighth or ninth grade," said Allen, a Plano East 
senior who said he first jumped competitively two years ago. "I was getting 5-9 or so then."

Allen, the reigning 5A state champion, will enter the 45th Jesuit-Sheaner Relays on Saturday as 
the only jumper who has cleared 7-0 in a meet this season.

Allen will be competing against several quality athletes from around Texas, including Arlington Seguin's 
Jared Colbert, who has cleared 6-10 this season.

"I feel like I can jump against anybody in the nation," Allen said. "It's just my determination. 
I don't let anybody scare me."

Tom Rapp, Allen's position coach at Plano East, isn't surprised to see about Allen's confidence level.

"Toddrick's a special talent. There's no other way to say it," Rapp said. "All I've done the last couple of 
years is work on a couple things for him to refine on. He just has natural talent."

Allen, a Houston signee, said he participates in workouts twice a day, once in the morning and again in 
the afternoon. He said he attempts about 15 jumps a day.

"Or I'll jump until I get a sense of accomplishment. Whichever comes first," Allen said.

What makes Allen's accomplishments even more impressive is the fact that he's not the tallest athlete. 
In an event where he competes against many who stand 6-3 or 6-4, Allen is 6-0.

Allen meshes athleticism and explosiveness with great technique. That, along with Rapp's tutelage, has 
helped him become the state's elite high jumper. Rapp said Allen has the tools to improve his personal best 
another two or three inches, "without any problems."

"I think the biggest thing will be his mental approach," Rapp said.

Allen added: "I'll get 7-3. I'm almost there. I just have to believe it and make it happen."

Saturday at Jesuit's Haggar Stadium

Shot put: Michael Carter threw a Jesuit-Sheaner Relays record 70 feet, 0 ¼ -inch in 1979. Meet director 
and founder Herb Sheaner said this could be the year that record falls. Stephen Saenz of Rio Grande City 
has thrown 71-0 ¼ in indoor competition this season. Whitesboro's Hayden Baillio also has a chance to crack 70-feet.

100 meters: All eyes will be on Rowlett's Marquise Goodwin, SportsDay's 2008 Boys Athlete of the Year in 
track and field. Goodwin medaled in five events and placed second in last year's 100 at state. Goodwin will 
have to fight off Justin Northwest's Chris Bain and Plano East's Corey Bassett.

Pole vault: Midlothian's Vince Frawley, the state's top vaulter, has cleared 16-11 this year. His twin brother, 
Eric, is No. 2 in the state at 16-5. The Frawleys will battle against defending 4A champ Jared Parker of Vidor, 
along with Smithson Valley's Logan Cunningham and Landon Ferguson, who all have cleared 16 feet. Joseph Caraway. who won Louisiana's indoor title this season, is scheduled to compete.

Elite girls mile: Greenhill sophomore Chelsey Sveinsson has been a record-setter since her freshman year. Sveinsson is the favorite to win the 1,600, but Cedar Park Vista Ridge's Ashley Isham – last year's 
Jesuit-Sheaner Relays winner – and Amanda Russell will make it tough.

Triple jump: Goodwin, the defending 5A champion, cleared 50-0 to win state last year. He and Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill's Kenny Roseman will be the athletes to watch. Roseman, who has jumped 49 feet in 
practice, won the TAPPS 4A title last season.