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The Woodlands High School State Champion Track Team Honored by CISD Board of Trustees

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Coaches and students from The Woodlands High School’s Boy’s Track Team pose with Trustee Ray Sanders (fourth from left) at the June Board Meeting.

The June meeting of the Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees was an occasion for celebration as The Woodlands High School Boys’ Track Team was honored for their performance at the 2017 UIL Class 6A Track and Field State Championships held at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin in May. Juris Green, head track coach, introduced his coaching staff and athletes after reminiscing on some of the key elements that contributed to the momentous season.

“It’s incredible when you have all the athletes who participate either meet or exceed their expectations in what is probably the most difficult state meet,” Green said.

He began by explaining an interesting connection. Coach Mark Schmid, current head of The Woodlands High School’s Athletic Department, was a coach for the 1999 Texas State Championship Team, which was the only other Boys’ State Track Championship acquired in The Woodlands High School’s history. Green expressed his excitement for experiencing his first, and The Woodlands High School’s second, track championship alongside Schmid.

“We go back a long way,” Green said. “To be working under an athletic director that creates the culture that he does, one that says there is no ceiling on achievement, is really special.”

He continued to praise the team and mentioned that the track title was just one of many great happenings at the high school.

“I said back in the fall, during cross country season, that it was a special time to be walking down the Highlander Athletic Hall,” Green told the Board. “This spring was no different.”

Members of the 2017 Championship Team received special recognition from the Board. Adrian “Tripp” Piperi, who will attend the University of Texas at Austin this fall, became the 6A Boys’ Shot Put Champion for the third year in a row, with a throw of 68’3.75’’. Cecil Gregg, who is headed to MIT, secured the Boys’ Long Jump State Championship with a jump of 21’1’’. Both will participate in track and field at the college level. Junior Kesean Carter attained the 100 Meter Dash Championship with a time of 10.32 seconds, and also competed on the 4×200 Meter Relay Team with Ethan Bonner, Jacob Barrett, and Jake Lanier. The athletes took home the State Championship with a time of 1:23.81, setting the new 6A state record. William Hunsdale and Patrick Piperi were also instrumental to the team’s success in gaining points which secured the team’s title of 2017 6A Champions, beating 50 teams and winning the title by 6 points.

“We’re just sitting back, waiting for the points to come, and with just a few events left we knew we had done something special,” Green reminisced.

The head coach introduced Adrian and Patrick Piperi to the Board before introducing his coaching staff, which includes Sean Hamilton, first assistant track & field coach, Gary Madore, throwing coach, Chris Bails, relays coach, and Robbie Dueitt, pole vault coach. Handshakes and congratulations were exchanged between the Board Members and the team staff and players after Trustee Ray Sanders presented them with a plaque commemorating their success.