Girls track and field: Despite the graduation of Permian stars like Fobbs, Graham ready to pick up torch

AUSTIN A pair of seventh-place finishes Saturday for Permian High School's girls track and field program in the UIL Class 5A State Track and Field Championships marked the end of a four-year career and the start of what appears to be another.

Jamia Graham, a freshman, finished seventh in the girls 800 in a time of 2 minutes, 21.62 seconds that ranks as one of her slowest of the season.

Meanwhile, senior Porshia Fobbs was pretty close to her best at 14.31 in the 100 hurdles, but the field was simply too fast.

"My start was bad," Fobbs said. "If I would've come out like I did at regionals, I would've been 13.9, 14 flat. But my start was slow and I was behind from the beginning."

Fobbs had hoped to dip under 14 seconds after running a career-best 14.22 to win the Region I-5A title two weeks ago in Lubbock.

Even dropping under 14 seconds might not have matter in a very fast race.

Dallas Sunset's Lauren Blackburn won in 13.70 and Humble Kingwood's Kathryn Lupton was second in 13.80, with the bronze medal going to Converse Judson's Christina Holland in 13.91.

Even a 13.92 - which was run by La Porte's Sabrina Starr - wasn't quite good enough for a medal.

"I hate it for her to go out this way," Permian girls head coach Carl Chancellor said. "But I think she did all she could today."

In the 800, Graham lingered toward the back of a very tight pack, though she never has been a frontrunner even while winning the District 2-5A and Region I-5A titles in the event.

Heading into the last 300 meters, she began to make a move to the outside and appeared to have a chance, but she couldn't quite get around and ran out of gas on the backstretch.

"I was right behind them until the end," Graham said. "Now I've got to work hard for next year."

Graham has been battling a hip flexor much of the season and she didn't point to that as a reason for her finish.

Chancellor said that gives him high hopes for what she can do with another shot at the state meet.

"You know she has a huge future because she didn't make any excuses," Chancellor said. "She ran and did what she's supposed to do every day. She was in a position she hadn't been in all year and when she hit the jets, they just wouldn't go."