The boys' golf team took third in this week's state golf tournament in Austin. Pictured are : Michael Bertness, John Brock, Ben Steinle, Buddy Hallman, Ryan Bell, and Coach Michael Pike.

The track team celebrates at dinner following the competition.

Five members of the Travis boys’ track team set personal records and one qualified for the State meet at the Regional track meet at Turner Stadium this week.

Top – Tyler Johnson, Buddy Hallman, John Brock, Coach Pike; bottom-Ben Steinle, Ryan Bell, Michael Bertness

The varsity boys’ golf team will head to Onion Creek Golf Course in Austin for the state tournament Sunday. The tournament will be played Monday and Tuesday.

Playing for Travis will be Tyler Johnson, Buddy Hallman, John Brock, Ben Steinle, Ryan Bell and Michael Bertness.

Also placing at district was Candace Rich – 4^th in triple jump

Morgan Kidd – 6^th 3200m run and 7^th in 1600m run

Elisa Traveras- 4^th in high jump

scoring  161 pts.  The following athletes medaled or placed in the following events:

Darius Doakes:   2^nd  Place High Jump, 2^nd Place 110mh, 4^th Place Triple Jump, 6^th Place Long Jump

Jeremiah Osei:   3^rd  Place Triple Jump, 3^rd Place Discus, 3^rd Place Long Jump, & 3^rd Place 4×100 relay

David Ike:   2^nd Place Discus

Cody Arns:    6^th Place Shot Put

Juwan Williams :   3^rd Place 4×100 relay, 2^nd Place 4x 400 relay, 3^rd Place 4×200 relay & 5^th Place Long Jump

Romerion Phillips:   1^st Place 400m, 3^rd Place 4×100 relay, 2^nd Place 4×400 relay

Cody Cunningham    2^nd Place 4X400 relay

Zach Winn:    3^rd  Place 4×100 relay,  3^rd Place 4×200 relay

Cleo Amadi:   3^rd Place 4×200 relay, & 5^th Place 100m

Brandon Sparks-Moffett:     3^rd Place 4×200 relay, 2^nd Place 4X400 relay, & 4^th Place 200m

Kesean Daniels :   2^nd Place 110mh, & 2^nd Place 300mh

Quayyam Marana:    1^st Place 800m, & 6^th Place 1600m

Landon Coufal:    6^th Place 110mh,

Braden Woolridge:    2^nd Place 3200m

Manny Hayashi    3^rd Place 3200m, 5^th Place 1600m

Caleb Davis:    2^nd Place 800m & 6^th 400m

Tyler Deiss:    4^th Place 800m

 Junior Varsity boys finished in 6^th place overall in the team standings in the track and field championships scoring 38 pts.  The following athletes medaled or placed in the following events:

Ikenna Amalari :   3^rd Place 4×100 relay

Parker Smith:    3^rd Place 4×100 relay, 5^th Place 4×200 relay

Jordan Haynes:    3^rd Place 4×100 relay, 5^th Place 4×200 relay,  & 5^th Place 4×400 relay

Dylan Tiedt :   3^rd Place 4×100 relay, 5^th Place 4×200 relay, & 5^th Place 4×400 relay

Duane Facey-Garcia:    6^th Place 800m

Leke Ayannusi :   2^nd Place 110mh, 2^nd Place 300mh, & 5^th Place 4×400 relay

Malik Bailey :   5^th Place 4×200 relay, & 5^th Place 4×400 relay

Reed Olman :   6^th Place Discus

Varsity Track Team

The Varsity Boys Track and Field team qualified five athletes for the regional competition this week at the 23-5A district track and field championships.

“They competed well and did an outstanding job of representing Travis HS,” Coach Michael O’Guin said.

The regional meet will be held at Turner Stadium on the campus of Humble HS on April 27 and 28.

The following athletes qualified for the regional championships:

Achille Hie, 3rd Place, Triple Jump; Keith Walker, 3rd place, Shot Put; Derek Richard, 1st place, pole vault; Jarell McFarland, 3rd place, 400-meter; and Raymond Chukwuma, 3rd place, 200-meter.

An altruistic player like Odenigwe loves the thrill of playing his favorite sport at a competitive level. A player like Odenigwe also has to be very dedicated.

“I have practice every Monday through Thursday,” Odenigwe said.

With so many years dedicated to soccer, there have got to be some special memories.

“My all time favorite would have to be when my team and I went to a competition in Mexico,” Odenigwe said. “My team and I won a huge trophy for first place at that competition.”

Michael realized he loved soccer more than any other sport back in fourth grade.

“I scored most of the goals for my team in that games and I enjoyed the thrill of scoring, i also enjoyed the appreciation I received shortly after the game, ” Odenigwe said.

Odenigwe’s older brother inspired him to play soccer. He started to love the sport when he would watch his older brother practice. Odenigwe’s brother would always take him out to the soccer fields by their house and they would play a game. When he saw how good his brother was he made it his goal to become even better than he was. He hopes to get a scholarship to play soccer.

Odenigwe is now playing center defender and forward for Travis and The Houston Dynamo Academy.

“I prefer to play for Houston Dynamo Academy because it’s more competitive,” Odenigwe said. “And I get free stuff because we are sponsored.”

Students will line the halls and hold up spirit banners urging the team on to victory as the players file through on their way to their bus Thursday morning.

The Tigers earned a state playoff spot by virtue of a 57-34 win over Hightower High School in the regional playoffs at the Campbell Center.

Tipoff for the first game at the state tournament is 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Students who wish to attend the game will be able to check out of school at 11:30 a.m. provide they bring a signed note from a parent, and a parent must be present to check them out of school.

Classes will be in session for students who do not attend the game.

“I played on a small team near Liverpool, we were pretty good, I scored about two goals a game because i played both forward and outside midfield.”

Daniel’s father loves the game of soccer.

“He is a brilliant football player. He was recruited to play for a team when he turned 16. He could have gone to the premier league had he stuck with it, but he quit the team to find a job and save his money.”

His family, including Daniel, now reside in Pecan Grove, where they watch English Premier Football every weekend.

His soccer position could be the most exhausting on the field.

“I play out on the wing,” he said.

This is the same thing as an outside midfielder.

“My job is to make runs into space up and down the field, for the whole game,” he said. “You’re going to be making a lot of pointless runs, but its all about teamwork. You’ve got to do your job on the team and make special things happen.”

A dedicated soccer player might practice for about six hours a day, five days a week.

“If I really wanted to play soccer in college, I would practice a lot more often than Ido now. I do not play club soccer, just high school. And we practice about three days a week.”

Going to college to play soccer is a big accomplishment.

“I’ve been offered to play for a team in Tennessee, but it’s a small, small school. Division 3, I believe,” he said. “But if i don’t get any other offers, I might go play there just because it would be a blast to play in college.”