Cragin advances to state track meet

FRIENDSWOOD — Friendswood senior Garrett Cragin traded in his basketball jersey for a track jersey and has found himself as one of the top high jumpers, not only in the state, but in the nation among high school competitors.

This past weekend, Cragin won the 4A Region III high jump at 7'0" which is No. 1 in the state of any class. He is in the top three in the nation. He won the District 24-4A high jump at 6'7".

Cragin had a standout season on the basketball court for the Mustangs and showed great leaping ability there, but he has now transferred that ability to the high jump where he has really opened the eyes of all his competitors.

The amazing thing is that Cragin's participation at the district meet was the first time he had ever competed at a track meet.

"He came to us just a couple of days before district and asked if he could give the high jump a try," assistant coach Daron Scott said. "We had no idea what he could actually do, much less win the event."

Cragin broke the 26-year-old Friendswood HS high jump mark of 6'10" that was set back in 1988.

The state record of 7'4 3/4" is held by Class 2A high jumper James Lott set in 1983. The Class 4A state mark is 7' 1 1/2" which was also set in 1983 so Cragin still has some goals when he participates at the 4A state track meet in Austin at the Michael A. Myers Stadium.

"It was one of the most incredible things I have every watched," Scott said. "Garrett is one of those athletes that is competitive, but he also has that inward competitiveness that makes him push himself."

Cragin's accomplishments have suddenly caught the attention of the coaches at the University of Texas and Texas A&M. There is no doubt that he will be on the radar at this year's state meet. He will compete on Friday, May 9 at 10:30 a.m.