Loboes' Cartwright Hard to Overlook
   By Craig Craker, Odessa American, May 11, 2006

MONAHANS   Spud Webb, Doug Flutie, Gail Devers and Monahans’ Chelsea Cartwright all have something in common.

The former Atlanta Hawks star, Boston College hero and Olympian all shined in their respective sports despite being smaller than everyone else.

Cartwright, a 5-foot-1 senior, may be short, but she hasn’t let that stop her track and field career that includes being one of the state’s best in the 100-meter hurdles.

“I’ve always been the smallest person, but I was always faster,” Cartwright said.  “So it was like, ‘Ha, I can beat all you bigger people.”

Cartwright goes into the UIL Class 3A State Track and Field Championships as the No. 1 seed in the hurdles.  She will also be running the anchor leg in the 400 and 800-meter relays Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

Joining Cartwright at state on the girls side is Jordan Latham, Crystal Madrid and Amanda Hernandez.

The group of girls is the most the school has sent to the state meet in at least 12 years, coach Chris Simpson said and Cartwright is a big reason why.

At the Region I-3A meet at Ratliff Stadium, both relays were lagging in third or fourth place when Cartwright got the baton and turned on the superchargers, racing to a first place in the 400 relay and a second in the 800 relay.

“Our basic strategy is to try to stay close,” Simpson said of the relays.  “And when you give it to Chelsea you never know what will happen.”

Cartwright competed at the state meet last year, finishing seventh in the 100 hurdles.

“I think it might have been some nerves,” she said.  “I was in the eighth lane, right next to the stands and I could see everyone stand up while I was running.  It is intimidating.”

This year, Cartwright will be in the fifth lane and hopes that last year’s experience will help her get over the nerves.  If she runs like she is capable, nerves would be about the only thing between her and a state title.

“Chelsea seems to be on a mission this year,” Simpson said.  “Her time is 14.49 (seconds) and the next closest is 14.81.”

While Cartwright has a state title in her sights in the hurdles, the relays may be another matter.

“Hopefully we’ll be in at least fourth and I can try to get back,” Cartwright said of when she gets the baton.  “Below that, and they’ll be too fast.”

While Cartwright is a near certainty at the end of the relays, the team is still trying to improve on the fundamentals.

“We’ve got to do better on our handoffs,” Hernandez said.  “I think we can run faster.  We never had competition until regionals.  We were always up ahead and it was kind of weird because someone was actually next to you.”

Madrid and Cartwright ran on the 400 relay that went to state last year and finished seventh, while Latham and Hernandez will be experiencing state for the first time.

“I told them it was fine,” Madrid said.  “It’s kind of scary, because (everyone) is pretty fast.”

With the two relays and Cartwright in the hurdles, the team could finish in the top 3 in the team race.  Relays are worth double points, so if the Loboes can win all three events they could score 50 points.

The 400 relay team is seeded seventh and ran 49.87 at the regional meet.  No. 1 seed Mexia ran a 48.21.  In the 800 relay, Monahans ran a 1:44.45 and is seeded eighth. Mexia, the No. 1 seed, ran a 1:42.18.