BY CRAIG CRAKER ccraker@oaoa.com, Odessa American, April 27, 2007

The Monahans Lady Loboes will have a different look this weekend.

They will still be wearing their familiar green uniforms, but instead of dominating in the relay events at the Region I-3A track and field meet, they will be focusing mainly on field events and sprints.

The Lady Loboes sent two relays — the 400 and 800 — to state last season, finishing sixth in the 400 and eighth in the 800.

This season, however, their relays are in the middle of the pack going into the regional meet.  “That is just how it is,” said Jordan Latham, who competed in both state events. “We lost a lot of fast people. We will make the finals and do pretty well.”

While Latham isn’t likely to go back to state in the relays, she has three other events to try to qualify in — long jump, high jump and 100 meters.
 “She has really worked hard this year,” Monahans girls track and field coach Chris Simpson said. “She has more experience than most all of the other girls on the team. She has been finishing in the top three in every event she has been in.”

She is seeded in the middle of the pack in the 100, high and long jump, but thanks to some stiff competition in Monahans, she has a chance in the high jump.  Teammate Katie Holly, a freshman, has cleared 5 feet, 6 inches this year in the high jump and is the favorite to win the event this weekend.  “I like it a lot better because she makes me work a lot harder,” Latham said. “I have never had the competition in practice and it helps.”