Unfinished business: Lewisville’s girls relays seek to bring home medals from state meet

But the Harlin sisters, Allen and Wilson have more than made up for that shortcoming. They won the Region I-6A title in the 4x100 with a 46.22. Eight days prior at the 5-6A/6-6A area meet, they hit all of the right notes in cruising to first place. The relay posted a winning time of 45.77, which, at the time, was the second-fastest time in the state.

The same four runners will also take aim at the state title in the 4x200. The Harlin sisters, Allen and Wilson will look to make a trip to the medal stand. And they came into the state meet fresh off earning second place at the regional meet.

One advantage that Lewisville will have at Mike A. Myers Stadium, the site of the state meet, is experience. The Harlin sisters have run on the same relays with Allen for the past three seasons, and with Wilson for the second consecutive season. Wilson transferred to Lewisville from Hebron before her sophomore season.

The state meet will be the final high school meet for the Harlin sisters, who will run in college at TCU. Allen is a dual-sport standout, having recently led the Farmers softball team to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. She is a Georgia commit in softball.

In this week’s Star Local Media student-athlete profile, the Harlin sisters, Allen and Wilson chat about making the state meet in the 4x100 and 4x200, breaking the school record in the latter and the competition that they will face at the state meet.

SLM: Congratulations on making the state meet in the 4x100 and 4x200. What was clicking for you at the Region I-6A meet?

TH: Everything felt effortless. We really wanted to win. We had unfinished business.

SLM: What was the difference that allowed you to get over that hump in the 4x100?

BH: It was more of a mindset. We were doing the same training. We were just doing more mental exercises to push harder and know what we need to do. We got the mindset and now we're going to state.

SLM: What did it mean for you all to break the school record in the 4x100?

BH: We haven't run that fast all season, and there was another school that had run a faster time than us. We didn't want to lose. We knew that they had a chance to beat us. We just made sure that we got ourselves ready and get out and run. We did it. That time felt totally unexpected.

SW: After we ran that time, it gave us more confidence that we could go to state and win and possibly break the state record.

SLM: What has allowed these two relays to have so much success?

TH: Chemistry.

SW: We're really close with each other. Our chemistry is really, really strong. I know that if anything goes wrong that they have my back to go out there and do well, and I have theirs.

SLM: How much do you work in practice on hand-offs?

SW: We do hand-offs every single day and we do a lot of them. We may not be good in practice with them, but we have that trust in each other to know that we can go out in a meet and do what we need to do. 

SLM: Paislie, how do you manage to balance track and softball?

PA: I have a schedule. Some days I would go to track. Some days I would go to softball. It's just communication with my coaches and letting them know about practice. 

SLM: The state meet is the last track and field meet in high school for Te'Anna and Bre'Anna. What is the mindset heading into state for you both?

BH: I want to go out with a bang. I want to end my high school season with a win. I want to be happy about what I did and the season that I've had. When I go to college, I expect bigger things of myself.

TH: I want to go out with a bang, a win. I want to be able to say that we did that.

SLM: What are your thoughts on the competition that you will face at the state meet?

SW: Our competition at regionals was up there, but we came out with a win. At state, they're coming in with fast times. It's going to be tough competition, but I'm still confident in our abilities to go out there and take care of business.