PHOTO BY CLAY WHITTINGTON Josh Barbero, seen as he prepares to clear a hurdle during practice, is one of six Blue Blazes team members to qualify for the TAAF Games of Texas. Barbero won the 14 and under 110 hurdles at the qualifing meet in Waco last weekend. At some point, everybody needs a helping hand.

Last weekend, Mason Morris received his.

After blasting his way to second place in the 12 and under 800- meter run at the Region V state qualifiers track meet in Waco, the Blue Blazes member had just 10 minutes to rest up for his next event, the 80 hurdles.

It almost was not long enough.

"He got a swig of water and walked back to the starting line for the hurdles," Blue Blazes head coach Trent Lancaster said. "His dad had to lift him over the fence to get back where he could put on his new hip numbers for the new event."

Despite the blistering sun, Morris placed second in that event as well.

"In that heat, that was a herculean feat," Lancaster said.

The achievement earned Morris a trip to the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Games of Texas held at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio July 23-26. He will attempt to repeat the feat when he competes in the same events.

Mason Morris was considered the "most outstanding" team member at the meet by Blue Blazes head coach Trent Lancaster. Morris will not be alone, however.

In all, six Blue Blazes members will make the trip to the Alamo City after finishing in the top three of nine events.

Joining Morris will be Zach Adams (high jump, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles), Josh Barbero (110 hurdles), Chase Birck (400), Cody Crofoot (discus) and Caitlyn Shaughnessy (80 hurdles).

While Morris was hailed as "perhaps the most outstanding athlete" in Waco by Lancaster, Adams put on quite a show of his own.

On the opening day of the twoday meet, Adams, competing in the 16 and under division, cleared 5-10 in the high jump to place first. The following day, he qualified in two more events, taking third in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles.

Shaughnessy punched her ticket to the state meet by winning a gold medal in the 80 hurdles. She barely missed qualifying in a second event after finishing fourth in the long jump.

Crofoot earned his way by taking third in the 16 and under discus.

Barbero won the 14 and under 110 hurdles despite suffering a toe injury two days prior. He could not overcome the injury in the 100, placing sixth.

In the 14 and under 400, Birck qualified with a second-place finish.

Danesha Toro narrowly missed going to San Antonio with a fourth-place finish in the 14 and under triple jump and a seventhplace finish in the 300 hurdles.

Also competing in the 300 hurdles, Crofoot was ninth.

Stephen McKinney missed the cut with a pair of fourth-place finishes in both hurdling events, while Desirae Yazzie was seventh in the 1,600.