AUSTIN -- Before she picked up her gold medal at the UIL Track & Field Championships on Saturday, Lexington high jumper Amanda Dowdy had other metal to acquire.

Dowdy dug a quarter wrapped in athletic tape out of a trash can on her way to the medal stand.

"It's my lucky quarter," Dowdy said of the coin, which was accidentally thrown away by a meet official. "I've had it since the regional qualifiers meet where I jumped my best. I also have lucky socks I wear, two different colors on the same feet, a lucky sports bra and a lucky head band."

Dowdy got the quarter from a coach and used it to mark her steps at the successful regional qualifiers meet.

"I said, 'I'm keeping it,' and so I did."

She may have appreciated the lucky charms, but those who watched her perform at Mike A. Myers Stadium admired her skill and poise in front of an estimated afternoon crowd of 12,200. When defending Class 2A girls state champion Allison McNeal of Schulenburg stayed alive by clearing the bar on her third attempt at 5 feet, 6 inches, Dowdy went 5-7, throwing the pressure back on McNeal.

"When I won, I almost cried," Dowdy said. "This was so big. It's a big relief for me, but it has been my goal for an entire year. I'm disappointed I didn't get 5-10. I was going for it, but it's OK. I won."

It was the second straight year Dowdy and McNeal, who are headed to Big 12 schools to play volleyball, staged a showdown. Texas Tech-bound Dowdy was down after last season's disappointment. This year it was McNeal, who is going to Nebraska, shedding tears.

"I've gotten taller, stronger and can jump higher, and I've worked a little on my technique," said Dowdy, who did not have a miss until she had already clinched the competition.

Lexington sophomore Elyida Farwell, the defending state champion in the 100 meters and last year's silver medalist in the 200, mined gold in both races Saturday.

"I guess God has blessed me, because sometimes I walk on the track and my hip will be killing me," Farwell said. "I pulled through and I feel fine today. Great."

Her competitors got a good look at both of her races. Farwell started in Lane 1 in the 100 and shot to the front, running like she was feeling pressure. She never got any.

"I like to win," Farwell said. "I hate getting second or third, and I strive for [first]. Times don't really matter."

Her times were good, though, finishing the 100 in a wind-aided 11.98 seconds and the 200 in 24.56.

By winning each of their three events, the Lady Eagles finished fourth in the girls 2A team standings with 30 points. Universal City Randolph won with 58, but Lexington was within sight of second-place Childress (33).

In the Class A boys 800 relay, Dallas Gateway took the lead over Normangee on the third leg despite a hustling late effort by the Panthers' Dillon Wolfe.

"I kept thinking about how we worked so hard, and I couldn't let that guy pass me," said Wolfe, who seemed to have a jolt of energy when challenged.

Jordan Mullinnix pulled the Panthers from out of medal territory into the silver with his anchor leg. The Normangee quartet, which started with a good opening leg from Justin Mullinnix, ran a 1:30.55. The team, which also includes Landon Hodge, returns next year.

A year ago, the Mullinnix twins ran on the Panthers' 1,600 relay team that dropped the baton but finished fifth.

"Silver's OK," Justin Mullinnix said. "It's a lot better than dropping the stick."

Said Jordan Mullinnix: "We had the first-place team on the inside, and they were already ahead of us, and Alto on the outside. I caught two of them, but that inside lane already had the jump on us. I guess they just got us by a little bit, but we'll get them next year."

Dallas Gateway won the race in 1:29.37.

Bremond freshman Johnathan White ran a fast opening lap in the 800, leading after a 57-second split, but he finished fourth after a late sprint to the finish. White ran a career-best 2:00.36 but missed the silver by 0.03 and the bronze by 0.02. Josh York of Valley View ran 2:00.33 for second, and Elkhart Slocum's Otis Lackey ran 2:00.34 for third. Robert Lee's Josue Gallegos won in 1:59.76.

Bremond's Rickie Williams was fifth in the shot put (48-1 1/2), but his teammate LaDarral Bailey was disqualified from the 300 hurdles after originally being sixth. The apparent race winner, Cody Schneider, was also disqualified.

Anderson-Shiro's Misha Henderson was fifth in the Class A 100 (12.60) and sixth in the 300 hurdles (48.81).

• David Campbell's e-mail address is david.campbell@theeagle.com.

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