Posted: Wed, 5 May 2010 07:10 AM - 8,183 Readers

By: Kevin Posival

DreVan Anderson-Kaapa found a sticky note which read 'the difference between being good and great is the desire.' while Chabrea Owens reminded Bria McIver to run her own race.

McIver's technique and Anderson-Kaapa's desire led to record-breaking performances in the running finals Tuesday at the Region IV-4A Track and Field meet at Alamo Stadium.

Anderson-Kaapa broke the regional record in the 800 meters with his one minute, 55.04-second win and earned his second-consecutive qualification in the event for the UIL State Track and Field meet May 14-15 at the University of Texas in Austin.

"It's a relief now that I know what I have to do (at state), I can go there and do it now," Anderson-Kaapa said. "Now that I'm only training one event, I can work solely for that event."

McIver, just a sophomore, won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.08 seconds, also in record-

breaking fashion and started crying even before she crossed the finish line.

After placing third at regionals last year as a freshman, McIver ran friend and district foe Keeley Wagner from Lake Travis out of the state meet. Wagner, who had Monday's fastest qualifying time, finished third behind McIver and Britny Biles.

"I've been scared of Keeley but, this year, it wasn't necessarily about me winning it, I just wanted to go to state," said McIver, who was the District 25-4A champion Lady Roos' only state qualifier.

"More than anything. I've had it set it my mind and I wasn't going to be satisfied with nothing more than just going. Even if I got just second, barely, I just wanted to go."

After being reminded by Owens to just run her race like at practice, McIver took the lead after the first hurdle and left her nerves and competition and everything else behind her.

"That's what I do at practice. I try to beat myself as much as I can, so I was racing myself," McIver said. "I didn't see anybody, hear anybody. It was just me versus my time."

Anderson-Kaapa, who became Killeen's first state-qualifying distance last year, also finished third, one place shy of earning an automatic state qualification, in the 1,600.

The senior and University of Houston signee senior placed third in the mile behind Boerne Champion's Ethan Doherty and Nathan Christianson.

"In the mile, I was really just looking to PR (personal record) and if I had a chance to make it to state, I would, but I did my job in the 800," Anderson-Kaapa said. "I came to regionals to win the 800 and that's what I did."

Anderson-Kaapa placed seventh at the state meet in the 800 last year as a junior, but only after finishing second to Doherty at regionals.

"It was awesome finally being able to come out here and win the 800 for the region, that made my weekend," said Anderson-Kaapa, who was pushed the final 200 meters by San Antonio's Brackenridge's Johnny Camacho and Corpus Christi Moody's Steven Gonzales.

"When I heard those guys coming up, I was like, 'I want to win. I want this one.' I just put the pedal to the medal in that last part ... I knew that I still had gas in the tank," Anderson-Kaapa added.