Track athletes rock at district meets, headed to area

Apr. 14—Like most every year, the UIL area track and field meet involving nearby Class 4A schools will have quite a bit of Kilgore red among the participating athletes.

And other schools in the Kilgore News Herald's sports coverage area will have a good representation, too.

Kilgore competed in the UIL District 16-4A Track and Field Championships last Thursday and Friday in Lindale, and did quite well — the top four finishers in each event move on to the area meet tomorrow at Bullard ISD Stadium.

For Kilgore's girls, coached by Robert Cooley, Chicquita Crain will run in both the 100 and 200 yard dashes at area — Crain was second in the 100 meter dash at the district meet (12.90 seconds) and won the 200 (26.65 seconds). Estrella Galvan finished third in the 800 meter run (2 minutes, 44.89 seconds), and Cristina Rosas and Zoe Craven finished 3-4 in the 1,600 (or mile) meter run — Rosas in 5:57.24, and Craven in 6:08.02.

Also qualifying for area for Cooley's Lady Bulldogs: Rosas again, in the 3,200 (or two-mile) run (13 minutes), the 800 meter relay team (finished in 1:52.03), Kaleeia Johnson in the shot put (35 feet, 4 inches); and Alexis T. Anderson in the triple jump (32 feet, 10 inches).

For coach Phillip Lane's KHS boys, area qualifiers are Corey Rider in the 100 meter dash (11:34 seconds); Caine Stanley in the 200 (22.22) — Stanley won the 200 at district; Josue Rosas in the 800 meter run (2:10.76); Ryan May, in the mile run (4:54.61); Austin Bain, in the two-mile (10:34.94); Matthew Tyeskie, who won both hurdles categories for Kilgore (finished in 14.82 to win the 110 meter hurdles and 40.26 to win the 300 hurdles); the 400 meter relay team of Rider, Davin Ryder, Dalton Smith and Stanley, who won that event in 43.53 seconds; the 800 meter relay team (the same foursome) in 1:31.96; Kaden Kenney, who won the shot put at district with a best of 54 feet, 6 inches; Omarion Smith in the discus, with a throw of 133 feet, 2inches; and Corey Rider yet again, this time in the triple jump (42 feet, 2.50 inches).

Kilgore's ultimate goal — as is that of every track athlete that competes in Texas high school track & field — is to reach the state meet. To do that, you have to get out of area, then out of regionals (April 23-24 in Commerce). The state meet is May 6-8 at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin — Classes 3A and 4A will be May 6; Classes 2A and 5A is May 7; and Classes 1A and 6A is May 8.

Track and field athletes from Sabine High and West Rusk High took part in their district track meets — at Ore City and at Tatum, respectively — last week.

Sabine competed in the District 15-3A meet at Ore City, and did well, as usual.

For Sabine's girls, qualifying for area was Lilly Brooks, who ran the 400 meter run in fourth in 1:05.38; Valeria Gonzalez, in the 800 meter run; Emma Logan, in both the mile run and two-mile run (she won the mile run at district in 6:07.19, and finished second in the two-mile in 13:33.53); Addie Morris, who won district in the 100 hurdles (17.10 seconds); Aubree McCann, who was second in the 300 hurdles at district (51.77); the girls 400 meter relay team, third at district (52.66); the 800 relay team, fourth in district (1:51.50); and the mile relay, too, which finished second in district (4:22.89).

Also qualifying for area for Sabine's girls: Callie Sparks, Mercedes Willet and Trinity Brooks all in the shot put (they finished second through fourth at district); Brooks and Willett in the discus (they finished 1-2 in district); McCann again, in the triple jump (third at district, with a 34 feet, 4 inches); and both Ryanne Stuart and Cale Brown in the pole vault.

For Sabine's boys, area qualifiers are David Robinson in the two-mile run (he won at district, in 10:48.98); and all three relay teams, the 400, 800 and mile; Kaden Manning in the long jump (he finished in 20 feet, 4.5 inches at district, for third); Asher Foster in discus — he won at district with a best of 138 feet, 8.5 inches; Jace Burns in the triple jump (won district with a 40 feet, 10-inch performance); Manning again, this time in the high jump (he won district with a 5-foot-9 best), as well as teammate Breydan Pobuda (third in district with a 5-6); and Dalen Dowell in the pole vault (second in district with a best of 12 feet).

West Rusk competed in the District 16-3A meet last weekend at Tatum.

WR girls qualifying for area: Ci-Ci Coleman, who won both the 100 meter dash (12.76 seconds) and the 200 meter dash (27.15 seconds) at district; Triniti Tatum in the 100 meter dash (13.5); Paulina Mata in both the 400 meter run (1:07.07) and the 800 meter run (2:40.82 in district, for third); Makaya Linton in the 300 meter hurdles (fourth in district with a time of 57.95); the 800 meter relay team (third at district in 1:52.08); the mile relay team (4:42.25, fourth at district); Coleman again, who won the long jump at district (16-6 feet); and Mata in the high jump (fourth in district with a 4-foot-6).

Area qualifiers for the West Rusk boys track team: Geremiah Smith in the 200 meter dash (ran it in 23.55 seconds in district, for fourth place); Bricio Ramirez (2:11.44) and Xander Mason (2:12) in the 800 meter run; the 800 meter relay team of Carson Martin, Andon Mata, Ty Harper and Omarion Anthony (who won district in a time of 1:31.05); both Calvin Mason (42 feet, 9 inches) and Adain Wilson in the shot put (42 feet, 6.5 inches); and Kason Reed in the discus (114 feet, 5 inches).