ARLINGTON — John Tyler’s Andre Jefferson is following in his older brother’s footsteps by finishing as regional champion. Jefferson won the boys long jump with a leap of 24-6 ½. His older brother, Tyris, won the Class 5A state title last year as a member of Robert E. Lee.
His was one of many top performances District 16-4A delivered on the final day of competition at the Class 4A Region II track and field championships at UT Arlington.
The John Tyler girls 800-meter relay team finished second to grab a state qualifying spot. JT turned in a time of 1:39.16 with Lancaster winning the race in a time of 1:38.86.
Whitehouse’s Troy Hayden is going to the state meet in both the 3,200 and 1,600 meters. The Georgia Tech signee won the 1,600 meters in a time of 4:19.85. Hayden was second in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:30.86.
Fulani Petties captured the regional high jump title. The Whitehouse LadyCat went 5-8 with Lindale’s Travicia Acy also going to state by finishing runner-up with a jump of 5-7. Whitehouse’s Samantha Anderson narrowly missed out on joining them in Austin, finishing third in the girls 800-meter run in a time of 2:16.66. Colton Lampin also made the podium, but missed out on Austin, finishing third in the boys 300 meter hurdles in a time of 39.30.
Pine Tree’s Brittany Conway took top honors in the Girls pole vault, posting a mark of 11-6 with Nacogdoches’ Mason Hardy also qualifying for state in Boys pole vault, finishing second with a 15-0.
Class 5A
WACO — Robert E. Lee senior Jay Roberson overcame a broken pole win the boys pole vault Saturday afternoon at the Class 5A Region II track and field championships at Hart-Patterson Track Stadium.
“It’s just fantastic and I am so relieved,” Roberson said by telephone after his win. “This was my goal to get back to state.”
Roberson competed at the state meet last year as a junior for Fairfield, finishing second in Class 3A. A year later he’s back with a chance to capture a state championship medal in 5A.
Locked in a battle with other jumpers, Roberson missed his first attempt at 15 feet, 6 inches. On his second attempt, his pole snapped. That left a third attempt with a new pole and Roberson cleared the height to win the event.
The Class 5A state track and field meet will take place May 10-11 from Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin. Only the first and second place finishers at regionals qualified.
Also punching their tickets to Austin was Longview’s 400-meter relay team. The grouping of Jamycal Hasty, Jared Love, Dionte Wall and Nathan Jones won the event in a time of 41.22 seconds. Longview’s Cedric King is going in the boys long jump after posting a mark of 22-2 ¼, good enough for second place.
Lady Raiders distance runners Abby Halbrook and Allison Sanders finished 12th and 13th, respectively, in the girls 1600 meters with Antron Henry finishing 13th in boys discus.
Class 3A
COMMERCE — Area track athletes flexed their muscles in field events at the 3A Region II track and field meet held Friday and Saturday at Texas A&M-Commerce.
Beginning with Kilgore’s Ladarrin Anthony finishing as runner-up in the shot put, area boys athletes are going to state in every event except long jump. Anthony turned in a mark of 56-1 with Chapel Hill’s Kevone Kennedy finishing second in discus with 157-2. In triple jump, Rains’ Grant Russell was regional champion with a leap of 44-10 ¼ while Chapel Hill’s Jeffery Minor was second in high jump with 6-6.
Rounding out the state qualifiers in field events, Henderson’s Gabe Mereulo won the boys pole vault with a mark of 14-9.
More state tickets were punched in running event finals with Bullard’s Haden Bryant (14.74) winning the 110-meter hurdles and Henderson’s Tevin Vanzandt (49.10) grabbing first in the 400-meter dash. Gilmer’s Nick Smith took care of his affairs with a second-place finish (39.02) in the 300-meter hurdles.
The girls were equally impressive at regionals with area athletes garnering state trips in five events. Spring Hill’s Casey Rice (11-6) and Lindsey Sechrist (J11-6) went 1-2 in the girls pole vault while Holly Cunigan of Wills Point won the shot put with a toss of 40-1. Kilgore’s Tonye’cia Burks is going to state in two events, the first being triple jump, which she was second with a mark of 39-5.
Burk’s other obligation at the state meet will be 400-meter dash after she won the event at regionals in a time of 58.55. Pittsburg’s Shakira Duffey was second in the 400 with a time of 58.67.
Rounding out the are girls qualifiers is the Henderson’s 4x200 relay team which booked its place in Austin by finishing second in a time of 1:43.39.
Class 2A
WHITEHOUSE — Arp and Tatum came away the big winners Saturday from the Class 2A Region III track and field championships at Wildcat Stadium. Arp won the boys title with a total of 68 points with Tatum taking honors for the girls with 70 points.
Numerous area athletes qualified for the state meet.
Arp’s Mikechell Potts grabbed a first place finish in the boys long jump (22-0) and was part of the Tigers 800-meter relay team, which won in a time of 1:28.32. Harmony’s Daven Murphree won the boys vault with a leap of 17 feet. White Oak’s Riley Lakin was second with 14-9.
Hawkins Hunter Fair is going to Austin in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, thanks to first-place finishes in both. Fair won the 1,600 in a time of 4:30.63 and the 3,200 in a time of 9:50.65.
Winnsboro’s Kellan Jones booked his trip to Austin in the boys discus, thanks to a second-place throw of 148-11. Troup’s Michael Davis (49-10 ¾) and White Oak’s Jason Heim (48-9 ½) went 1-2 in the boys shot put. Winona’s Colton Chadbourne won the 300 hurdles (38.44) with Grand Saline’s Trent Phelps going to state in the 1,600, thanks to a second-place finish behind Fair in a time of 4:31.84.
On the girls side of things, White Oak’s Whitney Simmons booked a trip to state with a second-place finish in the discus (116-0) while Jamece Gulley of Winona qualified with a second-place finish in triple jump (37-4 ¾).
Madison Pecot of White Oak won the pole vault (12-0) and Edgewood’s Micaela Brown grabbed first place honors in the high jump (5-4).
The success continued for area athletes on the track with Paige Parker of Edgewood grabbing second in the 800 meters (2:28.57), Elkhart’s Paige Fillmore finishing second in the 300 hurdles (45.62) and the White Oak 1,600-meter relay team finishing second (4:07.60). Elkhart’s Anna Clark rounded out the state qualifiers with a runner-up finish in the 3200 meters (12:40.00).
Class 1A
BULLARD — Leverett’s Chapel speedster Rondrick Grant will be headed for state after he grabbed regional titles in the 200 and 400-meter dash events at the Class 1A Division II Region 3 track and field meet from Panther Stadium.
Joining his teammate is Jesse Harris, who took top honors in boys shot put (47-2).
Representing the girls from Leverett’s Chapel in Austin will be Cristal Chavez, who qualified for state in both hurdle events. Chavez won the 300-mter hurdles in a time of 52.45 and was second in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 18.24.