ABERNATHY- In a meet highlighted by outstanding performances, the Shallowater girls and Slaton boys were able to get very close victories during the District 1-3A/ 2-3A Area Track and Field meet at Antelopes Stadium on Thursday.

The Fillies scored 114 points to edge Bushland’s 98 points, while Slaton tallied 100 points that just held off Canadian (99) by a single point. Though the Wildcats didn’t win the meet that didn’t stop Canadian from having some very superb individual showings. For a second straight week Preston Miller was on display bringing home four gold medals while qualifying for the regional meet in five events. Miller started his morning setting two personal records. The junior won the long jump event with a leap of 23-feet-1 inch. He then took the board once more hitting a jump of 44-feet-9 inches to win the triple jump event.

Miller wasn’t done there. In the afternoon, Miller found the medal stand once again by clocking a 40.30 to gain a victory in the 300-meter hurdles and anchored the Wildcats mile relay team with Trace Mitchell, Julian Dominguez, Camden Cook, to a season-best performance of 3:26.75. Miller also qualified in the 110-meter hurdles getting fourth with a time of 15.43.

Bushland also made noise thanks to its sprint relay team of Ivan Soto, Max Rodriguez, Tate Butcher and Baylor King. The four-some once again showed their speed by blazing a 42.65 to punch a ticket to regional. Butcher also qualified with a silver in the 100-meter dash (10.70), and King advanced thanks to a silver in the 200-meter race (22.29).

CJ Deagan and Christian Rosales of River Road were two more local athletes that stood out. Rosales went double gold by winning the 1600-meter run (4:54.04) and the 3200-meter race (10:40.12). Deagan followed by taking gold in the 400-meter race running a time of 51.82, then qualified in the triple jump (43-feet-2 inches) and as part of the mile relay.

On the girls side, Bushland’s Jesse Fowler, Leah Ruthardt and Emma Troxell all made history by setting new school records. Fowler ran an 11.97 for a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash to put her name in the record books. Ruthardt sprinted to a gold medal time of 25.48 to not only win the 200-meter race but break a new school mark, and Troxell tossed a 133-feet-4 inches to get the victory in the discus for a new record.

Canadian’s Samantha Krehbiel was one of many Texas Panhandle athletes that qualified for regional in multiple events. Krehbiel is headed to Abilene in two races starting with eye-popping season-best time of 11.85 to take gold in the 100-meter dash. She was also part of Canadian’s silver medal mile relay team that ran a 4:11.94. Teammate Konnar McClendon went double gold with wins in the 1600-meter (5:49.01) and the 3200-meter race (12:27.20), Childress standout Taylor Wiseman won the discus (138-feet-8 inches) and the shot put (42-feet-10 1/2 inches), and Spearman’s Braylen Lusby brought home two golds in the 800-meter run (2:22.39) and the triple jump (35-4 1/4).

With all the performances on Thursday, not many stood out like Shallowater’s Makki Hart. The junior ran away from the pack to easily win the 400-meter race with a time of 58.41. Hart, the daughter of former Texas Tech wide receiver, Donnie, then led the Fillies to a gold with a 4:01.94 to claim gold in the mile relay and will head to regional in the sprint relay after getting silver.

The Region I-3A Track and Field meet is set for April 28-29 on the campus of Abilene Christian University.

District 1-2A/ 2-2A Area

Gruver sweeps area championship 

Just like they did at district, the Gruver track and field teams made it a clean sweep during the District 1-2A/ 2-2A Area Track and Field meet on Thursday at West Texas High in Stinnett.

The Lady Hounds racked up 104 points which was 20 points better than Sunray’s 84. The Greyhounds registered 113.5 points to hold off Wellington’s 98.

Gruver standout and Oklahoma State basketball signee, Brenna Butler, qualified for regional in three events by winning three gold medals. Butler won the 300-meter hurdles race by clocking 47.98, and was a part of the Lady Hounds gold medal winning 800-meter relay team (1:52.21) and mile relay squad (4:20.74).

West Texas High sprinter Emorie McNabb also captured three gold medals. McNabb blazed to the medal stand winning the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.26. She then followed that effort with another win this time in the 200-meter race thanks to a 26.05, and was on the gold medal winning sprint relay team (51.10). Sunray’s Mia Gray was another one to watch Thursday. Gray went double gold in the shot put and discus. Gray tossed a throw of 38-feet-1 inch to get a victory in the shot put while throwing a 122-feet-2 inches to take the discus win.

Gruver had three individual champions on the boys side that helped the Greyhounds win the meet. During the running events, Joaquin Gavirio ran a 51.84 for a gold in the 400-meter race. In the field action, Jefferson Weaver found the medal stand with a toss of 45-feet-5 inches in the shot put, and Pratt McLain leaped 15-feet-3 inches to claim victory in the pole vault.

As good as Gruver was, Shamrock’s Caden Peevey stole the show especially during the running events. The multi-sport standout showed his stellar speed running a 10.65 to win the 100-meter dash, followed by a 22.00 to gain gold in the 200-meter. Peevey also punched a ticket to regional by winning the long jump (22-feet-1 1/2 inches) and made it as part of the silver medal 800-meter relay squad. Wellington made a statement by winning all three relays for 60 of the Skyrockets points. Wellington ran a time of 44.82 in the sprint relay, 1:32.05 in the 800-meter relay and a 3:32.08 in the mile. Booker’s Adrian Rosales is headed back to regional thanks to going double gold. Rosales won the 3200-meter run (10:22.24) and the 1600-meter (4:51.89). Colton McDowell of Sunray also won two gold medals sweeping. the hurdle events by clocking a 15.08 in the 110-meter hurdles, and a 42.52 in the 300-meter hurdles.

District 3-2A/ 4-2A Area

The Panhandle boys showed a flair for the dramatics by getting the area championship on the final race Friday afternoon.

Trailing New Deal by 10 points heading into the mile relay, the four-some of Cooper Neil, Landon Durst, Wyatt Brookshire and Landyn Hack came together to run a 3:29.20 and win the gold medal that led the Panthers to a thrilling District 3-2A/ 4-2A Area championship. With that win Panhandle finished with 117 points to New Deal’s 115. The Lions didn’t help themselves finishing fourth in the mile relay (3:33.20). Hack not only qualified for regional in the mile relay, but he also won the discus event (154-4), won another gold as part of the sprint relay and was fourth in the 400-meter. Wetera Schlachter had a big day for Boys Ranch. Schlachter earned a pair of gold medals by winning the 3200-meter run with a 10:47.99, and the 1600-meter thanks to a time of 4:51.10, and placed silver in the 800-meter (2:07.20). 

On the girls’ side it was Farwell taking home the team title with 115 points. Farwell was able to outlast Panhandle which scored 110. 

Jaime Bella and Kennedi Richey both shined for Farwell. Bella won the 400-meter race clocking a 58.91, and she was a part of the 800-meter relay that won gold (1:46.63) and the silver medal mile relay squad (4:11.30). Bella also advanced with a bronze in the long jump. Richey claimed gold in the 300-meter hurdles running a time of 46.08, and was also part of the 800-meter and mile relay teams. Richey earned a silver in the triple jump as well.

Vega’s Kami Drinnon was on fire throughout the day qualifying in five events and racking up 41 points on her own for the Lady Longhorns. Drinnon went triple gold on Friday winning the 100-meter hurdles (15.93), the long jump (17-feet-4 1/4 inches) and the triple jump (36-feet-1 inch). Drinnon then took a silver in the 100-meter dash (12.70) and won bronze as part of the sprint relay.

The Region I-2A Track and Field meet is set for April 28-29 on the campus of West Texas A&M University.

District 1-1A/ 2-1A Area

Follett boys, Silverton girls highlight area meet

The Follett boys and Silverton girls track squads took home District 1-1A/ 2-1A Area Track and Field championships on Thursday in White Deer. 

The Lady Owls put up 136 points which was more than enough to second place McLean’s 92. 

Maddie and Brenna Francis each highlighted the afternoon for Silverton. Maddie won the 300-meter hurdles race with a time of 48.72. Maddie was also part of the sprint and mile relay squads with Brenna that won gold with times of 52.87, and 4:28.06. Brenna is also headed to regional in the long jump with a gold medal leap of 16-feet-3 3/4 inches and took silver in the triple jump (33-10). Miami’s Anna Hudson is headed back to regional to defend her crowns. The Tarleton State signee won the 100 and 200-meter races with a 13.40, and 27.06. White Deer’s Makayla Chaney joined in the gold medal party by winning the 1600-meter (6:18.47) and the 800-meter run (2:36.68).

Follett’s Julian Barton tallied 30 points on his own with three gold medal performances to lead the Panthers. Barton won the 3200-meter run with a 10:40.21, he then took gold in the 800-meter run clocking a 2:07.75, and then won the 400-meter race with a 53.30.

Silverton’s Sawyer Francis was his stellar self. Francis swept the hurdle events by running a 14.88 to get gold in the 110-hurdles. He then followed that effort with a 41.56 for a gold in the 300-hurdles. Francis wasn’t done as he won one more gold medal by leaping 21-feet-4 1/2 inches in the long jump. Valley’s Gunnar Bowles is on his way back to regional after an impressive area meet. Bowles went double gold in the shot put (43-feet-3 3/4 inches) and the discus event (150-feet-9 1/2 inches). Claude’s Javon Lee also went double gold by clocking an 11.37 to win the 100-meter dash, and a 22.90 to claim gold in the 200-meter race.

The Region I-1A Track and Field meet is set for April 28-29 on the campus of South Plains College in Levelland.