8 athletes compete at regional track meet

Thu, 04/18/2024 - 13:09

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8 athletes compete at regional track meet

The Albany Lions and Lady Lions will send eight athletes in eight events to regional after their performances Thursday, April 11 at the area track meet at Graham.

The Region II-2A meet is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, April 19-20 at Porcupine Stadium in Springtown.

The top two finishers in each event at the regional meet qualify for the Class 2A state meet, scheduled for Friday, May 3 at Austin. In addition, the top third-place finisher from the four regions receives a wild-card berth at state.

The II-2A meet will have boys pole vault, long jump, and shot put along with girls high jump, long jump, and shot put on Friday morning. Running prelims start at 2:00 p.m. Friday. All other field events are scheduled for Saturday morning with running finals starting at 2:00 p.m.

At area, seniors Adam Hill and Kiana Roberson, who have six state medals between them, both qualified in multiple events.

Hill, the defending Class 2A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles, won both hurdles races, placed third in the shot put and anchored the 1600 relay to a second-place finish. The Lions totaled 34 points to finish fourth in the boys team standings

“The ones going to regional are capable of doing something,” boys coach Rod Britting said. “We’re fired up about that. Maybe we can get a few to state.”

Roberson, last year’s state silver medalist in the throwing events, won the shot put and finished second in the discus. The Lady Lions scored 20 points for seventh in the team standings.

“Kiana’s sitting pretty well for regional,” girls coach Lauren Peacock said. “She’s in the top two in the shot and the discus. “She kind of gave us a heart attack in the discus at area, scratching on her first two throws and just threw it out for the third one to get three more throws in the finals.”

For the boys, Luke Marshall and Breylon Billington went 1-2 in the pole vault, and Jayce Tinkle was second in the 400. Chip Chambers, Jaxson Street, and Tinkle joined Hill on the 1600 relay. Albany’s 800 relay of Billington, Chambers, Street, and Calhan Fairchild finished seventh.

For the girls, Chey’Anne Weaver (discus) and Ashlyn Miller (400) both placed fifth. Miller claimed a regional berth when Stamford’s Lainee Lefevre withdrew from the event at regional to focus on relays.

“Making that phone call was one of the best I have made in a long time,” Peacock said of informing Miller. “There were some tears of joy. She’s excited to get that second chance.”

Albany’s Zayne Lefevre did not compete in the 400 because of a lingering injury.

Marshall set a new personal record for the second week in a row, clearing 15 feet.

“It’s been a couple of years since we’ve had a 15-footer,” Britting said. “Luke’s jumping well. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of good vaulters this year – six or seven that have gone 15-6 – so he’s going to have to keep getting better if we get to go to Austin.”

Billington also PR’ed at 12-6. The sophomore has improved as he learns what size pole to use

“We’re still working through it because every week we move up another pole,” Britting said. “We’re just getting bigger and bigger, but that’s a good problem as long as we can find poles to put him on.”

Hill ran his season-best time in the 110 hurdles and was just off his season best in the 300s. His shot put effort was just four inches off his PR for the event.

“Adam wasn’t even pushing hard and still ran good times,” Brittingsaid.“Heran39.8inthe 300s and stuttered on three or four hurdles. You clean that up, you’re looking at maybe a 37.”

Tinkle added another PR for the Lions, dropping his 400 time by more than three seconds from the district finals.

“Jayce ran a good 400 time,” Britting said.

The boys 1600 relay was just aquarter-secondbehindHawley, closing the gap on the Bearcats by almost two seconds.

“There was a foot difference between us and Hawley,” Britting said. “All of our guys dropped their splits, and we improved by two seconds. We’re sitting about fifth in the region, but I feel it’s reachable. The teams ahead of us are within a second.”

Roberson and Weaver were just short of the distances they recorded at the District 10-2A meet.

“Chey’Anne threw her best at district,” Peacock said. “She was right there on the edge to advance to regional. I’m super proud of her and the way she finished the year out,” Miller ran her fastest 400 time of the season at area, finishing 0.3 seconds out of fourth place.

“I was super excited for Ashlyn to get this opportunity,” Peacock said. “This will be a great experience for her. She’s sitting right around eighth or ninth, so she has a great chance to make the finals.”

Zayne Lefevre, who finished second at district, would have qualified with that time at area.

“Zayne just has to get healthy; that’s the bottom line,” Peacock said. “This meet was not worth missing the next three years. There was just more damage that could have been done.”

GIRLS Team totals – 1. Cisco, 109; 2. Windthorst; 76; 3. Haskell, 60;

4. Stamford, 52; 5. Anson, 29;

7. Seymour, 25; 7. Nocona, 22;

8. Albany, 20; 9. Olney, 16; 10. Hawley, 11; 11. Petrolia, 9; 12. (tie) Hamlin, 2; Archer City, 2.

Shot put – 1. Kiana Roberson,

37-10.

Discus– 2.KianaRoberson,132--

6; 5. Chey’Anne Weaver, 100-8.

400 – 5. Ashlyn Miller, 1:03.81. BOYS Team totals – 1. (tie) Stamford,

68; Hawley, 68; 3. Haskell, 56;

4. Albany, 34; 5. Windthorst, 28;

6. (tie) Nocona, 25; Cisco, 25; 8. Archer City, 23; 9. Seymour, 19;