T&F: Ten area athletes competing at State

Timpson's Lorenzo Young has the best State meet qulifying time in the
300-meter hurdles. (Photo by John Krueger)

Ten area athletes will be in Austin this weekend to represent four schools at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) State Track & Field Championships, which will be run at Mike A. Myers Stadium, located on the University of Texas campus.

The competition will take place on Friday and Saturday. Four of the athletes will represent Garrison High School, while four are from Timpson and one each from Tenaha and Shelbyville. All will compete in the Class 1A level of competition.

There will be nine competitors in each event this year. In the past eight have qualified for State, with two coming from each region. This year a 'wildcard' has been added, which is the best time or distance in the event other than the top two qualifiers from each region.

Reginald Davis (Tenaha) & Jesten Brown (Shelbyville) - 100-meter dash
Tenaha's Reginald Davis is set to run in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Of those who have qualified in the 100-meters, Davis has the top time of 10.96. In fact, he is the only runner to qualify under 11 seconds.

Another Shelby County sprinter, Jesten Brown, is Shelbyville's lone qualifier for the State meet. Brown has the 4th best qualifying 100-meter time of 11:21, after finishing second to Davis at the Class 1A Region IV Meet in San Antonio.

Other qualifiers include Anthony Martin of Mart (11.09), Bo Albin of Canadian (11.15), Edward Vidales of Seagraves (11.22), Michael Carpenter of Bosqueville (11.23), Terrell Sims of Memphis (11.24), DeAndre Lee of Rotan (11.24) and David Reese of Rotan (11.33).

The 100-meter dash is scheduled to run Saturday at 1:15 p.m.

Reginald Davis (Tenaha) - 200-meter dash
Davis will also be competing in the 200-meter dash as he qualified second at the regional meet with a time of 22.35. That time ranks him 4th among nine competitors.

Other times include Jayden Barefield of Jayden (22.05), Jesse Ramos of Samford (22.16), Edward Vidales of Seagraves (22.34), Hagen Hutchinson of Stamford (22.47), Pietro Weaver of Electra (22.56), C.J. Roles of Bartlett (22.80), Semaj Cole of Seagraves (22.80) and Michael Carpenter of Bosqueville (23.02).

The 200-meter event is scheduled for Saturday at 2:35 p.m.

Lorenzo Young (Timpson) - 300-meter hurdles
Timpson's Lorenzo Young will be involved in two events, as well. He comes into the State meet with the best qualifying time in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, with a 39.24.

Other qualifying times include Louis Domingue of Rice (39.60), James Lundy of Lovelady (39.66), De'Metrius Paul of Munday (39.74), David Castillo of La Poynor (39.78), Caleb Matthews of Crowell (39.91), Terrence Bonds of West Texas (39.93), Kris McDonald of Johnson City (40.04), Johnny Gaines of Clarendon (40.08).

The 300-meter hurdle event is set for 2:15 p.m.

Timpson 4x200-meter relay
The Timpson 4x200-meter relay foursome of Benny Zuniga, Rody Paige, Lorenzo Young and Jaylin Rhodes qualified with the fourth-best time for the State trip. Other athletes listed as possible runners for THS include Jonathon Allen and Jay Bussey as alternates.

The Timpson relay is ranked fourth entering the state event, which will be run Saturday at 1:35 p.m.

Other schools and their times include: Stamford (1:29.55), Yorktown (1:30.04), Collinsville (1:30.25), Rotan (1:31.12), Baird (1:31.26), Burkeville (1:31.47), Bovina (1:32.10) and New Deal (1:32.37).

Kelsey Bass (Garrison) - Pole Vault
Garrison's Kelsey Bass earned a trip to the State meet in the pole vault and will have an uphill battle as she qualified with the 9th-best height heading into the competition in Austin. She cleared 8-5.5 to qualify and will compete at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Other qualifiers and their qualifying heights include: Mariah Steinbock of Sudan (11-0), Shelbie Hutchins of Water Valley (10-9), Allison Walter of Mertzon Irion Co. (10-0), Zavannah Waggoner of Overton (10-0), Maggie Holz of Falls city (10-0), Chase Patterson of Itasca (10-0), Elizabeth Adams of Comstock (9-6) and Celsey Randoph of Water Valley (9-6).

Jasia Berry (Garrison) - 100-meter hurdles & 300-meter hurdles
Garrison's Jasia Berry qualified in two events at the Class 1A Region III Track Meet in Palestine. She will open competition at the State meet in the 100-meter high hurdles with the best qualifying time of 15.48. The competition is set for 12:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Other qualifiers include: Stacey Perez of Shiner (15.54), Stacie Hanson of Wheeler (15.80), Demi Koelzer of Muenster (15.93), Briana Glass of Water Valley (16.10), Brittney Liggins of Tahoka (16.24), Kelsee Woodard of Ganado (16.44), Haley Fowler of Smyer (16.49) and Zannie Slimp of Winers (16.51).

Berry qualified with the 4th-best time in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 46.99. She is slated to run at 2:05 p.m. Saturday in the event.

Other qualifiers in the 300-meter hurdles are: Kami Norton of Albana (45.03), Brittney Liggins of Tahoka (46.48), Meloni Berger of Shiner (46.95), Maria Steinbock of Sudan (47.16), Jordan Molnar of Panhandle (47.16), Kelsee Woodard of Ganado (47.40), Carlee Black of Era (47.49) and Zannie Slimp of Winters (47.95).

Jennifer Walker (Garrison) - High Jump
Lady Bulldog Jennifer Walker cleared 5-1 at the Class 1A Region III Meet, which was 7th-best heading into her competition in Austin. She is scheduled to compete Friday at 6 p.m. at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Other competitors she'll be battling include: Kami Norton of Albana (5-6), Leanna Dunk of Flatonia (5-4), Callie Sandusky of Roscoe Highland (5-4), Kori Soignet of Evadale (5-4), Heather Pilgreen of Sara W. Hardin (5-4), Natalie Alexander of Cross Roads (5-3), Stacie Hanson of Wheeler (5-0) and Haley Fowler of Smyer (5-0).

Shelby Gresham (Garrison) - Shot Put & Discus
Garrison's Shelby Gresham qualified in two events, the shot put and discus throw. She was one of the 'wildcards' in the discus, finishing third at the Class 1A Region III Meet, but she had the top throw of all non-regular qualifiers to give her the extra spot that the UIL now awards.

In the shot put she threw a 37-3, which ranks her sixth heading into the State competition on Friday morning at 10 a.m.

Other competitors in Austin in the event include: Danyelle Dillard of Loraine (39-10.25), Lara Williams of Roby (39-2.25), Larisa Lewis of Wolfe City (38-4.5), Jolana Piske of Hamlin (37-10.5), Krystal Mata of La Villa (37-7.5), Tori Dines of Canadian (37-2.25), Samantha Diemeier of Yorktown (37-0.5) and Katey Bullock of Silverton (35-8.5).

Gresham will compete on Friday at 3 p.m. in the discus. She threw the plate 118-11 at the regional event and currently ranks 6th headed into the State competition.

Other competitors include: Paulette Williams of Nueces (126-4), Ashley Ross of Milford (123-7), Chesney Neely of Goldthwaite (122-0), Caitlin Jendrush of Falls City (121-3), Kristin Smithey of Hubbard (120-8.5), Chambrie Stroud of Olney (118-6), Sarah Pipkin of Sunray (112-5) and Kenzie Crabtree of Panhandle (112-3).

All races at the State meet are finals.

Area Athletes Competing at State Track Meet