Texas Panhandle athletes shine at Region I-1A track and field meet

Texas Panhandle athletes showed up and showed out during the Region I-1A track and field meet on the campus of South Plains College in Levelland. Between individual and relay performances it was a banner two days for the Amarillo-area.

The Happy boys relay team of Tryce Johnson, Jimmy Reyes, Noe Juarez and Joey Blackmon made school history by setting a new record time of 3:28.42 to win gold and advance to state in the mile relay. The four-some also advanced out with a silver medal in the 800-meter relay with a time of 1:31.55. Joining his teammates at state is pole vaulter Hayes Bressler who won gold with a leap of 12-feet-9 inches.

The Nazareth mile relay team also had an impressive showing. The four-some of Tatum Peterson, Chloe Birkenfeld, Caroline Myrick and Maddie Brockman ran a season best 4:11.45 to claim a gold medal. The 800-meter relay team also advance by getting a silver (1:49.02). Birkenfield even punched her ticket to state in the 400-meter run with a silver medal time of 1:00.41.

Sawyer Francis put on quite the show for the Silverton Owls. Francis qualified for state in three events by winning the 110-hurdles by clocking a 14.70. He then won a pair of silvers to punch a ticket in the long jump (20-feet-6 3/4 inches) and the 300-meter hurdles (40.86). Sawyer wasn’t the only Francis making noise on Saturday. Brenna Francis is headed to back to state by going double gold in the long jump (17-feet-1 inch) and the triple jump (35-feet-10 3/4 inches). Maddie Francis also found the gold medal stand by running a time of 46.28 in the 300-meter hurdles.

The Claude Mustangs had a strong showing with three individuals winning gold medals and pave a way to Austin. On the boys side, Javen Lee sped to a time of 11.07 to win the 100-meter dash. On the girls side, Andi Holland will make a second straight appearance at the state meet after she won gold in the high jump after clearing 5-feet-2 inches, and teammate Kobi DuBose was victorious in the discus event (113-feet-10 inches).

Highly decorated and Tarleton State signee Anna Hudson of Miami once again defended her 100-meter and 200-meter dash titles for a third straight year. The four-time state champion clocked a time of 12.43 to win the 100-meter dash and hustled to a 26.05 for a victory in the 200-meter dash. Hudson will try and become a six-time state champion in a couple of weeks.

The Wildorado combo of Makenna Byrd and Giselle Esparza went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles. Byrd, a former state champion, won the gold medal with a time of 16.22 as Esparza followed with a 16.89.

The top two finishers in each event qualify for the UIL Class 1A state track meet set for May 11-13 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. For a look at the full results from the Region I-1A meet please click https://www.spatotrack.us/results/highschool/2023/levelreg/