Great teams shine in great moments and the Panhandle Ettes continue to prove each and every year why they are the flag bearer when it comes to Region I-2A.
With a dominating effort on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at West Texas A&M, the Ettes sprinted away from the competition to handily win a third straight 1-2A regional title with 101 points, which was 45 points better than second place Gruver (56 points).
“We can’t take winning these regional titles for granted,” Panhandle track and field coach Corby Maurer said. “This is a loaded region and they send their best here. We just want to advance as many athletes as we can. It’s a big deal for us to win another regional title, and we are ready to go back to state. We felt like we’re peaking at the right time and that’s what you want in the next couple of weeks.”
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Panhandle scored 60 points just sweeping all three relay events. The Ettes set the tone right off the bat in the sprint relay. The foursome of Ell Robinson, Carly Land, Lexi Durst and Nelly Thiessen, blazed to a 48.22 beating Winters by over a second. In the 800-meter relay Thiessen, Robinson, Durst and Susana Thiessen pulled away from New Deal with a gold medal time of 1:44.33.
To end the meet Saturday evening, Panhandle’s mile relay was able to go out with a bang. The team of Durst, Robinson, Annie Pahl and Land, put together four strong legs, registering a season-best time of 3:57.37.
“This meant a lot to us,” Durst said. “We haven’t been able to get under four minutes all year, so this is showing the hard work pay off.”
Robinson echoed Durst’s comment.
“I think winning regionals shows how much of a family we are,” Robinson said. “We all love each other, and we know the expectations at Panhandle and we all lean on each other to make us better.”
Land was also key by gaining 10 points with an incredible 200-meter dash. The little sister of Panhandle greats, Mackie and Leah, Carly is making her own name each and every year, and did that once more, posting a personal-best 24.56 for her third gold medal of the meet.
“I’m the last Land left,” Carly said. “I just want to keep proving myself and living up to what my sisters did. I also want to keep being there for my teammates. We all came together to win this title.”
Thiessen also helped out in the points getting silver in the 100-meter dash (12.63), and the shot put (41-3 1/4).
There were plenty of individuals punching a ticket to state on the girls’ side Saturday. Vega’s Khloe Griffitt ran a personal-best 58.46 to win the 400-meter dash and advance.
Farwell’s Alexis Wade is headed to Austin in two events. Wade opened the meet by winning the 3200-meter race clocking a time of 11:42.13, and won silver in the 1600-meter run (5:15.40).
Clarendon’s Madelyn Benson continued her great season by taking home gold in the 800-meter tallying a strong time of 2:20.65.
In the field events, Stratford’s Madi Braden is headed back to state for a second year in a row. The Lady Elk junior won the discus by uncorking a 126-2, and New Deal’s Macie Burkhead won the gold in the shot put tossing a 43-4 1/2.
On the boys’ side, Abernathy’s Caden Bird was definitely the show stealer as he led the Antelopes to the regional team championship with 67 points. Ropes was second overall with 42.
Bird was a beast from the morning field events to the afternoon running session. The junior, and former Dalhart Golden Wolves standout, will head to Austin for the first time after getting gold in the long jump, and the 200-meter race. He also helped the Abernathy sprint and mile relay to silver medal performances. But for Bird, just winning a team championship with his team the most important part of Saturday.
“I just wanted to be great for my team,” Bird said. “Getting gold medals and silver medals are great, but seeing us succeed as a team is the best part, and being able to celebrate with my friends. We all hang out, and we all push each other to be better. That’s the best part.”
Bird opened Saturday by hitting the board and popping off a 23-feet-2 1/4 inches for a gold in the long jump. In the afternoon, he anchored the sprint relay to a time of 42.42 for a silver. Later in the afternoon, Bird showed he could fly, coming around the curve and turning on the jets for a 21.65 for a victory in the 200-meter dash. Under an hour later, he was back at it.
Bird was the anchor leg on the Antelopes mile relay. Bird took the stick in third place and was trailing Sonora’s Jayden Welborn by 40 meters. By the time they hit the final curve, Bird had pulled right with Wellborn, and almost caught him, however, Wellborn held Bird off as Abernathy took the silver medal (3:22.54).
“I feel like I’m peaking at the right time,” Bird said. “I’m just ready to get down to Austin and see what we can do as a team.”
One of the state’s top throwers in all of Class 2A was on display Saturday. Post’s Mason Wright looks like he’ll adjust to his new home just fine. The West Texas A&M track and field signee dominated the shot put and discus by going double gold. Wright uncorked a new personal-best 56-10 1/4 to win the shot put and then launched a 158-8 to win the discus.
Wellington’s Major Brown is headed back to Austin after winning the triple jump with a leap of 44-3. Gruver’s Mason Lankford punched his ticket to state by clearing 6-feet-5 inches for a victory in the high jump, and New Deal’s Nash Ginn registered a time of 14.84 for a win in the 110-meter hurdles.
Next up
The UIL Class 2A state track and field meet is set for Friday, May 15 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
Check out the results
The top two athletes from each event advance to the UIL state track and field meet. For a complete look at the results from Region I-2A meet, please visit https://milesplit.live/meets/736840/schedule
