Texas Panhandle as well as South Plains athletes had fight and claw for medals, but there were those that were able to punch advance out to state during the Region I-3A track and Field meet Friday and Saturday at Elmer Gray Stadium on the campus of Abilene Christian University.
With rainy conditions Friday, all field events were pushed to Saturday making for a 15-hour day for coaches and competitors. Starting in the morning events, Dalhart’s Eli Garcia went right to work, carrying on his outstanding season. The prolific pole vaulter was able to qualify for the state meet for a second year by clearing 15-feet-6 inches. This is the juniors first regional championship.
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“I’m so excited to get back to state,” Garcia said. “I finished second at regional last year and was able to get to state and it’s an awesome atmosphere. I’ve been a little banged up but I’m ready to go. I loved the intensity today and the competition. There was some great competitors here at regionals and it made me want to do my best. I just can’t wait to go back to Austin.”
Garcia won’t be going to Austin alone. Reese Jenkins advanced out on the girls side of the pole vault event. Jenkins, who also advanced last season, was able to clear 10-feet-6 inches for a silver medal behind Kamden Tidwell of Breckenridge (11-feet).
Bushland’s Jaxon Lawler was another showcase from the Texas Panhandle during the field events Saturday. The Falcons two-way lineman on the football field and Division I recruiting prospect showed his strength with powerful throws in both the shot put and discus. Lawler started his day by getting to Austin with a silver medal performance in the shot put with a toss of 53-feet-1 1/2 inches. Shallowater’s Brock Lamberson won the gold medal thanks to a little better throw of 53-1 3/4.
Later in the day, Lawler was back at it once again in the discus. Making it look smooth, Lawler threw out a gold medal toss of 172-9 which was 8-feet longer than second place Paytan Moyers from Idalou (164-1).
Joining Moyers on the medal stand from Idalou was Adrian Salas and Jackie Alvidrez on the girls’ side. Salas took home a silver in the boys’ 200-meter race clocking a 21.95, and Alvidrez won silver in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles.
The Shallowater Fillies Mile relay advanced back to state for a sixth year in a row. The team of Alexa Welch, Alyvia Holcomb, Kamryn Ledbetter and Emie Lusk, ran a time of 4:02.35 to grab a silver medal.
Muleshoe’s Marely Ronquillo ran a strong 300-meter hurdle race, posting a time of 46.13 to get on the medal stand for a silver and a place in Austin, as did Dimmitt’s Lilly Rodriguez. Rodriguez used her speed to clock a 25.50 for a silver medal in the 200-meter dash.
Canadian’s Joseph Dominguez was also alerted that his third place bronze medal finish of 9:27.88, which was a new school-record, earned him a wild card spot at the state meet.
Next up
The UIL Class 3A state track and field meet is set for Thursday, May 14 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-3A meet, please visit https://live.athletic.net/meets/71142