Fifteen Individuals, Four Relay Teams Snag State Berths at Class 3A Region II Track + Field Meet

COMMERCE -- East Texas athletes had a successful weekend at the Class 3A Region II track and field championships at Texas A&M-Commerce's Memorial Stadium.

Fifteen individual competitors and four relay teams qualified for the UIL state meet, which is May 10-11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

Atlanta's boys team finished third with 59 points thanks in part to Chris Ibarra's pair gold medals in the 800-meter run (1:51.98) and mile run (4:23.37), plus the sprint relay team's second-place finish (41.95 seconds).

Chapel Hill's 46 points earned the Bulldogs fourth place. Jeffery Minor got second in the high jump (6-6), while Kevone Kennedy placed second in the discus (157-2). Liberty-Eylau was fifth with 42 points, 32 of which came from the Leopards' second-place performances in the 800-meter relay (1:28.61) and mile relay (3:22.27).

Emory Rains' Grant Russell (triple jump), Spring Hill's Morgan Knight (discus), Henderson's Gabe Mereulo (pole vault) and Tevin Vanzandt (400 meters), and Bullard's Haden Bryant (110-meter hurdles) joined Ibarra as gold medal winners who will advance to state. Austin-bound silver medalists included Kilgore's LaDarrin Anthony (shot put), Liberty-Eylau's Kendrick Blake (400 meters), and Gilmer's Nick Smith (300-meter hurdles).

On the girls side, Kilgore's Tony Burks qualified for state in two events after winning the 400-meter run (58.55) and garnering silver in the triple jump (39-5). Spring Hill monopolized the girls pole vault competition with Casey Rice taking first and Lindsey Sechrist finishing second.

Pittsburg's Shakira Duffey finished second in the 400 meters (58.67), while Henderson's 800-meter relay earned a trip to state with a second-place finish (1:43.39).

Class 3A Region II
Track and Field Championships

Friday-Saturday, Commerce

State Qualifiers from East Texas

BOYS

Field Events

High jump

• 2. Jeffery Minor, Chapel Hill -- 6-6

Triple jump

• 1. Grant Russell, Emory Rains -- 44-10 1/4

Discus

• 1. Morgan Knight, Spring Hill -- 176-7
• 2. Kevone Kennedy, Chapel Hill -- 157-2

Shot put

• 2. LaDarrin Anthony, Kilgore -- 56-1

Pole vault

• 1. Gabe Mereulo, Henderson -- 14-9

Running Events

400 meters

• 1. Tevin Vanzandt, Henderson -- 49.10
• 2. Kendrick Blake, Liberty-Eylau -- 49.69

800 meters

• 1. Chris Ibarra, Atlanta -- 1:51.98

Mile

• 1. Chris Ibarra, Atlanta -- 4:23.37

110-meter hurdles

• 1. Haden Bryant, Bullard -- 14.74

300-meter hurdles

• 2. Nick Smith, Gilmer -- 39.02

400-meter relay

• 2. Atlanta -- 41.95

800-meter relay

• 2. Liberty-Eylau -- 1:28.61

Mile relay

• 2. Liberty-Eylau -- 3:22.27

GIRLS

Field Events

Triple jump

• 2. Tony Burks, Kilgore -- 39-5

Pole vault

• 1. Casey Rice, Spring Hill -- 11-6
• 2. Lindsey Sechrist, Spring Hill -- 11-6

Running Events

400 meters

• 1. Tony Burks, Kilgore -- 58.55
• 2. Shakira Duffey, Pittsburg -- 58.67

800-meter relay

• 2. Henderson -- 1:43.39