Published: May 07, 2008 10:09 am         

Area track athletes could make waves at state meet

By Craig Holamon
sports@mineralwellsindex.com

AUSTIN — Five track and field athletes from Mineral Wells and the surrounding area are each set to participate in the 2008 UIL state meet on Friday and Saturday in Austin.

Each of the area’s state meet qualifiers have chances to win medals in their respective events.

The following is an event-by-event look at the field of competitors the area’s track athletes will face during the state meet:

Jeff Smith
Mineral Wells High School

Rams senior Jeff Smith finished in sixth place in the Class 4A boys 300-meter hurdles at last year’s state finals meet in Austin. The two-time District 8-4A 300-meter hurdles champ from MWHS qualified for the 2008 state meet with a second place finish at the Class 4A Region I meet in San Angelo with a time of 38.66 seconds. Smith is set to enter the state finals with the state’s fifth best qualifying time.

Class 4A Boys 300-meter hurdles
8:15 p.m. Friday

National record: George Porter, Lompoc Cabrillo, CA., 35.32, 1,985. State record: Robert Griffin, Copperas Cove, 35.33, 2,007. Class 4A record: Robert Griffin, Copperas Cove, 35.33, 2,007. Lane assignments: 2. Marcus Calhoun, EL Paso Austin, 38.48; 3. Chance Casey, Crosby, 37.05; 4. Michael Reese, Pflugerville Hendrickson, 39.21; 5. Andre Sanders, Cedar Park Vista Ridge, 37.88; 6. Christopher Neugent, Lancaster, 38.65; 7. D’Korion Ford, Bay City, 38.29; 8. Jeff Smith, Mineral Wells, 38.66; 9. Tyler Stephenson, Lancaster, 38.08.

Lacey Day
Strawn High School

Strawn’s Lacey Day had a vault of 9-6 and qualified for the state meet in the Class 1A girls pole vault with a second place finish at the regional meet. Day, who has the fourth-best height among state qualifiers, is set to enter the Class 1A girls pole vault at 9 a.m. on Friday.

Class 1A Girls Pole Vault
9 a.m. Friday

National record: Mary Saxer, Lancaster, NY., 13-9, 2,005. State record: Shade Weygandt, Mansfield, 13-7, 2,007; Class 1A record: Amanda Alley, Crosbyton 12-0. 2,004/2,005. Vaulting order: 1. Brandi Jones, Lovelady, 8-0; 2. Megan Cook, Overton, 9-6; 3. Lacey Day, Strawn, 9-6; 4. Kayli Norton, Albany, 10-7; 5. Valerie Miller, Lefors, 9-6; 6. Sarah Vann, Evant, 9-6; 7. Mariah Steinbock, Sudan, 9-9; 8. Kelsey Wilson, Rocksprings, 12-0.

Johnathon Lindsey
Strawn High School

Strawn High School’s Johnathon Lindsey is the favorite to win the Class 1A boys discus. Lindsey won a regional title with a throw of 171 feet, which is 17 feet and 10 inches longer than the state meet’s second best qualifying throw.

Class 1A Boys Discus Throw
4:30 p.m. Friday

National record: Niklas Arrhenius, Orem Mt. View, UT, 234-3, 2,001. State record: Roger Roesler, Round Rock, 208-08 1,996. Class 1A record: Jim Verden, Wheeler, 183-5, 1,977. Throwing Order: 1. Ted Crews, Bartlett, 151-2; 2. Karl Willie, Ben Bolt, 149-0; 3. Austin Cherry, Chester, 137-3; 4. Nathan Green, Hart, 150-8; 5. Cameron Armstrong, White Deer, 149-9; 6. Zed Hawkins, Albany. 141-9; 7. Broderick Scott, Wolfe City, 145-5; 8. Johnathon Lindsey, Strawn, 171-00.

Amber Elkins
Gordon High School

Gordon’s Amber Elkins won a bronze medal in the 100-meter hurdles last year as a freshman at the state meet. Elkins has a chance to win medals in the 300-meter hurdles and the 100-meter hurdles at this year’s state meet. Elkins owns the state meet’s second best qualifying time of 15.24 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. The sophomore from GHS has the state meet’s top qualifying time of 46.22 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles.

Class 1A Girls 100-meter hurdles
1:05 p.m. Saturday

National record: Nicole Denby, Riverside North, CA., 13.20, 2000. State record: Alandra Sherman, Houston Eisenhower, 13.25, 2003. Class 1A record: Angel Williams, Clarendon, 14.27, 2004. Lane Assignments: 1. Shelby Walker, Winters, 16.51; 2. Caitlin Gulihur, McCamey, 16.15; 3. Amber Elkins, Gordon, 15.24; 4. Sylvia Iwouha, Barksdale Nueces Canyon, 15.96; 5. Renae Fangman, Vega, 15.89; 6. Lexus Williams, Irving Universal Academy, 16.67; 7. Kealey Gaffney, Wolfe City, 16.64; 8. Morgan Elkins, Bosqueville, 15.18.

Class 1A Girls 300-Meter Hurdles
2:05 p.m. Saturday

National record: 39.98, 2001, Lashinda Demus, Long Beach Wilson, CA.; State record: 41.01, 1998, Chava Demart, Houston Cypress Creek. Class 1A record: 43.80, 2000, Brandi Richey, Cross Plains. Lane Assignments: 2. Ameisha Standley, Groveton Centerville, 47.6; 3. Michelle Fangman, Vega, 46.38; 4. Ninfa Rios, Runge, 46.94; 5. Autumn Foster, Beckville, 47.84; 6. Tremisha Henderson, Anderson-Shiro, 47.45; 7. Hailey Wilkinson, New Home, 47.63; 8. Amber Elkins, Gordon, 46.22; 9. Layken Cathey, Roscoe, 46.74.

Keaton Mata
Santo High School

Santo High School junior Keaton Mata is ready to make his third consecutive trip to the state finals meet. Mata qualified for the state meet in the Class 1A boys long jump with a leap of 22-5.75. He has the second longest jump among the 2008 state meet qualifiers.

Class 1A Boys Long Jump
12 Noon Friday

National record: James Stallworth, Tulare, CA., 26-4.75, 1,989. Class 1A record: Charles Clifton, Rio Vista, 24-6.50, 1,964. 2,008 Jumping Order: 1. Tyler Speed, Jayton, 22-0; 2. Keaton Mata, Santo, 22-5.75; 3. Montraze Landrum, Chilton, 22-5; 4. James King, Wolfe City, 22-0; 5. Calub Brown, Pineland West Sabine, 22-9; 6. John Heffley, Sundown, 22-4.25; 7. Matt White, Port Aransas, 22-1.50; 8. Stryker Pena, Samnorwood, 22-2.75.