The long spring season for track comes to a close next Thursday, May 11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus in Austin.
After qualifying 18 for the regional meet in 14 separate events, seniors Emily Thames (long jump) and Gabriel Wray (long jump, triple jump) advance to the state meet.
The young men saw Arlen Hanle finish tenth in the 800 meter run final, Cash Toomey with twelfth in the pole vault, the 4x200 relay team finishing fifth and Nolan Waida placing eighth in the long jump. Wray would place second in the triple jump and third in the long jump. Wray’s 22’10” long jump measurement was good for the wild card entry to the state meet. Wray reached back with his hand for stability on his final jump, possibly costing him as much as two feet in distance and a higher finish.
For the Lady Texans, Baylee Gold finished with a bronze medal in the 100 meter hurdles with a time just outside of the wild card spot. The girls 4x200 relay placed fourth; the 4x400 relay finishing fifth as did Juniper Daniels in the high jump. Gold placed fifth in the triple jump with Thames in fourteenth. If Thames had any disappointment in her triple jump finish, her placement in the long jump should serve to overcome it. Thames took home regional gold with a 19’2.5” distance while sophomore Laney Hennessee ended up with a solid fifth place jump.
Emotions were high as several seniors completed the last of their athletic endeavors for the Texans. For the underclassmen, the disappointment was felt in not getting their seniors to another state competition.
“There were a lot of ties with these guys and girls over the years,” shared Texan head track coach Josh DeMarco. “The younger ones have had these seniors to look up to and learn from for the past few years. To see this end short of their highest hopes is disappointing but they are all happy that they’ve done it together. We’re going to miss them next year.”
Wray and Thames begin their quest for long jump gold at 10:45 AM on May 11. Wray’s triple jump event is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Tickets went on sale Monday, May 1 and are available online at texaslonghorns. evenue.net.
