Aledo sending 10 to state

Editor's note: this article was updated with additional information on May 2, 2023.

Aledo will once again be well represented in Austin come mid-May. The Bearcats will have seven competitors and the Ladycats will have three at the Class 5A State Track and Field Meet at the University of Texas May 11-13.

They qualified by finishing in the top two of their respective events at this past weekend's Region 2 Meet in Lubbock.

Lauren St. Peters will make a second consecutive trip to Austin. The junior set a personal record in winning the shot put with a throw of 45 feet, 05.75 inches. She placed fourth at state in the event last year, as well as taking fourth in the discus, though she did not qualify in the latter this year.

Also returning is junior pole vaulter Taylor Hindman, who placed second at regionals with a clearance of 11-09. She tied for seventh at state last season with teammate Maggie Kilburn, who was fourth at regionals this season.

The other Ladycat advancing is freshman Sofia Brandenburg. She was second in the 800-meter run, clocking a 2:15.19.

“We had a really good showing at the Regional Meet. I’m very proud of how these girls train hard and compete,” Ladycats coach Mike Pinkerton said. “We have three girls going to the state meet, and I believe that all three have a tremendous shot of making the podium. We will be working hard in preparation, and will be ready for state!”

Qualifying individually for the Bearcats was junior pole vaulter Brad Campbell, who cleared a personal-best 15-03 for second place at regionals.

“Brad had a great meet at regionals, had several great attempts at his PR bar. He should have a great chance to medal at state, too,” Bearcats coach Andrew Clark said.

Joining him will be two relays for the Bearcats. The quartet of Hawk Patrick-Daniels, Aven Lawrence, Jaden Allen, and Hauss Hejny took second in the 800 relay with a school-record time of 1:26.30. Lawrence and Hejny joined Adam Averett and Blake Burdine on the 1600 relay that also was runner-up, posting a 3:19.39.

“Both relays have a good chance to make the medal stand at the state meet. We have two weeks to continue to work and drop both times,” Clark said.

All the relay participants are juniors. Lawrence and Hejny are returning to state as they ran on the sixth-place 800 relay last season.

The 800 relay's finals time was almost three seconds faster than their time of 1:29.19 in the preliminaries. The 1600 relay's clocking was more than six seconds faster than their 3:25.62 in the prelims.

Narrowly missing a berth at state in the boys 800 was Vincent Luffey, who was third. Sarah Tillotson was third in the girls 800 and Molly Garrison was third in the 3200.

Class 5A Region 2 Track Meet

April 28-29 in Lubbock

Top two individuals in each event qualify for state

Boys

• Team score: 46, third place (Mansfield Timberview, 77; Denton Ryan, 58)
• 800: 3. Vincent Luffey, 1:57.06; 15. Dominick Barrera, 2:05.13.
• 1600: 14. Luffey, 4:34.81; 16. Henry Zedler, 4:54.15.
• 3200: 14. Jack Fink, 10:18.19.
• 800 relay. 2. Hawk Patrick-Daniels, Aven Lawrence, Jaden Allen, Hauss Hejny, 1:26.30.
• 1600 relay: 2. Adam Averett, Lawrence, Blake Burdine, Hejny, 3:19.39.
• Pole vault: 2. Brad Campbell, 15-03; Andrew Gamez, DNS.
• Long jump: 12. Jayton Owens, 20-04.5.

Girls

• Team score: 52, fourth place (Timberview, 60; Burleson Centennial, 58; El Paso Chapin, 56).
• 100: 9. Addison Smith, 12.43, prelims, no finals.
• 400: 10. Emery Thompson, 1:01.32, prelims, no finals.
• 800: 2. Sofia Brandenburg, 2:15.19; 3. Sarah Tillotson, 2:15.69; 13. Sidney Tillotson, 2:32.60.
• 1600: 8. Brandenburg, 5:32.27; 16. Elizabeth Griffin, 5:59.10.
• 3200: 3. Molly Garrison, 11:59.71; 13. Griffin, 12:48.78.
• 100 hurdles: 7. Savannah Thompson, 15.89.
• 300 hurdles: Sa. Tillotson, DNS.
• 1600 relay: 4. E. Thompson, Smith, Sa. Tillotson, KcKenna Vela, 3:59.25.
• Shot put: 1. Lauren St. Peters, 47-05.75.
• Discus: 5. St. Peters, 139-07.
• Pole vault: 2. Taylor Hindman, 11-09; 4. Maggie Kilburn, 11-0; 8. Austyn Johnson, 10-0.