Ladycats track coach Mike Pinkerton said his team was inspired by a memory - and one from not so long ago - at the 5/6-5A Area Meet at Clark Stadium in Fort Worth on April 12.
“The girls were disappointed with losing district – especially by one point,” he said.
Pinkerton was referring to the District 5-5A Meet on the Ladycats’ own turf on April 3-4, which Northwest won with 175 points to runner-up Aledo’s 174. This time, however, it was the Ladycats who came away with the championship as they scored 146 points to second place Northwest’s 124.
Meanwhile, the Bearcats followed their district championship by running away - no pun intended - with the area title as well. Aledo scored 140 points to 87 for the next closest, Fort Worth Arlington Heights.
“At Area, we had some outstanding performances, leading to the area championship. We are now taking 13 girls to regionals, which will be yet another step up in competition,” Pinkerton said. “I know our girls will compete hard and give it their all.”
The Bearcats will be sending 15 athletes. The top two finishers in each event qualify for state at the University of Texas in Austin May 2-4, along with the best third-place finisher from across all four regions in each event as a wild card.
Leading all qualifiers for Aledo is Adam Averett, who advanced in four events.
Addison Smith and Sofia Brandenburg each qualified in three events for the Ladycats, including a pair of gold medals for Brandenburg in the 800 and as part of the 4x400-meter relay with Smith, Mykel Murry and Mayden Mitchell. Lauren St. Peters also won two gold medals in the shot put and discus.
Taylor Hindman led a first, third and fourth-place finish in the pole vault with a gold medal performance. Likewise, Brad Campbell won the boys pole vault, which had a first, second and fourth showing by the Bearcats.
The Bearcats’ other gold medal was won by Vincent Luffey in the 1600.
“Area went great, I still think we have some spots to shave some time off. It's that time of year to start running our best times of the year,” Bearcats coach Andrew Clark said. “We have several really good opportunities to qualify for state, just need to show up and compete like I know we can.
“Looks like some nasty weather in Lubbock this weekend and anything can happen.”
Class 5/6-5A Area Meet
at Clark Stadium, Fort Worth
April 12
Top four finishers in each event qualify for Class 5A Region I Meet in Lubbock April 19-20.
Aledo results
Running events in meters, field events in feet and inches.
Varsity girls
Team score: 146 points, first place (Northwest 124, second)
Top finishers
100: 2. Addison Smith, 11.94.
200: 3. Smith, 24.69.
800: 1. Sofia Brandenburg, 2:17.83; 2. Mykel Murry, 2:20.42; 4. Micah Neal, 2:25.66.
1600: 2. Brandenburg, 5:13.47; 3. Molly Garrison, 5:20.66; 4. Neal, 5:25.40.
3200: 2. Garrison, 11:43.02; 3. Kjersten Loy, 12:43.85; 4. Carley Couch, 12:51.59.
100 hurdles: 5. Savannah Thompson, 16.14.
4x200 relay: 5. Alexa Plantz, Sarah Edwards, Macie Laidley, Leighton Bratcher, 1:46.95.
4x400 relay: 1. Murry, Mayden Mitchell, Brandenburg, Smith, 3:57.20.
High jump: 2. Taylor McKenzie, 5-2.
Pole vault: 1. Taylor Hindman, 12-0; 3. Maggie Kilburn, 11-6; 4. Claire Campbell, 9-6.
Shot put: 1. Lauren St. Peters, 48-9.75; 7. Adrianna Lambert, 31-11.25.
Discus: 1. St. Peters, 145-2.
Varsity boys
Team score: 140 points, first place (Arlington Heights 87, second)
Top finishers
200: 4. Aven Lawrence, 22.12; 6. Adrian Fuller, 22.60.
400: 3. Adam Averett, 49.54; 5. Trey Warner, 50.50.
800: 2. Vincent Luffey, 2:00.76; 3. Anderson Smith, 2:03.25; 5. Dominick Barrera, 2:05.95.
1600: 1. Luffey, 4:26.24; 3. Jack Fink, 4:31.44.
3200: 3. Fink, 9:53.09.
110 hurdles: 3. Evan Thompson, 15.45; 4. Lincoln Tubbs, 15.57.
300 hurdles: 3. Tubbs, 40.03; 4. Thompson, 41.29.
4x100 relay: 3. Fuller, Averett, Boogie Owens, Kaydon Finley, 41.67.
4x400 relay: 3. Warner, Averett, Owens, Lawrence, 3:23.79.
High jump: 2. Averett, 6-5.
Pole vault: 1. Brad Campbell, 14-0 (tiebreaker); 2. Braylon Brown, 14-0; 4. Kantyn Kasich, 13-0.
Long jump: 2. Averett, 21-9.
Shot put: 3. Carson Dempsey, 48-2.75.
Discus: 6. Christian Sandoval, 126-7; 7. Dempsey, 121-2.
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