A little more than a week after sweeping to championships in the District 5-5A Meet on their own turf, the Aledo Bearcats and Ladycats repeated the accomplishment at Texan Stadium in Justin in the Area 5/6 Meet on Friday, April 21.

This is the third consecutive season the Aledo teams have achieved such a sweep.

The Region 1 Meet is Friday and Saturday, April 28-29 at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. The top two finishers in each event qualify for state, as does the top third-place finisher in each event across all four regions as a wild card.

State is May 11-13 at the University of Texas in Austin.

The Ladycats scored 142 points to outdistance runner-up Northwest with 96 points. The Bearcats had a little closer victory, edging Fort Worth Southwest 117-110.

“While other teams were battling it out in the speed events, we were picking up points almost everywhere else,” Ladycats coach Mike Pinkerton said. “Very proud of how these girls competed!”

For a second straight season the Bearcats have won every meet in the regular season and area.

“I knew it would be tight in the points without having a 4x1 and the vaulter, but the kids showed up and ran well enough to get the win,” Bearcats coach Andrew Clark said.

At district, the 400 relay dropped the baton and did not advance. Also, shockingly, Sean Gribble, who has the highest pole vault in the state (17-0.75) and the second highest in the nation, had a no height.

The Bearcats’ 1600-meter relay broke the school record with a winning time of 3:19.06 with Nathan Wood, Aven Lawrence, Blake Burdine and Hauss Hejny.

“I think we are just getting started. I think with the pressure of the big meet and someone out in front of us that we have to go catch, I think they can break the record again and also qualify for state,” Clark said.

The Bearcats’ 800 relay of Hawk Patrick-Daniels, Chris Johnson, Hejny and Lawrence was close to breaking the school record, clocking a winning time of 1:27.36.

“I think once we get out to Regionals and we have some better competition we will have a really good chance at both breaking the school record and qualifying for the state meet,” Clark said.

The Ladycats won seven gold medals, including two each by Lauren St. Peters in the shot put and discus and Sofia Brandenburg in the 800-meter and 1600 runs. Molly Garrison won the 3200, Taylor Hindman captured the pole vault and the 1600 relay of Mykel Murry, Emery Thompson, Addison Smith and Sarah Tillotson also claimed gold.

Individually for the Bearcats, Vincent Luffey took the top spot in the 1600 run and Brad Campbell topped the field in the pole vault.

Both coaches addressed the issue of the fabled West Texas Winds Lubbock is known for.

“Regarding the wind in Lubbock, the wind always blows there – nothing out there to stop it. However, we have had a very windy spring, so I don’t expect us to have any problems with the wind. Whatever wind there happens to be, everyone will have to deal with it,” Pinkerton said.

“I believe our girls are primed and ready to compete at regionals.  We have what I believe is a very good chance to get some kids to state.”

Clark added, “Regionals is tricky in and of itself, and then on top of that it’s in West Texas. The wind/weather is always a factor out there. Our guys will be ready to compete, though. 

“The idea of the prelims and finals is the interesting part. Having to run both relays on back-to-back days can be hard on your legs. However, we have some depth so we will look at possibly running some alternates for the prelims to get us into the finals and then have some fresh legs for the finals. In all I think we have a really good shot at getting the relays and several of the open events down to the state meet.”

Class 5A Area 5/6 Track Meet

April 21 at Justin

Top four in each event qualified for Region 1 Meet in Lubbock, April 28-29

Girls

Team score: 142, first place

Regional qualifiers

3200: 1. Molly Garrison, 11:40.03; 4. Elizabeth Griffin, 12:02.00.

800: 1. Sofia Brandenburg, 2:15.79; 2. Sarah Tillotson, 2:16.91; 3. Sidney Tillotson, 2:27.63.

100 hurdles: 4. Savannah Thompson, 16.00.

100: 4. Addison Smith, 12.38.

400: 3. Emery Thompson, 1:00.64.

300 hurdles: 2. Sa. Tillotson, 47.36.

1600: 1. Brandenburg, 5:14.94; 3. Griffin, 5:21.12.

1600 relay: 1. Mykel Murry, E. Thompson, Smith, Sa. Tillotson, 4:02.13.

Discus: 1. Lauren St. Peters, 154-5.

Pole vault: 1. Taylor Hindman, 12-3; 3. Maggie Kilburn, 11-0; 4. Austyn Johnson, 10-0.

Shot put: 1. St. Peters, 45-10.50.

Boys

Team score: 117, first place

Regional qualifiers

3200: 3. Jack Fink, 9:54.23.

800: 2. Vincent Luffey, 1:57.05; 3. Dominick Barrera, 2:00.29.

800 relay: 1. Hawk Patrick-Daniels, Chris Johnson, Hauss Hejny, Aven Lawrence,  1:27.36.

200: 2. Lawrence, 21.84.

1600: 1. Luffey, 4:33.31; 3. Henry Zedler, 4:35.34.

1600 relay: 1. Nathan Wood, Lawrence, Blake Burdine and Hejny, 3:19.06.

Long jump: 3. Jayton Owens, 21-9.25.

Pole vault: 1. Brad Campbell, 15-1; 3. Andrew Gamez, 11-6.