District 1-3A Track Meet: Top Athletes Battle for Area Berths

The road to the UIL State Track & Field Championships heats up this week as athletes from across District 1-3A converge for one of the most pivotal meets of the season. With only the top four finishers in each event earning a ticket to next week’s Area meet, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

From blazing sprinters to dominant distance runners and standout field event specialists, this year’s district championship is shaping up to be a showdown of some of the region’s best talent. In this preview, we’ll break down the top contenders in each event and highlight the athletes with the best shot at keeping their season alive.

Here’s a look at a few of the key events and competitors to keep your eyes on as the battle for district supremacy—and a path to the State Meet unfolds.

Slade Perry in the 100m [Steven Liles ~ Sideline Sports]

Let's kick things off with the boys sprints (100m, 200m & 400m)

The 100m will be a fun one to watch as you have 2 runners coming in who have run better than 11 second 100m's this season, Bushland's Slade Perry (10.95) and Dalhart's Angel Avalos (10.98). I expect both of them to easily adavance with the suspense coming for that 4th spot advancing to Area, Bushland freshman Kannon Holt comes in with the 5th fastest qualifying time but I wouldn't be shocked that once the finals roll around he doesn't find himself a way into the Top 4 and a spot at Area.

The 200m for my money will be the Slade Perry show as he will be looking to go sub 22 (comes in with a 22.06) as he prepares for what should be one heck of a Regional matchup when he and Wall's Briggs Jones meet up. The Top 4 I expect will round out with Dalhart's Brett Alver, Julian Silva of Childress and Bushland's Jake Hammer!

The 400m should be a 2 man showdown for the District Title between Camden Cook of Canadian and Caden Bird of Dalhart. Slade Perry has the 3rd fastest time registered but with what I expect to be the 100m, 200m & 4x100m load for him it'll open up a spot in the Top 4 for someone to rise up and grab an Area spot.

Girls 100m, 200m & 400m

Their is some real intrigue in these two for me as the question is will we see Lady Falcon speedster Kenley King run both 100m and the 200m and sit out one of the relays as Coach Mauldin looks to pile up points for the District Team Title. The Lady Falcons 4x100m (49.57) and 4x200m (1:46.27) are both positioned well to return to the State Track meet and Coach has the pleasure of having enough depth he could go either way and advance both of his relays to Area.

Kenley King running the 100m at the LCP Pirate Relays [Steven Liles ~ Sideline Sports]

I expect if we only see King in 1 open it'll be the 100m and I would pop popcorn and get ready for an incredible race between her and Dalhart Jr Reese Jenkins with River Roads Taylor Collins (If she runs the 100m) and Bushland's freshman Raelynn Melton battling for the podium and the trip to Area.

The 200m is really where Taylor Collins starts to show out and it's the reason I included the caveat above of if she runs the 100m. Collins is a special runner whose combination of speed and strength leads her to get better and better with a little more distance. I expect by the end of the week we will call her District Champ in both the 200m and 400m if she can hold off the Canadian duo of Jacy Long (200m) and Arionna Black (400m). With her strength in the 400m I wouldn't be shocked to see Collins anchor the Roads 4x400m.

Hurdles

The names on the boys side you will likely see podium in both the 110m and 300m hurdlers are Ty Purcell, Conner Keys and Bridger Burrus. I will go on record now that I expect we will see Purcell running the 300m hurdles in Austin at State!

Ty Purcell running hurdles at LCP Pirate Relays [Steven Liles ~ Sideline Sports]

On the girls side the hurdles will likely be the Kaetlin Sundvahl show as she prepares for an Area round matchup with Shallowater's Kamryn Motheral. One additional thing that will be fun to keep an eye on are the Lady Falcon freshmen Braelyn McFarland (100m) and Liliana Butcher (300m) and if they can find the Top 4 to advance to Area.

Distance

The distance races will be an area that Canadian shines!

On the boys side keep your eye out for Canadian's Joseph Dominguez as he has the #3 time in the Region for the Mile and the #2 time in the Region for the 3200m.

For the girls the name to know is Konnar McClendon who comes in #2 in the Region in the Mile and #1 in the 3200m

Relays

With the Dalhart boys sporting the #1 4x100m time in Region 1 (42.35) and the #2 4x200m time (1:28.49) they come in looking to dethrone the Bushland Falcons for the District Championship in both relays. Don't expect Bushland to give away their sprint relay title without a fight though as their 4x100m comes in with a season best 42.53.

Canadian will be looking to make a statement in the 4x400m before they face off with fellow Top 4 in the Region Shallowater next week at Area.

I know I already mentioned earlier the Lady Falcons being well positioned with their 4x100m and 4x200m relays being Top 2 in the Region but the Lady Wolves of Dalhart come in sporting the Regions #1 time with a 49.32 and this could be the 1st of 4 straight weeks of showdowns between the Lady Wolves and Lady Falcons.

The 4x400m will be a showdown between Canadian (4:12.41) and River Road (4:13.45) as they both prepare for their Area round matchup with Shallowater who just posted a time of 4:00.74 at the Texas Relays.

Boys Field Events

Let's start with the discus where we should be talking about Canadian's Gunner Brady who has already uncorked a throw of 178'11" this season (good for #2 in the State in 3A) . The problem is, Gunner is only an 8th grader and not eligible to compete at the Varisty level.

The name you need to know when it comes to throwing on the boys side is sophomore Jaxon Lawler. He comes in with the #5 discuss throw (153'7") in the Region and the #3 Shot (50'1")

Jaxon Lawler throwing the discus [Steven Liles ~ Sideline Sports]

When it comes to the high jump 4 guys come in seeded #1 with a jump of 6'2", Zach Bryant (Canadian), Asher Koenig (Bushland), and the Dalhart duo of Caden Bird and Greggory Whitaker.

On the long jump Slayden Dickinson of Canadian comes in about 3' clear of the field on qualifying jumps with a jump of 22'. Cale Conklin of Bushland leads the field coming in with a jump of 39'11.5".

We will close out the boys side with the pole vault and Dalhart's Eli Garcia has had a great year and comes in over a foot clear of the field having gone 14' 9", the 3rd best 3A vault in the state this year!

Girls Field Events

For fun let's work our way backwards on the girls events starting with the Pole Vault. Reese Jenkins broke the Dalhart school record with a 12' 7" vault this past week and comes in over 4' clear of the field and sitting #2 in the State!

The triple jump will showcase Canadian's Kylie Cavalier and Maile Quisenberry along with Dalhart's Kaetlin Sundvahl who all come in with season bests within 3 inches of each other! For as close as the triple jump is coming in the long jump will be the Kaetlin Sundvahl show as she comes in with a season best 1' 5" clear of the field.

Cazzlee Waite's season best high jump (5'2") has her in a tie for 4th place in the Region coming into district.

It only seems fitting to close out the District 1 preview talking about Taylor Wiseman. She comes in ranked #1 in the State in shot put (46' 4") by almost 4' and #1 in discus by almost 14'.