Powered by multiple relay wins, Amarillo High swept the boys and girls team titles at the District 3-5A track and field meet, which concluded Thursday at Lowrey Field.
The Golden Sandstorm girls won all three relays to finish a comfortable 50 points ahead of runner-up Amarillo Tascosa. The Amarillo High boys totaled 125 points and secured their championship with a victory in the 1,600-meter relay. Lubbock-Cooper followed with 110 points.
The top four finishers in each event advance to the Districts 3/4-5A area meet April 12, back at Lowrey Field.
Lubbock-Cooper girls own podium in high jump
Sara Goltz doesn’t have to look far for advice in the high jump. The Lubbock-Cooper junior has two teammates who have experienced Texas’ top level of competition.
Goltz hopes to join them this year.
Niomi Wines and Brentley Preston, who both medaled at the 2024 state meet, began their quest back to Austin with a 1-2 finish in the high jump Thursday. Goltz followed on their heels in third place to give the Pirates a podium sweep to start the postseason.
“It definitely helps me improve,” said Goltz, who cleared 5 feet, 2 inches. “There are some things that Niomi does that I use, and then some things that Brentley does that I also use. And then they give me feedback on my jump, so it helps a lot.”
Wines and Preston are quite the teachers. Wines cleared 5-8 to take the district title. Preston finished second at 5-6. Both will head to Division I college programs in the fall.
The Kansas State commit Wines said she feels the target on her as the reigning Class 5A champion, but she’s learned to handle it.
“It’s mostly self-talk to myself, like not to make the situation bigger than it is,” Wines said. “To just trust my training and what I always know how to do.”
Preston clipped Wines for the Region I-5A title last season and placed third at state. She said the success gave her confidence heading into this year, and her teammates have helped. Preston said competitive practices with Wines and Goltz make training fun.
Goltz was fourth in the region last year, one spot from a potential wildcard berth to Austin. Preston said her younger teammate has shown great improvement, especially from a mental standpoint.
If the Cooper trio can stay on the medal stand together two more meets, there’s a chance they’ll all be state-bound.
“We’re all really close,” Preston said. “We enjoy high jump, and I think it brought us together. Just practices and the recovery part of it. We’re always together every day. It’s definitely fun that we all get along.”
Lubbock High’s Reese Peña adds 800 to repertoire
Reese Peña ran the 800 meters like a seasoned vet Thursday, even if it was her third meet to do the event.
Lubbock High’s long-distance standout won the 800 in 2 minutes, 14.94 seconds, part of a three-gold-medal performance at the district championship. The way she’s taken to the event, Westerners coach Michael Sparks only wishes Peña competed in it sooner.
The conversation started when Peña clocked a speedy two laps while competing in the 3,200 against Canyon’s Addyson Bristow, one of the top runners in the country. After deciding to give the 800 a shot, Peña set the school record at her first competition.
“I ran a 2:16, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m not so bad at this,'” Peña said. “I kind of liked it, as much as I’ve been hating it my whole four years. I might as well keep doing it.”
Peña took care of her bread and butter, too. She won the 1,600 to go alongside her 3,200 title from Wednesday.
Peña now faces a difficult decision. The senior will whittle her events down to two moving forward in an effort to improve her odds of making it to state. She qualified in the 1,600 and 3,200 each of the past two years.
“I’m not really gonna be looking at rankings,” Peña said. “but kind of going by feel and what I think is gonna fit me best. Just kind of wherever God places me is where I’m gonna end up.”
District 3-5A track and field meet results
Wednesday-Thursday at Lowrey Field
Note: Top four finishers in each event advance to the Districts 3/4-5A area meet April 12 at Lowrey Field.
BOYS
Team standings: 1. Amarillo High 125; 2. Lubbock-Cooper 110; 3. Amarillo Palo Duro 106; 4. Amarillo Tascosa 72; 5. Monterey 61; 6. Amarillo Caprock 57; 7. Coronado 45; 8. Lubbock High 32; 9. Plainview 12.
3,200 meters: 1. Abdirisak Saidgurhan, Palo Duro, 9 minutes, 44.49 seconds; 2. Arturo Rodriguez, Lubbock High, 9:52.44; 3. Jackson Newman, Amarillo High, 9:53.33; 4. Luis Guerrero, Lubbock-Cooper, 9:59.61; 5. Grayson Hastings, Monterey, 10:20.28; 6. Abdihafit Mohamed, Palo Duro, 10:28.59.
Long jump: 1. Josiah Davis, Lubbock-Cooper, 22 feet, 1½ inches; 2. Keelon Campbell, Coronado, 22-0; 3. Creed Cavalier, Amarillo High, 21-8¾; 4. Kyree Baxter, Monterey, 21-7; 5. Josh Hierholzer, Amarillo High, 21-3; 6. Julian Reese, Palo Duro, 21-2¼.
Discus: 1. Hunter Spier, Amarillo High, 153-1; 2. Reed Murja, Amarillo High, 150-4; 3. Samuel McDonald, Lubbock-Cooper, 147-10; 4. Kenneth Osteen, Amarillo High, 146-6; 5. Bishop Nash, Tascosa, 137-9; 6. Krush Johnson, Tascosa, 135-11.
High jump: 1. Jermey Morrison, Lubbock High, 6-6; 2. Maslah Abdi, Palo Duro, 6-4; 3. Chester Creery, Tascosa, 6-4; 4. Aushaun Wilson, Palo Duro, 6-0; 5. Nolan Bivins, Amarillo High, 6-0; 6. Landon Heibert, Monterey, 6-0.
Triple jump: 1. Josiah Davis, Lubbock-Cooper, 45-11¼; 2. Alhosan Sheriff, Caprock, 45-8¼; 3. Davon Barrow, Tascosa, 43-5¼; 4. Kenny Gilbreath, Tascosa, 43-1¾; 5. Kevonte Carr, Coronado, 42-11¼; 6. Keelon Campbell, Coronado, 42-10¼.
Pole vault: 1. Jermey Morrison, Lubbock High, 13-6; 2. Jackson Hart, Caprock, 13-0; 3. William Williams, Amarillo High, 12-6; 4. Maxwell Trostle, Caprock, 12-6; 5. Moises Sandoval III, Tascosa, 12-0; 6. Jenz Sewell, Amarillo High, 11-6.
Shot put: 1. Sione Vaea, Lubbock-Cooper, 54-0¾; 2. Hunter Spier, Amarillo High, 53-6½; 3. Aaron Phares, Tascosa, 49-1¼; 4. K.J. Russel, Monterey, 48-1¼; 5. Dominic Parrish, Coronado, 47-7¾; 6. Jose Arenivar, Tascosa, 45-2½.
Wheelchair shot put: 1. Triston West, Caprock, 17-6; 2. Isaac Montoya, Lubbock High, 12-5.
400 relay: 1. Amarillo High (Bryson Brown, Aiden Bailey, Oliver Parsons, Creed Cavalier), 42.44; 2. Monterey, 42.59; 3. Palo Duro, 42.76; 4. Coronado, 43.01; 5. Lubbock-Cooper, 43.10; 6. Tascosa, 43.23.
800: 1. Abdirisak Saidgurhan, Palo Duro, 2:00.24; 2. William Escobar, Lubbock-Cooper, 2:00.45; 3. Logan Clayton, Monterey, 2:02.48; 4. Jaiden Esquivel, Plainview, 2:04.11; 5. Jeremiah Esquivel, Plainview, 2:06.05; 6. Paul Robertson, Lubbock-Cooper, 2:07.01.
110 hurdles: 1. Alhosan Sheriff, Caprock, 14.56; 2. Vern Blair, Palo Duro, 14.63; 3. Kyron Brown, Palo Duro, 14.67; 4. Logan Jackson, Amarillo High, 15.03; 5. Chester Creery, Tascosa, 15.79; 6. Kingston Wright, Caprock, 16.20.
100: 1. Allen Gant, Coronado, 10.66; 2. Quarren Boyd, Monterey, 10.91; 3. Mekhi Goitia, Palo Duro, 11.10; 4. Bryson Brown, Amarillo High, 11.21; 5. Aushaun Wilson, Palo Duro, 11.35; 6. Kyler McDowell, Lubbock-Cooper, 11.49.
800 relay: 1. Lubbock-Cooper (Kyler McDowell, Josiah Davis, Karter Gentry, Carter Harris), 1:29.03; 2. Tascosa, 1:29.59; 3. Monterey, 1:30.33; 4. Palo Duro, 1:30.67; 5. Caprock, 1:30.98; 6. Coronado, 1:31.99.
400: 1. Blake Moore, Lubbock-Cooper, 49.64; 2. Jaelym Glover, Amarillo High, 50.47; 3. Xavier Vargas, Caprock, 51.21; 4. Abdiaziz Abdi, Palo Duro, 51.68; 5. Owen Edwards, Coronado, 51.69; 6. Jude Dunavin, Amarillo High, 52.32.
300 hurdles: 1. Kyron Brown, Palo Duro, 39.97; 2. Roger Ronaldo, Tascosa, 40.43; 3. Logan Jackson, Amarillo High, 41.34; 4. Jesse Elizondo II, Monterey, 41.49; 5. Allen Ellison, Amarillo High, 41.92; 6. Julius Zapata, Plainview, 42.30.
200: 1. Allen Gant, Coronado, 21.46; 2. Nicholas Josiah Fields, Tascosa, 22.08; 3. Creed Cavalier, Amarillo High, 22.20; 4. Josiah Davis, Lubbock-Cooper, 22.27; 5. Karter Gentry, Lubbock-Cooper, 22.51; 6. Maddox Ellis, Plainview, 22.79.
1,600: 1. Abdirisak Saidgurhan, Palo Duro, 4:33.38; 2. Luis Guerrero, Lubbock-Cooper, 4:36.53; 3. Abdihafit Mohamed, Palo Duro, 4:37.00; 4. Arturo Rodriguez, Lubbock High, 4:37.07; 5. Grayson Hastings, Monterey, 4:40.27; 6. Jackson Newman, Amarillo High, 4:41.07.
1,600 relay: 1. Amarillo High (Oliver Parsons, Jude Dunavin, Jaelym Glover, Austin Fies), 3:22.79; 2. Caprock, 3:24.68; 3. Lubbock-Cooper, 3:28.93; 4. Tascosa, 3:30.48; 5. Plainview, 3:34.26; 6. Monterey, 3:40.07.
GIRLS
Team standings: 1. Amarillo High 163; 2. Amarillo Tascosa 113; 3. Lubbock-Cooper 87; 4. Monterey 82; 5. Lubbock High 66; 6. Amarillo Palo Duro 42; 7. Coronado 30; 8. Plainview 23; 9. Amarillo Caprock 14.
3,200: 1. Reese Peña, Lubbock High, 11:13.89; 2. Sydney Smothers, Monterey, 12:00.10; 3. Sabrina Carbajal, Palo Duro, 12:26.23; 4. Aubrie Comans, Caprock, 12:42.84; 5. Meredith Gutierrez, Plainview, 12:48.23; 6. Braylee Cothrin, Amarillo High, 12:49.87.
Long jump: 1. Saphina Stanley, Tascosa, 17-9; 2. Kahlen Whitley, Lubbock-Cooper, 17-2½; 3. Sienna Cavalier, Amarillo High, 16-9; 4. Olivia Clayton, Monterey, 16-7¾; 5. Kynlee Phillips, Lubbock-Cooper, 16-7; 6. Heiress Bradic, Plainview, 16-5½.
Discus: 1. Ava Rushing, Plainview, 130-10; 2. Maggie Marhefka, Tascosa, 129-8; 3. Ava Rahlfs, Amarillo High, 120-4; 4. Raelee Blevins, Tascosa, 116-3; 5. Jade Martin, Lubbock High, 114-2; 6. Brooklyn Graham, Amarillo High, 108-8.
High jump: 1. Niomi Wines, Lubbock-Cooper, 5-8; 2. Brentley Preston, Lubbock-Cooper, 5-6; 3. Sara Goltz, Lubbock-Cooper, 5-2; 4. Gabbi Garcia, Monterey, 5-0; 5. Samantha Adams, Lubbock High, 5-0; 6. Berkley Harper, Tascosa, 5-0.
Triple jump: 1. Kahlen Whitley, Lubbock-Cooper, 36-10¾; 2. Saphina Stanley, Tascosa, 36-10; 3. Kylei Jordan, Monterey, 35-4; 4. Veronica Surowiec, Lubbock High, 35-0; 5. Zeinab Deng, Palo Duro, 34-4½; 6. Riley McCulloch, Amarillo High, 34-3¾.
Pole vault: 1. Cailyn Lott, Caprock, 10-6; 2. Kierly Raef, Amarillo High, 10-6; 3. Patton Posey, Amarillo High, 10-0; 4. Lawsyn Everett, Lubbock-Cooper, 10-0; 5. Blake Graham, Tascosa, 9-0; 6. Brooke Quick, Lubbock-Cooper, 8-6.
Shot put: 1. Ava Rahlfs, Amarillo High, 40-8; 2. Ava Rushing, Plainview, 38-6; 3. Raelee Blevins, Tascosa, 37-2¾; 4. Eliza Miles, Palo Duro, 36-1½; 5. Riley Curtis, Plainview, 35-8¼; 6. Jessie Houston, Lubbock-Cooper, 35-7¼.
400 relay: 1. Amarillo High, 49.49; 2. Monterey, 49.58; 3. Palo Duro, 50.01; 4. Tascosa, 50.03; 5. Coronado, 50.42; 6. Lubbock-Cooper, 50.88.
800: 1. Reese Peña, Lubbock High, 2:14.94; 2. Sierra Cornell, Amarillo High, 2:15.78; 3. Zanashia Harris, Coronado, 2:19.90; 4. Kinley Davis, Amarillo High, 2:23.99; 5. Carolina Hernandez-Acosta, Lubbock High, 2:25.60; 6. Kylee Costley, Amarillo High, 2:27.32.
100 hurdles: 1. Jazzlynn Brown, Palo Duro, 15.14; 2. Willow Cornell, Amarillo High, 15.19; 3. Mysia Lewis, Monterey, 15.57; 4. Eva Minielly, Lubbock-Cooper, 16.35; 5. Sara Dy, Lubbock High, 16.71; 6. Jessie Houston, Lubbock-Cooper, 16.84.
100: 1. Niomi Wines, Lubbock-Cooper, 12.16; 2. Saphina Stanley, Tascosa, 12.40; 3. Memori Hibbler, Amarillo High, 12.70; 4. Eyjniq Jones, Monterey, 12.88; 5. Abbey Watts, Lubbock-Cooper, 13.02; 6. Zania James, Coronado, 13.07.
800 relay: 1. Amarillo High, 1:43.61; 2. Monterey, 1:44.47; 3. Tascosa, 1:44.53; 4. Coronado, 1:44.55; 5. Lubbock-Cooper, 1:46.40; 6. Lubbock High, 1:49.17.
400: 1. Saphina Stanley, Tascosa, 56.51; 2. Sierra Cornell, Amarillo High, 56.86; 3. Destiny Gates, Tascosa, 1:01.65; 4. Veronica Surowiec, Lubbock High, 1:01.96; 5. Alana Wiseman, Palo Duro, 1:02.64; 6. Mariah Watson, Tascosa, 1:02.77.
300 hurdles: 1. Willow Cornell, Amarillo High, 43.89; 2. Chandler Graham, Tascosa, 46.09; 3. Sara Dy, Lubbock High, 47.23; 4. Sienna Cavalier, Amarillo High, 47.33; 5. Jazzlynn Brown, Palo Duro, 48.47; 6. Maren Peck, Tascosa, 49.28.
200: 1. Niomi Wines, Lubbock-Cooper, 24.08; 2. Sofia Quiles, Amarillo High, 25.37; 3. Jordan Williams, Monterey, 26.28; 4. Alana Davis, Palo Duro, 26.52; 5. Markline Nuquay, Tascosa, 26.72; 6. Sophie Webb, Amarillo High, 26.82.
1,600: 1. Reese Peña, Lubbock High, 5:09.53; 2. Zanashia Harris, Coronado, 5:28.20; 3. Kinley Davis, Amarillo High, 5:29.55; 4. Sydney Smothers, Monterey, 5:31.49; 5. Ivana Ibarra, Tascosa, 5:45.07; 6. Kaydance Harrelson, Coronado, 5:45.75.
1,600 relay: 1. Amarillo High, 3:58.67; 2. Tascosa, 4:06.80; 3. Lubbock High, 4:10.14; 4. Monterey, 4:15.98; 5. Lubbock-Cooper, 4:16.36; 6. Coronado, 4:29.04.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: District 3-5A track results, takeaways: Lubbock-Cooper girls sweep high jump podium
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
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