Edna, Ganado boys win regional track titles
Originally published on Sunday, April 29, 2012
MEDAL WINNERS
Following are area medal winners at the Region IV-2A and IV-1A meets held Friday and Saturday at D.W. Rutledge Stadium.
Gold - Edna, 400 relay; Philip Vaughan, Karnes City, 110 hurdles; Devin Parks, Edna, 100; Edna, 800 relay; Darius Callies, Edna, 400; Trevor Long, East Bernard, 300 hurdles; Donnell Lyons, Karnes City, 200; Kalvin Singletary, Van Vleck, discus; Ty Slanina, East Bernard, long jump; Kalvin Singletary, Van Vleck, shot put. Silver - Noe Belmares, Rice Cons., 800; Ryan Havrda, Schulenburg, 110 hurdles; Marcus Thompson, Refugio, 100; Karnes City, 800 relay; Payton Wells, Weimar, 400; Devin Parks, Edna, 200; East Bernard, 1600 relay; Marcus Thompson, Refugio, long jump; Logan Myers, Refugio, shot put. Bronze - Wyatt Kieler, East Bernard, 3200; Ian Thompson, Bloomington, 800; Ty Slanina, East Bernard, 100; Tristan Newman, Nixon-Smiley, 300 hurdles; Logan Myers, Refugio, discus. Allen Gillis, Boling, high jump; Evan Klaevemann, Refugio, pole vault; Marcus Thompson, Refugio, triple jump. Gold - Kelsey Danklefs, Rice Cons., 800; Megan Shaw, Refugio, discus; Megan Shaw, Refugio, shot put. Silver - Terralynn Williams, East Bernard, 100 hurdles; Ashley Hubenak, Weimar, 100; Melea Polk, Van Vleck, 400; Hollie Schrader, Schulenburg, 300 hurdles; Sarah Walker, Schulenburg, 200; Karissa Wiley, Tidehaven, high jump, Terralynn Williams, East Bernard, triple jump. Bronze - Rice Cons., 400 relay; Kathia Garcia, Edna, 100 hurdles; Katy Gotthardt, Karnes City, 400; Rice Cons., 1600 relay; Alicia Canchola, Refugio, shot put. Gold - Shiner, 400 relay; Shiner, 800 relay; Trey Thedford, Ganado, 300 hurdles; Jayden Barefield, Yorktown, 200; Shiner, 1600 relay; Dillon Lee, Louise, long jump. Silver - Trey Thedford, Ganado, 110 hurdles; Kolbe Ybarra, Yorktown, 100; Yorktown, 800 relay; Kyle Sparkman, Ganado, 300 hurdles; Case Silliman, Ganado, discus; Jayden Barefield, Yorktown, long jump. Bronze - Ty Ramos, Moulton, 3200; Ganado, 400 relay; Kolbe Ybarra, Yorktown, 200; Michael Garcia, Ganado, discus; Michael Garcia, Ganado, discus; Dillon Lee, Louise, triple jump. Gold - Stacey Perez, Shiner, 100 hurdles; Laneshia Hunt, Shiner, 100; Meloni Berger, Shiner, 300 hurdles; Vicki Neimeyer, Yorktown, shot put.Bronze - Shiner, 400 relay; Flatonia, 800 relay; Lauren Oden, Shiner, discus; Leanna Dunk, Flatonia, high jump.
CONVERSE - The Edna and Ganado boys track and field teams had a long bus ride to D.W. Rutledge Stadium, but they made themselves right at home.
The Jackson County teams brought home Region IV championships on a muggy and windy Saturday afternoon.
Edna won the Class 2A boys title with 78 points, outscoring East Bernard (60), Karnes City (48) and Refugio (44).
"We had a lot of depth and some good relays and we had some hard-working kids and that's kind of what did it for us," said Edna coach Ben Callies. "The kids did really well. We had some personal bests. It's kind of a veteran squad right now. Last year, was our first year as a group and this year they kind of put it together and they stuck together and they got it done."
Ganado captured the boys Class 1A title with 77 points, outpointing Shiner (60) and Yorktown (58), who finished second and third, respectively.
"We knew that we had a good strong track team, well rounded and we were going to try and win the regional championship this year," said Ganado coach John Woodard. "We got a lot of kids who like to compete and we've got a good coaching staff that we all work well together as far as working with the kids and their events. Everything kind of went our way."
Edna used its speed to capture four gold medals and one silver medal in the running events.
Devin Parks won the 100-meter dash and finished second in the 200, Darius Callies won the 400 and the Cowboys won the 400 and 800 relays.
"When we had our first meet in Edna that was my goal and I feel accomplished," Parks said. "The key was to win. Everybody wanted to get first. When we get second, we're satisfied, but not satisfied really because first what we're looking for."
The Cowboys set the tone by winning the 400 relay and all but sealed the title by winning the 800 relay.
"We got practice and practice makes perfect and we'll do what we can to win," said Tyler Kucera, who ran on both relays. "I don't know what the thinking is. I just know to run."
Ganado got a first and second from Trey Thedford in the 300 and 110 hurdles, respectively, and Kyle Sparkman finished second in the 300 hurdles, as the Indians used their depth to rack up points.
"We knew if everyone did their best we would have a good shot," Thedford said. "It's something I don't know if it's ever been done in Ganado but it's really exciting. A lot of the seniors have been running awhile and we've got a lot of underclassmen who have helped us out a lot. We like cheering each other on and I guess that helps."
Ganado held of Shiner, which won all three relays to finish second and keep its hopes alive for a state title.
"We've been working all year for this," said Trevion Flowers, who ran on the Comanches' 400 and 800 relays. This is a time when you've just got to finish."
A number of area athletes finished in the top two and will be making the trip to the state meet in Austin in two weeks.
But only Ganado and Edna will be going as regional champions.
"It feels great," Parks said. "I get to share it with my friends on the team, the coaches and the people in the stands and the fans that came and supported us."
