- - -
He's the UIL 6A defending state champion and Eastbay Nationals finalist, but that hasn't stopped the other Texas boys from motivating themselves with thoughts of taking Kevin Sanchez' crown racing in their minds during the off-season.
The Friday Night Lights event at The Woodlands, Texas Bear Branch Park was evidence that the Texas boys are turning up the heat in the kitchen.
There were several boys chipping at the heels of Sanchez all throughout the rounds around the trails at the park as the crowd was enjoying the suspense.
However, if you are familiar with Sanchez' running style, you know it was a matter of time that he would make his mid to late race move . . . and he did. What seemed like trouble because the distance was 4,000m rather than 5,000m, saw Oliver Maldonado from Atascocita and Jack Boyd from Klein Oak proving to be too difficult for Sanchez to easily drop.
In fact, Sanchez, the Austin Vandegrift senior came through with his usual pedal to the medal type race, but Maldonado and Boyd were game and the spectators were on edge watching them press the state champ nearly all of the way to the end.
As the runners lapped the park and viewers chased them from one side of the park to the other side, it was Sanchez in the end, proving to be too much despite the lack of an additional 1K.
Adrian Hahn Vadstein from Katy Cinco Ranch and Thomas Kubala from Klein rounded out the top five finishers Friday night.
BOYS 4000 METER RUN FINALSPLACE ATHLETE TEAM RESULT POINTS1 Kevin Sanchez 12 Austin Vandegrift 12:22.40 1 2 Oliver Maldonado 12 Atascocita 12:28.20 2 3 Jack Boyd 12 Klein Oak 12:32.30 3 4 Adrian Hahn Vadstein 12 Katy Cinco Ranch 12:36.20 4 5 Thomas Kubala 12 Klein 12:39.10 0 6 Straton Miller 12 The Woodlands 12:42.00 5 7 Payton Chambers 11 Conroe Grand Oaks 12:47.50 6 8 Pablo Lesarri 12 The Woodlands 12:48.20 7 9 Hudson Haley 10 Austin Vandegrift 12:54.20 8 10 Aiden Ramshaw 12 Katy Tompkins 12:55.30 9